British Columbia (BC) offers many opportunities to watch wildlife and enjoy spectacular views of the geography because of its uniqueness. 

The province is home to black and grizzly bear, as well as the rare Kermode (Spirit) bear. If you are making plans to look at those glorious animals in the wild, these are a few great places in BC to have a pretty experience.

Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary

More astounding than a bird-watching journey would be the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary to view bears. 

Established in a bay off the coast of Locke Port north of Prince Rupert, that is the primary sanctuary for grizzly bear in Canada. The best way to get there may be via boat or by air. The island has approximately 50-60 grizzly bears.

Few tour operators are allowed to conduct tours. Thus, very few people visit this area, and it is a wonderful place to witness such wonderful creatures. 

Depending on the chosen length of the tour – from one to several days, the opportunity to capture grizzlies in the wild remains priceless.

When to go: May through September

Getting there: Services operate from Prince Rupert and can be reached by floatplane or ferry.

Great Bear Rainforest

The Great Bear Rainforest stretching over 400 km along BC’s central coast is largest temperate coastal rainforests and a famous place for bear watching. 

Many visitors to Knight Inlet Lodge get good chances of observing grizzly bear catching salmon. 

The other important watching place is the Bella Coola Valley where huge bear hunt all through the year. 

One-of-a-kind offerings from tours from Klemtu give guests a rare opportunity to cross paths with the rare Kermode (Spirit) bear in this untouched environment.

When to go: August through October

Getting there: Bella Coola is about 6.5 hours west of Williams Lake by car or accessible by air.

Whistler

Whistler, known for skiing and outdoor activities, also hosts around 60 black bears in its surrounding forests. 

Summer offers frequent sightings, with guided tours, gondola rides, and hikes in the Callaghan Valley increasing your chances of encountering them.

When to go: May through October.

Getting there: Whistler is about 90 minutes north of Vancouver.

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Vancouver Island’s Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is one of the best places to view bear out of their natural habitat. 

As you will see whilst you visit Clayoquot Sound, the bears are generally visible feeding along the shoreline. The area also features stunning coastal views, with the chance to see them from the highway.

When to go: Mid-April through October

Getting there: Located off Highway 4, about three hours from Nanaimo.

Stewart/Hyder

One of the best places to see bears is the communities of Stewart, British Columbia, and Hyder, Alaska. In Hyder, at the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site, you can observe black and grizzly bears fishing salmon. 

This gives the area a cross-section experience and makes the chance to see this animal alive possible.

When to go: Mid-July through early SeptemberGetting there: Stewart is accessible by car from BC, with Hyder just a short distance across the border.