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Join us on this incredible 8-day small group trip to the Cariboo region of British Columbia
If you are yearning to experience a spectacular Wilderness Safari in 2020, you've come to the right place! Our Grizzly Bear Watching Adventure takes you to the Chilko River in B.C. - a nature lover's paradise! Known for its stunning beauty and many wildlife species, it offers you the perfect place to savour the Wilderness to your heart’s content. While out looking for Grizzly Bears there are also spectacular landscape and wildlife photos to be taken of Eagles, Osprey, ducks, geese, Mule Deer, Black Bear and salmon. Everywhere you look, it's beautiful!
EXCLUSIVE HOSTED PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR 13 - 20 Sep 2020 (only 2 spaces) OR INDIVIDUAL TRIP 20 - 27 Sep 2020
ABOUT THE TRIP:
Just one and half hours by private charter flight from Vancouver BC, the fly-in Wilderness Lodge welcomes you for a week-long immersion into nature amidst the pristine beauty of Pacific Coast Mountains in the Canadian wilderness.
Savour 7 nights in the comfort of your Wilderness Lodge. On the Photography Tour the lodge is reserved exclusively for our group.
Enjoy twice daily bear viewing excursions by small boat (only 3 guests per boat + your own guide)
Return flights from Vancouver and all scrumptious meals, as well as wine with dinner are included. Tour Price: C$7,995 + Tax per person, double occupancy
TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE:
Rest assured that there is plenty of space to socially distance during your Safari.
Although the lodge can accommodate 14 guests, they will only be taking 6 visitors at a time during 2020 and all cleaning protocols are strictly adhered to.
On the Photography Tour the lodge will be exclusively reserved for our group and the 9-seater charter plane will have empty seats. Please Note: that face masks are required on the flight, during boat excursions, in the lounge area, and anywhere space is limited.
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR HOSTS:
The trip is accompanied and hosted by professional photographers and conservationists, Stan & Keltie Masters of Back to Nature Photography.
In 2013, husband and wife team Stan and Keltie Masters started their wildlife photography business as a means to share the beauty of nature through the lenses of their cameras. As their passion grew, so did the desire to learn more about the need to preserve the amazing wildlife and its environment that enhances our lives daily.
"By interacting with nature, spending time there and appreciating it, we can all reap the benefits of feeling happier and healthier as a result" says Stan. "If we can help people reconnect with nature, it's not just good for them, it's great for the environment. The result is a reciprocal relationship because the more people care for and appreciate the positive impact nature has on their lives, the more likely they will want to protect it.”
Alberta born Stan and Keltie Masters are passionate about taking you on an adventure and sharing their perspective on the Canadian wilderness. As a self-taught renown wildlife photographer, Stan has spent 1000's of hours and covered tens of thousands of kilometres in search of opportunities to capture his remarkable images.
Together with their passion for sharing their photography tips and tricks, they have welcomed many visitors at their 5* B&B, dubbed “One of the Six Unique Places to Stay in Alberta” by Travel Alberta, making Stan and Keltie your ideal hosts for this Grizzly Bear Safari.
With Keltie and Stan's guidance, you are sure to bring home a collection of photos that you will be proud to share with your family and friends!
ABOUT THE LODGE:
The Wilderness log lodge provides a warm and welcoming gathering place to enjoy a vacation with your fellow travellers. Situated adjacent to the Chilko River, the lodge and guest cabins all offer beautiful views of the river, valley, and the Coast Mountains.
Although the lodge can accommodate 14 guests, they will only be taking 6 visitors at a time during 2020 and all enhanced cleaning protocols are strictly adhered to.
All suites and log cabins offer private bathrooms, comfy beds with Egyptian cotton sheets and duvets, gas fireplaces or a wood burning stove.
The main lodge hosts a dining area, great room with a big stone fireplace, a fully stocked bar of beer, wine, and spirits, Jacuzzi, barbecue area, and big decks. Meals are prepared fresh each day.
Their professional guides are not only certified bear viewing guides but have years of experience in the area, on the river, and with bears.
⚠️ Currently the lodge is open to visitors from BC and Alberta, Canada.
Interview with Grizzly Bear Photographers Stan and Keltie
Christine of TravelBoecker (Personal Travel Mgmt.) found out why your hosts, Stan and Keltie Masters are so passionate about this Grizzly Bear Safari!
Christine: How long have you been photographing bears, and what got you interested?
Stan & Keltie: 8 years ago, we travelled to Churchill, MB for our anniversary to see the Polar Bears, which was on Keltie’s bucket list. That is when I learned how to use a camera, because I never really was able to take decent pictures before. Our fascination with bears just grew from there. Since then we have been to Alaska to see the Alaskan Brown Bear and to the Great Bear Rainforest in BC for the Spirit Bears.
Christine: Why take this trip to the wilderness lodge, rather than looking for bears in a national park?
Stan & Keltie: We want to experience bears up close and see how these animals live in their natural habitat – something you can only do in remote areas with local guides. They know the environment and will keep you safe because they can read the bear’s behaviour.
We have photographed Grizzlies in the national parks, but every time we would stop to take pictures 20 other vehicles would show up, and then the rangers moved us along. We couldn’t just sit and watch the bears. At the wilderness lodge it's just a whole different atmosphere. We’ll be undisturbed and can take our time to photograph the bears and other wildlife. We can enjoy the beautiful scenery, the mountains and the lodge itself. Because there are only 6 guests and 2 guides, we’ll be able to experience the bears in their natural habitat and see them go about their daily lives.
Christine: Having seen four different species, which is your favourite to photograph? The Polar Bear, the Alaskan Brown Bear, the Spirit Bear or the Grizzly?
Stan & Keltie: Can I say all of them? Every bear is unique in its own way. And it's not all about getting the perfect picture. It’s learning about the bears and what can we do to secure their environment and the survival of the species. For us, it’s important to create awareness and educate others. That is the big thing for us now.
Christine: What is the best time to go bear watching?
Stan & Keltie: Every season is completely different. On our Grizzly Bear Safari in the fall we will be seeing bears catching salmon, which will be really interesting. They are going to be fishing down at the river or on the lake. The bears are going to be large, with big humps and growing their thick winter coats. They have been packing the pounds in the last couple of months preparing for hibernation. We’ll hopefully also see the fall colours, which makes for a great backdrop for your photos. In the summer the bears are eating berries and fruits and are generally smaller. They are not as impressive as the ones we are going to see on our trip.
Christine: How will you be spending your days on this trip?
Stan & Keltie: There are two bear watching activities every day, because the animals are more active early in the morning and later in the day. Over lunch we’ll come back to the lodge for a rest. On some days we will get together with everybody to answer questions or help out with their camera equipment and share photography tips. It's so nice that that we've got 8 days on this trip because every day is going to be a different experience.
Christine: Does one need to bring high end camera equipment on this trip?
Stan & Keltie: Not at all. Keltie has a T3I with a 24 to 200-millimetre lens, which is a basic DSLR that goes from wide angle to telephoto. I tend to carry my usual gear – I have two cameras with 100, 400 and 500-millimetre lenses because I am after the tack-sharp retina shots to get close-ups of those eyes and teeth. But it is a personal thing. Some people may bring the big cameras, and others will take awesome photos on their tablets or phones. And some just want to come on the trip for the experience of being in the wilderness. Every now and then I also like to put my camera down and just soak in the moment.
We do hope that you can join this once-in-a-lifetime trip, especially now when we are all dreaming of getting back to nature.
Personal Travel Mgmt. BC Reg. 2806 - a proud member of the Ensemble Travel Group and IGLTA.