GRIZZLY BEAR VIEWING DAY TRIP

Many of our guests add a grizzly bear viewing day trip with Sea Wolf Adventures before or after they join us kayaking. Grizzly bears are not normally found on Vancouver Island but are regularly seen on the nearby mainland coast.

Your First Nations guides will take you on an intimate and immersive wildlife experience in their traditional territories. This all in one experience brings you to the natural habitat of Western Canada’s grizzly bears, while looking out for whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, wolves and eagles while you cruise towards the coastal Mainland’s viewing sites. Listen to the guides interpretation of local landscapes, and the ancient villages that were once occupied by the Musg̱a̱makw Dzawada̱’enux̱w people.

t is important to note that every season is different and we will take you to wherever we believe you will have the best grizzly viewing experience.

Viewing is mostly boat based as the grizzlies will be foraging on sedge grass and turning over rocks on the beaches looking crabs and mussels. June and early July is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. The big boars chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach. July is the season of cubs scrambling along behind their mom as they first explore their wilderness home. Later in the season the salmon return to the rivers which may bring viewing opportunities on land.

2024 Adult Price:
$$657.50 ($575 plus plus 10% fuel surcharge, plus $25 Salmon Stewardship Fee per person) plus 5% GST

2024 Youth Price (10 to 16 years old):
$602.50 ($522.50 plus plus 10% fuel surcharge, plus $25 Salmon Stewardship Fee per person) plus 5% GST

Departs: At 7:00 am daily from 1514 Broughton Blvd. in Port McNeil (same building as MacKay Whale Watching), Vancouver Island.

Duration: 8 to 9 hours

How to Book: When booking any of our Port McNeill departure kayak tours you can add the grizzly bear viewing option the day before or the day after your kayak tour. A $100 deposit is required to reserve your spot on the grizzly bear tour and the remaining balance is due at the same time as the balance for your kayak tour.

Please note: That due to possible windy and bumpy conditions on the boat ride to view grizzly bears, this tour is not suitable for people with back and neck issues, people with osteoporosis, or pregnant women. If this may be an issue please contact us to discuss this in greater detail.

Includes: The grizzly bear tour includes boat transportation from Port McNeill to the viewing areas and back. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks, binoculars, a rain poncho (sizes small to large) and a cultural sustainability fee are also included. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated given sufficient prior notification.

Remember to bring: Come prepared with proper footwear and clothing for moderate hiking in the forest and on rocky
terrain. Bring your a wind and rain proof jacket, a hat, camera, medication (if needed), and insect repellent. When it is raining you will also want to bring waterproof pants and waterproof hiking boots or knee-high rubber boots. When it is sunny don’t forget your sunscreen and sunglasses. To ensure that our tour has a minimal impact on wildlife, we ask that you wear dark clothing. If you bring a camera, please turn your flash off, it scares the bears.

Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy

A 25% deposit is required to permanently reserve your spot(s) on all tours.
Deposits are fully refundable up to 72 hours after your booking. Please notify us by email if cancelling within this 72 hour period for a full refund. After 72 hours the deposit is non-refundable.
Payment of any outstanding balance is due 60 days before the tour’s departure date.
If you must cancel your tour with 60 or more days notice of your tour’s departure date, a full refund of any amount paid above your required non-refundable deposit is provided.
If you must cancel your tour with less than 60 days of your tour’s departure date the full amount of the tour is non-refundable.
All cancellations must be received by email.

Kingfisher strongly recommends all booked guests to purchase travel insurance for their trip that includes coverage for cancellations and trip interruptions and medical expenses and evacuations in Canada. Most insurance policies need to be purchased within a short time of booking. For more information on different types of insurance, click here.

Additional details to consider…

Please do not book before first reading and understanding the Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy.
If you book and cannot join your tour for any reason, including vaccination status or travel restrictions, our regular Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy applies.
You fully assume the risk concerning entry requirements into British Columbia and Canada.
For the latest information on travel to Canada including the updated federal requirements and restrictions, please visit the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism page.

