The Grizzly Bear tour on Sept 30, Truth and Reconciliation Day, was a really special one. Cassie, our guide on the boat was delightful and shared stories and cultural information about the Homalko Peoples. When we arrived, we met Gary our driver also Cassie's Dad, and Conrad our guide who was clear on expectations but in a very calm and kind manner. He had lots of stories and information about the grizzlies and the land. We immediately saw a bear on the road as we drove to the first tower. We waited and watched on the tower, but nothing. Then a Golden Eagle flew overhead, and Gary told us that was a sign of luck. After that we saw a number of bears, ambling along, swimming across the river, and eating fish. Quality viewing and well worth it. On the boat rideto Orford Bay, saw a humpback, sea lions, and dolphins too. Love, love, loved it!
Hi L.B. Duncan, thank you for your review! What an experience to be having on Canada's first Day of Truth and Reconciliation! We are so happy to hear that you had a great time and enjoyed all the wildlife, the stories and of course the guides. Sounds like Gary was right, that golden eagle really did signal good luck for your group! What an amazing experience. We are so glad that you loved your trip so much. Thank you for sharing what sounds like a magical day! I:mote.
We went to see the wildlife, and were not disappointed. The guides on the mainland at Orford Bay in Bute Inlet took us to multiple stops for best opportunities, and we saw 3 grizzlies across the stream, and an elk about 40 feet from the bus. Damian the boat operator had us leave the inlet and serve lunch on board as he was concerned about deteriorating weather - he always throttled back in any rough water to minimize any discomfort. He also went out of his way to stop along the route to explain the tide whirlpools, and stopped to let us photograph seals and sea lions en route. Cassie was also very accommodating, explaining the Homalco culture and history, and trying to teach us some basic words in the Homalco language.
All in all, a very worthwhile trip. Emote!
Hi Tessie, thank you very much for your review! We are thrilled to hear that you had an amazing adventure with us on your Great Bears of Bute tour. Sounds like there was really great wildlife viewing in Orford bay. Grizzlies are great and it's always amazing to see the elk as a bonus! It sounds like Damien and Cassie and the bear guides really went above and beyond to make the trip special with scenery, whirlpools, photograph opportunities, hospitality, culture and language. We really take pride in making our tours immersive and rich, and the crew is so happy to hear that you enjoyed all the aspects of the tour that make our Great Bears of Bute tour special. Thank you again for sharing your experience with us! I:mote!
The bears! Mother and cub and two big males. We were so close but felt confident with the Homalco guides’ safety procedures.
Hi 701macn, thank you for your review. We are pleased to know that you thought the bears were great and the guides were excellent! Sounds like you had some great viewing on your Great Bears of Bute tour. Thank you for the review and for letting us know that you felt confident with our safety procedures! I:mote!
Great afternoon on the water watching whales and learning about the Homalco culture. The boat captain was very knowledgeable and very willing to share his experiences with us. Our guides were great and we all enjoyed Cassie's folkloric legends. We were a party of 11 celebrating our youngest son's 40th birthday. It was a great success and a day to remember.
Thanks to you all!
Hi Stan, thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that you had a great afternoon on the water on our Whales, Wildlife and Culture tour. It is great that you enjoyed watching the whales, learning about Homalco culture and hearing Homalco Legends. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, and happy 40th birthday to your son! I:mote!
My partner and I have lived in BC for 5 years, seen lots of black bears but never grizzlies. I had heard from quite a few of my friends that doing a tour with Homalco would be amazing, so we decided to book the adventure with them. The forecast for the day of our tour was calling for strong winds and heavy rain so we were a bit concerned what this would mean for our tour. Thankfully, the weather calmed a bit and we never really had to deal with it and instead enjoyed a beautiful boat ride out to Bute Inlet. Once arriving in Orford Bay - we were greeted by some other guides who took use to the orientation centre where we went over safety and were able to read some interpretive signage and use the washrooms. Afterwards, we gathered on a couple of buses and made our way into the forest. We stopped at multiple different lookouts and viewing towers and patiently waited. At our first stop we waited for about 15 minutes alongside the river when suddenly and mum and her chunky little cub emerged from the bushes and starting fishing for some salmon. We watched them for a bit before heading to the other lookouts and catching some looks at a couple other bears. It truly was amazing to witness these animals in their natural habitat all while hearing the stories from the Holmaco guides. At the end of the tour, we were given a light lunch before heading back to Campbell River. Overall, a wonderful and memorable day on the water. Thank you so much Homalco!
Hi Adam, thank you for reviewing out Great Bears of Bute tour. How amazing to see a mom and cub fishing! Seeing new cubs is often a guest (and guide) favourite. It's wonderful also that the weather calmed down enough that the boat ride was beautiful. We are so happy to hear that you had a wonderful and memorable trip! Thank you again for sharing your experience and for recommending us! I:mote!
