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  • Two bears by the water at Spirit Bear Lodge

    In Search of the Spirit Bear in the Great Bear Rainforest

    By Indigenous Tourism British Columbia

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In Search of the Great Spirit Bear

An Exclusive and Elusive Experience on the Wild West Coast

Spirit Bear Lodge on the Pacific Coast is home to orcas and humpback whales that hunt and forage in the local complex of fjords and channels. The area is home to eagles, wolves, cougars, grizzly bears, black bears, and the elusive Spirit Bear, and is one of the great preserves of wild animals in the Northern Hemisphere.

If you’re lucky, this trip to the Great Bear Rainforest is an exclusive chance to witness the elusive Spirit Bear with knowledgeable Indigenous guides.

A Grizzly bear walking on rocks at night

Home of the Spirit Bear

The Great Bear Rainforest

The Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. Towering forested mountains give way to richly diverse river valleys and estuaries teeming with life.

Witness the kermode spirit bear in Great Bear Rainforest during spirit bear tours in BC

One Out of Every Ten

Black Bears is a Spirit Bear

The Kitasoo/Xai’xais people share their ancient homeland with the Spirit Bear. According to legend, raven made one out of every ten black bears white to remind the people of a time when glaciers covered their territory so they can be grateful for today’s lush and bountiful land. They believe the Spirit Bear holds supernatural powers.

Local Culture

Explore with Knowledgeable Indigenous Guides

The Kitasoo/Xai’xais people have lived in harmony with the creatures around them since time immemorial. Kitasoo/Xai’xais culture is integrated into each day through spending time with local guides, visiting cultural sites, and learning the history of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais people.

Great Bear Rainforest trees and horizon

Travel Planning

How to Get There

Fly with Pacific Coastal Airlines – Vancouver to Bella Bella (YVR – ZEL)

A spirit bear mother and cub at Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu, British Columbia Spirit Bear Lodge kermode bear viewing in on spirit bear trips