You Can See Canada's 'Big 5' on This Pacific Coast Safari

If you're craving a safari experience, it's time to head to Canada. Yes, really.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, a remote luxury accommodation nestled in the Clayoquot Sound, is helping guests experience Canada's glorious wilderness and assist them in spotting a few of the Canadian Pacific Coast's "Big 5."

Safari enthusiasts may recognize the term "Big 5" as it usually refers to spotting a lion, leopard, black rhino, elephant, and buffalo. However, Canada's got its own "Big 5" too, which includes whales, bears, bald eagles, sea lions, and sea otters, some of which may be even harder to find than their African counterparts.

On the lodge's "Sights of the Sound" tour, guests are taken through the UNESCO-designated Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve on Vancouver Island for a half-day tour. The goal is to seek out wild animals in their natural habitat.

The tour typically begins in the early morning hours (just as most African safaris do) with a quick breakfast before taking a boat into Bedwell Sound. There, guests are likely to spot a few bears scrounging for fish along the shores at low tide, and they may even spot an eagle or two swooping by. Eventually, guests make their way out to the Pacific Ocean to have a close encounter with the nearby sea life, including whales, seals, otters, orcas, sea lions, and more.

After the tour is complete, guests can retire back to their safari-style canvas tents that come with cozy bedding, sitting areas, and private baths for guests to enjoy.

Beyond showcasing the wild spaces all around, the lodge is working hard to preserve the area for future generations, too. It's established an Environmental Legacy Program, funded privately by the lodge and by lodge guests, to support sustainability initiatives, including its comprehensive environment management plan, so this magical place will remain exactly the same for years to come.

The Sights and Sounds tour is included as part of the lodge's rate (off-season rates start at $1,130 per person per night), with packages available for three-night stays arriving Thursday and departing Sunday; four-night stays arriving Sunday and departing Thursday; or seven- and 10-night stays arriving either Thursday or Sunday. See all the booking options and available dates here.