2017 - APT Canada & Alaska featuring USA

160 | WILDERNESS LODGE EXTENSIONS Back at your lodge, wilderness-gourmet meals await. This evening after dinner, enjoy a presentation explaining the interaction of grizzly bears within this environment. Three Night Stay: Great Bear Lodge in a private room. D Day 2. Bear Viewing. Rise at dawn and head out again to search for grizzly bears. Although grizzlies are without a doubt the star of the show, Great Bear Rainforest is also home to a range of other fascinating creatures thanks to its ancient old-growth timber habitats. Wolves, black bears, cougars and ever-adorable pine martens rule the forest, while bald eagles watch from the sky. In the glacier-fed waters, meanwhile, river otters duck and dive for spawning salmon. After lunch, you'll set out to explore the area with a knowledgeable guide. A popular activity is the interpretive rainforest walk, during which bear signs and the ecology of the area are explained in detail. Afterwards, return to the lodge and enjoy some time to relax – perhaps you might like to unwind in front of the fireplace with a book from the natural history library or recline on the deck with a drink, enjoying the sounds of the rainforest. Later, rejoin your group and head out into the wilderness on your afternoon bear viewing session. BLD Day 3. Bear Viewing. Having already spent two nights at the lodge, you will have well and truly settled in to the rhythm of life in the remote British Columbia wilderness. On your final day, you'll once again descend into the rainforest on morning and afternoon excursions when bears and other wildlife are most active. Between your bear viewing sessions, your guides may take you to explore the glacier-carved inlet or you may prefer to relax and soak up your last few moments of tranquillity at the lodge. BLD Day 4. Bear Viewing, Port Hardy. Embark on your final bear viewing session this morning. Take lunch back at the lodge, then transfer by seaplane to Port Hardy, a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Stay: Port Hardy, Quarterdeck Inn. BL Day 5. Port Hardy, Depart Vancouver. Transfer to Port Hardy Airport and fly back to Vancouver for your onward flight. B GREAT BEAR EXPERIENCE 5 DAYS – WILDERNESS LODGE EXTENSION 3 Nights Great Bear Lodge | 1 Night Port Hardy Day 1. Arrive Vancouver, Great Bear Lodge. Your bear-viewing adventure begins as you fly from Vancouver to Port Hardy. Here, board a seaplane and fly over Queen Charlotte Strait to Great Bear Lodge, a vast and remote floating oasis located in a region known as the Great Bear Rainforest. Accommodating just 10 guests, this is one of the few places on Earth where bears outnumber humans. Your grizzly bear experience begins in the late afternoon. Based on where the bears have been most active recently, your biologist guides will take you by boat to the estuary viewing sites or lead you to the river viewing sites. While you survey your surroundings for that tell-tale rustling, your guides will share information about the ecosystem and grizzly bear body language. Viewing sessions typically last for three hours and are not at all strenuous. Whether you're floating silently along the banks of the estuary, huddled in a rainforest- enveloped viewing blind or following tracks along a wilderness trail, there's nothing quite like the feeling of glimpsing your first bear as it emerges from within the dense forest. Meet the gaze of grizzlies in their native habitat Vancouver Port Hardy BRITISH COLUMBIA Great Bear Lodge Vancouver Island Queen Charlotte Strait CANADA 3 1 Flight (included) Seaplane (included) No. of Nights Stay KEY (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner

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