Great Bear Rainforest Sailing Adventure

Bella Bella is located on the Central Coast of the mainland of British Columbia. You can reach Bella Bella by air or water. There are no roads to Bella Bella. Shearwater is located on Danny Island, just outside of Bella Bella.

Transportation Options

Flying

In order to reach Bella Bella and ultimately Shearwater for your trip orientation on {Date}, you will need to head to Vancouver first. Many airlines fly to Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Rail, bus or car is also an option to reach Vancouver.
From there, you will need to book flights via Vancouver (YVR) to Bella Bella (ZEL) with Pacific Coastal Airlines (604-273-8666 or 1-800-663-2872)
Flights to Bella Bella (ZEL), depart from the south terminal of Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and are approximately 2 hours.

Ferry

You can also take the ferry between Bella Bella and Port Hardy (Vancouver Island). The ferry runs a couple of days a week, departing Port Hardy at 7:30 AM and arriving in Bella Bella at 1:05 PM. On the ferry you can use the comfortable chairs to sit in or for an additional cost you can rent a cabin with bunks.

BC Ferries 1-888-223-3779

As unforeseen weather delays are common when travelling in coastal regions, we advise you to arrive in Bella Bella the day prior to the trip.

Upon arriving at the Bella Bella Airport, collect your luggage outside and look for Bella Shuttle driving a large passenger van. They will be notified of your arrival and a driver will meet your flight to transport you to the Municipal Dock for the water taxi to Denny Island.

Once at the Municipal Dock proceed down the ramp to where you will catch your water taxi for the 10-minute crossing to the Shearwater Marine Resort. The water taxi crossing to Denny Island costs $10.00 per person (subject to change). Once on Denny Island, it is a short walk up the dock to Shearwater Resort.

Rendezvous Point

Date: Aug 8, 2026
Time: 8:15am
Location: At the top of Shearwater Marine Resort Dock

RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

Participants who wish to arrive before the start of the trip must provide their own accommodation. There are limited accommodation options. Most people will stay at the Shearwater Resort located on Denny Island, a short water taxi ride from Bella Bella. Denny Island offers the most facilities for tourists visiting the area, such as lodging, a restaurant/ pub, and 2 small shops.

Shearwater Resort (Denny Island)

DEPARTURE FROM TERRACE, BC

Travel time from Kitimat to the airport is approximately 1 hour. Transportation for you and your luggage to the Terrace Airport for a mid/late-afternoon flight is provided.

Alternatively, you can decide to spend an extra day in Terrace and either depart on the evening flight or the next day.

Drop Off Point:

Date: Sep 4, 2026
Time: Approximately 1:30pm
Location: Terrace Airport

RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

If you wish to depart at a later day, we recommend the following accommodations.

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

You are responsible for booking your own flights or other transport arrangements to the trip start location. These arrangements and any other independent arrangements that you may make are not a part of the trip booked with Wild Women Expeditions and are entirely at your own risk. Wild Women Expeditions accepts no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any loss, damage or injury to property or person in connection with such arrangements. Should you require assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact:

Megan and Zale | Now Boarding Travel, Travel Specialists

Email: wildwomen@nowboarding.travel

Note: Now Boarding Travel only provides services of 3-star quality or greater. For budget alternatives, please refer to the Lonely Planet guide for your destination.

Important: For international and remote destinations, there is always the risk of flight delays, baggage delays and flight schedule changes which may cause late arrivals, which may, in return, result in you missing the group tour departure. We encourage you to consider arriving one or two days early, which will help you overcome any jet lag from traveling!

PASSPORTS & VISAS

You are fully responsible for your own visa requirements, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country's Consulate and your country's travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about traveling internationally.

Passport:

Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

US citizens at land and sea borders have other options, such as an enhanced driver’s license, permanent resident card or NEXUS card. See Canada Border Services for approved identification documents.

Visa:

Visitors from certain countries require a visa to enter Canada. Those who are exempt require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA; $7 USD), with the exception of Americans. This must be applied for prior to traveling and can be completed online. It usually takes minutes but can take days. See how to apply Electronic Travel Authorization.

If you would like additional assistance in securing your visa, we recommend you consider using the services of CIBTVisas.

Note: As fees and policies can change, we highly recommend that you contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.

TIPPING

Gratuities are not compulsory on your trip; however, if you are happy with the service that has been provided to you by your crew, tipping is an appropriate way to show your thanks for outstanding service and is customary in this industry.

The amount given is entirely up to the guest; however, a guideline of about $50-80+ CAD per day, per guest is a good reference, which is then then split evenly among all the crew. It is easier to process crew tips as cash, but cheque, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Please note that we do not accept American Express.

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

Rooming Arrangements:

Our trip prices are based on a twin share (two women per room/cabin), so we’ll team you up with another solo wild woman to share with if you’re on your own, or of course, you can share with your travel partner.

Potable Water:

Filtered drinking water is provided in the dining and bar areas. We suggest you do not drink water from the tap in your cabin. Water bottles can be refilled from the water containers located in the dining and bar areas.

If you would like to join Wild Women Expeditions in its commitment to reducing single-use plastic, you can travel prepared with your own water treatment system!

