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Wilderness Lodge in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, Canada
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Key Information:
Specialty Category: Fishing lodges
Location: British Columbia
Region: Canada
Min Price: 1584 Canadian Dollar (CAD) per day
Max Price: 4000 Canadian Dollar (CAD) per day
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Dealing with the carbon footprint of tourism operations is a complex undertaking at the best of times. When someone takes the lead, a significant amount of corporate soul-searching has been invested before arriving at a solution, especially if the steps taken cut deeply into the bottom line. One of those industry leaders is this operation. Moored in the shelter of Barnard Harbour on Princess Royal Island (south of Prince Rupert), it offers every luxury one could hope for in a wilderness setting. It is accessible only by float plane, and in close proximity to the Great Bear Rain forest, the largest intact temperate rain forest left on Earth. Imagine how strongly a place like this should feel about its carbon footprint!
The lodge recently announced plans to reduce its carbon footprint by half over the next five years. It has committed to offsetting the carbon emissions of all lodge operations and employee travel, while also offsetting guests’ air travel to and from the lodge – creating a truly carbon neutral vacation. It is really about an evolution in attitude that we are fostering, about hiring people who think in a similar vein; about associating with companies and creating a network of partners that are like minded, you spread the notion of the need to reduce your carbon footprint and it influences your approach to social and environmental responsibility, even your perception of what are equitable practices.
Adventures and Activities
Ocean Fishing
In Northern British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada, Chinook and Coho salmon, halibut, and ling cod are abundant in the ocean waters. Imagine catching your first wild salmon with your family and bringing it home with you. Imagine winning your group's fishing tournament and bragging rights for the rest of the year. June and July are an excellent time for pursuing Chinook salmon. The Chinook is the largest of the Pacific salmon species and can grow to sizes of 50 pounds or more. These fish are extremely strong fighters who will often peel out over 100 yards of line after being hooked. Large specimens can take over 30 minutes to land, and it's worth the effort. Catching one of these fish is an exhilarating event regardless of your experience level.
August marks the peak of the Coho salmon run. The Coho are abundant in the surrounding waters, and the action can be fast and furious. These fish are known for their explosive fighting abilities and will often leap into the air multiple times after being hooked. Although they are not the largest of the Pacific salmon species, they do reach sizes of up to 20 pounds. They are considered the best pound-for-pound fighters in the local waters. Although most of the Chinook salmon pass through by August, there are still a few that can tip the scales at 50 pounds. In fact, most of our biggest Chinooks are caught in August every year.
The surrounding waters also support a very prolific halibut and ling cod fishery. These fish are caught throughout the entire season and are valued for their excellent table qualities. The lodge's halibut conservation policy suggests that guests limit their take-home catch to one halibut that is less than 40 pounds.
Fly-fishing
Helicopter-accessed fly-fishing trips are a magical experience. Untouched watersheds in Northern British Columbia, Canada await both the novice and experienced. In order to preserve the natural beauty of our pristine streams, lakes and delicate ecosystems, we release every fish we catch in freshwater. Abundant fisheries and a team of talented guides will make every fly-fishing vacation at the lodge the best that it can be.
Trout: the trout fly-fishing season in Canada begins in the spring and continues until the end of July. This is a delicate fishery for native Rainbow and Cutthroat trout. Most of the fishing takes place in small to medium connector streams between lakes. These coastal streams are typically low in nutrients and as a result the fish are not extremely large. Most trout caught are between 8 and 14 inches but there are always a few bigger ones around. These waters are pristine and unspoiled as the only fishing pressure they receive is from the few lodge fishing vacation guests that visit these watersheds every year. The abundance of fish and their aggressive nature makes this the perfect stage to learn the basics of fly-fishing. There is no road or boat access and the only mode of transportation is via helicopter. Due to the smaller size of the streams, we primarily ‘walk and wade,' and will seldom use a raft for trout fishing. No experience is necessary as our guides can instruct guests on site.
Salmon River Fishing: the middle of July is the perfect time for fly-fishing trips as it marks the beginning of the salmon fly-fishing season. Our rivers provide excellent fishing for a variety of Pacific salmon species. Pink and Coho salmon are specifically targeted, and occasionally we hook into a Chum. The Pink salmon are the most suitable for beginners. Imagine casting to a school of 400 Pink salmon and having multiple fish chase your fly. Beginner fly-fishers are encouraged to participate in this fishery as they can catch anywhere from 10 to100 fish on their first day out.
The Coho salmon offer a much greater challenge to the angler and can offer the fishing trip of a lifetime. These fish reach sizes of up to 20 lbs. and hooking into one of these chrome torpedoes can be an exhilarating experience. Coho salmon require much longer casts, much more careful presentations and once you hook one there is no assurance that you will land it. This is a truly world-class fly-fishing experience unique to the coast of British Columbia.
