Adventurers have long been drawn to Canada’s wild spaces – but these days, guests can experience it all in style. Here are some of the most luxurious ways to see Canada’s wildlife…
Nimmo Bay Resort, British Columbia
Tucked in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, on the Pacific coast of British Columbia,Nimmo Bay is an intimate, family-run fly-in resort that blends rustic cabins with full-service luxury.
Guests arrive by floatplane – or helicopter for heli-adventures – and can book itineraries such as bear-watching and whale spotting from the water, heli-hiking on remote ridges, guided fishing, and cedar-sauna evenings.
Guests stay in small, private cabins and enjoy local cuisine based on locally caught seafood, foraged plants, and produce carefully sourced from select sustainable farms.
Sonora Resort, Sonora Island, British Columbia
Sonora Resort is a full-service luxury lodge that combines a plush spa and comfortable suites with science-led wildlife programmes. Sea kayaking, guided whale-watching, and salmon-run viewing bring guests into close contact with humpbacks, orcas, sea otters and black bears; meanwhile, on-site wellness and fine dining make this a classic ‘adventure by day, pampering by night’ luxury treat.
It’s where eco-adventure travel meets elegant accommodation, warm hospitality and five-star facilities.
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, Vancouver Island
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, on Vancouver Island’s wild west coast, is an upmarket glamping retreat where guests stay in expansive canvas guest tents with custom furnishings, enjoy seaside dining and wilderness excursions by helicopter. It’s ideal for travellers who want to experience the outdoors, with the chance to spot sea lions, otters, bald eagles and black bears, without compromising on creature comforts.
Churchill Wild’s Polar Bear Lodges, northern Manitoba
Churchill Wild operates three luxury wilderness ecolodges, deep in the heart of polar bear country on the Hudson Bay coast in northern Manitoba, directly in the path of the bears as they walk up and down the coastline during the summer and autumn. The lodges operate expertly guided, ground-level ‘walking with polar bears’ small-group safaris under strict safety protocols, designed for close, ethical viewing of polar bears and the Arctic coastline.
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge is situated in the only place in the world where polar bear and wolves cohabitate. Black bears and moose are also frequent visitors. Seal River Heritage Lodge, one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, is near the Seal River estuary where thousands of beluga whales congregate every summer to feed and calve.Dymond Lake Ecolodge, meanwhile, is a true wilderness oasis, where visitors will see polar bears, moose, snowy owls, northern lights, and maybe even the elusive wolverine.
Arctic Watch, Nunavut
Arctic Watch, the world’s northernmost fly-in lodge on earth, is located 800km north of the Arctic Circle on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The lodge was built in 1992, setting a high standard for guest accommodation and comfort in the region.
It’s notable not just for its remoteness, but for the wide range of Arctic wildlife on offer, including beluga nurseries, polar bears, muskox and foxes.
Alternative luxury wildlife options include…
Fogo Island Inn, in Newfoundland, combines the opportunity to experience rugged North Atlantic culture and whale watching. Knight Inlet Lodge in Black Creek, BC and Great Bear Lodge in Port Hardy, BC are recommended for grizzly bear and orca spotting. Great Bear Lodge has been chosen by Destination Canada as a Canadian Signature Experience, providing a unique connection with the geography, wildlife, culture and people of Canada.
