Into the Great Bear Rainforest Exploratory Photo Adventure
ABOUT THE GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST:
At over 64,000 square kilometers (25,000 sq. mi.) the Great Bear Rainforest is the largest tract of temperate coastal rainforest left on Planet Earth. Here the coastal mountains meet the Pacific Ocean - the area is cut by hundreds of steep-sided inlets/fjords and there are countless islands. This true wilderness is rarely visited by humans and is stunningly beautiful in itself. And, it is literally teeming with wildlife - including Grizzly Bears, Black (and Spirit) Bears, coastal Gray Wolves, Wolverines, Sea Otters, American Martens, Bald Eagles, Humpback Whales, Killer Whales, Sea Otters, Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, many species of waterfowl and seabirds, and more! The ENTIRE Great Bear Rainforest is a nature and wildlife photographer's dream come true.
OVERVIEW OF THIS GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST PHOTO TOUR:
This Exploratory Photo Adventure into the Great Bear Rainforest is about seeking out and photographing wildlife and coastal scenes in new and much less-visited regions of British Columbia's spectacular coastal Great Bear Rainforest. Our "targeted" subjects that we'll actively seek out will include Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Humpback Whales, Sea Lions, possibly coastal Gray Wolves and Spirit Bears, landscapes and seascapes, and more.
The easiest way to think of this one is this: just take our standard "Into the Great Bear Rainforest" photo tour (described here), then detour into rarely visited regions of the Great Bear, add just a tad of "gnarly", and remove the online wildlife photography instruction...and there you have it! This photo tour covers the same general portion of the Great Bear Rainforest as the Instructional version of the trip, but we will be exploring some of the much less commonly visited inlets and estuaries in search of the best wildlife subjects and scenes the Great Bear can offer!
This trip will include some hiking on uneven (and slippery!) terrain, so those considering coming on this trip should have good mobility, a moderate-to-high fitness level, and a good sense of balance. While this trip will not be focused SOLELY on finding and photographing the rare white Spirit Bear, we will be dedicating some time to capturing images of these amazing creatures in areas they are regularly encountered. We will be assisted by highly capable professional bear guides as we work our way through the spectacular Great Bear Rainforest! This WILL be a highly memorable experience!
EVEN MORE ABOUT THIS PHOTO TOUR:
In late summer salmon begin their spawning runs throughout the Great Bear Rainforest. Grizzly and Black Bears, as well as other species such as coastal Gray Wolves, American Martens, and Bald Eagles, all converge on streams and rivers to exploit and feed on the seasonal bounty of salmon. And, of course, the inlets of the Great Bear Rainforest are still chock-full of marine mammals such as Humpback Whales, Killer Whales, Steller Sea Lions, and more. It is a wonderful time to visit the Great Bear - and close to nirvana for wildlife photographers!
In 2022 we're adding a new twist to this trip - we're using a relatively speedy water taxi to travel from Prince Rupert, BC to the boat we'll be using throughout the remainder of the tour - the Afterglow. This means we'll be getting into the heart of the Great Bear quicker, and thus getting us to the good photo ops even quicker (and ultimately increasing the total number of photo ops we'll encounter over the full week).
This is a multi-faceted trip, focusing not only on the bears, but on all the inhabitants of the Great Bear Rainforest - and the entire ecosystem in which they thrive. While the bears are an integral part of this trip, we will be approaching this trip with an attitude of finding and capturing any form of natural beauty and natural art we can find. This may include many species of wildlife and birds, intertidal scenes, landscapes, seascapes, and more!
Important Note: ALL of our Great Bear Rainforest photo tours are about exploring, seeing, and photographing all the riches of the Great Bear Rainforest. They are not dedicated to photographing any single species of wildlife (such as Spirit Bears or coastal Gray Wolves). We cannot guarantee that participants will return with Spirit Bear or Gray Wolf photos. But we can guarantee that we will do our absolute best to ensure they will see - and photograph - as much of the biological diversity of the Great Bear Rainforest as possible!
What are YOUR chances of seeing a Spirit Bear on this trip? Good to very good! Of ALL our Great Bear Rainforest trips we dedicate the SECOND MOST time to finding and photographing Spirit Bears on THIS trip. So if seeing and photographing a Spirit Bear is a very high priority to you, then our Into the Great Bear Rainforest Instructional Photo Tour is our BEST trip for you. And THIS one would be your SECOND BEST choice!
This photo tour begins in Prince Rupert, BC and ends in Kitimat/Terrace, BC Canada.
