Join me as we embark on the adventure of a lifetime, journeying deep into the Great Bear Rainforest, hoping to photograph one of the rarest and most revered species on the planet.

reserve your spot

The Great Bear Rainforest is the largest intact temperate rainforest on earth, still harboring the natural beauty and abundance that once characterized much of North America’s Pacific coastline. Rich marine habitat flows into terrestrial old growth forest, and quickly meets impressive mountain ranges. Wildlife abounds throughout, and some of the noted residents include grizzly bears, black bears, orcas, humpback whales, bald eagles, five pacific salmon species, coastal wolves, cougars, sea lions and more.

One of the rarest animals in the world famously makes its living here. The Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) is a subspecies of American black bear. A small number of them carry a double recessive gene that gives them a white or cream-colored coat, and are commonly referred to as “Spirit Bears.” There are thought to be only 100-400 of these bears in existence, with the population almost entirely restricted to a few islands off of British Columbia’s central coast.

Unlike most other Spirit bear tours, we plan to spend our entire week in areas with the densest number of Spirit bears. Opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography will occur on each day, but be aware that fluctuating weather conditions can sometimes dictate the frequency & length of such activities. At times we may station ourselves at locally built viewing platforms, or stand alongside a salmon creek for long periods of time. Therefore, a love of being in nature along with a good deal of patience will make this trip extra enjoyable for you!

Traveling in these remote regions is not meant to be extremely strenuous, but a good level of physical fitness is required. We will spend time traveling by boat and will also be navigating thick forested areas in uneven, muddy terrain, with unpredictable weather. With Hartley Bay as our home base for the trip, we’ll be doing full day excursions, with only the woods as our toilets. Along with our local Gitga’at guides, I will do everything I can to give you the best possible experience, with the goal of coming away with incredible photos and stories to share for years to come. Hartley Bay is an extremely remote First Nations community with no roads & less than 200 residents. Expect clean accommodations with shared bathrooms and meals prepared by a local cook.

This itinerary will provide a good amount of time with the best Spirit bear guides & locations on the planet. Spirit bear sightings (like all wildlife encounters) are never a guarantee, but I’ve created this tour to maximize the potential for you to photograph a spirit bear. Spirit bears hold a special importance in First Nations culture, and we must strive to help protect these magnificent animals going forward. For this reason, you must agree not to share the exact river valleys we visit during our time in Hartley Bay.

I look forward to this photographic adventure of a lifetime together!

ITINERARY (subject to change)

September 22/22 – Arrival Day: Vancouver to Prince Rupert

13:00 Flight to Prince Rupert

15:30 Check-In, Crest Hotel 222 1st Ave W, Prince Rupert, BC

17:30 Meet & Greet: British Columbia Room

19:30 Group no-host dinner: The Waterfront Restaurant

September 23/22 – Arrive Hartley Bay, British Columbia

7:00 Group no-host breakfast: Crest Cafe

8:00 Transfer to the ferry dock

12:00 Arrive Hartley Bay, settle into accommodation

13:30 Depart for afternoon field session

18:30 Group dinner

September 24/22 – Full-Day Field Session

8:00 (approx.) Group breakfast at our accommodation

9:00 (approx.) Depart for field session, in search of spirit bears