Great Bear Rainforest
A wildlife experience of a lifetime
September 4-11 2026 (sold out)
-
World-class wildlife viewing
From bubble-netting Humpback Whales, to Spirit Bears fishing for salmon, to large gatherings of Bald Eagles, the Great Bear Rainforest offers an unparalleled wildlife viewing experience. Several of the wildlife populations and behaviors in this region can be found virtually nowhere else on Earth.
-
An immersive expedition
By living aboard a sailboat for a week, you will be fully immersed in the Great Bear Rainforest ecosystem. For even further immersion, our vessel is equipped with smaller zodiacs for shore and river excursions, and kayaks for peaceful explorations of protected bays and inlets.
-
The best way to experience the Great Bear Rainforest
Most of the Great Bear Rainforest is very remote, and difficult to access. However, staying on a live-aboard vessel solves that problem. You can expect to wake up in beautiful inlets and bays, where wildlife and spectacular natural beauty can be found without even needing to travel. There is no better way to experience the region than by boat.
Details
-
The trip fee is based on double occupancy and includes all your meals, amenities and daily activities aboard the boat. Options such as a shared cabin or single supplement are available for solo travelers. The fee does not include transportation to and from the start point and end points of the trip. Tax is 5% GST, and a sustainability fee of $200 CAD will apply.
-
The 2026 booking deposit is refundable until August 10, 2025. After that date, the booking deposit is fully refundable for the first 72 hours after it is paid. The deposit still remains 50% refundable up to December 1, 2025. The remaining balance is due 100 days before the start of the trip (due by May 27, 2026).
-
We’ll explore the Great Bear Rainforest aboard Island Roamer, a 68-foot ketch sailboat. Custom built for expeditions, our ship has 8 private cabins (double occupancy), 3 showers, comfortable lounging and dining space, and a well-equipped galley. With both covered and open-air deck space, it provides a fantastic base for spotting wildlife and journeying through the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest. We’ll have a maximum group size of 12 guests (plus 4 crew).
-
Our trip will begin in Terrace and end in Bella Bella, British Columbia. In between, we’ll explore a diversity of channels, inlets, islands and beaches throughout the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.
-
These dates align with the salmon spawning season, increasing our chances of finding fishing Black Bears, Spirit Bears and Grizzly Bears. It’s also prime time for Humpback Whales and other marine life, as well as a great time to witness migratory birds on their migration as they return to their nonbreeding grounds.
Your wildlife Guide & photo expert: Liron Gertsman
You may have seen him on CBC’s “The National”, heard his voice on CBC Radio One, or seen his work in publications such Canadian Geographic magazine, Audubon magazine, The Guardian, GEO magazine, and others. Liron Gertsman has been photographing continuously since he first got his hands on a borrowed camera at the age of five. His work has been experienced by millions in some of the largest museums across the world, including the Natural History Museum in London and the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Liron’s work has been widely recognized and awarded, winning the professional category of the 2022 and 2024 Audubon Photography Awards, winning the grand prize of the 2023 and 2025 Audubon Photography Awards, earning NASA’s “Astronomy Picture of the Day” feature, and earning a highly commended designation in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. In 2025, Liron was named the Bird Photographer of the Year by the prestigious competition. Liron has a biology degree from the University of British Columbia, which he uses to enhance his passion for art and visual storytelling, providing a scientific background to inform his understanding of the natural world.
Liron will be your wildlife guide and photography expert, working alongside a skilled skipper, first mate and chef. All the photos displayed on this page are Liron’s images from his past trips to the Great Bear Rainforest, taken at the same places that will be visited on this trip.
Itinerary
Here’s a rough itinerary to give a outline of what you can expect. However, our plans for each day often remain a bit flexible, to make the most of wildlife viewing opportunities and weather conditions.
-
After arrival in Terrace, British Columbia, we’ll make the short trip to the coastal town of Kitimat, where we’ll board the Island Roamer, our home base for the coming week. We’ll set off in the morning, beginning our trip into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. It probably won’t be long before we start spotting wildlife, such as Humpback Whales, and a diverse array of seabirds!
-
Our trip will get off to an exciting start. As we venture into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, we’ll be entering Gitga’at territory waters where Humpback Whales commonly participate in bubble-net feeding. This remarkable behaviour occurs when the whales work together to corral small fish into an underwater “net” they make by blowing air bubbles, concluded by the dramatic sight of the whales lunging to the surface with their mouths wide open! In addition to Humpback Whales, we are also likely to see other marine mammals, such as Steller’s Sea Lions, and the second largest animal ever to live: the Fin Whale. During this part of the trip, we’ll also make a landing at a creek where we’ll be joined by local Gitga'at guides. Here, we’ll spend the day by the river in search of the elusive Spirit Bear, as well as “regular” Black Bears. We could also have some other surprise wildlife encounters- for example, this part of the trip is when we most frequently have wolf sightings.
-
During this portion of the trip, we’ll visit some amazing river estuaries nestled in some of the most jaw-dropping costal fjords in the world, in the territory of the Kitasoo Xai'xais First Nation. This is my personal favorite part of the trip! We’ll explore the river estuaries by zodiac, hoping to spend time with Grizzly Bears who visit these estuaries to fish for salmon. In addition to the Grizzly Bears, Bald Eagles are often abundant and can provide some fabulous photo opportunities. We’re also likely to keep seeing Humpback Whales!
-
As we make our way towards our end location of the trip, the coastal town of Bella Bella, we’ll be visiting some great areas for Sea Otters, and will hope to get some nice views (and photographs) of these adorable ocean mustelids before arriving at Bella Bella, and saying our goodbyes.
Limited spaces available: register to book your spot!
