Canada Wildlife-Watching

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge is on Vancouver Island’s west coast, brushed by the waters of Clayoquot Sound. Only accessible by seaplane, this luxurious lodge is really off the grid. The lodge offers an all-inclusive resort in the wilderness and provides unforgettable experiences, as you discover the unique landscape and its wildlife.

There’s a selection of experiences on offer here. ‘Sights of the Sound’ is an action-packed marine adventure where you’ll go in search of whales and bears. And the full-day ‘Walk the Wildside’ trip gives you the chance to see black bears, whales, sea lions, otters and eagles, as you walk along the Wild Side Trail. You’ll be able to marvel at sweeping beaches, volcanic shores and the First Nations village of Ahousaht.

Canyoning is another popular adventure at Clayoquot. You can paddle up the glacier-fed Bedwell River, where you’ll come across several hidden waterholes and hundreds of salmon. Spend the morning or afternoon swimming and snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters.

Wildlife-watching in Canada doesn’t get much better than this. Set in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, Knight Inlet Lodge is an Indigenous-owned wildlife viewing destination. Here, you can spend your days in search of magnificent grizzlies, and your nights enjoying fine dining in a beautiful, rustic setting. Knight Inlet Lodge offers spring to autumn packages, ranging from a couple of nights to six – so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see native wildlife.

Bear and whale-watching is a big part of the experience here, but you can also enjoy scenic cruises, walking tours, tracking walks and sea kayaking.

In spring, you can go on thrilling boat trips to watch sleepy bears coming out of hibernation, without disturbing them. Summer tours take you to a variety of waterways and tucked-away logging routes, while autumn takes you to three viewing stands. Carefully constructed to be both safe and comfortable, these stations are the perfect viewing point, as you’ll see dozens of grizzlies catching salmon to fatten up for the winter.

On Milbanke Sound in British Columbia, King Pacific Lodge is a family-run salmon lodge for anglers old and new. Tucked away 350 miles north of Vancouver, the lodge’s nearest airport is Bella Bella – and, from there, it’s an exciting 10-minute helicopter ride to King Pacific Lodge. The lodge itself is a floating hotel with a welcoming dining area and a selection of lounges, as well as a spa with a hot tub, sauna and steam room.

All the fishing charter packages include roundtrip transfers from Vancouver, a comfortable en-suite room and gourmet meals. Plus, you’ll have unlimited use of the fishing boats, tackle, bait, waterproofs and fishing boots. Want to take your catch with you? Take it to the lodge, where the team will fillet, cut, vacuum pack and freeze it for you.

If you’re eager to see polar bears in Canada, Lazy Bear Lodge is the place for you. Rustic and traditional, this lodge is a warm, comfortable sanctuary in the midst of the wilderness. It’s on the main street in Churchill in Manitoba, and comes complete with an espresso bar, restaurant and Wi-Fi. But the local wildlife is the real highlight. You can enjoy intimate and natural bear observations, coastal boat tours, and you might even see an arctic fox or two.

You can visit Lazy Bear Lodge in Churchill all year round. In the summer months, thousands of beluga whales flock to Hudson Bay, while polar bears hunt for seals. Meanwhile, in autumn, you can search the skies for the dancing rainbow lights of the Aurora Borealis. And, in winter, you can head out in an Arctic vehicle to the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, where you can track and observe majestic polar bears.

If you planning your Canada holiday around wildlife then you are going to need to know when is the best time to travel. For those that are looking to go whale watching to spot orcas, humpback whales and grey whales head to Vancouver in British Columbia between April and October with the peak season being May to September. If your on the east coast you can see whales in the St Lawrence River which runs through  Quebec City. Most tours head up to Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park where between July and October there are frequent sighting of blue whales, belugas, minkes and porpoises.