Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd

What Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd does

Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd, operating as Knight Inlet Lodge, is a Canadian Indigenous-owned eco-tourism company that runs a single remote floating wilderness lodge in Glendale Cove on Knight Inlet, in the southern Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia. The lodge is accessible only by floatplane from Campbell River and operates seasonally from May 21 to October 15. Founded in the 1990s and acquired in 2017 by the Nanwakolas Council — a partnership of five First Nations (Da'naxda'xw Awaetlala, Mamalilikulla, Tlowitsis, Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, and K'ómoks) — the company is 100% Indigenous-owned and serves as a steward-led grizzly bear and marine wildlife viewing destination.

The core product is all-inclusive multi-night packages (3 to 7 nights) combining guided grizzly bear viewing, seasonal whale watching, and ancillary excursions (kayaking, hiking, estuary exploration), with floatplane transport, lodge accommodation, and West Coast dining included. Capacity is capped at 18 guest rooms (14 queen-queen, 4 family rooms) accommodating 36 to 44 guests per night. A differentiated sub-brand, Spring Bears in Focus, runs an exclusive photography week with wildlife photographer Eddy Savage, priced from CAD $6,325 (quad) to CAD $13,125 (single, 2027). Supporting infrastructure includes live north/south webcams, on-site generators with battery/inverter backup, fresh-water purification with desalination, and an on-site gift shop. Revenue is generated entirely from one-time package purchases plus ancillary room upgrades (Ocean View $200/night, Family $100/night) and gift shop sales.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the grizzlytours.com website and phone reservations, supplemented by travel-trade partnerships with major Canadian and international tour operators and receptive operators. Marketing relies on earned media features (BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, NBC Today Show, Animal Planet, Daily Telegraph, New York Times, Wanderlust, Qantas Magazine), organic social (Facebook, Instagram), and a dedicated photography-channel partnership with Natural Habitat Adventures. Customers are predominantly affluent international leisure travelers from Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia seeking bucket-list wildlife experiences, with a specialist secondary segment of wildlife photography enthusiasts.

Name

Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd

Legal name

Knight Inlet Lodge

Website

https://grizzlytours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd operates Knight Inlet Lodge, an Indigenous-owned floating eco-tourism lodge in BC's Great Bear Rainforest offering 3-7 night all-inclusive grizzly bear viewing and whale watching packages to affluent international leisure travelers, with a specialist photography sub-brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eco-tourism Wildlife Lodge

NAICS

All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari Lodges (Big Five/Game Reserves) (THAGAIAA), Birding & Wildlife Observation Lodges (THAGAIAK), Rainforest & Jungle Lodges (THAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Grizzly bear viewing
• Wilderness eco-tourism
• Wildlife lodge packages
• Whale watching tours
• Remote floatplane lodge

Headquarters

HQ city

Black Creek

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wildlife Viewing Package Tours: All-inclusive multi-night packages (3-7 nights) at the floating lodge including accommodation, meals, wine with dinner, guided wildlife tours (grizzly bear viewing, whale watching), and floatplane transportation from Campbell River. Packages include first night hotel in Campbell River.
2. Room Upgrades: Optional upgrades for Ocean View Rooms ($200/night) and Family Rooms ($100/night) provide additional revenue per booking.
3. Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop featuring local artists' crafts, branded merchandise, books about wildlife and Indigenous culture, water bottles, coffee mugs, and pint glasses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Knight Inlet Lodge operates a remote floating wilderness lodge in Glendale Cove, British Columbia, selling all-inclusive multi-night (3 to 7 night) grizzly bear viewing and whale watching tour packages to affluent international travelers. Packages bundle accommodation, meals, fine West Coast dining with local wines, guided naturalist wildlife tours, and floatplane transportation from Campbell River. The lodge also offers a specialized photography-week package and an on-site gift shop.

Product overview

Knight Inlet Lodge operates as a single remote floating wilderness lodge offering tiered tour packages centered on grizzly bear viewing and marine wildlife experiences in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest. The core product portfolio consists of accommodation-based packages (3-night Grizzly Bear Viewing, and 4-7 night Grizzly Bear & Whale Watching packages) that include guided tours, meals, and floatplane transport. A specialized offering is the Spring Bears in Focus photography workshop. Supporting services include the lodge's own guest rooms with Indigenous Longhouse-themed dining, plus a live webcam system for weather viewing. All offerings are delivered directly by company staff using company-owned boats and chartered floatplanes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spring Bears in Focus: A specialized photography week adventure program at Knight Inlet Lodge featuring Canadian wildlife photographer Eddy Savage, offering exclusive early morning and late evening wildlife viewing tours, workshops, and lectures for photography enthusiasts.

