The Great Bear Rainforest
Knight Inlet Lodge
The wonderful floating Knight Inlet Lodge has been offering world class bear viewing and wilderness exploration since the early 1990’s. The lodge is located 60 km up the wild Knight Inlet Fjord (one of the longest in British Columbia) and at the entrance to the peaceful Glendale Cove which offers some of the finest grizzly bear viewing in the world. The lodge accommodates guests in 18 charming and spacious bedrooms each with two comfortable queen beds, private bathrooms and hot water showers (no hairdryers).
The main building houses a homely dining room where tasty locally sourced meals are taken often featuring local seafood and special diets can also be well catered for. There is also a small bar and lounge next door, where complimentary house wines, soft drinks, snacks, films and presentations can be enjoyed. International and local beers, spirits and wines are also available for an additional cost. There is no Wi-Fi at the lodge but each evening the resident guides and local experts give educational talks and presentations on the wildlife, ecology, history and culture of the region. The lodge has an extensive equipment room with all the raingear and rubber boots required for the excursions, as it can rain a lot in this part of Canada.
Please note that this is one of the wettest parts of British Columbia and as such the lodge has a well stocked kit room with all the wet weather clothing and rubber boots neccessary for this. During the summer there is usually only a long shower every four days and comfortable temperatures.
Facilities
All guest rooms feature comfortable queen size beds and private bathrooms with showers. There are a couple of rooms with 1 queen size bed plus bunk beds as well as a couple with 1 queen size bed and 2 single beds for families of 4 looking to visit the lodge.The guest rooms all have a view of either Glendale Cove or the shoreline behind the lodge where we often see bears.
Local Wildlife
Glendale Cove is home to one of the largest concentrations of grizzly (brown) bears in British Columbia. It is not uncommon for there to be up to 40 bears within 10 kilometres of the lodge in the peak fall season, when the salmon are returning to the river.
Marine tours are also very rewarding. In the spring, the tours travel throughout the inlet viewing the seals, Steller's sea lions, Dall's and harbour porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins and the occasional whale that may travel though these waters. From July onwards, the tours have the added attraction of the Orca (killer) whale and when guests journey to the world famous Johnstone Strait, they are almost assured of spending some great viewing time with these magnificent marine mammals. Not only do the tours focus upon viewing the whales, but also include all of the spring marine viewing as well, so the program lasts for up to 10 hours. In recent years humpback whale numbers have bounced back in the area. Some spend the whole summer feeding here while others pass through on their way from Alaska to Hawaii.
Optional Activities
The lodge guarantees at least one bear viewing excursion at the stands for guests during their stay, but cannot guarantee how many visits to the stands will be possible in advance as this depends on numbers, local conditions and recent sightings. In addition to the viewing from the stands, bear watching will also be offered in the Glendale Cove estuary where some incredible salmon chasing can often be observed in September. Besides dedicated grizzly bear viewing, a range of other wildlife activities are included and available each day including kayaking, scenic cruises up the inlet, interpretive and tracking focused walks in the Great Bear Rainforest for a range of abilities. The lodge has an excellent fleet of boats available for the different activities enabling guests to get the most out of their time in this wilderness.
From the lodge, marine tours are also spectacular, with chances to see miles of untouched wilderness, along with Black Bears, Porpoises and other Marine animals and birds. The Humpback has been making a comeback to the region and they have been seeing them breaching and blowing as well as many sightings of the Orca. From about mid July until October the expert guides will make every possible effort to locate and provide intimate encounters with these beautiful beasts. In every case, our guides will lead you to the wildlife which is best viewed in that particular season. As well, they offer hiking or walking tours, tracking tours and kayaking tours.
John Melton
Area Specialist
Please note that the baggage allowance for the flight to the lodge is 30 pounds (14 kg) in one bag plus a small carry-on bag. If you have excess weight you may be subject to a $1.00 a pound surcharge. Also, all guests are required to sign a Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement prior to taking part in any activities or staying at Knight Inlet Lodge.
If you have any questions regarding our Canada tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