Additional FAQs
-
This trip is open to both photographers (of all skill levels) and non-photographers. For participants interested in photography instruction/learning opportunities, there will be many opportunities both casually in the field, and during “workshop sessions” on board the vessel. However, you do not need to be a photographer to come on this trip. If you like viewing wildlife, this will be a fantastic trip for you!
-
If you are travelling solo, you have two options! You can join the trip at no extra cost, and we will pair you up with another tour participant of the same gender in a shared cabin (separate berths). Or, if you prefer to have your own private cabin, you can purchase two spots on the trip.
-
We’ll explore the Great Bear Rainforest aboard Island Roamer, a 68-foot ketch sailboat. Custom built for expeditions, our ship has 8 private cabins (double occupancy), 3 showers, comfortable lounging and dining space, and a well-equipped galley. With both covered and open-air deck space, it provides a fantastic base for spotting wildlife and journeying through the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest. We’ll have a maximum group size of 12 guests (plus 4 crew). For photos and a “virtual tour” of the boat, visit: https://www.bluewateradventures.ca/onboard-the-vessels/island-roamer.html
-
This is not a strenuous trip. However, a certain amount of agility is needed to enter and exit small boats that we will use for wildlife viewing. We will also likely go for occasional excursions on shore, where we may walk short distances (usually less than 2 kilometers) along trails that can sometimes be muddy or uneven.
-
Target mammal species will include Grizzly Bear, Black Bear (including Spirit Bear), Humpback Whales, and many more. Other species are also possible such as Coastal Wolves, Fin Whales, Orcas, River Otters, Sea Otters, Mink, and more. We are sure to encounter many bird species as well- numerous Bald Eagles, Belted Kingfishers, and some American Dipper are often highlights. However, we have also recorded 4 species of loons on these trips, many alcids (Rhinoceros Auklets, Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillemot, and more), shorebirds such as Black Turnstone, Surfbird, and Red-necked Phalarope, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, many gull species, and much more.
-
An unexpected highlight of these trips is often the food! We are incredibly lucky to be joined on these trips by a professional chef, who will prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks every day. Most of the time, we will eat meals on board our vessel. However, on some days way may have a picnic lunch in the field.
-
Yes! We always highly recommend purchasing travel insurance and/or cancellation insurance in the event of unexpected events that may prevent you from being able to attend the trip.
-
Temperatures are usually mild (often between 5-20 degrees Celsius / 20-68 degrees Fahrenheit). In terms of precipitation, some rain or wind is often to be expected. Coastal British Columbia weather is highly variable, so we could have an entire week of sun, or an entire week of rain. Often we get a mix of both.
-
We’ll have a maximum group size of 12 guests (plus 4 crew- your wildlife guide and photography expert Liron, a skipper, a first mate, and a chef).
-
Sea conditions are dictated by weather, but much of the region is protected from wind and waves. Most of the time, things are very calm, but there’s always a chance of a short patch with some more waves. Motion sickness medications/treatments can be used if you are worried, or prone to sea sickness.
-
No prior experience is necessary! For those keen on learning, there will be ample opportunities to learn about wildlife, ecology, boating and photography! For those who are already advanced, you will have a great time putting your skills to use.
-
Our boat is equipped with 6 guest cabins (and 2 crew cabins). All cabins have accommodation for two people, usually two separate bunks, but two cabins have one larger berth often shared by two people (eg. a couple). The cabins are quite cozy, but we don’t spend much time in them (other than to sleep). There is always always something to do or see up on deck, or on our excursions!
-
Our boat carries both single and double kayaks! When we are at anchorages, there may be (optional) opportunities to kayak for those who are interested. Our anchorages are usually calm and beautiful bays (often with great wildlife viewing opportunities), making for fabulous kayaking.
-
This trip is operated by Bluewater Adventures, who have been running eco-tourism expeditions for over 45 years. Liron Gertsman will be your wildlife guide and photography expert, working alongside a skilled skipper, first mate and chef.
-
An extensive packing list will be provided after booking! Generally speaking, we recommend bringing lots of warm clothing layers including waterproof outer layers. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle are also recommended. A pair of binoculars are recommended, but we will also have extra binoculars on board for anybody who would like to use them. For photographers, a telephoto lens is highly recommended. For photographing from a moving vessel, a portable setup that you are able to handhold is recommended (for example, a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a lightweight telephoto lens such as a 100-400mm, 200-500mm, 150-600mm, etc). However, a larger telephoto lens (such as a 600mm f/4, 400mm f/2.8, etc) can be useful in certain scenarios (particularly for getting closeups of Grizzly Bears with soft backgrounds), if desired. Wildlife sometimes comes close and there are ample opportunities for landscape photography and dramatic backdrops behind wildlife, so a mid-range lens (eg. a 100-500mm, a 70-200mm, 24-105mm, etc can also be very useful). A wide angle lens (eg. a 16-35mm or 24-205mm) is a good idea to capture larger landscapes.
-
Accommodation or travel that you may need to book for before or after the trip begins is not included. Gratuities for boat crew are also not included. Once the trip begins, all accommodation, some drinks, food, during-trip transportation, other services, entry fees, etc, are included!
-
Safety is the top priority. The boat is a coast guard certified vessel and undergoes strict yearly inspections and maintenance. Crew are experienced in boating, and trained in emergency procedures.
-
Some days, we are specifically scheduled to visit certain bear-viewing locations. However, our itinerary often remains flexible, to make the most of wildlife viewing opportunities and weather conditions.
-
The Great Bear Rainforest is located on the north and central coast of British Columbia. Our 2025 trip will begin in Terrace, and end in Bella Bella. During the trip, we will visit many different places through the region!
-
Yes! We will reach out to you to find out your dietary preferences in advance of the trip.
-
This is a non-smoking trip (use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes is not allowed on board the vessel).