The Great Bear Rainforest
Trip Highlights
Welcome to Bear Country
Healthy populations of bears, including the rare, white spirit bear.
A Place to Feel Small
Sail the fjords where 4,000-foot cliffs rise above you.
Magnificent Old-Growth
Walk in protected, unlogged and ancient rainforests and wildflower meadows.
Rich Cultures
You’ll visit villages, meet locals, and see ancient art traditions still in place today.
Experience the Great Bear Rainforest
Why Choose Small Ships?
Imagine waking up to the smell of Yellow Cedar gently wafting into your cabin. You step outside, coffee in hand, and take in the stillness of British Columbia’s Inside Passage. The only sounds are the calls of seabirds and the distant blow of a Humpback Whale. That quiet moment—where it feels like the world belongs to you—is something you don’t find on a crowded cruise. You find it on a small ship, and it’s what defines every journey with Arctic Tern Expeditions.
Featured Wildlife
As Seen In The Nature Documentaries
Expeditions offer visitors a true safari while supporting a conservation-based economy.
Grizzly Bears - The largest bears in North America. Observe their natural behaviours in pristine habitats.
Spirit Bears - Found exclusively in the Great Bear Rainforest, a remarkable sight to behold.
Humpback Whales - Keep an eye out for their unique feeding behavior known as bubble-net feeding.
Coastal Wolf (Sea Wolf) - Elusive and adapted to the coastal environments of the Great Bear Rainforest, exhibiting a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Nature and Landscape
The Great Bear Rainforest is a land of fjords, rainforests, islands and great river estuaries. There are no roads. Instead, people travel by water.
The many protected, unlogged and ancient rainforests, and the quiet, nutrient-rich ocean, support wildlife and ecosystems as they would have been thousands of years ago across the continent – where grizzly bears and wolf packs roam free and live from what they naturally have always lived from, including abundant salmon runs.
Cultural History
Explore with the invitation the worlds of several northwest First Nations: the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Haisla, Gitga’at and Henaaksiala. Everywhere is evidence of their civilization. You’ll have the opportunity to visit the remote towns and communities that shape Alaska’s Southeast as part of your expedition.
Fish traps, bark-stripped trees and longhouse remains give testimony to a way of life tuned to the rhythm of nature.
You’ll visit modern villages, talk with local residents, and see the ancient art traditions still in place today.
Seasons of the Great Bear Rainforest
Your experienced crew and naturalist will take you to areas where you’ll be able to witness peak nature and wildlife events.
Spring brings bird migrations, newly awakened grizzly and black bears grazing on green sedges, pink salmonberry blossoms, spectacular snowcapped mountains and deep fjords where mountain goats come down almost to sea level, hot springs, and calmer weather.
In summer, we see humpback whales, fin whales, killer whales, porpoises, other marine mammals, seabirds, mountain goats, porpoises, and dense intertidal life. West coast, sandy beaches beckon, some of them home to elusive wolves.
In the fall we witness the return of the salmon to spawn, which draws grizzly, spirit and black bears to the estuaries, along with whales, sea lions, seals, eagles and coastal wolves.
We sail the Great Bear Rainforest with MV Swell
Available Dates
$1000 off direct bookings before July 31, 2025!
30% Single Occupancy Supplement
| Ship | Date | Trip Length (Days) | Prices from (USD) | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polarfront | May 23-June 1, 2026 | 10 | 15,800 | Spaces Available |
| Polarfront | June 1-10, 2026 | 10 | 15,800 | Spaces Available |
On every trip with Arctic Tern Expeditions
What is included:
Onboard cabin, including daily turndown service
Meals and snacks prepared by onboard chef
Shore excursions with Zodiac landing craft
Nautical activites
Expedition leaders who will provide expert guiding
Tailor-made educational content
Not Included:
Flights to and from Longyearbyen
Hotels in Longyearbyen
Travel insurance
Tips and personal expenses
Alcoholic beverages
On every trip with Arctic Tern Expeditions
What is included:
Full room and board on your expedition vessel
Shore excursions with Zodiac landing craft
Expedition leaders who will provide expert guiding as well as tailor-made educational content
Not Included:
Flights to and from Longyearbyen
Hotels in Longyearbyen
Travel insurance
Tips and personal expenses
Alcoholic beverages