Swindle Island, located off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, is home to the Kitasu Tribe of the Tshimshian Indians and the elusive white kermodi or, as it is locally known, Spirit Bear. This beautiful if remote location feels apart from the hustle and bustle of busy British Columbia and yet it is wonderfully in touch with the demands and desires of the modern world and eco-savvy tourists.

Swindle Island is also home to Spirit Bear Adventures and the Spirit Bear Lodge.
This First Nations owned and operated destination offers a rare opportunity to experience the natural beauty and ancient culture of coastal British Columbia and one of the most unique eco-cultural experiences that Canada has to offer.

This location on Swindle Island provides an opportunity to view the rare white Spirit Bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world.

The new lodge has been built in the spirit of their First Nations heritage and with the comfort of their guests in mind. "Architecturally, the exterior of the Spirit Bear Lodge pays homage to the traditional long houses built for thousands of years by west coast First Nations. Inside, the atmosphere is modern and relaxing. Tsimshian art, wildlife photography and other unique touches, the lodge has been designed to tell the stories of the local tribe and their connection with the land.

After a day of Spirit Bear viewing, guests can share stories in "The Great Room", an intimate central room with 20-foot high windows looking out to the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by art, guests can gaze out towards the grey blue waters and watch for passing orcas, white-sided dolphins and sea lions

The guides at Spirit Bear Adventures are amongst the best in British Columbia. Lead guide Doug Neasloss was recently awarded the Young Adult Achievement Awards by Aboriginal Tourism BC for his outstanding work as an Eco-tour Guide.

The 2009 Spirit Bear Adventures bear viewing season runs from the beginning of August through until the end of September. Four and seven day eco-cultural tours are available. A typical tour day begins with a ride in a 10 passenger, enclosed cabin motorboat, which takes you deep into the lush inlets and fjords. After an hour or so of traveling, guests disembark onto land to hike the river mouths, tidal flats and old growth bear trails, searching for an encounter with the Spirit Bear and other abundant wildlife. The tours are accessible to anyone with a certain amount of agility but a high level of physical fitness is not required.

Although the bear viewing tours are only available in August and September, the Spirit Bear Lodge is open year round and offers a memorable place to stay as you travel north or south through the Inside Passage, a journey along British Columbia's central coast.

Daily float plane service, with connections from Victoria and Vancouver, brings visitors to Klemtu. BC Ferries also services Kelmtu once a week.

The Great Bear Rainforest is home to the world's only Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy. The Kitasoo/ Xai'xais First Nation have inhabited this geological region for thousands of years and their traditional territory is the location of these eco-cultural tours. The ancestral lands of the Kitasoo Xai'xais First Nation encompasses 5320 sq kms and includes over 100 documented ancient cultural sites.

For more information: www.spiritbear.com