Spirit Bear Lodge

I’m finding it quite hard to send a review as it might be seen as being unfair. The only reason I say that is because my reason for going to the Spirit Bear Lodge was the 50% chance of seeing a Spirit Bear. However as it turns out that there has not been a Spirit Bear seeing this whole season and last season there was one fleeting glimpse of one.|Please see past the Spirit Bear, Because if you want to go to a place with very nice people who treat you exceptionally well, with comfortable accommodation that looks out of the water, you get all of that. |Your food Is located for all needs and There is plenty of it. |You will meet guides there and staff who are just delightful.|If you want to be in the most beautiful of surrounding countryside and happy to see a lot of grizzly bears you will not be disappointed, and we saw at least 15 grizzly bears, with a large number of them being young.|We saw one or two black bears, ( This Part of our Vancouver trip ) but no young. Although you have every hope and expectation of seeing spirit bears as I said the beginning of this message you may well be disappointed, they hadn’t been seen there all season.|I do believe the guides are already trying to find different areas that they can explore in the hope of trying to see them, Involving treks a bit further into the inland rainforest and the smaller streams.|With the presents of more grizzly bears in the area now the black bears have been pushed further in and away from our view.|However, we had fabulous dolphin spottings we had wonderful Orca and humpback whales spotting. |The boats were comfortable and all had toilets. Obviously, when walking around in the rainforest, you have to find natures bathroom. (Not too easy when you’re in weatherproof boiler suits and wellies)|I think the cost is extremely high For just being away a few days, especially with having to take a hotel the night before and the night after back at Vancouver as part of making sure you’re at the airport on time. Our flight was delayed three hours!|I did not feel comfortable signing a disclaimer that says even if it’s an error on the part of the lodge or their staff they take no responsibility of either death or injury to the visitor ( So by that, I assume you’re not covered, I would very seriously ask you to check the disclaimer before you sign it.|The other thing I found a bit disconcerting was the suggestion of $100 per day per person per tip.|My comments are picky because you really do see some lovely bears and all the staff go the extra mile to make you enjoy your holiday. But I feel that the one biggest issue is the disclaimer. The second issue is 50% chance of seeing a white bear..|We met some lovely people on the trip and we have experiences that will never forget. But the visitor has to be prepared for the fact that the possibility of seeing the white bear now, is so reduced it should not be marketed as the highlight of the trip.. I stress all the staff from the lodge were wonderful!

It’s so hard to try and put into words our experience at Spirit Bear Lodge. ||We knew it was going to be something magically but we never imagined how magical it would be.||Our transfer from plane to boat was smooth and within no time at all we had our first experience of humpback wales, mother and calf playing. ||The lodge itself is fantastic, the bedrooms are large, well equipped, the bed is so comfy and all with views of the ocean. Every member of the Spirit Bear Lodge team are fantastic, friendly and nothing was too much trouble and the food was superb. ||Each day was an adventure, our guides were excellent, their knowledge of the area and the history of the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation was excellent, their knowledge of bears, wales, eagles and all the other wildlife made each day an education.||There really are no words to describe our experiences with the bears, our first full day we had the honour and privilege to watch grizzly mums keeping a watching eye on their cubs playing before a very special little bear walked out from behind a tree and spent the next hour or so showing off his fishing skills and happily played in the water. Thinking about him now brings a tear. |We didn’t think the day would get any better but on the way back to the lodge by boat we saw a humpback whale breaching.||Each day was magical.||We left the lodge with memories that will last a life time, photos galore and friends for life.

If you want something extraordinary this is the trip to take. Getting there is an adventure in itself and from the minute staff meet you in Bella Bella you are in safe hands. |We didn’t see as many bears as I would have liked but when we did the proximity was astounding. The whales were quite unbelievably- I’ve done whale watching tours before but nothing compares to being so close to the water and the way the staff know how to position the boat. |The lodge itself was fabulous- I loved our room but looking around every room was just as good. |The staff really want you to understand the history and sanctity of the area - their stories are wonderful. We finished in the ‘ big house ‘ - what an honour. The farewell ceremony was very emotional. Just want to mention that I think it attracts like minded people so everyone in our group was a joy to be around- our small boat group and everyone together for meals - just wonderful company. |Thank you for allowing us to share your magnificent lands and history

