British Columbia
Travel Information for
Departure from Bella Bella on Great Bear Rain Forest Adventure
Arrival in Port McNeil for Inside Passage Orca Adventure
The Discovery Coast is the southern section of the Inside Passage that stretches from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, through the protected waters of British Columbia's central and northern coastline.
The Discovery Coast extends from Port Hardy to Bella Coola on the Central Coast, and includes the communities of Namu, McLoughlin Bay, Bella Bella, Shearwater, Klemtu, Ocean Falls, and the Hakai Pass area.
The island village of Bella Bella is located on Campbell Island, north of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.It is home to the Heiltsuk Native Band and is the largest community on the Central Coast (population 1,400). Although it was the former site of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort McLoughlin in the 1830s, nothing remains of the fort today
Trip Planning: Bella Bella, BC Central Coast (end of the Great Bear Rain Forest Adventure) to Seattle or Vancouver
Transportation from MV Sea Wolf:
A shuttle will be arranged to meet the MV Sea Wolf at the end of your trip to transport you back to the Bella Bella airport. We will be there by 12:30 or earlier if need to be to meet the regular schedule flights. Please advise us as to your arrangements. There are 2 airlines that both offer daily scheduled service between the Vancouver South terminal and Bella Bella. Then fly or drive or ferry to Seatle. You can also stay on board for 100 dollars per day (we will arrive evening of the 24th) to Port Mc Neil.
Pacific Coastal Airlines 1-800-663-2872
Eagle Air 1-866-949-5151 Bella Bella to Vancouver by Air:
Other Travel Options from Port Mc Neil or Port Hardy to Vancouver
Air
The most common, and quickest, way to get to Port McNeill from Vancouver is to fly into Port Hardy and then take a taxi to Port McNeill. The taxi ride is about a half hour and Northern Lights will arrange for taxi service between Port Hardy and Port McNeill (the cost of this taxi is not included in the trip).
There are two airlines offering service between Vancouver airport (YVR) and Port Hardy airport (YZT). It is recommended that you allow at least two hours between connecting flights in Vancouver.
Pacific Coastal airlines can be found online at www.pacificcoastal.com, or by phone at 800-663-2872 or 604-273-8666.
NOTE: Pacific Coastal offers an extended summer schedule, featuring many more flights to and from Port Hardy than they do in the off-season. Contact them directly for more information.
Eagle Air can be contacted by phone at 604-233-8880 or 866-949-5151 and online at www.flyeagleair.com.
Car
Approximate time from Vancouver to Port McNeill by car is 8 hours, which includes a two-hour ferry ride and waiting time for the ferry. Actual driving time is approximately 5 hours on good highways. A driving guide and road map will be included in your trip package. Ferry information can be found at www.bcferries.com, or by phone at 250-753-1261. (To avoid downtown traffic take the Tsawwassen ferry to Duke Point (Nanaimo), or on the north side of Vancouver you can take the Horseshoe Bay ferry to Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Most major car rental companies offer onsite rentals at the Vancouver airport.
If you’re renting a car on Vancouver Island, National and Budget have the most options.
Bus
Vancouver Island Coach Lines runs one trip per day between southern Vancouver Island and northern Vancouver Island. The bus arrives in Port McNeill around 3:15pm, and departs southbound at around 9am each day. Tickets can be purchased through Greyhound. Check online at www.greyhound.ca for current fares and detailed schedules.
Seattle, WA Travel Options to/from Port McNeil
Sea plane
There are two sea plane companies offering scheduled service from the Seattle area directly to Port McNeill.
Kenmore Air runs scheduled flights from Kenmore (just north of Seattle) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer. Departure from Kenmore is at 9am, arriving in Port McNeill at 12:00pm. Departure from Port McNeill is at 12:30pm, arriving in Kenmore around 3:30pm. Please call 866-435-9524 or 425-486-1257, or visit www.kenmoreair.com.
Sound Flight runs scheduled flights from Renton (near Seattle-Tacoma airport) to Port McNeill regularly throughout the summer on their seaplanes and wheeled planes*. Sound Flight operates a shuttle from Sea-Tac airport to their Renton terminal. Please call 866-921-3474, or visit www.soundflight.net.
*If you're flying into Port McNeill on a wheeled plane you will need a taxi to your hotel; we're happy to make that reservation for you.
Car
If you have extra time, the drive from Seattle offers many options for extra sightseeing.
The shortest route is to drive to Vancouver and then take the ferry to Vancouver Island. The approximate time from Seattle to Port McNeill is 10-11 hours, which includes the border crossing, a two-hour ferry ride and waiting time for the ferry. Actual driving time is approximately 7 hours on good highways. A driving guide and road map will be included in your trip package. Ferry information can be found at www.bcferries.com, or by phone at 250-753-1261. (To avoid Vancouver traffic take the Tsawwassen ferry to Duke Point (Nanaimo).
Two other options include driving to Anacortes and taking the ferry through the San Juan Islands to Victoria on the Washington State Ferries. Or you can drive to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula and take the ferry to Victoria on the Coho Ferry. There is also a passenger-only ferry, the Victoria Clipper, that runs between Seattle and Victoria. From Victoria it is about a six and a half hour drive to Port McNeill.
Many car rental options are available at the Seattle Airport
http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/ground/rentalcars.shtml
Do I need a passport to enter Canada? Yes
