Bears, Whales & the Wild West Coast Self-Drive

Highlights

Spend two nights at Knight Inlet Lodge, a remote floating lodge with world-class grizzly bear viewing and wilderness excursions

Perfect self-drive experience for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike

Freedom of Choice days in both Tofino and Victoria

Cruise across the Strait of Georgia and explore Vancouver Island’s picturesque east coast

Overview

This unforgettable 8-day self-drive itinerary takes you from the vibrant city of Vancouver to the remote wilderness of Knight Inlet, the coastal beauty of Tofino, and the charming capital city of Victoria.

Your journey begins with a scenic ferry crossing from Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver Island, travelling north to Campbell River – the “Salmon Capital of the World” – surrounded by stunning mountain and ocean vistas. From here, board a floatplane to Knight Inlet Lodge, set in the pristine wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest. Over two incredible days, enjoy unparalleled wildlife encounters – from grizzly bear viewing at Glendale Cove to guided rainforest walks, wildlife tracking, or panoramic hikes above the inlet.

Returning to Campbell River, continue your drive west to the rugged Pacific Rim and the laid-back surf town of Tofino. Here, you can choose from two exhilarating marine adventures: a coastal bear-watching cruise along tidal shores or a whale-watching excursion through the breathtaking Clayoquot Sound.

Travel south to Victoria, taking in the artisan murals of Chemainus, the totem poles of Duncan, and the rich Indigenous heritage of the Cowichan Valley. In Victoria, personalise your stay with a choice of activities: wander the famed Butchart Gardens, enjoy a Canadian culinary walking tour, embark on a whale-watching cruise, or indulge in High Tea at the iconic Fairmont Empress.

Your adventure ends with a scenic drive to Swartz Bay and a ferry ride through the picturesque Gulf Islands back to Vancouver, where your Pacific Coast wildlife journey comes to a close.

ENTIRE Cooling-Off Period
ENTIRE AUD Prices
ENTIRE Change of Mind
ENTIRE Industry Accredited
ENTIRE On Ground Support
ENTIRE Australian Owned

Inclusions

1 night in Campbell River at the Comfort Inn & Suites

2 nights at Knight Inlet Lodge

2 nights in Ucluelet at Black Rock Resort

2 nights in Victoria at Inn at Laurel Point

Return Floatplane from Campbell River to Knight Inlet

Return BC Ferries to Vancouver Island

8 days intermediate size car rental

Meals included as per itinerary

Freedom of Choice Days

Freedom of Choice

Our Freedom of Choice program offers flexibility, by allowing you to choose from different options on pre-selected days.

Our per person price includes one tour on each Freedom of Choice day, as follows:

One "Freedom of Choice" tour on day 5
One "Freedom of Choice" tour on day 7

Expand the itinerary below for more details.

Please note, if more than one room is selected during the booking process, our team will contact you afterwards to discuss options.

Itinerary

Download Itinerary Expand All

Day 1 Vancouver Campbell River

Depart Vancouver for Horseshoe Bay and sail on BC Ferries to Vancouver Island. Upon departing BC Ferries head north through Vancouver Island’s second largest city, Nanaimo, known as the Harbour City, and Parksville, the beginning of Beach Country and home of the annual International Sandcastle Competition. Your destination today is the city of Campbell River, historically renowned as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” lying at the heart of neighbouring Strathcona Park, Desolation Sound, Mount Washington and Robson Bight. Surrounded by the backdrop of Strathcona Provincial Park to the west and the Coastal Mountain range to the east, massive cruise ships pass right by Campbell River’s doorstep, and their parade of lights is best viewed from world-famous Discovery Pier as they venture up the Inside Passage for Alaskan destinations.

Overnight in Campbell River at Comfort Inn & Suites

Nanaimo | Credit: Harbour Air Seaplanes

Day 2 Campbell River Knight Inlet Lodge

This morning, enjoy a scenic floatplane flight to Knight Inlet, a remote fjord and natural habitat of the grizzly bear. After a safety briefing and morning tea, join your guide in search of the many bears that frequent the area. During the spring and summer season viewing is done from small boats that allow you to get close without disturbing the bears. During the fall season, viewing takes place from secure platforms overlooking the Glendale River, where grizzlies gather to feast on salmon. From your elevated vantage point, observe these majestic animals fishing, socializing, and preparing for winter.

There is more time for bear viewing after lunch, plus a cruise that takes in the natural wonders of Knight Inlet – tremendous waterfalls plummeting out of sheer rock faces, ancient glaciers with trails carving through the mountains and wild and remote rivers teeming with life.