What's Included? This is an all-inclusive trip that includes most everything after your arrival in Prince Rupert on Day 1 of the trip. So that means meals, accommodation, all travel during the trip, bear guides, photography guides, and all First Nation, Conservation and Stewardship fees. Of course great camaraderie and tons of great photo ops are included as well!
Sample Photos? Many of the images in my very popular "Bears" photo gallery and my Animalscapes photo gallery were captured in the Great Bear Rainforest. Feel free to check them out to see what the Great Bear has to offer for a keen nature photographer!
How does this Great Bear Rainforest photo tour differ from our Spring and Summer "Southern" Great Bear photo tours? There are TWO main differences between the trips. First, on this late summer/early autumn trip we stick to the more northerly portions of the Great Bear Rainforest than on our "Southern" Great Bear photo tours. This means that the chances of seeing and photographing Spirit Bears are somewhat HIGHER on this trip. Second, on our Spring and Summer "Southern" Great Bear photo tours photo tour we tend to stick our nose into the more exposed and "saltier-and-sandier" outer islands and islets of the "Outer Great Bear". By venturing out into the Outer Great Bear we tend to have a better chance of seeing and photographing coastal Gray Wolves, Sea Otters, Sea Lions and Fin Whales. So, on average, it's safe to say that our "Into the Great Bear Rainforest" photo tours (including this trip) have slightly higher chances of producing Spirit Bear sightings (and photos), but a slightly lower chance of producing coastal Gray Wolf sightings (and photos).
OTHER Great Bear Rainforest Photo Tours Offered in 2022:
• Spring in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour
• Spring in the Southern Great Bear Exploratory Photo Adventure
• Summer in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour
• Summer in the Southern Great Bear Photo Op Photo Tour - The SUPER VOYAGE!
• Into the Great Bear Rainforest Instructional Photo Tour
THE CRITICAL DETAILS:
• PHOTO TOUR TYPE: Photo Op Photo Tour AND Exploratory Photo Adventure! (go here for a description of the types of photo tours I offer).
• SCHEDULED PHOTO TOUR LEADER: Brad Hill
• DURATION: 8 NIGHTS/9 DAYS (including arrival and departure days) with 7 NIGHTS/8 DAYS in the Great Bear Rainforest aboard the Afterglow (a 60-foot fully customized Gulf Commander powerboat).
• PROVISIONAL DATES: September 21-29, 2022, including arrival and departure days. September 22-29, 2022 aboard the Afterglow.
• NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Limited to 6.
• CURRENT NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SPOTS: 0 (sold out). While this trip is currently sold out, when trips sell out this far in advance it is not uncommon that cancellations occur. Please contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca if you'd like to be placed on a waiting list for this amazing photo tour.
• COST: $8699 CAD plus 5% GST. Currency converter available here.
• PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS TRIP: This photo tour requires a moderate level of physical fitness and good mobility. We will be walking/hiking on trails or beaches a number of times on this trip and we will be shooting images from the deck of the main boat, from within a Zodiac, and on shore. To participate in this trip you should be able to perform the following tasks:
• Be able to hike up to 2-3 km (up to 2 miles) on uneven, slanted and potentially slippery terrain and/or over some obstacles that could be up to a meter or slightly more high (e.g., large fallen logs) - all while carrying your own camera gear.
• Being able to easily move between the main boat and the Zodiac. This involves stepping from the deck of the Afterglow and into the Zodiac.
• Be able to easily move from the Zodiac and a beach and/or rocky shoreline. This involves being able to climb over an obstacle (the side of the Zodiac!) approximately 1 meter high to or from a surface that may be unstable or slippery. This requires some balance and mobility.
• Be able to shoot your camera from within a Zodiac. This involves multiple tasks, including shooting your camera while sitting on the pontoon of the Zodiac or, at times, while sitting on the floor of the Zodiac. In some cases you may find that the most convenient way to shoot will be while kneeling (on your knees) on the bottom of the Zodiac. Note that tripods can NOT be used within the Zodiac and while it is theoretically possible to use a monopod in the Zodiac, few photographers find it practical.
Note that on some occasions it WILL be possible to stand in the Zodiac when shooting, but you will be shooting while sitting or kneeling far more frequently. A degree of flexibility and/or suppleness can make your time in the Zodiac far more productive and enjoyable!
• REGISTRATION: Contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca to reserve your spot!
• MORE INFORMATION? Just download THIS BROCHURE (PDF: 3.8 MB) or contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca for more information and details about this spectacular photo tour.