Whales & Bears of British Columbia

9 days
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4.7/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
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Small Group Tour
‘Beautiful British Columbia’ proclaim the number plates, for once without hyperbole. Sensational wildlife regularly presents itself amid a backdrop of rugged scenery. Here, whale and bear watching is the big draw but seals, elk and beavers ensure a truly authentic British Columbian wildlife encounter.  Our adventures take us to Vancouver Island, where we expl...
$10,935
From$8,100
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Visit Vancouver Island, the largest island on the North American Pacific Coast
    • Join experienced naturalist guides for two whale watching excursions
    • Search for black bears on the rocky shoreline of Clayoquot Sound
    • Observe grizzly bears in their natural surroundings
    • Enjoy walks in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

What's this trip about?

    ‘Beautiful British Columbia’ proclaim the number plates, for once without hyperbole. Sensational wildlife regularly presents itself amid a backdrop of rugged scenery. Here, whale and bear watching is the big draw but seals, elk and beavers ensure a truly authentic British Columbian wildlife encounter.  Our adventures take us to Vancouver Island, where we explore beaches and walk trails at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and we hope to see humpbacks, orcas, black bears and more.Discover the wildlife and rugged scenery of Western Canada

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 13 people
Age range16 years and up
Flights and transport
Start CityVancouver
End CityVancouver

Travel Themes

  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Birding
  • National Parks

Destinations

Attractions

  • Tofino
  • Vancouver

Activities

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 4

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 13

Trip includes

    • All accommodation
    • All transport and listed activities
    • Tour leader throughout
    • Three breakfasts and five lunches
    • Arrival and departure transfers are available

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Start Vancouver

The adventure begins in Vancouver on Canada's west coast. If you have time, we recommend a stroll around this cosmopolitan city to get a feel for it. Treat yourself to moreish maple cookies in Stanley Park, a 990-acre (400ha) green wonderland where you can see authent...

Day 2 Morning ferry to Vancouver Island

In the morning, we head to the port for a ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, a 1hr 30min journey across the Strait of Georgia. On arrival in Nanaimo, we continue by road, stopping for a walk and picnic lunch at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. Rathtrevor is known ...

Day 3 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve; boat excursion to observe grey and humpback whales

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is nestled between the mountains of the Vancouver Island range and the Pacific coastline. We walk inside the park this morning to admire the rich natural heritage of the west coast of Canada. The reserve has almost 10mi (16km) of sand...

Day 4 Rainforest Figure Eight trail; boat excursion to observe black bears

Today our leader will take us on an easy hike on the Rainforest Figure Eight trail, an hour-long walk along wooden boardwalks through the majestic forest. This is a peaceful trail and we will be surrounded by a dense foliage of ferns, Western Red Cedar and Western Hem...

Day 5 To Campbell River and Cathedral Grove Provincial Park

Depart Ucluelet and drive for four hours to Campbell River on the north shore of Vancouver Island. Campbell River is known as the salmon capital of the world for its hugely impressive salmon runs, where five species of Pacific salmon swim the river. It has been design...

Day 6 Boat excursion to Orford River to observe grizzly bears

Board a covered boat for a full-day excursion to the Orford River area (on the mainland of British Columbia) to observe grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Conservative estimates suggest there are 10,000 grizzly (brown) bears in British Columbia, with 92 percent o...

Day 7 Quadra Island for hiking or optional sea kayaking

Board a ferry for a 10-minute journey across the Discovery Passage to Quadra Island, where we spend the day exploring the island trails and beaches by foot. Our leader will determine the best trail based on the group's preference and ability, but options include the S...

Day 8 Transfer to Victoria; whale-watching in the Salish Sea

We drive for around four hours to Victoria, capital of British Columbia. Victoria is well-known for its colourful gardens, British architecture and arts scene. In the afternoon, we have one final wildlife-viewing opportunity as we embark on a whale-watching excursion...

Day 9 Ferry to Vancouver; orientation tour and end Vancouver

It's an early start on our final day in British Columbia as we take the ferry (approximately 1.5 hours) across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver. Our leader will take us on a guided orientation tour of the city then there's free time to explore Vancouver at your leis...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $8,100
Price per day$900
Last Updated: 5/22/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Shared Room
Single Room
Availability
22 Aug 2025
30 Aug 2025
$8,400
$10,350
01 Sep 2025
09 Sep 2025
$8,250
$10,200
11 Sep 2025
19 Sep 2025
$8,100
$10,050

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
Excellent
13,502
Great
3,265
Average
609
Disappointing
146
Terrible
190
A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Whales and bears

Very good trip . Just prepare for the rain . Saw lots of wild life . Would recommend the trip Seeing orcas , whales and bears He was a great guide . Very knowledg...