Overnight at Knight Inlet Lodge

Lunch, Dinner

Credit: Knight Inlet Lodge

Day 3 Knight Inlet Lodge

Each day at the Lodge you will experience one bear viewing tour, along with a choice of excursions for other wildlife viewing, depending on location and availability. Choices may include:

Scenic Cruise of Knight Inlet

Take a spectacular 2-hour scenic cruise through Knight Inlet, enjoying its natural wonders – waterfalls plummeting out of sheer rock faces, ancient glaciers carving through the mountains, and wild rivers teeming with life.

Interpretive Forest Walks

Take a walk in an ancient, old-growth rainforest in the pristine Kwalate valley, a 20-minute boat ride from the lodge. We will walk up the valley along the beautiful Kwalate River to see giant moss-covered trees and stunning waterfalls, and learn about the rainforest and the various plants and wildlife that abound here.

Sea Kayaking in Glendale Cove

Drifting quietly in your sea kayak, you will see grizzly bears foraging along the shoreline near our lodge. Never kayaked before? No problem. We operate in a sheltered cove in calm water, and our trained guides will coach you in the fundamentals of sea kayaking so that you feel confident to paddle these seaworthy craft.

Overnight stay at Knight Inlet Lodge

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Credit: Knight Inlet Lodge

Day 4 Knight Inlet Lodge Tofino/Ucluelet

Early this morning return to the Bear Viewing platforms for a last photo opportunity before departing for Campbell River by floatplane. Arrival time is between 10.30am - 11.00am. Collect your car and head south west to Tofino on the rugged West Coast. En route, picture stops should be made at Cathedral Grove to enjoy the splendour of 800-year-old Douglas Fir and Cedar and the Mars Water-Bombers at Sproat Lake, the world’s two largest water-bombers used for the sole purpose of putting out forest fires. After the Mars Water-Bombers, drive through the majestic Sutton Pass and the Sawtooth Range of the Cascade Mountains to arrive in Tofino around mid-afternoon.

Overnight in Ucluelet at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Breakfast

Hot Springs Cove Tofino | Credit: Tyler Cave

Day 5 Tofino/Ucluelet

Today you can personalise your day with a pre-selected tour from our Freedom of Choice options below.

Overnight in Ucluelet at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Freedom of Choice Options

Coastal Bear Watch Cruise:
Search for foraging bears from the comfort and safety of a 24’ Zodiac vessel. Abundant on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, black bears roam the shores at low tide in search of their favourite delicacy, the Rock Crab.

Whale Watching Cruise:
Cruise through the pristine waters of Clayoquot Sound to view beautiful scenery and wildlife. Depending on the time of year, you may encounter grey whales, humpback whales, sea lions, sea birds and resident bald eagles.

Tofino | Credit: Destination Canada

Day 6 Tofino/Ucluelet Victoria

Travel back to the East Coast of Vancouver Island and head south to Victoria. En route stops should be made at the artist community of Chemainus, where you can admire the giant murals which adorn the exterior walls throughout the town, and Duncan the “City of Totems”. If time permits visit the Quw’utsun’ Heritage Village which provides you with an insight into the lives of the northwest coast people (seasonal hours - admission not included).

Overnight in Victoria at Inn at Laurel Point

Victoria Inner Harbour | Credit: Destination BC / Reuben Krabbe

Day 7 Victoria

It's time to explore Victoria with a pre-selected tour from our Freedom of Choice options below.

Overnight in Victoria at Inn at Laurel Point

Freedom of Choice Options

Butchart Gardens Admission:
On its 100th birthday in 2004, the Butchart Gardens was named a National Historic Site of Canada. Explore 22 hectares/55 acres of breathtaking gardens on the 53-hectare/130-acre estate.

Eat like a Canadian Food Tour:
Not many people can define exactly what Canadian food is. From local ingredients to historic dishes, this tour is the best way to experience Canadian culinary culture. Sip and savour local cuisine, explore the iconic Inner Harbour, and meet the chefs and owners that make Victoria such an exciting culinary hot spot.

High Tea at the Fairmont Empress:
Enjoy High tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel is a delightful, traditional experience. Indulge in a lavish array of tea, finger sandwiches, pastries, and scones, served in an elegant setting, enhancing the allure of this historic Victoria, British Columbia landmark.

Whale Watch Cruise:
Get up close with the killer whales on the Salish Sea with this guided, 3.5-hour whale-watching cruise from Victoria. Climb aboard a covered or open boat equipped with hydrophones to hear the whales and bring the underwater experience to light.

