BC's Wild Side
It’s easy to be inspired by awesome sights on an immersive wildlife watching trip, one that puts our brains in a restorative healing state as we notice the patterns in tree bark and the wisps of cloud in the sky.
Experience Grizzlies at a Wildlife Lodge
Take a longer break and plan for a completely immersive Khutzeymateen grizzly experience or head to the Great Bear Rainforest to seek out the elusive Spirit bear (Kermode)—a white-furred bear that is unique to the area. Spotting one in the wild perhaps takes the ultimate mindfulness to track and experience its ghostly beauty.
Witness the Fall Salmon Run
A colourful and awe-inspiring sight in British Columbia is the sockeye salmon run that happens each year during the first three weeks of October. During this time the Adams River, which flows through Tsútswecw Provincial Park (Roderick Haig-Brown), sees thousands of sockeye salmon return to spawn. On Vancouver Island, Goldstream Provincial Park’s riverside trails provide a bird’s-eye view of salmon fighting their way upstream, or visit Stamp River Provincial Park near Port Alberni where Pacific salmon can be seen en route to spawning beds.
Explore on a City-Based Whale Watching Tour
BC’s cities are perched on the edge of wilderness, so you don’t need to go far to reap the rejuvenating benefits of nature. Whale-watching vessels take people onto the ocean to spot orcas, humpback whales, grey whales, and minkes, and along the way often come across seals, sea lions, porpoises, and bald eagles. Hop on a whale-watching boat from Vancouver or Victoria or take a tour from more remote locations on Vancouver Island or up the BC coast. Then watch, awestruck, as these spectacular cetaceans display their intelligence and grace.
See the Largest Gathering of Wintering Eagles in the World
Eagles soar on wings as wide as we are high. Yet, we most often need binoculars to see them. Watching them makes you realize how big the sky really is. How far these birds have travelled. And how much there is yet to see. Only 90 minutes east of Vancouver in the Fraser Valley, the pretty town of Harrison Mills is home to the largest gathering of wintering eagles in the world. Fraser River Safari offers boat tours that get you close to the action.
