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British Columbia

Wildlife of British Columbia: Whales, Grizzlies and Ancient Forests

Program No. 21819RJ
Explore mountains, coastal estuaries, wild beaches and a northern rainforest as you learn about British Columbia and the First Nations people who have long called it home.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Aug 5 - Aug 12, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Aug 19 - Aug 26, 2024
Starting at
3,699
Sep 2 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
3,699
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Aug 5 - Aug 12, 2024
Starting at
4,499
Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2024
Starting at
4,499
Filling Fast!
Aug 19 - Aug 26, 2024
Starting at
4,499
Filling Fast!
Sep 2 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
4,499

At a Glance

On this wilderness adventure, explore winding coastal trails, the protected waters of the Inside Passage and the Great Bear Rainforest for unparalleled opportunities to learn about wildlife and Pacific rainforest ecology. The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest remaining intact coastal temperate forests in the world and home to the highest density of grizzly bears in North America. Ferry along the nutrient rich waters off Telegraph Cove in search of Killer Whales; watch for porpoise, dolphins, seals and sea lions.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Active program with daily field trips. Walk up to two miles daily.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Visit the Great Bear Rainforest to look for bears in their natural habitats and learn about the importance of Pacific salmon to First Nations communities.
  • Examine the biodiversity of the NE Pacific Ocean with a local expert then embark on a whale watching trip to search for Orca whales.
  • Learn about the First Peoples of Vancouver Island at the Royal British Columbia Museum and then experience the living culture of the Kwakwaka’wakw people in their traditional territory of remote Alert Bay.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Sydney McCabe
Sydney McCabe is a marine biologist whose studies have focused on marine ecology and conservation in the Pacific Northwest. Since joining Eagle Wing in 2014, Sydney has had the opportunity to explore many avenues of marine conservation and environmental stewardship. In the summer, she is a marine naturalist, educating the public on the rich biodiversity of the Salish Sea. In the fall and winter, she leads a school outreach program, inspiring local youth on the importance of the Salish Sea.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of John Adams
John Adams View biography
John Adams is the author of “Old Square-Toes and His Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas.” Part historian and part storyteller, John has turned a passion for the past into a long career in history. His family-owned business, Discover the Past, provides a variety of historical educational programs for the community. His natural, lively, humorous and clear style makes his presentations both informative and memorable.
Profile Image of Jackie Hildering
Jackie Hildering View biography
Jackie is a biology teacher, cold-water diver, underwater photographer and whale researcher living on Vancouver Island. She is the co-founder of the Marine Education and Research Society and winner of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Murray A. Newman Award for Excellence in Aquatic Conservation. Jackie was recently featured on Animal Planet’s “Wild Obsession” and in the BBC production “New Threat to Canada’s Pacific Humpback Whales?” She is passionate about telling “the story of mystery, fragility and wonder of the life hidden in the cold, dark Northeast Pacific Ocean.”
Profile Image of Lynne Brookes
Lynne Brookes View biography
Lynne Brookes has taught courses in biology, ecology, and environmental studies as well as teachers’ workshops in the U.S., Latin America, and Canada. A former president of an Audubon Society chapter, she served as president of the Arrowsmith Naturalists from 2014-17. “Retired” on mid-Vancouver Island, Lynne is a volunteer teacher focusing on native plants, ecology, and wildlife-friendly gardening for the Vancouver Island University ElderCollege program. She also conducts programs and workshops at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington, British Columbia.
Profile Image of Greg Holmes
Greg Holmes View biography
Greg Holmes, international wanderer and grizzly bear greeter, has navigated a number of destination marketing roles for the better part of 25 years. Roles as varied as leading visitors in Moscow to bringing the 2010 Olympic torch to hundreds of communities across Canada have kept Greg busy over the years. In his spare time Greg is completing renovations on the 1949 Burnaby Heights bungalow home he shares with his wife and their two dogs. He enjoys sailing, sea kayaking, tennis, biking, and hiking.
Profile Image of Sydney McCabe
Sydney McCabe View biography
Sydney McCabe is a marine biologist whose studies have focused on marine ecology and conservation in the Pacific Northwest. Since joining Eagle Wing in 2014, Sydney has had the opportunity to explore many avenues of marine conservation and environmental stewardship. In the summer, she is a marine naturalist, educating the public on the rich biodiversity of the Salish Sea. In the fall and winter, she leads a school outreach program, inspiring local youth on the importance of the Salish Sea.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Great Bear Wild
by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (Introduction), Ian McAllister
A colorful photographic journey through the Great Bear Rainforest that follows the coast from Vancouver Island to southern Alaska; McAllister captures the spectacular landscapes and wildlife, including wolves, whales and bears.
The Island Within
by Richard Nelson
A beautifully written tribute to the Pacific Northwest. Drawn from the author's journals, this is an account of the natural and cultural history of an island in the waters of Haida Strait, with emphasis on the relationship between people and the land.
Whelks to Whales, Coastal Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest
by Rick M Harbo
This revised second edition of Harpo's popular field guide covers 400 species from northern California to Alaska.
The Great Bear Rainforest, Canada's Forgotten Coast
by Ian McAllister, Karen McAllister, Cameron Young
An environmental history of coastal British Columbia featuring handsome color photographs.
Mark of the Grizzly
by Scott McMillion
McMillion gives readers a thorough understanding of the behavior of these magnificent, yet deadly creatures through examples of encounters gone very wrong.
Grass Beyond the Mountains, Discovering the Last Great Cattle Frontier on the North American Continent
by Richard Hobson
Hobson's classic memoir of his cross-country trek and pioneering days as a rancher in British Columbia's undiscovered remote north.
Field Guide to Marine Mammals of the Pacific Coast
by Sarah G. Allen, Joe Mortenson, Sophie Webb
Sophie Webb, director of Oikinos, contributes the exquisite paintings for this outstanding field guide, the 100th in the California Natural History Guides series, perfect for the Sea of Cortez.
DK Eyewitness Top Ten Vancouver & Victoria
by Eyewitness Guides
A compact, illustrated guide in the popular series, featuring favorite attractions in Vancouver and Victoria.
Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest
by Katharine Berry Judson
Presented here with 52 photographs, these traditional stories, first collected in 1910, reveal myths and traditions of creation, alongside noted geographical features of the territory.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest
by Peter Alden
A compact photographic guide to the wildflowers, trees, mosses, butterflies, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals of the Pacific Northwest.
Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
by Bill Richardson
Lake Woebegone goes British Columbian in this humorous slip of a novel about an unconventional Vancouver B&B, which features twin bookworm brothers, a talking parrot and a motley crew of hotel guests.
The West Beyond the West, A History of British Columbia
by Jean Barman
A fascinating history of the Canadian province from the 18th century to the mid-1990s. The author weaves portraits of major personalities and events into a readable overview of the cultural and social influences that have shaped the region.
The Last Great Sea, A Voyage Through the Human and Natural History of the North Pacific Ocean
by Terry Glavin, Carl Safina (Introduction)
A wide-ranging conservation history of British Columbia and the North Pacific Ocean. Glavin lives in the Gulf Islands, where he writes frequently about fisheries and environmental issues facing the region.
The Raven Steals the Light
by Robert Bringhurst, Bill Reid (Illustrator), Claude Levi-Strauss (Introduction)
A classic collection of 10 Haida myths and legends with accompanying black and white etchings by Vancouver artist Bill Reid. These stories capture the storytelling traditions of the Haida.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.