Khutzeymateen Spring Grizzly Bear Photography Tour - Great Bear Rainforest, BC, Canada
An Unbelievable Opportunity to Photograph Grizzlies and other Wildlife in the Northern Great Bear Rainforest including
the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary

Join John for a Spring Grizzly Bear Photo Tour in the Khutzeymateen and the northern Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia
Trip Departure Point: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
Trip Conclusion Point: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Trip Dates: May 8th-16th, 2012
Trip Cost: $4295 Cdn + 12% hst, all-inclusive from Prince Rupert (includes accommodation and dinner in P.R. on the 8th and breakfast on the 9th)

Trip Availability: SOLD OUT - waiting list only

Contact John to reserve a spot on the 2012 Spring Grizzly Bear Photography Tour now!

Grizzly Bear and Scenic Photos from the Great Bear Rainforest and the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary - courtesy of Ocean Light II staff

I am thrilled to announce my first spring grizzly bear photography tour in May 2012 to the northern reaches of British Columbia's beautiful Great Bear Rainforest, including two full days in the world famous Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary. Join me for an exploratory trip up the coast of British Columbia north of Prince Rupert into the Khutzeymateen in search of grizzly bears, black bears, humpback whales, sea lions, and the magnificent coastal scenery of the Great Bear Rainforest.

The lush, green Great Bear Rainforest is a globally-unique wilderness treasure -- the planet's last remaining intact coastal temperate rainforest. Located on the northern BC coast, it includes Canada’s only grizzly bear sanctuary, the Khutzeymateen. Participants on this trip will be one of less than 200 people annually who are gifted with the intense and intimate experience of sharing in the rich and diverse lives of the grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen.

This is a unique, one-of-a-kind trip that is new for both myself and the Ocean Light II (the 71-foot ketch that I will also be aboard this year for trips to the Queen Charlotte Islands in July and to the Great Bear Rainforest in October in search of spirit bears): we're going to spend the first five days traveling north along the coast from Prince Rupert into Khutzeymateen Inlet, exploring and searching for wildlife along the way. We will explore old-growth forests, inlets, bays, rivers, and estuaries in search of bears and wolves, as well as remote, windswept beaches and shorelines looking for intertidal marine life like sea stars and sea anemones. We may also find orcas, humpback whales, pacific white-sided dolphins, and even river otters along our journey north.

The final two days of the trip will be spent in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, where you can expect to photograph and observe grizzlies on foot at extremely close range (many of the photos shown on this page were taken with a 70-200mm lens by Ocean Light II staff) with a seasoned bear viewing guide. This will be the first trip of the season into the Khutzeymateen, so participants will be the first to see the bears as they emerge from hibernation and make their way into the quickly greening estuary.

Black Bear and Grizzly Bear Photos from the northern Great Bear Rainforest and the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary - courtesy of Ocean Light II staff

The Ocean Light II was chosen for this trip because the boat and crew have the reputation of being the best at what they do when it comes to operating wildlife photography trips on the B.C. Coast. You can expect professional service, superb guiding, good food, and clean, comfortable quarters. We will use the boat as a base, and a motorized inflatable to transfer people between the boat and the shore, as we explore one of the last great temperate rainforests in the world.

Expect this to be a unique and exciting photo tour that will challenge every skill you have as a wildlife photographer. You will likely shoot hand-held and from a tripod in a wide variety of situations and weather conditions.

Itinerary

This itinerary is a sample only – the exact itinerary of our trip will be dictated by factors such as weather, tides, and photo opportunities, with the crew working within the parameters of safety, time, and the highlights of the area.

Participants will be expected to arrive in Prince Rupert on May 8th prepared for an early morning departure on the 9th.

The first five days will be spent traveling north towards and into Khutzeymateen Inlet, exploring the Great Bear Rainforest and enjoying the splendor of the surrounding area. Opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography will occur on each day; however, please be aware that the weather conditions and the location of wildlife will dictate the frequency of such activities.

The final two full days will be spent in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary focusing on photographing grizzly bears (though there may be lots of opportunities to photograph grizzlies in the days prior, this will be the primary focus of the final two days). After breakfast on the morning of the 16th, we'll depart the Ocean Light II aboard a float plane for our short trip back to Prince Rupert, where the trip will conclude.

This trip requires a moderate level of fitness and will involve a bit of walking and hiking on uneven and wet terrain. Participants should be mobile enough to climb ladders and get in and out of a zodiac. Weather conditions may be variable and participants must be prepared for adverse weather including torrential rain and cold spring temperatures. Although conditions may be difficult at times, the rewards are worth it, as you become part of just a small percentage of people who have explored the wonders of the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary and the Great Bear Rainforest!

Maximum six participants (plus John).

The Khutzeymateen Spring Grizzly Bear Photography Price includes the float plane trip from the Ocean Light II back to Prince Rupert on the 16th. It also includes accommodation and dinner in Prince Rupert on the 8th and breakfast on the 9th.

All Canadian Wildlife Photography Tours are non-smoking tours. Participants will be required to sign waivers.

Please note that a $1000 non-refundable deposit via cheque or email bank transfer is required to reserve your spot on a Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Photography Tour. The balance owing, including hst, is due 120 days prior to your trip departure and is also non-refundable; however, upon cancellation, this balance owing may be transferred to another workshop or tour if John is able to fill your spot. We highly recommend all workshop and tour participants purchase independent trip cancellation insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances.

Contact John now to reserve a spot on the 2012 Khutzeymateen Spring Grizzly Bear Photo Tour