Face to face with whales, sea otters, and bears

Days 1 to 4: Welcome aboard the Cascadia!

Day 1: After your flight from Vancouver, you will arrive in Port Hardy and check in at the Kwa'lilas Hotel. You will then get to know your fellow travelers over dinner.

Day 2: Take the ferry to Alert Bay, where you will visit the U'mista Cultural Center. Afterwards, accompanied by your experienced nature guide, you will take a very informative walk through a local nature reserve. In the evening, board the Cascadia and enjoy your first delicious dinner.

Day 3: After a hearty breakfast on board, explore Holberg Inlet, which is only accessible by water and is often home to seabirds, sea otters, seals, and occasionally whales and black bears. After spotting these wild animals, keepyour eyes peeled in the narrow waterways ofQuatsino Narrows before enjoying dinner later at a quiet anchorage in the isolated Klaskish Inlet.

Day 4: This day offers the opportunity to observe bears in East Creek. Later, you may encounter sea lions and seabirds as you circumnavigate Solander Island. A walk along Nasparti Inlet leads to an idyllic beach. If you wish, you can also take a kayak tour along the coast in the evening.

Days 5 to 9: Discoveries in Kyoquot Sound & visit to the Billy Proctor Museum

Day 5: Today's itinerary includes exploring a temperate rainforest and visiting the Bunsby Islands. Lined with small beaches and kelp forests, these secluded islands are home to puffins, seals, sea otters, and black bears.  Later, on Spring Island, salmon will be grilled traditionally over an open fire while you listen to the ancient stories of your indigenous hosts.

Day 6: With a little luck, sea otters and whales will make an appearance today. You will also have time to enjoy the amenities on board, such as the hot tub. Stroll along the beaches at the northern tip of the island before the Cascadia anchors in Shushartie Bay. Surrounded by steep, forested slopes, it is an excellent spot for wildlife viewing.

Day 7: In the Broughton Archipelago, you will find the unique Billy Proctor Museum. Billy Proctor was a Canadian fisherman, collector, and author from Echo Bay who became a local legend thanks to his decades of collecting artifacts and his in-depth knowledge of the nature and culture of Vancouver Island's north coast. In the evening, you will have the opportunity to go on a kayak tour through the Broughton Archipelago.

Day 8: After observing sea otters, seals, whales, black bears, and seabirds in the narrow Blackney Passage, visit the charming community of Telegraph Cove. The subsequent journey through Johnstone Strait ends at your anchorage in the remote coastal settlement of Port Neville.

Day 9: At Dent Rapids, you will experience the spectacular Devil's Hole: this natural whirlpool is created when water is forced through narrow rocks and fast currents. Later, in Walsh Cove, you will marvel at rock carvings before ending the evening with a three-course dinner under the starry sky.

Days 10 to 13: Exploring Toba Inlet & End of the trip in Victoria

Day 10: The small Brem River offers excellent opportunities for bear watching on Zodiac and kayak tours. Afterwards, explore Prideaux Haven before enjoying a kayak trip in Tenedos Bay in the evening.

Day 11: Today, a walk along the coast of Mitlenatch Island offers opportunities for wildlife viewing before the Cascadia navigates to the wild Copeland Islands. Here, you will cruise into the evening or take another kayak tour before enjoying your last evening on the ship with a four-course meal.

Day 12: After your last breakfast on board, you will disembark in Campbell River. You will travel overland on a scenic route to Cowichan Valley, where you will take part in a wine tasting. Later, you will continue on to Victoria, the historic capital of British Columbia.

Day 13: Today marks the end of your trip with a historical city tour of Victoria.