The Glacial Grizzly Tour
Enjoy an incredible three day nautical journey into the
Majestic Glacial Fjords of the Great Bear Rainforest.
3 Days / 2 Nights Departing the Bella Coola Harbour at 9:00 am in the morning and returning back on the 3rd day at sundown.
This exclusive Marine Grizzly Tour is limited to a
maximum of 6 guests - minimum of 4
All Meals and Accommodations provided
on-board the 42 foot MV Nekhani
$1995.00 Per Person + tax
with price based on 4 guests
Photo by Jesaja Class
Highlights Of The Tour
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Our Vessel
The 42 foot MV Nekhani is a great platform to gather your friends, family, or co-workers for an unforgettable Marine Wilderness Adventure. Bella Coola is the premier departure point and mainland port of the Great Bear Rainforest and offers air and water access to the entire Central Coast.
Departure
Our Spring, Summer and Fall Nautical Glacial Grizzly Tours start at 9:00 am on board the 42 foot MV Nekhani. Moored at the Bella Coola Harbour at the end of Highway 20 and the beginning of your unique marine tour. On your arrival your host and skipper welcomes you aboard the MV Nekhani and gives you a familiarization tour of the Transport Canada approved passenger vessel.
Photo by Tyler Cave
Seal Rock
We stop in the beautiful sheltered waters and pebble beach of Bachelor Bay to visit the Harbour Seals at Seal Rock and your skipper/guide points out the outstanding view of Mt. Nusatsum to the East and the stunning view of Bentinck Spire to the South-West.
Photo by Jesaja Class
Local History
Your skipper, Daniel Ellis, brings you to several historical sites, presenting historical photographs of the Old Norwegian settlement on the northeast side of the estuary. He explains the area's history and how the settlers and their town were ultimately displaced by flooding.
The Fishers
We cruise on past the vertical granite walls past the Bald Eagle Tree where the Eagle keeps a vigilant eye on any fish activity that may provide him a meal. We cruise by the old Tallheo Cannery and while pointing out the Hanging Glaciers in the backend of the valley. Your guide will explain in detail how the old timers use to catch the fish with their nets and the canning process they used to preserve the salmon.
The Catch
Of The Day
Bella Coola’s “Seafood Catch of the Day” is a big part of our unique Grizzly Tour where the guests actually get to participate in the setting and hauling of the Dungeness Crab and Prawn Gear. We teach our guests how to fish for prawns and crabs in a sustainable way. With our guests ”hands on” assistance we bait up and set out the crab pots at the mouth of the rivers to let them soak for a day or so. After they are set, the crab pots will be fishing/soaking for the next 24 hours while we are touring.
Photo by Chris Harris
Photo by Chris Wheeler
Bear Watching
We arrive at the mouth of a wilderness salmon spawning river where we will view the wildlife on the estuary and drop anchor in a most beautiful pristine setting. We enjoy a nice relaxed barbecued dinner on board Nekhani and take in the magnificent views of Bentinck Spire before venturing up river to view the bears and wildlife.
The Grizzlies
Grizzlies feed on the estuaries and the spawning salmon in this area and your guide/naturalist will walk you slowly upriver on an active Grizzly Bear trail. Along the estuary game trail your guide will point out grizzly digs, territorial rub trees, claw marks, bite marks, Grizzly day beds and old Grizzly tracks sunk deep in the moss. As well we will likely see River Otters, Blue Herons, Kingfishers, Mink, Marten and Bald Eagles living in this watershed. Moving slowly and always watching for Grizzlies we make our way upriver to our natural old growth wildlife viewing stand.
Photo by Mike Wigle
Photo by Mike Wigle
Get Ready For Some Action
This area is home to Grizzly Bears, Black Bear, Wolves and Blacktail Deer and they use the game trails year round in this area. This is an excellent location for photography and an ideal spot for photographers to set up their tripods amongst the timber canopy. We will remain at this natural wildlife viewing stand during prime time and relax, enjoying the wilderness and wildlife movements.
Photo Of
A Lifetime
Our guided Grizzly Tours offer outstanding photographic opportunities to capture those special images of Grizzly Bears that few, if any, people have ever photographed. Our priority is always providing our photographers with unique photo opportunities, in a safe, responsible and respectful manner for the bears and our guests.
Photo by Mike Wigle
Photo by Chris Harris
Time To Relax
Once the sun starts to set behind the mountain we slowly start heading back down river to the Nekhani anchored up in the sheltered bay, just before nightfall to enjoy some hot drinks and snacks. After discussing the day’s activities our guests are looking forward to their cozy single bunk beds. No need to worry at all about tough weather or being seasick on this Tour as our vessels is very seaworthy and we are not subject to ground swells from the outer coast.
Marine Life
After lunch we head West out into the fjord bound for the Big Cedar Tree and Hot Springs. En route we scan the horizon for dolphins and whales that frequent these vast glacial waterways. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are common sightings in this area and they usually put on a quite a show for us with their dazzling areal displays and playfulness. Dolphins are generally quite playful and frequent the area in the Summer and Fall with their populations being very high.
Photo by Chris Harris
The Whales
Pods of Killer Whales are also an amazing sight to see and are usually in the area in May and June hunting for the Chinook Salmon that are heading back to the Bella Coola watershed. Humpback Whale sightings are common early in the season and the Humpbacks can sometimes be seen breaching, which is truly an unforgettable sight.
First Nation
Pictographs
On the way to Larso Bay we will view the ancient First Nations Pictographs on the East wall of the Inlet. These orange (Salmon Roe coloured) paintings are so old and faded they are difficult to spot and are barely visible. The pictographs tell many stories of the First Nations people in ancient times when they were the only inhabitants of the Coast.