Credit: Fairmont Empress

Day 8 Victoria Vancouver

Leaving Victoria, drive north to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal for a 90-minute ferry ride to Tsawwassen. On-board BC Ferries enjoy the scenery of the Gulf Islands as you cross the Strait of Georgia. From Tsawwassen, continue on to downtown Vancouver where your self-drive package ends.

Aerial of Vancouver | Credit: Destination Vancouver / Albert Normandin

Accommodation

Comfort Inn & Suites

Campbell River
The Comfort Inn & Suites in Campbell River offers a welcoming stay on Vancouver Island's scenic waterfront. Located in downtown Campbell River, this 100% smoke-free, pet-friendly hotel is a short walk from local shops, restaurants, and attractions. Guests can enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast, relax in the indoor pool and hot tub, or maintain their fitness routine in the on-site gym.

Knight Inlet Lodge

Knight Inlet
Situated 60 kilometres from the mouth of the inlet is Knight Inlet Lodge. Our floating resort is tucked into Glendale Cove, which offers one of the few protected anchorages in the inlet, and it is here that you will begin each day's adventure. The lodge is a modern one story facility consisting of 5 cement floats, we like to call ourselves a floating village, plus support buidlings. All guest rooms feature comfortable queen size beds plus private washrooms with showers. The resort is finished with western cedar board and batten siding to give it a real west coast British Columbia look and feel. There are 2 outside deck areas, one complete with gas fireplace, for relaxing on those warm summer evenings.

Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Ucluelet
A 6-minute stroll from the Wild Pacific Trail, this chic oceanfront hotel built from granite and glass is also a 14-minute walk from downtown Ucluelet. Amenities include an ultrahip bar and restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and a seasonal patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There's also a serene spa with 2 hot tubs, a lounge and a seasonal plunge pool.

Inn at Laurel Point

Victoria
Overlooking Laurel Point Park, this waterfront hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Black Ball Ferry Line and a 10-minute walk from the Royal BC Museum. Featuring private balconies with water views, the airy rooms include flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, plus minifridges, and tea and coffeemaking equipment. There's a heated indoor pool, an exercise room and a Japanese garden, plus a Pacific Rim-inspired restaurant with a patio and harbour views.

Additional information

Excluded

International airfares and taxes
Domestic airfares and taxes, unless otherwise specified in our holiday package
Visa expenses, processing and issuance fees
Meals other than as specified in our holiday package
Travel Insurance or expenses of a personal nature (mini-bar, phone call, laundry, etc.)
Tips or gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, hotel, restaurant or boat staff, etc.
Or any other travel expense that has not been included in our holiday package
Car rental rates exclude optional coverage such as Personal Accident Insurance Plus (PAI Plus) and Personal Effects Protection (PEP)
GPS rental is not included and can be requested (at an additional supplement paid locally) if required

FAQs

Who are Entire Travel Group?

Welcome to Entire Travel Group. We offer exceptional travel experiences across our extensive range of Entire Holiday Packages, Entire Group Journeys, Entire Rail Journeys, and Entire Cruise Journeys. With our industry-leading Peace of Mind Booking Plan, you can Book Now with flexibility and confidence.

Entire Travel Group is celebrating over 50 years of passionately delivering unique and memorable travel experiences. We are an Australian, family-owned, award-winning business with a friendly team ready to match your expectations to the perfect holiday experience.

Entire Travel Group used to be known by the individual brands shown in the footer of the website. The company has not changed, but we have amalgamated under one brand - Entire Travel Group.

For more details please visit - About Us | Entire Travel Group

Is Entire Travel Group Australian owned and operated?

Entire Travel Group is proudly Australian family owned and operated and as it stands today represents 50 years of experience, progress, and evolution. We proudly support the community with our long-term commitment to many important charity organisations. We were awarded the best operator in our class at the most recent National Travel Industry Awards.

Is Entire Travel Group industry accredited?

Entire Travel Group is both ATAS and CATO Accredited. ATAS is actively administered by the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA). The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) is the trade association representing the land supply sector of the Australian Travel Industry.

Does Entire Travel Group have industry awards?

Entire Travel Group was honoured at the 2023 National Travel Industry Awards with Most Oustanding Wholesaler - Product / Service.

As our team works tirelessly to deliver exceptional holiday experiences, it was exciting to have this acknowledged with the highest recognition. The award is also a testament to the quality of our partners around the globe, and we take this opportunity to thank them for their tremendous support of our customers.

Are the Entire Travel Group holiday packages exclusive?

In some cases, we are the sole representative in Australia for the overseas travel operator. In other circumstances the product developed has been exclusively built for Entire Travel Group and can’t be found elsewhere.

What’s unique about Entire Travel Group Holiday Packages?

