Sun Bear on a tree branch between leaves at Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre Sepilok in Sabah, Borneo

Bear holidays

Steppes Travel has bear watching holidays and bear tours from the Arctic to India and from Alaska to Malaysia.

 

There are eight species of bear – American black, polar, giant panda, Asiatic black, sloth bears, sun bears, spectacled bears and brown bears.

The intelligence of a bear falls somewhere between that of an exceptionally smart dog and a primate. As with humans, the intelligence of a bear varies by individual and is dependent on its life experiences. We should be like the bear – curious as opposed to uncertain, a collector of experiences.

Great Bear Lodge, Grizzly Eating a Flower, Great Bear Rainforest, Canada
Great Bear Rainforest, Canada

Bear watching in Canada

Canada is undoubtedly one of the best countries to see bears whether on foot, by kayak or on an expeditionary cruise. You can be lodge based at somewhere such as the Great Bear Lodge or Tweedsmuir or onboard a yacht such as Pacific Yellow Fin – in short, there are a host of options and to help you decide which is best for you and your individual needs and requirements, speak to one of our bear experts to find the bear-viewing experience that is right for you.

Canada Holidays 

Brown bear, Abruzzo, Italy
Brown bear, Italy by Umberto Esposito

Europe - Brown bears

Bear viewing in Europe isn’t something that immediately springs to mind, however right on our doorstep lies some of the most beautiful wilderness and national parklands, a rich playground for the mighty brown bear. With its habitat under threat, Europe’s brown bear has been in decline until recent support and funding from the European Nature Trust has begun to make an impact.

Steppes Travel work with local partners and projects to raise funds and awareness for the brown bear through a series of impactful wildlife experiences. We have several holiday ideas in Italy and Spain where you can view brown bears and other impressive wildlife.

European wildlife holidays

Polar Bear, Spitsbergen, Arctic
Polar Bear, Spitsbergen, Arctic

Arctic - Kingdom of the polar bear

Seeing the ‘King of the Arctic’, the polar bear, in its natural habitat must be one of the most magical of wildlife holidays.  Polar bear viewing holidays vary depending on geography, time of year and you – your physical ability. For the more adventurous amongst you, track polar bears on foot on the floe edges of the north of Canada. For a more sedentary experience, stay on the tundra in Churchill or take an Arctic cruise around Svalbard giving you unrivalled chances of seeing a polar bear in its natural environment.

Polar bear holidays

Malayan sun bear on a rock.
Malayan sun bear, Cambodia

Sun Bears

Malayan sun bears are the smallest bears in the world and are only found in the tropical evergreen forests of Southeast Asia. As part of a holiday to Malaysia, we work with The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), a sun bear rescue and rehabilitation facility in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The centre includes large forest enclosures to provide a natural environment suited to the needs and welfare of the sun bears and facilitate their rehabilitation back into the wild. ​Visit to learn about sun bears and observe them in their natural habitat.

Borneo holidays 

Need Inspiration?
Holiday ideas that include bear watching

Our experts have created and curated these tailor-made and group holiday ideas to get you started. Our travel experts can help you design an itinerary with the best chance of truly memorable bear sightings.

Experiences

Do you have a favourite bear? We offer experiences across the globe

Polar Bear
Bears

Walking with Polar Bears

With guides attuned to the ways of the local bears head out on foot in the company of the Arctic’s apex predator. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security as these are far from cuddly bears but with your experienced armed guide you can get incredible photos of bears from a human eye view. You definitely won’t feel top of the food chain.

Grizzly Bear, Great Bear Rainforest, Canada
Bears

Search for Grizzly Bears

Stay in a floating lodge and spend the days on the lookout for grizzly bears.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Grizzly Bear eating a flower, Yukon, Canada
Bears

Grizzly Bears in Yukon

Watch as grizzly bears plunge for salmon, ice fishing in the glacial waters of the remote Yukon rivers.

Suggested camp

Grizly Bears, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Bears

Watch Bears Catching Salmon

Observe as the largest predators in North America gather along rich streams to catch and feast on the annual salmon run, and observe newborn cubs interacting with their mothers.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Spirit Bear, Canada
Bears

Great Bear Rainforest

Go in search of the elusive spirit bear in the pristine area of the Great Bear Rainforest.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Malayan sun bear on a rock.
Bears

The Bear Care Tour

Take an exciting, behind-the-scenes tour at the centre for rescued sun bears and moon bears at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Polar Bear and Cub, Canadian Arctic
Bears

Search for Polar Bears

Look out for the king of the Arctic – the polar bear.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Polar Bear, Churchill, Canada
Bears

Photograph Polar Bears

Walk with polar bears in the company of experienced guides for unparalleled photographic opportunities.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Polar Bear on Ice, Spitsbergen, Arctic
Bears

Polar Bear Watching

Observe Polar bears in their natural habitat with Spitsbergen being one of the best places in the Arctic to see these creatures.

Suggested Holiday Idea

sloth bear, Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
Bears

Sloth Bears

Observe the Sri Lankan sloth bear in its natural habitat at Wilpattu National Park.

Suggested Camp

Polar Bear, Spitsbergen
Bears

Search for Polar Bears

With one of the highest numbers of polar bears anywhere in the world, go in search of bears on Wrangel and Herald Islands.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Grizzly Bears, Canada
Bears

Search for Grizzly Bears in Yukon

Experience close encounters with grizzlies in the Yukon.

Suggested camp

Bears, The Cantabrian Mountains, Spain
Bears

Explore the Cantabrian Mountains

With an expert naturalist, walk through pristine mountain terrain in search of Iberian wolves, Brown bear, wildcat and other interesting mammals.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Bear, Cantabrian Mountains, Spain
Bears

See Marsican Brown Bear

Explore the Apennine mountains of Abruzzo in the wild heart of Italy, to see Marsican brown bear, Roe deer and other fauna.

Mountain view Abruzzo, Italy
Bears

Explore the Apennines

Walk, hike or bike through the Apennine Mountains of Abruzzo and experience spectacular scenery and range of wild fauna.

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Roxy Dukes

I love to squeeze as much out of my day as possible. An outdoors fanatic, I love to delve into harsh environments having summited numerous mountains and trail running into the unknown whenever I get the chance – whether at home or overseas. Funnily enough, it didn’t start like that. It took a few years for the burning fire of adventure to truly take light with my eyes opened by the adventures travel could afford.

Talk with our experts
  • 1 800 571 2985

Sue Grimwood

I was inspired to travel south from an early age. My form teacher when I was nine made us listen to tapes from Shackleton’s expeditions, I didn’t know it at the time, but it obviously left a deep impression on my psyche.

Talk with our experts
  • 1 800 571 2985

Clare Higginson

It was my passion for languages that first encouraged me to leave the UK behind and grab my rucksack. Since then, it’s been a mixture of intriguing cultures, jaw-dropping landscapes and the wonder of seeing animals in their natural habitat that sees me continuously extending my travel wish list.

Talk with our experts
  • 1 800 571 2985

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Steppes Big 5
Big 5 Bear Facts
Steppes Travel
To celebrate Bear Appreciation Week, we bring you our favourite 5 bear facts. We've even added some jokes that make us giggle.…

Why Choose Steppes?

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