Holidays to see Grizzly Bears in Alaska & Canada

One of the greatest wildlife spectacles of the world has to be a holiday to see Grizzly Bears.   To be one of the lucky visitors with a prime view to see them fishing for salmon, you need to book early.  There is such a demand for permits that the authorities have set up a lottery to allocate them.

The Grizzly Bear gets its name from the grizzled or 'bearded' fur.  They are a subspecies of the Brown Bear, which live in the uplands of western North America including Canada and Alaska.  Additionally, they are thought be descended from the bears which crossed from Russia 100,000 years ago.  Grizzly Bears are normally solitary and active.  However in coastal areas and along streams, lakes and rivers they are found in good numbers, particularly during salmon  season.

Grizzly Bears , Canada

Grizzly Bears Salmon Fishing Alaska

It is an adventure to get to the McNeil River Sanctuary to see grizzly bears salmon fishing! It is in south west Alaska and home to the largest concentration of Grizzly Bears. For example, 144 have been seen on the river in the salmon season!  They head up the river to spawn from July to mid-August.  Between 7 June and 25 August, no more than 10 visitors are allowed at the viewing sites at any one time..  Above all, each visitor gets to spend four days with the bears, so it makes the journey worthwhile!

Bears Alaska

Salmon Fishing Alaska

Seaplanes in Alaska

To get there by float plane flight as there are no roads.  After that you camp under the stars in the wilderness, having reached the point in the river by a 4 mile round hike.  You will have to cross mud flats and creeks and it could be wet, cold and windy.  However once you get there the experience is worth it! 

Also in the sanctuary you may see other Alaskan wildlife including moose, sea otters and beavers.  There are large seabird colonies and more rarely seen are caribou, wolves and wolverines. Remember that Grizzly Bears are dangerous but strict rules are in place and you are accompanied by armed guards at all times.

Moose Alaska

Glendale Cove Canada

Glendale Cove is home to one of the largest congregations of Grizzly Bears in British Columbia.  For example there can be up to 50 bears within 10 km around the lodge.  The busiest time here is in the Fall when the salmon are returning to the river.  By contrast, in late April the bears return here from their hibernation and this is the time you may see tiny cubs emerging.  In summer the bears feed on the heavy berry crops in the area.  In September they move to the river where the salmon come to spawn.

Bear Cubs

Knight Inlet Lodge - Bear viewing in Canada

One of the best places in Canada to see fantastic wildlife including bears is Knight Inlet.  Just 100 miles flying northwest of Vancouver, you can include this in a tailor made holiday in Western Canada.  Knight Inlet Lodge is surrounded by spectacular scenery and the 'great bear rainforest' and floats on the ocean.  There are a maximum of 36 guests in the lodge at any one time.  Meals prepared here often include crab, salmon and prawns harvested from the glacier fed waters of the inlet itself. There is no road access, you arrive by float plane from Campbell River. 

Bear cubs

Marine wildlife of British Columbia Canada

Other wildlife you can see along the Pacific Coastline and Fjords include many species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. 

Humpbacks Breaching Alaska

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