Spirit Bear Itineraries

Whether you want a specific type of trip on the Spirit Bear or you'd like to do everything you possibly can, we design each voyage to your needs and desires. Whale watching, bird watching, photography, kayaking, exploring island villages or simply exploring the shoreline of the Gulf Islands - any and all are possible. Chose one of our basic itineraries or create your own; you tell us what you want to do and we'll create your own custom trip.

Here are a few Gulf Islands itinerary ideas:

Quiet Islands Tour
Parts of the Gulf Islands are popular cruising grounds. Fortunately, some of the most interesting and scenic are very quiet and peaceful. And peace and quiet go hand in hand with wildlife abundance and enjoyable kayaking. An entire week of prime kayak touring can be spent along these tranquil waterways.

Each of the many islands also has its own character and level of activity. So we will choose where we go ashore depending on just what atmosphere we’re looking for. On a Quiet Islands Tour, we’ll stick to the islands with no ferry service or very few residents.

Highlights Include:
Kayaking, fishing, photography, bird watching and beachcombing. A day on a whale watching boat is a great addition to this trip.

Local Artisans & Gourmet Food
For many of our guests, the ideal vacation involves getting plenty of activity when you want it – like a day of kayaking – and then topping off the day with a visit to a fine restaurant ashore in the evening. Or visiting a farmer’s market in the morning, then paddling in the afternoon. Or perhaps kayaking in the morning and going for a bike ride in the afternoon and ending with a beer in a seaside pub before dinner.

We can visit artisan cheese makers, wineries, and organic farms on the islands, as well as some of the many artists who have chosen the island life. We may even be able to catch a concert one evening. A Spirit Bear Gourmet route can be planned to make the most of our opportunities to combine an active island cruise with the best the islands themselves have to offer.

Highlights Include:
Exploring island villages, touring local farms & wineries, visiting local artisans (painters, potters, wood workers, etc...), shopping at a farmer's market, using food from farms we visit to create our own unique meals back on board the Spirit Bear. We'll also have plenty of time for any kayaking and beachcombing you want to do.

Gulf Islands & Victoria Sampler
This is the trip for those who want a little of everything. You can spend a day whale watching, another kayaking and yet another wandering around the galleries and shops of a small village. It's up to you, but we've started with a few of our favorites.

The Spirit Bear can tie up to the dock of the world famous Butchart Gardens. Later the same day, she can anchor in a very quiet cove at a tiny island in the archipelago. There are so many options in this area, from British flavored, cosmopolitan Victoria to some of the most beautiful and peaceful cruising in the world, that for some the answer is to try a little of everything.

Highlights Include:
Victoria walking tour, high tea at the Empress, the Buchart Gardens, time in an island village, whale watching, kayaking and beachcombing.

Multi-activity Vacation
This is the ideal trip for those that like to stay active on your vacations. You set the pace and the tone and chose where you want to focus your time. You may even want to spend one night camping on a bluff. For those who want to include as much variety as possible in their vacation, the Spirit Bear is a great base. Choose your activities and we’ll design a custom itinerary that allows you to do as many different activities as you want.

Kayaking is always an option. Whale watching can be easily arranged. The roads of all the islands are great for cycling and walking. Just let us know what your ideal level and variety of activity is and we’ll do our best to fit an itinerary to your wishes.

Highlights Include:
Kayaking, hiking, beachcombing, cycling the island backroads, whale watching.

Day trip Options
These are options that you may want to combine into one custom trip or add on to the trip of your choice:
Butchart Gardens
Victoria Walking Tour
Day at the Galiano Inn Spa
Day in Ganges (Salt Spring Island) with time at the Farmer's Market
Farm or winery tour
Garden Tours
Concerts, Plays, Art Gallery Tour
Kayaking
Hiking
Whale Watching

See our Actitivites page for more ideas or contact our office to talk through your ideas and ask any questions.

We are happy to put together Spirit Bear tours of as little as three days and help you to satisfy a number of different interests before or after your time aboard. The Victoria area and the Gulf Islands have numerous, high quality inns and restaurants we can help you find.

"I can't overstate how very much we enjoyed our stay on the Spirit Bear. I don't think I knew exactly what to expect, but the combination of boat and crew was perfect."
Karen Elting, New York