They are not group tours with set departures - they are pre-designed, purpose built, independent holiday packages full of unique and memorable experiences.
Our holiday packages have been exclusively built for us in collaboration with our handpicked suppliers, who also offer full on-ground support for the clients.
We are offering unique travel experiences which cannot be found elsewhere.
Many packages include our “Freedom of Choice” options which allow you to tailor the holiday experience. Like a sommelier matching wine to a meal, we have used our experience to carefully select and offer the right experiences in each location.
They include our Peace of Mind Booking Plan.
A wide selection of our packages are compliant with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Covid Safe Travels.

Our motto for Independent Holiday Packages is start your holiday when and with who you want!

Our Independent Holiday Packages are NOT group tours with set departure dates. Group Tours have specific set departure dates, and of course, you are travelling with unknown passengers in a coach. These tours are great for certain travellers and there are many reputable tour operators providing a wide range of options around the world.

At Entire Travel Group, our focus is Independent Holiday Packages. Available daily, they are pre-designed, purpose built, packaged itineraries full of memorable experiences delivered by our hand-picked local partners.

Our holidays suit every demographic, from couples to singles, to retirees to families and everyone else in between.

Why travel with Entire Travel Group?

Of Entire Travel Group's attributes, we have settled on "When Experience Matters" as the quality we believe adds the most value to our customers. We have the experience to ensure your itinerary makes the dream holiday possible. Our continually enhanced technology allows our team to provide a quality customer service experience, and our partnerships with outstanding operators ensure we are confident of the on-ground experience for our customers.

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Our Peace of Mind Booking Plan allows you to book with confidence in the new international travel environment. With low deposits, a cooling off period and a flexibility period where you can cancel and rebook later, we really do have you covered.

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Is there a cooling-off period?

Look for packages with our Peace of Mind Booking Plan logo on the website.

We understand that occasionally plans may change, so we give you the confidence to proceed with a cooling off period.
You may cancel for any reason within 7 days, where you will receive a 100% refund of your $100 per person deposit.

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What is Freedom of Choice?

At Entire Travel Group we understand that our customers have their own personal tastes and interests - so throughout our packages look for “Freedom of Choice” which gives you the ability to tailor your holiday from the various experiences offered on selected days. Like a sommelier matching wine to a meal, we have used our experience to carefully select and offer the right experiences in each location.

The Freedom of Choice options are included in the package price, and the price remains the same regardless of the choice you make on each day.

Our Freedom of Choice program offers flexibility, by allowing you to choose from different options on pre-selected days in the itinerary.

Our per person price includes one tour on each Freedom of Choice day in the itinerary.
The price of the package remains the same regardless of the choice you make on each day.

For more details please visit - Freedom of Choice | Entire Travel Group

What is Book Now?

Book Now offers you the ability to make a reservation on our website for Holiday Packages that include our Peace of Mind Booking Plan. But it’s not just a static offer – you have complete flexibility from travel dates, passenger numbers, single supplements, room upgrades, optional extras, flexible booking terms and more.

Our team will contact our overseas suppliers and confirm all arrangements.
A Confirmation from our reservation system will be sent in the coming days.
The Booking Number on this confirmation supersedes the website reference.

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To confirm a booking using our on-line Book Now process, a credit card must be used to pay the refundable deposit.
For additional payments on the booking, Entire Travel Group supports bank transfer, credit card, TravelPay B2B, PaymentGate.
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Can you book my international airfares?

On some Islands Holiday Packages (e.g. Fiji), it is practical to include flights, so where we have done this it is indicated by the plane icon.

However, on the majority of our Holiday Packages, we do not include international flights.

We found that many customers may prefer to:

Travel on a specific airline of their choice
Have the flexibility to book flights with Frequent Flyer points
Select flight dates that may be different to our Holiday Package start/end dates
Use a Travel Credit already held with the airline
Use their travel agent for this service

We are able to assist with flights on any Holiday Package, so please just notify us during the Book Now process or contact our team.

Should I take travel insurance?

Travel insurance is strongly recommended. During the Book Now process please confirm you require assistance, and our team will be in contact with you.

What should I do before travelling?

Before you travel it is your responsibility to ensure you have the appropriate documentation including visas. If you are travelling on a passport other than Australian or New Zealand, you will require a permit to re-enter Australia. It is your responsibility as the traveller and/or travel booker to meet all government entry requirements.

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Please visit the Entire Travel Group's Agent Portal. We are here to support our industry partners with a range of informative updates, marketing collateral for campaigns and a reward & recognition program.

How do I start a Booking?

On any page that has Book Now simply follow the booking process.
You must select the Travel Agent tick box and provide correct details.
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