Products and services

• Grizzly Bear Viewing & Whale Watching Packages (4, 5, 6, or 7 Nights) All-inclusive multi-night packages (4, 5, 6, or 7 nights) combining grizzly bear viewing with seasonal whale watching marine tours at the west coast-style floating lodge. Each package includes accommodation, meals, wine with dinner, guided wildlife tours, and floatplane transportation from Campbell River, plus a first night hotel stay in Campbell River.
• Grizzly Bear Viewing 3-Night Package Three-night all-inclusive package focused on grizzly bear viewing experiences in Knight Inlet, including lodge accommodation, meals, guided bear tours and other wildlife excursions, plus floatplane transportation from Campbell River.
• Spring Bears in Focus Photography Adventure Specialized wildlife photography workshop led by photographer Eddy Savage, combining grizzly bear photography with educational sessions and early morning and late evening wildlife viewing tours for amateur and professional photographers.
• Knight Inlet Lodge Accommodation & Guest Experience West coast-style floating lodge accommodation in Glendale Cove with 18 guest rooms (14 rooms with two queen beds, 4 family rooms with one queen plus two twin beds), private en-suite bathrooms, heated floors, Indigenous Longhouse-themed dining hall, and shared facilities including saunas and cold plunge.
• Guided Wildlife Tours & Excursions Guided bear viewing, whale watching, kayaking, hiking, and estuary exploration tours operated directly from the lodge by experienced naturalist guides using company-owned boats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully helped end grizzly bear trophy hunt in British Columbia in 2017
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nanwakolas CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Indigenous ownership partnership of five First Nations (Da'naxda'xw Awaetlala, Mamalilikulla, Tlowitsis, Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, and K'ómoks) who acquired full ownership of Knight Inlet Lodge in 2017. The council represents traditional stewardship knowledge and provides governance over the lodge's operations and conservation efforts.
• Vancouver Island AircoreOthersPrimary floatplane charter service transporting guests between Campbell River and Knight Inlet Lodge. Operates DeHavilland Turbine Otter aircraft capable of carrying 14 passengers or up to 2,600 pound payload.
• CorilAirminorOthersSecondary floatplane charter service used depending on guest numbers and logistics. Operates deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver and Cessna 185 & 206 aircraft.
• 40 Knots WineryminorOthersLocal Vancouver Island winery providing red and white wines served at the lodge's dinner service.
• Beaufort WinesminorOthersLocal winery providing wines for the lodge's dinner service, rotated throughout the season.
• Vancouver Island BrewingminorOthersLocal brewery providing beer selection for the lodge's bar.
• Shelter Point DistilleryminorOthersLocal distillery providing spirits for cocktails and bar service at the lodge.
• West Coast Adventure CollegeminorOthersPost-secondary institution offering guide and outdoor leadership training programs, one of several colleges the lodge works with for staffing.
• North Island CollegeminorOthersVancouver Island college offering adventure guiding programs, providing pipeline for guide recruitment.
• Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training ProgramminorOthersOutdoor leadership training program providing qualified candidates for guide positions.
• TRU Adventure Studies ProgramminorOthersThompson Rivers University adventure guide diploma program, one of the staffing pipelines for seasonal employees.
• Pacific Coastal AirlinesminorOthersRegional airline providing daily flights between Vancouver and Campbell River. Lodge provides complimentary airport shuttle service for guests arriving on these flights.
• Eddy SavagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian wildlife photographer and guide who partners with the lodge for exclusive 'Spring Bears in Focus' photography week adventures. Expert guide with experience leading polar bear expeditions, Antarctic kayak guiding, and extensive BC coastline exploration.
• Natural Habitat AdventuresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdventure travel company that partners with Eddy Savage for polar bear and global photography expeditions. Works with Knight Inlet Lodge for Canadian wildlife experiences.
• Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association for bear viewing operators in British Columbia. Knight Inlet Lodge is a founding member. Association sets guidelines for safe and responsible bear viewing including minimum distance requirements.
• Comfort Inn Campbell RiverminorOthersPreferred hotel partner for the first night of all packages in Campbell River. Located in downtown Campbell River, 3km from floatplane terminal.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spirit Bear Lodge: Indigenous-owned wilderness lodge in the Great Bear Rainforest offering coastal grizzly and spirit bear viewing packages by floatplane. Direct comparable in product, geography, and Indigenous ownership positioning.
• Chilko Lake Lodge: Fly-in wilderness lodge in central BC focused on grizzly bear viewing at Chilko Lake, a premier bear-viewing destination. Comparable bear-viewing experience and remote fly-in operating model.
• Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge: Seasonal fly-in luxury tented camp on Vancouver Island's west coast offering wildlife and wilderness experiences. Comparable premium pricing, remote floatplane access, and multi-night all-inclusive model.
• Great Bear Lodge: Floatplane-access wilderness lodge on the central BC coast focused on grizzly bear viewing in the Great Bear Rainforest. Closest functional peer in the same grizzly viewing category.
• Farewell Harbour Lodge: Floatplane-access coastal BC lodge offering grizzly bear viewing and wildlife experiences. Comparable in remote access model and nature-based luxury product.
• Tweedsmuir Park Lodge: Remote BC lodge offering guided grizzly bear viewing and fly-in fishing experiences. Comparable in product mix (bear viewing + wilderness lodge) and premium wilderness positioning.
• Nimmo Bay Resort: Floatplane-access luxury wilderness lodge on BC's central coast offering grizzly viewing, whale watching, and heli-adventures. Comparable fly-in access, multi-night package structure, and wildlife focus.
• Klahoose Wilderness Resort: Indigenous-owned (Klahoose First Nation) coastal BC wilderness resort offering grizzly bear viewing and whale watching. Directly comparable in Indigenous ownership, wildlife product, and remote access.

Broad incumbents

• Siwash Lake Ranch: BC luxury wilderness retreat offering riding and wildlife experiences. Comparable premium wilderness lodging and all-inclusive multi-night structure, though a broader (non-bear-focused) product mix.

Others

• Natural Habitat Adventures: Conservation-focused adventure travel company that resells Knight Inlet and other bear-viewing packages. Channel partner and indirect peer in the small-group wildlife adventure category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/knightinlet
• Instagraminstagram.com/knightinletlodge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knight-inlet-lodge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Knight Inlet Grizzly Tours Ltd