Base Camp Kayak With Whales and Grizzly Bears My husband and I participated in a 4-day-3-night base camp Whale and Grizzly Bear trip with Kingfisher and we had an AMAZING time! We are both scientists and have gone on lots of cool outdoor adventures, but this trip was exceptional. We saw so much wildlife that we could hardly believe it; humpbacks, orca (both transient and resident), Dall's porpoise, pacific white-sided dolphin, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, grizzly bears, and black bears to name the highlights. Our guides, Allie and Tessa, were very friendly and knowledgeable. The food was EXCELLENT and there was plenty of it. The tents and beds were cozy and a hot water bottle was offered for those who wanted to warm up their sleeping bag (although the sleeping bags were plenty warm themselves). The kayaks were sturdy and in great shape and all of the equipment was well maintained. We woke up to the sounds of feeding humpback whales right outside our tent each morning and we watched them feed in the straight as the sun set each evening (all from camp). Overall, it was an amazing trip that we will never forget and we highly recommend it anyone interested in a wonderful wildlife adventure!
read moreread less

Kreaver
9/18/2019
AMAZING - MAGICAL - POWERFUL Adventure Myself and 5 friends just returned from an AMAZING 4-day base camp "Kayak with Whales" adventure. The adventure was sooo much more than kayaking with whales. We saw and heard lots of different marine and wild life (Orca and Humpback whales, Sea Lions, Seals, Eagles, Porpoises, Otters, Bear). and went for a special hike in the forest.
The Kingfisher team did a FANTASTIC job in hosting the trip right from initial contact to the very end of the trip. The trip was very organized and well planned. No detail has been left out…they have it all covered!
Strict COVID protocol was followed and we felt COVID safe at all times. At no time did anyone feel unsafe on the water or on land.
Meals prepared by Chef Julien were delicious and plenty to eat at all times.
Our professional and passionate guides Audrey and Dom were the best! They were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and added lots of fun, laughter and adventure to our trip.
All together the adventure was a truly magical and powerful experience.
I highly recommend going on a Kingfisher Wilderness adventure. I am planning on going on another one!
read moreread less

parm0
8/16/2020
Best kayaking/whale adventure on Vancouver Island I took Kingfisher's 4-day whale watching kayak trip from Port McNeill, BC. I have taken wilderness adventure trips all over the world, and this is one of the best experiences ever.

Orca whales seemed to be everywhere, and I enjoyed their "Shaker" camp on Hanson Island in Johnstone Strait, which was beautiful and well-appointed for a wilderness camp, including canvas tents on platforms and a covered kitchen/dining area, although the weather was perfect.

We had 3 guides for 9 people, and they were highly competent on the water and in the kitchen. The trip exceeded my expectations.
read moreread less

560allanm
8/10/2021
Kingfisher Whales and Grizzlies four-day excursion a smash hit! I recently experienced this kayaking adventure with nine pals. We unanimously agreed that the experience simply could not have been better. We were graced with good weather and abundant marine and wildlife viewings. From a full breach by a Humpback whale, to a clear sighting of an Orca's dorsal fin from the middle of Blackfish Sound, to seals, sea lions, the fattest bald eagles on earth, swimming deer, and countless species of marine creatures and plants, our cups were absolutely full. Our three guides, Cam, Zach, and Megan (ph.) were all incredibly knowledgeable and skilled. They quickly assessed our capabilities as kayakers and designed our kayaking adventures to perfectly suit us. The food was excellent, the permanent platform-based tents were super comfortable. Nothing was left to chance, and yet we were able to take advantage of opportunities as they presented. I can highly recommend this kayaking adventure - it will be a wilderness highlight for life!
read moreread less

