Grizzly Bear Tours


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May 13 to September 30

  • Adult: $370 + 5% GST 
  • Child: $320 + 5% GST

Departs 7:00 AM
Returns about 4:00 PM

Book your tour now at: www.grizzlycanada.com/bookings/ 

Enjoy the majesty of the coastal mountains as we explore spectacular Knight Inlet to find grizzly bears in the spring. As the snows melt, both black and grizzly bears emerge from their hibernation dens on the mountain slopes.

Hungry bears make their way down to feed on the spring sedge grasses in the river lowlands. Sedges have 20% vegetable protein value, enough to sustain the bears.

At low tide the bears feed along the inlet beaches, eating seaweed and turning over rocks to find crabs, barnacles and mussels. Many of the young bears are blond in the spring.

Typical wildlife sighting report in June:
Bears are conserving energy this time of the year. They get up late, and take  siestas when ever they feel safe. Big Bertha here opened one eye when the camera shutter clicked.

Late May to mid June is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. This is our best month for seeing grizzly bears. The big boars chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach.  Certainly this is our favourite time of the viewing season.

Book your tour now at: www.grizzlycanada.com/bookings/

Watching a big boar approach…

First bears of season, big Bruno chasing not-interested female, possibly Lenora.

We view the bears from the safety and comfort of our big flat bottom viewing boats. Their shallow draught gets us in close to the action. Recommended to bring a good pair of binoculars.


By July  cubs of the year are scrambling along behind their mom as they first explore their wilderness home. Mom is very protective of her cubs as she teaches them bear survival, keeping them away from big  male bears.

 

Children 10 to 16 are welcome. All tours subject to a 4 person minimum. We do not guarantee bear sightings, we do the best we can to show you the bears that come out.  In 2017 we had a 99.8% sighting rate even though no pink salmon returned to spawn. see FAQ.

If you have come a long ways and HAVE to see bears, please book several days with us or with Knight Inlet Lodge.

We do not take pregnant women nor people with serious back or neck problems.

Book your tour now at: www.grizzlycanada.com/bookings/

“Sometime” in August the salmon are running at the river mouth. The bears chase the fish around in the low tide pools …. Lots of fun. Watch grizzlies at the river mouth flats on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiukdQsiisw . Often our viewing skiff is right in the river. Eagles dive down to snatch salmon, charging bears chase fish up onto a gravel bar.

Fall is when the bears need to pile on fat for winter hibernation. Bald eagles are the first to spot salmon as they make their way up the inlet. Local grizzlies are drawn to the river by the smell of fish. Wild bears from other areas come over the mountain passes and swim the inlets following their noses to Glendale Cove.

DEPARTURE and Return TIMES VARY IN THE FALL; PLEASE CHECK IN THE DAY BEFORE YOUR TOUR TO HEAR THE LATEST.

Every bear has its own preferred fishing technique. Some like to stand in a riffle and pounce when an unsuspecting salmon goes by. Other bears run around trying to corner salmon against the bank. Salmon are slippery!
grizzly chases salmon


Bella and her 2nd year cubs 2011.

Book your tour now at: www.grizzlycanada.com/bookings.