Summer in the Southern Great Bear - The ULTIMATE VOYAGE 2024!
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, Northern River Otters, Pacific 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 one is it - our first ever 15-day Great Bear Rainforest photo tour - the ULTIMATE VOYAGE! For 2024 we've thrown out all the rules to present this incredible Great Bear photo tour. With our extended 15-day voyage we can visit more photographic locations and have more route options than ever before. As always, our "targeted" subjects will include Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, Humpback Whales, Sea Otters, possibly coastal Gray Wolves and Spirit Bears, landscapes and seascapes, and more. And, we'll do all this while traveling into the depths of the Great Bear Rainforest aboard a classic and spacious 70-foot wooden schooner, the Passing Cloud.
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 photo tour WILL definitely be a highly memorable experience!
This photo tour is boat-based. During our time in the Great Bear we will be traveling with and staying aboard a 70' classic wooden schooner.
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, Northern River Otters, Pacific 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!
The southern portion of the Great Bear Rainforest has generally the same assemblage of wildlife species as the more northern regions. However, our intended route provides us with the opportunity to explore more exposed "outer" islands. This gives us a greater chance of seeing and photographing several species of wildlife, including coastal Gray Wolves, Sea Otters, Steller Sea Lions and Fin Whales than on a typical northern Great Bear trip. But please note that on this trip our chances of encountering a Spirit Bear are lower than in the northern Great Bear trips we run in the late summer and early autumn.
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!
This photo tour begins and ends in Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada.
What's Included? This is an all-inclusive trip that includes most everything after your arrival in Port Hardy 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!
OTHER Great Bear Rainforest Photo Tours Offered in 2024:
• Spring in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour
• Into the Great Bear Rainforest Exploratory Photo Op 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: 15 NIGHTS/16 DAYS (including arrival and departure days) with 14 NIGHTS/15 DAYS in the Great Bear Rainforest aboard the Passing Cloud (a classic 70-foot wooden schooner).
• PROVISIONAL DATES: August 17 - September 1, 2024, including arrival and departure days. August 18 - September 1 in the Great Bear Rainforest aboard the Passing Cloud.
• NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Limited to 6.
• CURRENT NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SPOTS: 0 (sold out). But note that when trips sell out this early cancellations can occur. Please contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca if you'd like to be placed on a waiting list for this absolutely unique Great Bear Rainforest photo adventure.
• COST: $16,499 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 sailboat, 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.
• Be able to easily move between the sailboat and the Zodiac. This involves climbing up or down a 5' vertical ladder.
• 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 ultimately involves multiple tasks that are dependent on a degree of mobility and flexibility. The specific 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. This means you must be able to hand-hold the camera/lens combinations you choose to bring on this trip.
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? Brochure available in autumn 2023 - or contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca