Bears and whales at Knight Inlet

Our unforgettable visit to Knight Inlet Lodge in September began with a short flight from Vancouver to Campbell River on the East Coast of Vancouver Island. A pleasant stay at Herons Landing Hotel ensured a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast before we were whisked off to begin our wonderful grizzly bear adventure.

Floatplane to Knight Inlet

Because of its remoteness, the only way to arrive at Knight Inlet Lodge is by floatplane, and this meant we were full of excitement and trepidation in equal quantities.  An unexpectedly smooth takeoff and thirty truly memorable and scenic minutes later, we were gently landing alongside the lodge.  The water was blue, the sun shone and the forests and mountains all around us were incredibly beautiful - what a perfect way to begin our stay.

Following registration we were shown to our rooms and after a safety and orientation tour and just about an hour after landing we were off to see the bears!!!
After a boat trip across the inlet and then a drive up the one-way forest track toward the viewing stands, we had our cameras whirring and clicking as we saw our first grizzlies from the road.

Bears on a mission

There were two separate stands that overlooked the river and salmon spawning channel, and during our three night visit to the lodge we had the opportunity to use both.  Each time we visited the stands there were bears fishing for salmon, and on one memorable occasion, so many that it was difficult to know where to look first.  There were huge grizzlies, a mother with twin cubs, and another with triplets, young bears, old bears, lazy bears, lively bears, but all of them bears on a mission to eat as much salmon as possible!!!  When the bear action was little quieter, there were the gulls, herons and amazing bald eagles to occupy us, as well as the stunning views of the mountains and forest.  Awesome!!!

Back at the lodge, our room, which overlooked the inlet, was spacious (two queen size beds) and very comfortably and tastefully furnished. The bathroom had plenty of fluffy towels and there was always lots of hot water in the shower.

Orcas, humpbacks and dolphins

On our second day we were taken on a full day boat tour to see the wonderful marine wildlife, which included visiting the famous Johnstone Strait.  This was a fabulous trip on which we saw orca, sealions, bald eagles and white sided dolphins.  We had numerous sightings of humpback whales, who, to our delight, were feeding and breaching and there was much tail slapping action going on.  A really exciting and rewarding day!
During our stay we also had the opportunity for other activities, including estuary tours, kayaking, walking and tracking.  The food and hospitality were excellent, as were all the staff, who were so helpful and so enthusiastic about the wildlife and the wonderful environment in which they live and work.

The time to leave came much too quickly.  All the available staff turned out to wave goodbye and as the floatplane lifted off and we looked down on the lodge, the inlet and the forests we both knew that at some time, hopefully, not too far in the future, we would be returning to this truly magical place.

Get close to bears and whales yourself at Knight Inlet Lodge