Take a bear safari in the Bella Coola Valley for some wonderful wildlife watching experiences!
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Bella Coola is a small, isolated valley tucked away in the northwestern reaches of British Columbia. This little oasis is one of the top places to visit to see bears.
It is considered the gateway to the Great Bear Rainforest, a massive 15.8 million-acre conservation area along the western BC coastline.
One of the most stunning sights is watching a bear walking through its habitat uninterrupted.
Their powerful bodies explore forests, rivers, taiga, and mountains in search of food to store up before winter hibernation.
Around Bella Coola, you’ll find both grizzly bears and black bears. However, the majority of bear safari-goers visit for the chances of seeing a grizzly in nature.
The beautiful fjords leading to Bella Coola from M Gurr Trail lookout. Photo by Christa Rolls
About Grizzlies
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are actually a subspecies of the brown bear. They get their special name from the “grizzled” look that their almost-grey fur tips give them.
While not the largest bear on Earth (that honor goes to the Polar bear), grizzlies can still get up to 600 pounds.
They’re powerful animals and are considered at the top of the food chain. However, they prefer to eat nuts, berries, and fruit, as well as salmon and small mammals during certain times of the year.
Salmon, in particular, has all sorts of nutrients and fats that give bears the reserves they need to get through harsh northern winters.
There are around 26,000 grizzlies in Canada, and many of them live in British Columbia.
It may be fairly easy to see brown bears in certain parts of North America, particularly Alaska, but, in Canada, the Bella Coola Valley is one of the best.
A young bear spots a fish to catch in the river. Photo by Nathan Rolls
When to Spot Grizzlies in Bella Coola
While bears live in the Bella Coola Valley year-round, the best time to see them is during the salmon run season.
Salmon run on a fairly regular life cycle, where they return back to the waters they were born in to spawn, or breed, once they mature. While this varies depending on the kind of salmon, the running season typically starts in May and continues until the end of September to mid-October.
Given this, bears are also easier to spot at the height of these runs, around September.
Grizzlies have a huge home-range, spanning miles, so without this prime sustenance to draw them in, they may be more difficult to spot.
Plus, in lower salmon run years, more bears will congregate in smaller areas in an attempt to catch as many fish as possible.
During high run years, it’s more difficult to see bears as they may be further afield and prefer to keep their distance from other bears.
The Importance of Salmon
Salmon are an important foundational element of river ecosystems, especially in the Bella Coola region.
They feed predators, including bears, and after they spawn and die, their remains provide food for scavengers and marine foragers.
Salmon are at risk because of the huge range they travel and require throughout their life cycle. They need headwater streams at the beginning and end of their life, and they spend most of their adult life in the open ocean.
With habitat incursions and changes, salmon populations are also changing.
READ MORE | Tips to photographing wildlife for wildlife photographers.
Bald Eagles, among other animals, scavenge on dead salmon throughout the spawning season. Photo by Nathan Rolls
Getting to Bella Coola
There are a few ways to get to Bella Coola, including by car, ferry, or plane.
Car
If you’re looking to explore the mainland of British Columbia on your way to Bella Coola, driving is a good option.
Just note that Bella Coola is really remote – the nearest major town of Williams Lake is a 6-hour drive away.
You’ll also have to make the exciting journey down what is known as “The Hill.” We were told that when it was created, one bulldozer started from the top of the mountain, and the other at the bottom until they met in the middle.
Few guardrails are built into this winding gravel road that descends vehicles into the valley below. Given this, if you have a fear of exposure, prepare yourself ahead of time. Going down The Hill is quite a rush!
Before this, the only way to get into Bella Coola was by Ferry or Plane.
Note that if you plan to do any hiking, or driving to the trailheads to access various hiking destinations, you will need a vehicle with ample clearance! Ideally something with four-wheel drive. Take our word for it…
Ferry
BC Ferries travel to Bella Coola through the fjords from Port Hardy. The total journey is around 18 hours with overnight time on the ferry.
There are multiple stops along the way, however, so if you wanted to explore some of the other smaller towns on the fjords this is a great way to go.
Shearwater is one of the stops and is just across the water from adventure jumping-off point Bella Bella.
Being on the water also means having chances to see all kinds of wildlife, including seals, eagles, and whales!
Plane
By far, the fastest way to get to Bella Coola is by plane. A reasonable one-hour flight lands you right into the Great Bear Rainforest.
Just imagine getting to spot seals, whales, and all manner of animals by exploring the nearby fjords. Photo by Nathan Rolls
Where to Stay in Bella Coola
All this talk about Bella Coola and I don’t actually recommend getting accommodation in town! That is, if your main goal is to spot bears.
Bella Coola is a sweet town with a grocery store, a couple of restaurants, and some good accommodation options. However, the best bear viewing sites are in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, around a 45-minute drive inland.
Given this, if you plan to explore on your own and not with a guided tour, you’ll need to rent a car. Tweedsmuir Park Lodge offers inclusive services, such as airport and ferry pickups.
There are loads of places to stay in the area, but two of the best options are the Rip Rap Campgrounds and Cabins and the Tweedsmuir Park Lodge.
Both of these accommodations offer their guests prime river viewing platforms that are perfect for bear spotting.
Rip Rap Campgrounds has everything you need with a more basic feel. On the flip side, Tweedsmuir Park Lodge is a more expensive, luxury option.
Keep in mind when you stay at Tweedsmuir, there are a host of different free activities available to their guests. And, some of the proceeds from your stay go to bear conservation research at the Brown Bear Research Network.
