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Aerial view of Berry Island Lodge at dusk, its blue-roofed cedar buildings and boardwalk of guest rooms lit along a rocky point, with boats at the dock below

Great Bear Rainforest · Bear Viewing Lodges

Berry Island Lodge

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From the Journal

The Point at Farewell Harbour: Berry Island Lodge, before and after the name

I spent late summer days photographing this lodge on a rocky point in the Broughton Archipelago when it was still called Farewell Harbour. It is Berry Island Lodge now, same cedar, same floating rooms, same 5 pm swim club. This is what a stay there looks like, what I saw from the boats, and how to get to it.

Words, photography & film by Ben Taft ·

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About Berry Island Lodge

Berry Island Lodge, formerly Farewell Harbour Lodge, sits on a rocky point of Berry Island in the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park, at the southern edge of the Great Bear Rainforest and in the traditional territory of the Mamalilikulla First Nation. The main lodge is cedar, with a lounge around a brick fireplace, a dining room and bar, and a boardwalk deck leading to eight oceanside guest rooms; a ramp runs down to a floating lodge with four more rooms on the water. Every room has an ocean view, an ensuite bathroom and a fireplace. Stays are all-inclusive: the water taxi from Alder Bay, all meals and non-alcoholic drinks, accredited guides and every excursion. Days are planned each evening around the weather and the wildlife: full-day bear viewing in the inlets and estuaries by boat, zodiac or on foot; marine tours for orca, humpbacks, dolphins, porpoises and sea lions; guided sea kayaking and paddleboarding from the dock; rainforest walks; and visits to Indigenous cultural sites. The 5 pm swim club is a lodge tradition, optional, with a warm towel waiting. Guests are asked to be able to step in and out of boats and walk uneven ground; children are welcome from seven.

The essentials

Rate band
$$$, $1,000–2,000 per person / night
Season
June 1 to October 6 in 2026; May 30 to October 8 in 2027
Sleeps
24 guests
Region
Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia
Access
Boat, Road, Scheduled flight
Typical per person
$4,500 (estimated from published rates)

Water taxi from Alder Bay RV Park and Marina, near Port McNeill, departing between 12:00 and 12:30 pm; guests are asked to arrive by 11:30 am, and parking at Alder Bay is complimentary for the stay. The crossing through Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound takes about 30 minutes. By air, fly Vancouver South Terminal to Port Hardy with Pacific Coastal the day before; the lodge's shuttle from Port Hardy airport to Alder Bay is included on arrival morning and takes about 40 minutes. Book departing flights after 2 pm. By road it is the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo ferry and about four hours' driving to Alder Bay, so arrive on Vancouver Island the day before.

Amenities

  • All inclusive
  • Chef prepared meals
  • Licensed guides
  • Guided programme
  • Dock and boats
  • Boat access
  • Kayaks provided
  • Equipment included
  • Private bathroom
  • Ocean view
  • Licensed bar
  • Off grid power
  • No mobile signal

Best for

  • Wildlife viewing
  • Couples
  • Small groups
  • Families
  • Photographers
  • First timers

Virtual tour

Photographs

19 photographs of Berry Island Lodge. Select any image to enlarge it.

Location

50.6020, -126.6640 · nearest gateway Bella Bella or Port Hardy

How we verified this checked 13 September 2026 · 5 sources · 5 fields unverified

How we verified this

Compiled from the operator's own published material and rewritten in our own words. Last checked 13 September 2026. The following could not be confirmed against a published source and are marked unverified: avgTicketValue, capacity, lat, lng, amenities.

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