Lifestraw

GRAYL Canada | OnePress™ Global Protection

Travelers Against Plastic | Take the TAP pledge

Water-To-Go

Overnight Arrangements During Your Stay

Island Odyssey

A certified Canadian Ministry of Transport passenger vessel, Island Odyssey has all of the safety equipment, electronic navigation aids, and features you would expect from a vessel of her standard. All of the cabins have adequate storage space for your bags, personal items and jackets. Coat hangers and life jackets are stowed in every cabin for your convenience. There is electricity in each room, so you can charge your camera batteries and enjoy a reading light as you relax in the evening.

There are 4 double cabins (2 beds for two people sharing one cabin) and 2 cabins with a double bed which can be used for couples or a private upgrade (single).

Bluewater Adventures’ SV Island Odyssey

QUICK FACTS ABOUT GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST

About Great Bear Rainforest

This stretch of coastline is a rich and unique ecosystem of impressive biodiversity – from herring, salmon, and large marine mammals in the sea, to carnivores, birds, and massive cedar and hemlocks trees on land. It is home to grizzly bears, wolves, humpback whales, eagles, and the elusive, all-white Spirit Bear.

Island Odyssey Sailing Crew

All our trips have four talented crew members onboard: a captain, mate/deckhand, chef, and naturalist/resource person. These four people work together to create your overall trip itinerary as well as your day-to- day agenda based on the daily conditions. With decades of experience, our crew have the local knowledge and abilities to cater your trip to your interests and showcase the hidden gems of the Great Bear Rainforest.

What to Expect During the Expedition Activities

This natural history voyage will explore the famed Inside Passage, stretching along the reaches of the Great Bear Rainforest, with the anticipation of seeing some amazing wildlife while enjoying the peace and tranquility of BC’s central coast. Each day, we leave the vessel for small boat excursions, an exploratory paddle, or to discover what lies ashore. We navigate along winding waterways and winding fjords beneath towering rock faces and rushing waterfalls to remote estuaries where we hope to see large coastal grizzlies feeding on spawning salmon.

While underway, the best place to be is on deck. We keep a sharp eye out for whales and other marine mammals as we steer through remote channels shrouded by old-growth forests of Sitka spruce, western red cedar, western hemlock, amabilis fir, and Douglas fir. Trees can tower up to 300 feet and grow for more than 1,500 years in this nitrogen-rich environment – with some areas referred to as a “salmon forest”.

The Tsimshian, Haisla, and Heiltsuk First Nations people have lived in the area for tens of thousands of years. We will learn about their culture and how important this remote and pristine wilderness is to them and their future generations. Conservationists and First Nations have been actively working to protect this area as it contains the largest remaining untouched temperate rainforest on the Pacific Coast. In 2006, following the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement between the British Columbia government, Coastal First Nations, the forestry industry, and environmental groups, 10% of the Great Bear Rainforest was set aside for protection as conservancies.

On Board Safety

Upon arrival to the boat, the crew will go through the expectations and steps of various emergency scenarios such as man overboard or a vessel evacuation. It is important to follow instruction and direction from the crew as they are professionally trained to facilitate and execute these emergency scenarios. If you have any concerns on your ability to participate in an emergency drill, please address this to the crew as soon as you arrive to the boat.

Climate & Weather

Usually on the Pacific Coast, we have a good variety of constantly changing weather. Expect a mixture of sunshine, rain and wind on most trips.

MONEY MATTERS

Wild Women Expeditions recommends that each participant should bring enough cash in local currency or available credit/debit funds to cover their meals during travel to and from their destination. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, meals not included in the trip package, shopping, etc., and we also suggest you have access to emergency funds.

Although most of your trip expenses are covered in your trip fees, there are some additional costs that are not, i.e., meals on your arrival day are not included and lunch and dinner on the last day is not included. Cash is not required onboard the vessel unless you would like to provide your crew gratuity or purchase merchandise in cash.

Currency Exchange Offices & Banks:

Please check online for current exchange rates. Wild Women Expeditions likes XE Currency Converter

We highly suggest you read this article: Where to Exchange Currency Without Paying Huge Fees for more information about this for your trip.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Useful Websites:

GETTING FIT

Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.

A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.

Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their medical travel insurance or personal expense. Generally, our expeditions are intended for travelers in reasonably good health for their safety, along with that of their fellow travelers.

Tips:

You don't have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition. Not by a long shot! You'll be surprised at what you can achieve with our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.

That said, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of the outdoors.

Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:

Take every opportunity you can to be active.

You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!

Rev up your ticker!

Think ‘interval training’, which means doing short bursts of high-intensity work with recovery time in between. Depending on how fit you are this can mean strolling with bursts of power walking, or jogging with sprints. Either way, the aim is to get your heart rate up.

Join a local walking or running group.

This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.

Work on your upper body and core strength.

Weight lifting, yoga and pilates can help with this.

Warm up, cool down and stretch.

If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.

Hydration.

When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

Nutrition.

Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!

Have fun!

The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.

GENERAL FAQ'S

For general Wild Women Expeditions FAQs please click [HERE].

Great Bear Rainforest Sailing Adventure - Trip Details

What you need to know before you go!