Photo by Jesaja Class
The Big
Cedar Tree
The Big Cedar Tree in Larso Bay is certainly one of the largest Red Cedar trees around the Coast and is about 19 feet in diameter. It is just a short easy hike from the Oceans Edge and it takes about 15-20 minutes to get there on a nicely groomed trail. It is an enormous sight to behold, so don’t forget your camera.
The Falls
We depart the Hotsprings to a beautiful set of cascading falls from a large glacial water source in the mountains. Your skipper carefully navigates you right in close to the base of the falls and you are cooled down by the refreshing spray of the plummeting glacial water.
Photo by Tyler Cave
Photo by Jesaja Class
Natural
Hot Springs
Arriving at the Hot Springs you enjoy a dip in a beautiful remote natural mineral hot spring nestled in a rock crevice with crystal clear water and no odor. we head North in search again for Dolphins and Whales and enjoy another cruise by a pristine waterfall setting where we sometimes spot Black Bears and Blacktail Deer.
Fresh Seafood
Hauling back our “Seafood Catch of the Day”
is next on the tour itinerary, after hauling the prawn strings we head to the river mouths to haul the crab pots. The guests get to gaff the crab buoys and heave on the lines and pull up the crab pots from off the bottom. We encourage our guests to participate with the crab and prawn fishing and this way they learn quite a bit about fishing for these species and how the fishing gear works. We usually do quite well on the Dungeness Crabs and these nice hard crabs are excellent eating when boiled up fresh from the glacial waters.
Photo by Chris Harris
OnBoard
Dinner
Your guide will cook/blanch the prawns till they float and then cool them quickly. Next the Jumbo Crabs go in to cook for 18 minutes. There is much anticipation and always a good time on deck, once your prawns and crabs are cooked to perfection your guide demonstrates how to peel the prawns and shuck the crabs and then.... the FEEDING FRENZY is ON! The guests enjoy a delicious seafood dinner onboard and the socializing and discussion of the day’s activities goes on into the night!
Booking Information
The Glacial Grizzly Tour
A Full 3 Day / 2 Night Tour
$1995.00 Per Person with price based on 4 guests.
We accept all major credit cards and cash for payment.
This tour operates during the Spring Months when Bears are grazing the shoreline
This exclusive Marine Grizzly Tour is limited to a maximum of 6 guests (minimum of 3) on board MV Nekhani and is conducted by the Ellis Family, who have more than 50 years of combined
guiding experience in Coastal Grizzly Country.
Glacial Grizzly Tours depart the Bella Coola Harbour at 9:00 am in the morning and return back to the Bella Coola Harbour the 3rd day at sundown. Departures and Custom Charters on Board MV Nekhani are available any day of the week with advance notice. Please inquire if you would like a price on an exclusive Offshore Saltwater Fishing Charter for Spring Salmon and Coho.
We are happy to accommodate you.
The Price Includes:
All Meals and Accommodations on-board the 42 foot MV Nekhani, Morning and Evening Grizzly Tours, Hot Springs, Pictographs, Interpretive Nature Walks, Waterfalls, Marine Life, Glaciers, Fresh Seafood, Licensed/Certified Guides and non-alcoholic Beverages.
The Price Does Not Include:
Price does not include applicable 5% tax or possible Fuel Surcharge
Price does not include Saltwater/Tidal Sport Fishing licenses for the
“Seafood Catch of the Day”. Clients that wish to participate in the Prawn and Crab fishery and consumption of Prawns, Crabs and/or fish for Halibut or any Bottom fish must be in possession of a valid Tidal Sport fishing License which can easily be purchased in Bella Coola at Hagensborg Grocery store or Cliff Kopas store in Bella Coola prior to departure on our Marine Tour. Cost for the 3 day Tidal Sport fishing license is $11.55 for Canadians and $19.00 +
salmon stamp $6.50 for non-Canadians.
Additional Information:
Pets are NOT allowed on any of our marine tours for safety reasons.
A $200.00 deposit per person is required to book your Tour and confirm your arrival date. We require a valid credit card for all overnight tours. Balance of payment is required in full on the first day of the month of your departure. Deposits are non-refundable. However, deposits may be moved ahead to the following year if more than 30 days notice of cancellation is given. A Waiver of Liability will be required to be signed by all that participate in our Grizzly Tours.
Alcoholic beverages are permitted on board our vessels but are not supplied by Bella Coola Grizzly Tours & Adventure Resort There is a fully stocked Government Liquor store in Bella Coola where you can purchase any refreshments you may desire.
Children are welcome on our Marine Tours and it is quite an educational experience for them. Children are required to wear life jackets at all times while on board our vessels. Families with children 12 years old and under please inquire so that we may accommodate you. Clients should be in reasonable physical condition to participate in this Tour and capable of easy
walking on wilderness trails.
It should be noted that in over four decades of guiding international clients to Grizzly Bears in the Coastal Wilderness of BC there has never been any injuries or casualties whatsoever suffered with Clients Guided by The Ellis Family or Bella Coola Grizzly Tours Inc. Your Certified Wilderness Guide is fully equipped to provide adequate defence for you in case of an altercation. Leonard Ellis was born and raised on the Coast of British Columbia, has spent over half a century Living, Working and Guiding on the Central Coast of B.C. He has experienced Hurricanes, Flood’s, Tsunami’s and has had many encounters with Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Kermode Bear, Mountain Goat, Wolves, Wolverines, Killer Whales, Humpback Whales and Basking Shark in his time. He has many unique tales to tell as a Wilderness Guide on the North Coast of B.C.
We welcome you aboard our Licensed/Insured /Transport Canada Approved Vessel.