A

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Amazing Canada

An exciting trip around the island of Vancouver. We couldn’t believe the amazing wildlife encounters we experienced, and enjoyed the hospitality of our cheerful Ca...

A

Anonymous

Nov 2017

Alexandra the Great !

You have to be lucky to have a great holiday. We were lucky to pick this great tour, lucky to travel with a good group and very lucky to have Alex as our guide!Thi...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2017

WHALES & BEARS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Canada truly is 'The Great Outdoors!' - fir tree covered mountains and windswept, rocky beaches provided the backdrop to some exciting wildlife enco...

A

Anonymous

Feb 2017

Whales, Bears and WOW

A brilliant trip, with chance to see huge amounts of the stunning British Columbia Landscapes and lots of wildlife. We were very lucky with the weather, a great grou...

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Other Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews

S

Sheila Bissell

Apr 2025

Written on
Exodus Adventure Travels Company Reviewsby Exodus Adventure Travels

Excellent service

Excellent service

R

Roger hil

Apr 2025

Written on
Exodus Adventure Travels Company Reviewsby Exodus Adventure Travels

Roger

They were very helpful, polite and knowledgeable

G

Gill Barber

Apr 2025

Written on
Exodus Adventure Travels Company Reviewsby Exodus Adventure Travels

Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt

Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt, good service

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • Travel insurance
    • Single accommodation (available on request)
    • Visas or vaccinations
    • Meals not mentioned

Accommodation

9 nights in a mixture of standard and comfortable hotels, all rooms en suite Travel by minibus, ferry, motorboat and Zodiac
on this trip has been selected for its excellent location and warm, Canadian hospitality. Below are the properties we usually use on this itinerary. Vancouver (one night): The Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown offers an excellent central location to visit Vancouver's key sites. There's also a heated indoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. Ucluelet (three nights): Canadian Princess Lodge & Marina is an historic four-star property on the waterfront in the small town of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island's west coast. All rooms have private balconies and complimentary wifi. Campbell River (three nights): Close to the Elk Falls Suspension Bridge, Painter’s Lodge is a completely non-smoking hotel, where we stay in garden-view rooms overlooking the grounds. Victoria (one night): Huntingdon Manor Hotel, located in Victoria's scenic Inner Harbour, has a history dating back to 1890 and is built in the style of an English country manor house.
Cancellation policy

The cancellation policies of this trip when booked through Travelstride are determined by the stated policies of the tour operator - Exodus Adventure Travels.

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel a confirmed booking you must notify Travelstride in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by Travelstride and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Period before departure in which you notify us

From the date your Booking Confirmation is issued up to, and including, 90 days prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.

  • 89 to 52 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 51 to 31 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 30 days or less prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation, or after the booking has started

Cancellation charge

Deposit can be transferred to a new booking which must be made within 3 months of the date the original booking was cancelled, and depart within 12 months of the new booking date. If a new booking is not made within this period then the deposit will be forfeited. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.

  • 50% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 75% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 100% of the total holiday cost.

For Polar holidays, the following cancellation charges will be made:

Cancellation period (before departure) - Cancellation Fee (per person)

Outside of 180 days - No fee if cancelled within 15 days of booking date. US $1,250 cancellation fee if cancelled 16 days or more of booking date.

179 to 120 days - Loss of deposit.

119 to 90 days prior to departure - 50% of the holiday cost.

89 to 60 days prior to departure - 75% of the holiday cost. 

59 to 0 days prior to departure - 100% of the holiday cost.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of Exodus Adventure Travels at the following web address: https://www.exodustravels.com/us/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
Three breakfasts and four picnic lunches are included on this trip. For meals not included, you usually eat out in local restaurants recommended by the tour leader. To help you budget, meals cost on average: Hotel breakfasts: 15-20 Canadian dollars (US$11-US$15) Lunches: 20-25 dollars (US$15-US$19) Dinners: 30-50 dollars (US$23-US$38), this does not include alcoholic beverages Drinks cost on average: Wine: 15-20 dollars (US$11-15) per glass Beer: 8-12 dollars (US$6-US$9) per bottle A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in Canadian restaurants. Applicable taxes will also be added to all listed menu prices. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.
Age Requirements
16 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
exodus-WFZ

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