Explore Canada’s Wild Coast

The new IMAX movie, Great Bear Rainforest, takes viewers on an odyssey through one of the planet’s last great wild places, Canada’s west coast. But here’s a secret: you, too, can travel in the Great Bear Rainforest, in an IMAX-like journey of discovery, thanks to ecotourism specialists at Maple Leaf Adventures. Guests will see some of the same animal characters (including grizzlies and spirit bears) who starred in the film on many of the week-long trips. (Feature photo (c) Kevin J. Smith)

Maple Leaf Adventures, a boutique expedition cruise company that pioneered ecotourism in the Great Bear Rainforest, offers trips in spring, summer and fall that explore the region’s astounding nature, wildlife and culture. Recognized as area experts, the tour company is run entirely by locals, with long-standing ties to research, conservation and community leadership in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Safaris by Water: Expedition Cruises in the Great Bear

The trips are operated in a similar style of a Galapagos trip or a luxury African safari. Guests travel aboard small yachts and go ashore frequently with guides to view bears and the rainforest, and explore wild beaches. Visits also include local communities, where indigenous ambassadors introduce guests to the culture that’s thrived here for millennia, and researchers talk one-on-one about their discoveries.

There are no roads in the Great Bear Rainforest. It’s a land of fjords and islands, threaded with calm ocean channels, making the best way to explore by boat. Each of Maple Leaf’s ships – the classic schooner Maple Leaf (8 guests), the classic tugboat Swell (12 guests) and the catamaran Cascadia (24 guests) – offers expert guides, gourmet cuisine, comfortable accommodations and great access to special places.

Bears, Wildflowers, Salmon, Whales: Seasons of the Great Bear

Each season in the Great Bear Rainforest offers a new delight, such as Spring (May, June) that is highlighted by grizzly bears, wildflowers, stunning scenery and generally settled weather. Summer (July, Aug) grants access to remote islands and beaches, increased whale and seabird activity and the most stable weather. Autumn (September, October) brings grizzly and spirit bears and the salmon run.

Minimal Footprints

Maple Leaf is held up as stewards of the Great Bear Rainforest for their commitment to low impact travel into these fragile ecosystems.  Limited access is one way to minimize footprints but maximize the experience.

2019 Sailings

The week-long trips operate between May and October each year, and the all-inclusive fares vary depending on trip length and season. For more information, visit https://mapleleafadventures.com/.

Photos courtesy of Maple Leaf Adventures/TravMedia