One of the world’s largest remaining coastal temperate rainforests, the Great Bear Rainforest is home to diverse ecosystems, stunning vistas and a wonderland of wildlife.
Stretching over 400 kilometres (250 miles) along the northwest coast of British Columbia, the Great Bear Rainforest covers 6.4 million hectares (15.8 million acres) – equivalent in size to Ireland. This land is home to 26 First Nations that overlap the region and have lived here for millennia.
This is a world of mist-shrouded valleys, cascading waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, 10,000-year-old glaciers, old-growth forests, rich salmon streams, abundant wildlife, secluded beaches, remote islands, craggy coasts, and a maze of inlets.
A magnificent natural wonder, where the sea teems with life …
… and the forest thrives.
Explore this inspiring and celebrated region by land, sea, or sky.
Here, the coastal temperate rainforests are characterized by some of the oldest and largest trees on Earth, harbouring extensive tracts of giant hemlock, Sitka spruce, and red cedar. Bald eagles keep a watchful eye from their perch, as bears, wolves, cougars, mountain goats, deer, elk and more, roam the varied and vast landscapes.
Orcas, humpback whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and sea lions are just some of the ocean-going mammals that feast on the rich bounty found in the cold, clear waters of the Great Bear.
It is in the rivers however, where you will find the region’s greatest abundance – the wild salmon, the lifeblood of the forest and the creatures that call it home.
These fish are a keystone species and the biological foundation of river ecosystems within the Great Bear Rainforest.
Here, some of the world’s last great salmon runs fill glacier-fed waters every year with millions of fish returning home to spawn.
In the late summer and fall, bears journey down to the rivers to hunt and feast on the salmon in a powerful and primitive display of nature.
The bears depend on healthy salmon runs for their survival, as do orcas, eagles, wolves and others. When a salmon completes its life cycle, it washes ashore to be snacked on by a bald eagle then eaten by a grizzly bear. The remains supply nutrients for the surrounding forests, nourishing trees to grow to be the iconic coastal giants we see here today.
This significant link between salmon, bears, and forest illustrates one of many interrelated webs of life found within this mighty, majestic rainforest.
Discover the Great Bear Rainforest with Nimmo Bay
Coastal Safaris
Explore the coast, venturing out by boat, kayak, paddle board, on foot, and more on a variety of exciting wilderness excursions in search of wildlife.
Please remember that wildlife sightings are never a guarantee. Our guides are well versed in the local area and will do their best to get you to where the action is, however, please keep in mind that our wilderness adventures are just that – authentically wild and changing from day to day. Diversity, history, culture, and beauty all await you in the Great Bear Rainforest and with Mother Nature leading the way, it is sure to be an unforgettable journey.
Heli Adventures
Go from sea level to 7,000 feet in a helicopter, flying to remote locations in the rainforest and the surrounding mountains, exploring 50,000 square miles of extraordinary wilderness.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
– Albert Einstein