Great Bear Rainforest On SV Maple Leaf A Frommer’s “Trip of a Lifetime” Journey into one of Earth’s greatest wild places. The Land of the Great Bears Robert Kennedy Jr. calls it “the last stand of the At the foot of the mountains sprawl vast river he Inside Passage great North American rainforest”. Maple Leaf’s estuaries. Here, you’ll float in a shore boat or T sit in a safe place to watch bears. B.C.’s largest trips in 3 seasons (spring, summer, fall) are timed and British Columbia’s population of grizzly bears visits the estuaries in central coast is a land of for peak experiences of natural beauty and wildlife. spring and fall. Watch as a bear with chocolate- fjords, mountains, rainfor- brown fur eats sedges and roots. Look for the Fjords and Forests That Humble white Spirit Bear, the continent’s rarest bear, and ests and great river for black bears. estuaries. It is home to The Pacific ocean’s eastern edge breaks against BC’s western islands and sandy beaches. Then it grizzlies, wolves and the snakes down glacier-hewn valleys at the foot of Nature’s Peak Spectacles - 3 Seasons mysterious white Spirit the mountains: these are the Great Bear Rainfor- Our experienced crew and naturalist will take Bear. est’s fjords. You’ll travel past the fjords’ granite you to areas where you’ll be able to witness peak flanks,where waterfalls drop hundreds of feet to wildlife events: spring bird migrations, spring and the sea. summer bears on estuaries, mountain goats, por- poises, dense intertidal life. Humpback whales Ancient rainforest of spruce and cedar clings arrive in spring to feast to mountainsides and river valleys. People have until fall. In fall, witness described these forests of ethereal green light as the return of the salmon to “living cathedrals”. In the eighteenth century the spawn, which draws bears Prince European explorers had another word: sublime. to the estuaries again, Rupert Kitimat along with seals, eagles and elusive wolves. We often People of the Rainforest visit one of the natural, The Kitlope You’ll explore the worlds of several northwest out-of-the-way hot springs here. Great BearKlemtu Rainforest First Nations: the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo-Xaixais, Bella Bella Haisla, Gitga’at and Henaaksiala. Everywhere there is evidence of their civilization. Fish traps, Trip Area bark-stripped trees and big-house remains give (shaded) testimony to a life tuned to the rhythm of nature. Pacific Port McNeill You’ll visit modern villages and see the ancient Ocean art traditions still in place today. Our First Vancouver Is. Nations guides will not only tell you about their 150 km Victoria culture, but they’ll also chat with you one on one. © Maple Leaf Adventures. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled, post-consumer paper on recycled, All rights reserved. Printed Leaf Adventures. © Maple www.MapleLeafAdventures.com Great Bear Rainforest “Better than billed – loved seeing the goats and bears…wonderful caring crew. Thanks for the memories.” - Marion Kerr, Comox, B.C., about the Great Bear Rainforest & Kitlope Spring Supervoyage 2017 Dates & Prices - Spring in the Great Bear Vancouver Island to Great Bear Rainforest SV Maple Leaf Rainforest Day 1 Board at Campbell River. Cruising Quadra Vancouver Island & Great Island and Vancouver Island shores. Sey Bear Rainforest mour Narrows, the dividing line between You’ll explore here as spring enlivens the coast. Supervoyage - Spring souhern and northern climates. Historic Starting with the outer islands of the south, you’ll Ripple Rock, watch for porpoises. Rainfor Vancouver Island Inside Passage explore the wild edge and beaches of the Great est walk. Anchorage Port Neville. Apr 27 - May 4, 7 nights, 8 days Bear. Price: Can $2800 As you cruise north through tight passageways Day 2-3 Johnstone Strait and the steep-sided islands of the Broughton Archipelago. Depart : Sidney, BC and protected seas, the landscape steepens. Coastal villages, Alert Bay cultural centre, Return: Campbell River, BC In the Great Bear Rainforest, picturesque snow marine mammals. See seperate brochure for itinerary. still caps the mountain peaks but green estuaries burst with plant life and migrating birds. Oceanic Day 4-6 Sailing Cape Caution, exploring western Desolation Sound & Discovery plankton blooms begin, fuelling a bounty of krill islands and beaches of southern Great Islands and fish for returning whales. Newly-awakened Bear. Entering the mainland inlets and May 6 - 10, 4 nights, 5 days bears graze on sedges. fjords. Likely sea otters, humpback whales, early bears. Price: Can $1890 You will cruise and walk among it all, often the Depart : Campbell River, BC only humans for hundreds of miles. Day 7 Fjordland where waterfalls cascade down Return: Campbell River, BC You’ll also explore the past and present day life granite cliffs. Petroglyphs, hot springs visit, cultural history, bear meadows. See seperate brochure for itinerary. of coastal