Berry Island Wilderness Lodge

Berry Island Wilderness Lodge is one of those places that feels much more personal than a typical wilderness lodge, and that is largely because of the people behind it. The lodge was previously known as Farewell Harbour Lodge, but it has recently been taken over by the Gee family, often known as the “Bucket List Family”. Garrett and Jessica spent years travelling the world with their three children, Dorothy, Manilla and Calihan, documenting their adventures and building a life around travel, nature and experiences rather than things. When they discovered this lodge on the coast of British Columbia, they fell in love with the place and the wildlife, and decided to make it their next big family adventure.

They have taken over the lodge alongside the Maybee family, who have deep local knowledge of the area, and together they are gradually shaping Berry Island into a very special wildlife lodge that still feels authentic and down to earth. This is not a polished luxury resort, and it is not trying to be. The focus here is on wildlife, guiding, the natural environment and sharing this incredible part of the world with guests in a very genuine way.

The lodge itself sits on a small island on the central coast of British Columbia, deep in the Great Bear Rainforest, and you arrive by boat or seaplane. From the moment you arrive, everything revolves around wildlife and the changing tides. Each day you head out by boat with guides looking for grizzly bears and black bears along the shoreline and in the estuaries, and you also spend time on the water looking for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, seals and bald eagles. Some days you may see multiple bears, other days it might be all about whales or simply exploring quiet inlets and watching the coastline go by. Every day is different, which is exactly what makes it so special.

Evenings are relaxed and sociable, with everyone gathering for dinner and often sharing stories from the day’s sightings. It has a very friendly, family-run feel rather than a formal lodge atmosphere, and that is very much intentional. You come here for the wildlife, the scenery and the experience of being somewhere truly remote, but you also come for the people and the atmosphere.

For anyone whose main priority in British Columbia is bears, whales and remote coastal wilderness, Berry Island Wilderness Lodge is one of the most immersive and rewarding wildlife experiences you can have on the west coast of Canada. It feels like visiting a very special corner of the world rather than simply staying in a hotel.