Highlights of the Great Bear Rainforest & Bella Coola Valley
GROUP SIZE
1 to maximum of 6 guests
Time of year
Opening Day - August 31
Duration
2, 3, 4, 5 or more nights
In these all-inclusive packages expert guides take you to explore the stunning, diverse landscapes of our region; from the mighty fjords along the Pacific Ocean to the lush Great Bear Rainforest in the Bella Coola Valley and up to the Chilcotin Plateau!
In Bella Coola, the Coast Range mountains meet the Pacific Ocean and creates one of the most spectacular, yet isolated, wilderness areas on the planet. Long fjords, old growth forests, stunning peaks, vast glaciers and abundant wildlife. This pristine region is home to countless salmon, bald eagles and grizzly bears! The best way to experience the Bella Coola Valley is by booking the Bella Coola Explorer package!
**NEW FOR 2021** - An amazing offer! The Bella Coola Explorer now includes a FREE 15 Minute Helicopter Sightseeing Flight if you book a package of 4 or more nights! And what's more: we haven't increased our rates from 2020! (Tip: upgrade the Heli Sightseeing trip to a longer flight, or enjoy an even more spectacular and immersive experience by upgrading to a Heli Hiking trip, customized to your pace!)
Trip Highlights
- View and photograph splendid mountain scenery while drifting the scenic Atnarko River in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park
- Learn to track grizzlies and look for bears in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, the largest protected area in the province (note: it's not grizzly season at this time of year. Our bear season is September 1 to October 16)
- Learn about the region's First Nations culture by visiting ancient stone carvings and the local totem poles
- Explore the Great Bear Rainforest, including a visit to a waterfall and an old-growth forest of HUGE cedar trees!
- Walk the rugged Tote Road exploring old homesteads and trappers' cabins
- Sleep peacefully in beautiful log or timber-frame chalets with magnificent mountain views. Tweedsmuir Park Lodge is a frequent winner of TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence and Traveller's Choice award (Top Small Hotels of Canada) and was rated by CNN Travel as one of "British Columbia's best luxury lodges”
- Climb up our Via Ferrata and marvel at the views from the top (a via ferrata is a climbing route where participants climb up using metal rungs, while being secured to a safety cable). It's so much fun!
- Choose between Private or Small Group packages
- Option add-on: soar above remote alpine meadows, majestic mountain peaks and glaciers by helicopter! We offer a range of Heli-Hiking and Heli-Sightseeing options (note: a 15 minute Heli Sightseeing trip is included on packages of 4 or more nights!)!
The Bella Coola Explorer has been designed to encompass and introduce you to as much of the stunning local environment as possible. Whether you come for 3 nights, 4 nights, 5 nights, or longer, the programs encompass the best that the valley has to offer.
All activities are hosted and led by qualified professionals with a wealth of local knowledge and stories. From trained naturalists, mountain guides, cheerful helicopter pilots, and salty boat captains, these people will make the day and terrain come alive with historical perspective and geographical context.
Join us for the best that Bella Coola has to offer. There is sure to be more adventure packed into these trips than you are likely to experience for the rest of the year (or if you would prefer more downtime, we can customize a trip for you. Just let us know).
Private and Small Group Tours
Wildlife experiences are so much better in small, intimate groups. Group size is definitely something you should consider when booking your holiday. At Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, guests have the option of choosing a Private or a Small Group package. Here are the differences;
Private packages = Flexibility + Exclusivity - Whether you’re up for hard-core adventure or prefer to leisurely explore, we can tailor your itinerary to your interests, physical abilities and group culture with a privately guided package. On the guided Wilderness River Drifts you will get to use a McKenzie Drift Boat, which is the best option for serious photographers (as it has a solid base and sides).
Small Group packages = Social + Value - Our Small Group adventures offer the knowledge and expertise of experienced guides to solo travellers and parties of 2-6. Itineraries are set, although upgrades to include other tours may be possible.
Our Packages, Your Way
Our multi-day packages have been specifically designed to showcase the best of Bella Coola and the Great Bear Rainforest. If you have areas of special interest, or you are a keen photographer, or have mobility issues, or are travelling with a young family, we recommend doing a Private package. We can then tailor the program to suit your desires. To see sample itineraries, click on the links in the pricing tiles below. Optional add-on activities for custom trips include Heli-Hiking, Heli-Sightseeing, Fishing, overnight camping, and even summer Heli-Skiing!
Self-Drive
The majority of our guests fly to Bella Coola and we then pick them up as we are very remote, however, we are very easy to get to. If you have plenty of time and want to see more of beautiful British Columbia, a road trip is definitely the way to go! We recommend taking the ferry to/from Vancouver Island and doing the Discovery Coast Circle Tour (click for more info).
BC Ferries has several packages that include a stay with us;