Salmon Runs & Wild Skies: A Cozy, Wild Fall Escape on Vancouver Island

Seven nights on Vancouver Island, self-guided, in a fully equipped overland camper, built around grizzly bears and the autumn salmon run.

The timing is everything here. The grizzlies come down to the Orford River when the salmon spawn, and the viewing platforms there are run by the Homalco First Nation on their own homeland, which makes it one of the better-arranged bear encounters anywhere.

Victoria opens it with the camper collected, Craigdarroch Castle, the Butchart Gardens and afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, with a night in a boutique hotel downtown. The route then goes north over the Malahat SkyWalk above the Saanich Inlet, with autumn brewery stops at Duncan, Nanaimo and Parksville, and a camp at Qualicum Falls. Campbell River follows up the coast, with the Fanny Bay sea lions, the Elk Falls suspension bridge and fish and chips on Discovery Pier. A full day then goes to the grizzly expedition by boat to the Orford valley, with whales, sea lions and bald eagles often about as well. Lake Cowichan closes it, with two nights at an oceanside lodge that has a wood-fired sauna and a cold plunge.

The overland camper, two nights at the lodge, a night in Victoria, the grizzly tour for two and afternoon tea for two are all included; the champagne tea upgrade, the catered lodge meal, the brewery tastings and some provincial park camping fees are not. The price shown is per person sharing. Autumn is the whole point, since the bears follow the salmon. No wildlife sighting can be promised, though the odds during the run are about as good as they get.