We visited Spirit Bear Lodge in late August, with hopes of seeing bears. This fantastic lodge exceeded our expectations in every way! The rooms were comfortable, clean and a great size, with views over the water. Food was tasty and varied, including great vegetarian meals having informed the lodge in advance. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the local wildlife and despite some bad luck with bear sightings the first couple of days, we had great viewings of Grizzlies on day 3. Beyond this, the lodge and viewing sites are in an out of this world beautiful and remote setting, we were lucky enough to see a variety of marine wildlife including humpback whales, sea otters and a distant glimpse of an elephant seal! Outside of the wildlife it was a wonderful experience to stay in a first nations run lodge, hear more about the history and stewardship of local people, and be honoured to visit the local Big House. This cultural learning was a huge part of what made the visit special and we very much appreciated the Kitasoo/Xai'Xais staff at the lodge sharing their knowledge and stories with us, and welcoming us to visit their territory. Would definitely highly recommend this lodge!

FOOD: Better than any 5 star hotel we visited or stayed at throughout Canada. Had worried about vegetarian options as the last mention of this was several years ago and said not much provision. Well it was SUPERB. All dietary requests were catered for and served individually to the table so there was no issue (as all too often) with others 'pinching' any veggie offerings! Quality and presentation excellent! |ACCOMMODATION: Fabulous large rooms with a view over the water frontage where we were lucky enough to see whales in the evening.. Bed very comfortable and room nice and warm..no issues with heat or power here....the hydroelectricity produces more than can be used!! |Guides: Superb and very knowledgeable. |BEARS: No Spirit Bear seen this trip..please understand there are very few ?40 in an area the size of Wales. This is nature, not a performance. The bears are not commanded to appear and neither should they be. This is their home, not ours. Respect the environment, do as the guides recommend. We saw 14 Grizzlies (cubs and Mum) one day and 17 the next but we could have double counted a few as they came round the 'island'! Day 3, white fur found on a tree but just the one bear that day. He amused himself in the water for almost 40" playing with a stick...it was fascinating to watch. Also, a previous review mentioned loose ground/stones/mobility issues...the lodge has a number of walking poles for visitors...just ask for one...or get one from the equipment room. I can't recommend this lodge more highly. The staff are wonderful and go out of their way to give the best experience possible. Tell yourself:early starts, long days, forget your own waterproofs, they won't be of any use if it really rains, use the lodge jackets, boots and trews, they did just the job. Above all, just enjoy, there is nowhere quite like it.

Originally we had scheduled a 3-night stay at Spirit Bear back in 2020, but the pandemic delayed that trip until just this past month. Thankfully, it was more than worth the wait! We saw tons of wildlife (especially bears!), not only on our two full day outings with the tour guides, but also on the boat rides to and from the lodge from Bella Bella. The lodge was very comfortable, the food was excellent, and all of the staff were exceptional. We learned a lot of the history of the indigenous people who live in that area, our evening in the Big House was definitely a highlight. I would absolutely recommend Spirit Bear to anyone with an interest in wildlife and the First Nations people, and we would love to be able to come back for another visit.

Such an amazing experience. ||A beautiful welcome as soon as you arrive with music and delicious food. On the trip from the dock to the hotel we saw a few humpback whales which was amazing! Just gliding past the boat! ||The room is outstanding. It has every basic function you need and the bedding is lovely and soft, water hot in the shower and a tea and coffee station etc. The real thing to note is that every room has a huge set of windows facing the water meaning every day you wake up to simply the most stunning of views||Food is delicious every single day including the packed lunches but the dinner at night literally made me put on weight as I wanted to eat everything haha! Three delicious courses with all fresh produce! The wine was fab too!||Guides are all knowledgeable and most of all caring about the environment. This shows in bucketloads and makes you have equally so much respect for the land, the traditions, the people and the wildlife! All questions I had were answered well and I really loved meeting all the crew who every day worked so so hard and were always smiling.||I cannot express how many beautiful bears I saw in their habitat. Even some baby cubs! They got so close and I could see them swimming, strolling on the beach, just being safe and in nature. Photos do not do it justice of how wonderful it is! At no point did I feel unsafe even if they were close and you do see how huge they are! ||Loved seeing whales every single day as well! Every single day and I was there for the 4 nights package I saw bears and whales! ||This is the trip of a lifetime and as a solo traveller a good place to feel safe and looked after.

Fantastic location out in the wilderness..not the back of beyond, it's further than that Great trips out seeing bears, whales, eagles Guides very good Only loses a star as price is very high (and what feels an inappropriate request for tips)