Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines Find the Spirit Bear
Head out in search of the mystical spirit bear, a rare subspecies of the black bear.
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![Amy Waters snow biking]()
Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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![Liz Bonnin]()
Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Sail the Great Bear Rainforest
While journeying on board an authentic sailing boat or privately chartering a historic yacht, pass through the remote waters of the Great Bear Rainforest on the Pacific coast of British Columbia. Sandwiched with time in the bustling seaport city of Vancouver, navigate against a backdrop of mountains and inlets, navigating to local communities of the Fiordland Conservancy and embarking on kayak explorations in search of spirit and grizzly bears.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
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2Watch for Marine Life
Observe orca whales, sea lions and humpback whales as they emerge from the cool water.
3Sail or Charter
Travel the remote coastal fjords in search of grizzlies in a sail boat or charter yacht.
4First Nation Villages
Visit the small First Nation villages and their inhabitants in this fairly remote region.
Why we like it
This voyage is truly an adventure of a lifetime, and one that is ideally suited to those who aspire to experience one of Canada’s most precious regions and one of the last great wildernesses on Earth. This sailing trip will take you deep into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest in remote British Columbia, home to the native First Nations for over 10,000 years. Drawn by its plethora of salmon and distinct lack of human development, this region is home to large quantities of black and grizzly bears and even the rare and elusive spirit bear. Known for their snow-white fur, the result of a recessive gene in the black bear, a lot of luck and a dash of perseverance is required to spot this enchanting species. Kayaks are carried on board, enabling passengers to navigate even closer to the estuaries and waterfalls and paddle through orca and humpback habitats, and travelling with local Gitga’at First Nation guides unveils the immensity and peacefulness of this extraordinary part of the world.
Day 1
London - Vancouver
Day 2
Vancouver - Bella Bella
Day 3-8
Great Bear Rainforest
Day 9
Bella Bella - Vancouver - London
Day 1
London - Vancouver
Day 2
Vancouver - Bella Bella
Day 3-8
Great Bear Rainforest
Explore the biggest tract of coastal temperate rainforest on earth – 6.4 million hectares.
Day 9
Bella Bella - Vancouver - London
Sail the Great Bear Rainforest
Sail deep into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on board one of our favourite hand-picked small expedition yachts – Island Odyssey, Island Roamer or Island Solitude. Navigating where larger boats cannot go, follow the Inside Passage along Canada’s Pacific coast and voyage into remote estuaries where grizzlies feast on spawning salmon. Navigate Campania Sound, an ideal area for spotting humpback whales and Steller’s sea lions, and launch a kayak to paddle in the immensity and peacefulness of this extraordinary part of the world.
Privately Charter a Vessel
For an utterly exclusive and completely private, explore the magnificent 21-million-acre wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest aboard the Pacific Yellowfin, a 12-passenger vessel only available through chartering. Delve into the wilderness, hiking ancient moss-covered trails, making new footprints in untouched forests, and kayaking through silent inlets framed by towering cliffs. This rugged coastline is one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world and is a unique getaway for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. Accompanied throughout by Captain Colin Griffinson, who has cruised the coast of British Columbia for over 20 years and is rightfully known as one of the top guides in North America, passengers have access to places no others can go.
Discover the Rainforest
The Great Bear Rainforest contains 25% of the remaining intact temperate rainforest in the world and is one of the planet’s most special and unique ecosystems. During the month of September, five species of wild Pacific Salmon return to the north coast and enter the thousands of freshwater rivers. These salmon not only provide food for hundreds of bears, wolves, and eagles but also provide nutrients for the giant trees that grow in this temperate rainforest. As a result, these forests contain as much as four times the amount of life found in a tropical rainforest.
Leaping Dolphins & Remote Kayaking
Share in the thrill of dolphins riding the bow wave, have a go at water-skiing, or take to the skies by helicopter to discover remote mountain tops and glaciers with breath-taking views. Spend days hiking old trails in search of bears, kayak through private fjords hugging the shoreline, and visit historic First Nations cultural sites to tour remote villages. Ultimately, this trip is about wildlife, so you will spend as much time as possible searching for bears and viewing humpback whales.
Let’s chat
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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