Glacier Water at Knight Inlet Lodge

Gilakas’la! Welcome to Knight Inlet Lodge, a unique floating resort in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Located in the Great Bear Rainforest

Knight Inlet Lodge, 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Vancouver, lies in the southern reaches of one of the last intact temperate rainforests on earth, the Great Bear Rainforest – home to Indigenous peoples, ancient forests, and wild bears since time immemorial.

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unspoiled temperate rainforest left in the world. The area is home not only to ancient, immense trees but to grizzly bears, whales, wild salmon, and a myriad of other wildlife. The 6.4 million hectare region features western red cedar, some as old as a thousand years, and gigantic Sitka spruce among others.

The longest fiord on British Columbia’s coast, Knight Inlet, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, offers spectacular scenery to its visitors, with steep mountains rising out of the ocean, thundering glacier-fed waterfalls, and towering rainforest, all home to the grizzly bears for which this region has become known as well as eagles, wolves, cougars and many other terrestrial species. The protected waters of Knight Inlet are home to whales, seabirds, seals, and an array of other marine life.

Absolutely brilliant…  Great staff, great guides, great food. What more can I say. The lodge is miles from anywhere and more or less cut off from the rest of the world. Just the lodge, the mountains and the wildlife”

Clarkey - UK 2023

Conservation

Sunset at Knight Inlet lodge
Salmon Feeding Bear

As an Indigenous-owned, fly-in wildlife viewing lodge, at Knight Inlet Lodge we take our corporate and environmental stewardship responsibilities seriously, doing everything we can to minimize our environmental footprint.

At ground level, we reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible. We have a small hydro-electric infrastructure for off-season power supply, and we are planning to introduce a permanent solar power supply. We also actively engage in policy issues, advocating for sustainable fisheries and improved wildlife management policies, and support grizzly bear research initiatives.

Getting Here

Knight Inlet Webpage Map
All of our packages start in Campbell River, BC on Vancouver Island

From Vancouver, BC

Flying: There are multiple flights daily between Vancouver and Campbell River with both Pacific Coastal and Central Mountain Airlines. If you fly to Campbell River, please be sure to let us know your flight number and arrival time so that we can arrange our complimentary airport shuttle services to your hotel and to the floatplane terminal.

Driving: To reach Vancouver Island from the B.C. mainland, it is necessary to take BC Ferries (please note that total travel time including ferry crossing is approximately 5 hours, although during peak travel times, this can be longer. We recommend making a reservation on the ferry to minimize the risk of delays). There are 2 ferry options from Vancouver, Tsawwassen to Duke Point (Vancouver Island) and Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Vancouver Island), which is the more popular of the 2 routes.

Once on Vancouver Island, the driving time from Duke Point to Campbell River is about 2 hours, and from Departure Bay 1 ½ hours. There are 2 main highways to choose from. Highway 19 is a 4-lane freeway and the faster of the two. Highway 19A, the Oceanside Scenic Route, takes an extra hour but is worth it for the scenery (and great stops along the way) if you have the time.

From Victoria, BC

Flying: Currently there are no direct flights from Victoria to Campbell River. It is possible to fly from Victoria to Vancouver, and catch a connecting flight to Campbell River with Pacific Coastal Air.

Driving: The drive, departing from Victoria Inner Harbour, takes 3 hours on Highway 19. If you have the time, after reaching Nanaimo take Highway 19A, the Oceanside Scenic Route, which will add about 30 minutes to the drive but offers beautiful scenery along the way.

Bus: Island Link bus service has a daily bus service that departs from various locations in Victoria to Campbell River.

From Port Hardy, BC

Flying: Currently there are no direct flights from Port Hardy to Campbell River. It is possible to fly from Port Hardy to Vancouver and catch a connecting flight to Campbell River with Pacific Coastal Air, but service is limited.

Driving: The drive south on Highway 19 from Port Hardy to Campbell River takes approximately 2 ½ hours.

Bus: There is no bus service at this time.

From Tofino, BC

Flying: There are no direct flights between Tofino and Campbell River. It is possible to fly from Tofino to Vancouver and catch a connecting flight to Campbell River with Pacific Coastal Air, but service is limited.

Driving: The drive from Tofino to Campbell River takes approximately 3 ½ hours on Highway 4, Tofino to Parksville, then Parksville to Campbell River on Highway 19.

Bus: Vancouver Island Connector offers a bus service between the 2 communities, but please note it is not a direct service.

From Seattle, Washington, USA

Flying: There are no direct flights from Seattle to Campbell River so connecting through Vancouver is necessary. In 2023 air carriers like Delta, American, Air Canada, WestJet and Alaskan Air all had flights between the two cities. Once in Vancouver, both Pacific Coastal and Central Mountain Airlines have flights to Campbell River.

Driving: There are two options for driving between Seattle and Campbell River.

  1.  Take the I5 freeway from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., then catch BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island and drive to Campbell River. This will take approximately 6 ½ hours, although clearing customs at the border and ferry line-ups could add time to the journey. Ferry reservations are recommended, as is allowing plenty of time to reach the ferry terminal at least an hour ahead of boarding.
  2. Take the Coho Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria on Vancouver island, clearing Canadian customs and border requirements in Victoria. Once on Vancouver Island, the drive to Campbell River will take about 3 hours via Highway 19.

Getting Here is Part of the Fun...

Vancouver Island Air
Vancouver Island Air
Vancouver Island Air
Part of your inclusive package at Knight Inlet Lodge are the Floatplane flights between Campbell River and the Lodge. The chance to fly on these classic DeHavilland Turbine Otter’s is a fantastic experience. These aircraft that service our remote lodge can carry 14 passengers or up to a 2600 pound payload. The planes are powered by a single 750 horsepower PT6 Turbine Pratt and Whitney engine. Of the original 466 Otters built between 1951 and 1967, less than 200 are still around. Originally powered by 600hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engines, most have been converted to Turbine and completely updated with the latest safety equipment and technology.
4, 5, or 6 Night Packages

Grizzly Bear & Whale Watching

Knight Inlet Lodge offers unique spring-to-fall experiences of both grizzly bears and whales during your 4 to 6 night stay at our lodge. Choose from a range of options to see bears and marine wildlife in one of the most magnificent natural settings in the world, surrounded by ancient forests and snow-capped mountains.

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2 or 3 Night Packages

Grizzly Bear Viewing

Knight Inlet Lodge offers unique spring-to-fall experiences of grizzly bears in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Take bear tours and other excursions during your 2 to 3 night stay at our lodge, located in a sheltered cove in one of the most magnificent natural settings in the world.

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