Our river salmon fly-fishing is the foundation of our fly-fishing program. This time of year is a truly magical time in the rain forest as guests can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles and bears, while fishing on the river. The peak season for salmon is from mid-July until lodge closing in late September.
Kayaking
Kayak silently beneath ancient cedar branches on a private exploration of ocean beaches and centuries-old shipwrecks. Wind your way through the secluded sea inlets and fjords of British Columbia's Trutch Islands. Pick a spot. And, prepare to be amazed. This is one of the finest perches in the world to get up close to Orcas, dolphins and bald eagles. The lodge offers fully guided kayaking trips in Barnard Harbour or Cameron Cove, as well as multi-venture kayaking expeditions by helicopter to areas rarely, if ever, seen before. Open to novice and expert paddlers alike, the lodge provides courtesy kayaking instruction complete with jackets and life vests. Trips vary from a short paddle to Cameron Cove just around the corner to full-day excursions. One can even greet the new day with an early morning trip around Borde Island.
Wildlife Tours
Moored in the calm waters of Barnard Harbour on Princess Royal Island, the lodge lies in the heart of the Great Bear Rain forest, the largest intact temperate rain forest left on Earth. Here you have the opportunity to connect with nature and the abundance of animals who liver here. Guided wildlife tours give you unparalleled access to and understanding of the special wildlife in British Columbia.
In early June and July, pods of resident orcas cruise Whale Channel feeding on migrating salmon. Local whale researchers are available to help you identify the pods and listen in on their conversations with strategically placed hydrophones. Eagles soar overhead as their young learn to take flight and begin to forage for themselves. The sea lions bark and roar as they jostle for the sunny spot on Sea Lion Rock, just minutes by boat from the lodge. And of course, the lodge's local family of otters is always ready to share your salmon dockside as your catch is cleaned and readied for you to feast on that evening or freeze and take home.
Late in July and throughout August and September the humpback whales return from their Hawaiian wintering. The cold Pacific waters on the lodge floats are some of the richest in the world and provide ample food for humpback mothers and their calves. A kayak paddle at low tide reveals the ocean's bounty and our expert guides will not only teach you the paddling strokes but also share their knowledge of local flora and fauna. This is a wonderful season for hiking and you may catch the silhouette of the rare black wolf in the distance as you picnic on Wolf Track Beach. Dahl's porpoises gambol and race alongside the boat as you speed your way back to the comfort and luxury of the lodge for yet another sumptuous meal and a relaxing spa treatment.
September is the pinnacle of bear viewing - grizzlies, black bears and the rare white Kermode or ‘spirit bear' as it is known by the natives, greedily feed on migrating salmon so plentiful that the rivers and streams appear black. Our guides know just where to take you on wildlife tours for that incomparable glimpse of the temperate rainforest's most magnificent carnivore. Often at this time of year, the humpback whales feed in Barnard Harbour and breach within yards of the docks of the lodge - hear them breathing as you lie in your own king-size bed, warm and cozy under a luxurious duvet.
Hiking
Come walk amongst 1000-year-old hemlocks and fern-clad canyons. Experience heli-hiking to a deserted beach to watch the porpoises play. Learn about indigenous plants and animals of British Columbia, keeping an eye out for the elusive white Kermode Bear. Discover all this and much more on a nature hike led by our experienced guides who will tailor the trip to your skill and endurance level. We can take you on a short jaunt to a waterfall, a moderate hike to a forested stream full of beaver dams, or a full-day, multi-venture trek to an alpine lake on a neighboring island. For the ultimate hiking adventure, let our helicopter drop you on one of the neighboring mountain ridges so that you can enjoy above-tree-line hiking or access one of the numerous snowfields that linger well into the summer. All of our hikes are fully guided and include packed lunches if required. All you need to bring is a comfy pair of boots and your spirit for adventure.
Notes:
Prices:
For 3 nights:
- Wilderness View Room: 4750 CAD
- Ocean View Room: 5400 CAD.
- Barnard Harbour/Romance Suite: 6725 CAD
- Waterfall Suite: 8450 CAD
- Princess Royal Suite: 12300 CAD.
For 4 nights:
- Wilderness View Room: 6125 CAD
- Ocean View Room: 6990 CAD
- Barnard Harbour/Romance Suite: 8775 CAD
- Waterfall Suite: 11000 CAD
- Princess Royal Suite: 16200 CAD.
For 7 nights:
- Wilderness View Room: 9800 CAD
- Ocean View Room: 11250 CAD
- Barnard Harbour/Romance Suite: 14400 CAD
- Waterfall Suite: 16200 CAD
- Princess Royal Suite: 28000 CAD.
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