Here are some other accommodations in the nearby area, as well:
How to See Bears on Bear Safari
The best bear-viewing locations are in Tweedsmuir National Park, British Columbia’s largest park.
Bear safaris are meant to be done with an ethical, knowledgeable guide. This way, your guide is doing the legwork to take you to the best spots to see bears while keeping you and the bear safe. All you have to do is wait for bears to show up.
This small bear was seen from our raft on the river! We were around 10 meters from him on the opposite side of the river. Photo by Nathan Rolls
1. Bear Safari by Raft
Going by rafting boat is a fun way to see bears, as you’ll be seeing them at a different perspective on the water.
Bears troll the rivers in search of salmon, so you’re bound to get great photos if you spot one on your trip!
Kynoch Adventures is our go-to for bear watching in the Bella Coola Valley. This company is also ethically certified by the Commercial Bear Viewing Association.
Their professional guides answered all our questions and more about bear ecology and the surrounding region.
From one of the boat docks upriver, your guide will launch the raft for you to float downriver. On average, there will be a maximum of 7 people on the raft with you.
If you want a more private experience, you can pay extra to go down with just your guide. For photographers, this may be a good way to go. However, note that you won’t be the only one on the river! Other boats may pass by.
Tip: Bringing a camera lens with at least a 200 mm range will ensure a better bear shot. Nathan used a 100-400 mm lens to get the bear photos in this post.
Overall, the rafting journey is incredibly relaxing, and you won’t be moving quickly downriver. The total experience lasts at least a few hours, more if you see bears, as your guide will stop for you to watch them a bit.
Note that rafting tours only run from August 15-October 15.
2. Bear Safari on Foot
Kynoch Adventures also offers hiking tours.
You have the option of hiking on the coastline or along the river in Tweedsmuir. If you do the latter, the chances of seeing bears on the river from the trail are good.
This is a fun way to be active and learn a lot about the local environment! The guides will “cut sign” with you, meaning they’ll show you wildlife trails and footprints to interpret what animals have passed through there.
If you’re interested in hiking and learning more about the cultural history of the region, check out Copper Sun Journeys petroglyph and totem tours. A Nuxalk First Nations guide will teach about the traditional songs and stories of the nation.
In addition to your bear safari, you can likely see bears at other designated locations.
3. Stay at an accommodation that offers a bear-viewing platform
As mentioned before, there are a few types of accommodation that offer bear-viewing platforms.
In between your rafting or hiking adventures, you can kick back on the designated platforms and keep an eye out for passing bears and other wildlife.
4. Belarko Wildlife Viewing Area
The Belarko Wildlife Viewing Area is one of the best places to see bears, free of cost.
The platform is located in a safe paddock right on the river and is surrounded by electric wiring to keep bears out.
Note that the platform is only open from September 1 to September 30. At the closing of the bear season in October, it is considered a safety hazard for visitors to be on the platform.
While we went on a rafting tour, we also visited Belarko for a different perspective. It was here that we saw the mature male grizzly in our featured photo!
The view from the Belarko Platform is really beautiful!
5. Atnarko Campground
Accessibility to the river is really key if your goal is to see bears.
Atnarko Campground is nothing to write home about, and it’s essentially a small RV and car-camping campground right along the river.
Because of its location, hanging out by the river banks likely means you’ll get to spot a bear or two.
Just be careful getting very close to the river, and don’t attempt to traverse into the nearby woods or cross the river to explore around.
There are no electric fences or safety barriers for you to retreat to if you startle a bear.
Human-wildlife conflict: Bear safety precautions
In recent years, salmon population returns have not been as extensive as they once were.
Because of this, bears leave the rivers to search for food elsewhere. Often, this lands them in local gardens and orchards in search of more sustenance.
For this reason, it’s even more important to treat the bears and the place they live with respect. Going with a knowledgeable guide in the area is a great way to avoid conflicts with bears during your trip.
Practicing good bear safety measures is important for both you and the bear. Especially if you plan to hike in the Valley on your own, bring along a can of bear spray and carry it somewhere easily accessible.
It’s worth it to purchase the added canister holster. The holster makes it super easy to slip onto your belt loop or front backpack strap.
The experience of seeing bears in the wild on a bear safari is truly incredible. However, always keep in mind that these are wild animals.
While bear attacks in Bella Coola aren’t common, despite the sheer numbers of bears, be conscientious and respectful of the bears and their space.
To learn more about bears and their conservation efforts in this part of the world, visit the Bear ID Project website.
READ NEXT | How to Watch Wildlife Ethically
There are lots of places to explore around the Bella Coola Valley. Exercise caution whenever you go off on your own! Photo by Christa Rolls
Kermode Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest
Kermode, or Spirit, bears are special white bears found only in this part of the world. They are a type of black bear with a fur-color mutation, and only about 10% of the bear population is all-white.
Seeing them is incredibly difficult. They are primarily found on Princess Royal Island, set out off of the British Columbia coast. So, you will not see them in and around Bella Coola.
Staying at the Spirit Bear Lodge is a great way to get a glimpse of these wonderfully rare creatures. The lodge is run by the local Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nations people and is sustainably and ethically operated.
Remember, these animals are rare and you’re never guaranteed a sighting, no matter how great the location is. It DOES increase your chances, however.
Have you visited Bella Coola or seen grizzlies in the wild? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
Happy bear safari,
Christa and Nathan
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