communities -- from First Nations’ an- cient history here, to more recent homesteaders. Day 8 Explore west coast islands as the goose Spring Vancouver Island Late spring and early summer are good times for group. West coast beach walks and zodiac Inside Passage & Great Bear viewing grizzly or brown bears. The earlier spring excursions. Rainforest: trips have some chance of bears but the amount Day 9 Cruise to Bella Bella. Wildlife viewing on May 11 - 19 8 nights, 9 days depends on whether the spring is early or late in route. Price: Can $3200 a particular year. Depart: Campbell River, BC (Note: for those for whom the possibility of see- ing a spirit bear is a make or break criteron, we recommend a fall trip. Spring is gorgeous in the Great Bear but it’s not a good time for spirit bear viewing.) Maple Leaf Adventures PO Box 8845, Stn. Central, Victoria, B.C., V8W 3Z1 Canada toll free 1-888-599-5323 local 1-250-386-7245 www.MapleLeafAdventures.com Trip price is in Canadian dollars. Prices/dates subject to change Great Bear Rainforest “A charmed voyage. Better than we’d imagined. Great weather, awe inspiring sea and country, and wondrous wildlife sightings. Many thanks to the crew.” - Cheryl and Roger Moses, AB, SAMPLE ITINERARIES Canada Great Bear Rainforest Whales & Grizzlies- Great Spring Discovery Bear Rainforest Summer 2017 Dates & Prices - Cruise through the fjords and islands as the days SV Maple Leaf lengthen and the wildflower meadows bloom. Day 1 Board Maple Leaf at Kitamaat Village, You’ll cruise the coast’s fjordlands to spectacular, orientation, cruising into the Great Bear Rainforest, watching for marine mammals Great Bear Rainforest Spring mountain-ringed anchorages, hotsprings, mead- ows, river valleys and rainforests, as wildlife and and birds. Anchorage at remote hot springs. May 20 - 27, 7 nights, 8 days new growth rejuvenate the area in spring. Day 2 Morning exploration ashore, then cruising Price: Can $4950 Day 1 Board your ship in Bella Bella, orientation, Whale Channel, an aptly named waterway Depart: Bella Bella, BC cruise into Fjordland viewing spectacular popular with cetaceans. Visit whale research Return: Kitimat, BC mountains and waterfalls. Rainforest walk. scientists at remote station. Marine mammal viewing (several species). Anchorage at Day 2 Visit great Fjordland river estuaries, wild remote island on west coast. Beachcombing, flower meadows. Possible bear viewing. Whales & Wild Isles-Summer hike to view, beach fire. Day 3 Visit First Nations community of Klemtu, Aug 13 - 20, 7 nights, 8 days Day 3 Cruise to spectacular mainland inlet estuary including guided tour and conversations at Price: Can $4800 popular with grizzly and black bears. big house, example of First Nations artistry, Depart: Prince Rupert, BC Estuary meadow walk (wildflowers), learning culture and architecture. Return: Kitimat, BC about bear habitat, river exploration, look for Day 4 Mainland inlet, bear viewing, rainforest bears. See seperate brochure for itinerary. walk, waterfalls, inside passage cruising, hot springs visit. Day 4 Morning bear viewing in fjordland. Whales & Grizzlies Great Day 5 Visit coastal community, sailing down whale Visit First Nations community of Klemtu, Bear-Summer channel, viewing of marine mammals including guided tour and conversations at Aug 21 - 26, 5 nights, 6 days including whales and sea lions. Visit remote big house, example of First Nations artistry, Price: Can $3650 whale research station and speak with scien- culture and architecture. Depart: Kitimat, BC tists. Cruise to west coast beach and explore. Day 5 Cruising in fjordland, estuary & rainforest walks. Bear viewing. Return: Bella Bella, BC Day 6 Sailing the outer coast, exploring remote islands. Intertidal life, whales, seabirds, beaches. Day 6 Cruise to Bella Bella, wildlife viewing on route. Day 7 Exploring north coast wolf habitat, cruising from outer coast to inner coast, rainforest walk. Day 8 Cruising to Kitimat, wildlife viewing. Actual trip itineraries vary depending on the interests of the guests, and the actions of weather and wildlife. Maple Leaf Adventures PO Box 8845, Stn. Central, Victoria, B.C., V8W 3Z1 Canada toll free 1-888-599-5323 Photo credits: All photos by Kevin J. Smith except page 1 grizzly bear and ariel view by Ian McAllister, local 1-250-386-7245 page 2 guests in zodiac and grizzly bear by Greg Shea, Maple Leaf sailing by Greg Shea, wolf by Ian McAllister. www.MapleLeafAdventures.com Trip price is in Canadian dollars. Prices/dates subject to change Great Bear Rainforest “What an extraordinary trip! Sea otters, black bears, spirit bears, humpback whales, magnificent scenery, great shore trips, scrumptious meals, wonderful company with lots of laughter.” - Jean Rissman, Calif, USA, autumn trip Autumn Great Bear Rainforest Trips Autumn 2017 Dates & This fall, witness one of nature’s most profound events: the journey of the wild pacific salmon into the Prices - SV Maple Leaf rainforest.