Call of The Wild

Arrive in Vancouver, the cosmopolitan gateway to British Columbia’s extraordinary wilderness. Framed by mountains, forest and the Pacific, the city provides a polished introduction before the journey ventures into far more remote territory. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at an unhurried pace, taking in the contrast between Vancouver’s urban energy and the dramatic natural landscapes surrounding it. Excursionist positions Vancouver as the opening chapter of this 10-day journey through Bella Coola and Sonora Island.

Spend a relaxed day enjoying Vancouver before travelling deeper into British Columbia. The city’s appeal lies in the effortless proximity of sophisticated urban life to mountains, ocean and temperate forest, creating a fitting transition between civilisation and the wilderness experiences ahead. Keep the day flexible, allowing time to enjoy the waterfront, neighbourhoods and surrounding scenery at your own pace before preparing for tomorrow’s flight into the remote Bella Coola Valley.

Leave Vancouver behind and fly north-west into the spectacular Bella Coola Valley, where glacier-covered mountains meet the ancient forests of British Columbia’s Central Coast. Your wilderness base is Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, positioned beside the Atnarko River at the edge of the Great Bear Rainforest. Settle into the lodge and absorb the scale of the surrounding Coast Mountains, with forests, rivers and alpine terrain creating an immediate sense of remoteness. Excursionist highlights Tweedsmuir as the gateway to the journey’s grizzly encounters, mountain exploration and river adventures.

Set out with specialist guides to explore the wilderness surrounding the Atnarko River. During the late-summer and autumn salmon run, grizzly bears gather along the riverbanks to forage and feed, creating exceptional opportunities to observe their natural behaviour from a respectful distance. Depending on timing, the experience can include a guided river drift through the valley or exploration on foot with an expert guide. Beyond the bears, watch for eagles, salmon and other wildlife while learning about the ecology of one of Canada’s great wilderness environments.

Explore another dimension of Bella Coola with a guided journey into the surrounding mountains. Excursionist highlights hiking in the Rainbow Range, where colourful volcanic peaks, alpine meadows, glacial lakes and sweeping views contrast dramatically with the rainforest below. Alternatively, the lodge’s wilderness programme can take you along valley trails and through ancient forest, with expert interpretation bringing the region’s ecology and landscape to life. Return to Tweedsmuir Park Lodge for an evening surrounded by the stillness of the Coast Mountains.

Enjoy a final taste of the Bella Coola wilderness, with the Atnarko River offering a peaceful perspective on the valley through pristine forest and beneath immense mountain peaks. Later, continue the journey by private seaplane to Sonora Island, exchanging the interior valleys for British Columbia’s intricate coastal waterways. Arrive at Sonora Resort, a secluded five-star wilderness retreat where sophisticated accommodation and dining sit amid rainforest, ocean and wildlife-rich channels. The transition itself reveals the remarkable scale and isolation of Canada’s Pacific coast.

Set out across the waters surrounding Sonora Island to search for the remarkable wildlife of British Columbia’s coast. Excursionist highlights Zodiac exploration in pursuit of orcas, humpback whales and sea lions, with bald eagles frequently seen above the forested shorelines. Navigate narrow channels and dramatic tidal waterways as guides interpret the complex marine ecosystem surrounding the Discovery Islands. Back at Sonora Resort, the wilderness experience gives way to refined dining and the comfort of your secluded coastal retreat.

Choose a more intimate way to experience the coastal wilderness, paddling through the sheltered emerald waters around Sonora Island. Guided kayaking provides access to quiet inlets and channels where forest reaches almost directly into the sea and wildlife can appear with little warning. Excursionist also highlights opportunities for climbing and other active adventures during the stay, allowing the day to be adapted to your preferred level of adventure. Return afterwards to Sonora Resort for an evening of exceptional food and restorative comfort.

Elevate your final full day with one of the journey’s most spectacular perspectives: a helicopter adventure into British Columbia’s Coast Mountains. Excursionist highlights opportunities to soar towards remote glacier peaks, while Sonora’s current wilderness programme includes heli-hiking and glacier-focused experiences in otherwise inaccessible alpine terrain. Afterwards, retreat to the resort and slow the pace with time in the mineral pools or spa, balancing wilderness exploration with the understated indulgence that defines Sonora’s approach to luxury.

Enjoy a final morning amid the forested islands and waterways surrounding Sonora before beginning your journey back to Vancouver. Leaving the remote Pacific coast behind, return to the city where this adventure began and connect with your onward arrangements. The journey concludes after moving through three contrasting faces of British Columbia — Vancouver’s cosmopolitan waterfront, the glacier-carved Bella Coola Valley and Great Bear Rainforest, and the marine wilderness surrounding Sonora Island.