Sandra J.
7/25/2019
AMAZING - MAGICAL - POWERFUL Adventure Myself and 5 friends just returned from an AMAZING 4-day base camp "Kayak with Whales" adventure. The adventure was sooo much more than kayaking with whales. We saw and heard lots of different marine and wild life (Orca and Humpback whales, Sea Lions, Seals, Eagles, Porpoises, …
read moreread less

parm0
8/01/2020
Kayaking with Whales July 23 - 26 My husband and I joined Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures for a Kayaking with Whales Adventure last week. Great weather, awesome food & the best kayaking we have experienced. Loved the base camp on Hanson Island, and the nights spent camping in the tents. The accommodations were superb. Special thanks to Alisune and Jes. Not only are they top notch guides, they are also top knotch chefs.
The only thing missing was a campfire each night - that would certainly have enhanced the whole experience. I might suggest re-naming this specific tour, and calling it ‘Kayaking in the Wilderness’ or ‘Kayaking in Johnstone Strait & Blackfish Sound’, instead of ‘Kayaking With Whales’, which leads one to believe that one will actually be kayaking where the whales are. I know one can’t predict where the whales will be at a given time, however we experienced none close by on any day of our kayaking. The whales we did see while in kayaks were a very long way off, & at too great of a distance to kayak to.
All in all a great tour & very memorable.
read moreread less

kartonv
7/31/2019
Best way to experience Vancouver Island's wild west coast My husband and I just returned from our second trip with Kingfisher - an expedition trip in the Nutchatlitz area: Kayaking with Sea Otters. It was even more fabulous than our first base camp trip in the Broughton Archipelago. We saw sea otters every day, tons of eagles and even …
read moreread less

Elizabeth C.
7/01/2021
Amazing! I am well traveled and done many different types of adventures and trips. I have only wrote one review on trip advisor before and that was giving a 5/5 rating cage shark diving with Great Whites in New Zealand. This trip deserves my 2nd 5/5 review! It was incredible!! Great mix of kayaking, island time, solitude, games, nature, etc. I did the 4 day/3 night base camp trip with my brother. All the guides were great with a special shutout to Fin! Very knowledgeable, personable, patient, and passionate about his job. When he spoke people listened. A kind of guy you want to grab a pint with sometime and maybe watch the Habs beat up on the Canucks !! We seen it all (both from our kayaks and from the many view points at camp)... a couple pods of orcas, sea lions swimming close to us, porpoises, humpbacks , eagles catching fish... and the list goes on and on. This trip is so much more than that though!! Nature is incredible and much more fun and cheaper than therapy. This trip is one I’ll remember forever!! No photos needed, just go see for yourself!! A+
read moreread less

Brent A.
8/03/2019
Outstanding company with focus on safety and enjoyment - loved it We nearly booked a tour with another company but so glad we went with Kingfisher. We also booked our accommodation (Black bear resort) and the separate grizzly tour through Kingfisher and more than happy with both of those. Kingfisher is very professional, extremely well organised and very respectful of the wildlife. We also felt very safe and comfortable at all times. My husband and I (both late 50s) are regular kayakers at home but this was a very special experience in a beautiful area. The wildlife is everywhere (seals, sea lions, dolphins, eagles and even a mink spotted one time) although whales are mostly some distance from the kayaks. That did not worry me. I loved just being in their territory and seeing and hearing them surface. The seals and sea lions are beautiful to watch in the water and they often followed us. We had a small humpback surface briefly and unexpectedly very close to us and I still cannot believe that happened. All the equipment was great including the camp setup. The kayaking is fairly leisurely but I was pleased at how much we did over the four days We were lucky to be in a wonderful group of people and have three terrific guides - Sabina, Cam and Tess thank you for all your hard work and great cooking. We had a month in Canada but this was definitely the highlight.
read moreread less

NewcastleKiwigirl
10/06/2018
Unplug and enjoy beautiful northern Vancouver Island Our whole trip was wonderful. We were very excited about the kayak base camp trip we had signed up for and everything lived up to all our expectations and more. Our guides, Julian and Katie were such great people firstly and our trip was immeasurably more enjoyable because of their friendship, leadership, hard work, culinary skills and of course their exemplary knowledge of the outdoors, wildlife, ocean tides and kayaking skills. It was never a stressful time paddling or at camp. I would absolutely come back for another visit with Kingfisher. It was very well organized and all the pre-trip information and packing lists were great. Those large dry bags held much more than I thought they would so we could pack everything we wanted. We ended up not needing all of the warm weather clothes due to our fantastic weather and crazy warm sleeping bags Kingfisher provided. I WILL be back one day and I still cannot say enough about our guides Julian and Katie. I hope to see them again.
read moreread less

H341PImarkd
8/10/2021