Photography David Duran
You will see British Columbia in all its natural glory
For those in search of a true nature experience, imagine yourself in the magnificent Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, in a wilderness resort named one of the National Geographic Society Unique Lodges of the World. Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is an intimate family-owned-and operated resort where guests can find themselves exploring the beautiful wilderness either on land, on water or by flying in a helicopter. Part of the allure of Nimmo Bay is the remoteness, which makes getting there a bit challenging. Once there, guests can expect five-star service, a kitchen dishing out gourmet delicacies at all hours of the day, and a team of experts ready to lead them into the wild, whether that’s a day spent on the water spotting wildlife, a private picnic in the woods while tracking bears or even a day spent fishing via boat or helicopter…the options for guests at Nimmo Bay are abundant, as they continue to add more incredibly unique experiences (like the ones below).
Adrenaline Rush via Heli-Biking
Guests have the option of heading up or down forested alpine, remote mountain ridges and glaciers by fat bike as part of the resort’s heli-biking program. Heli-biking is for anyone who knows how to ride a bike. It’s a versatile experience that is curated to any skill or activity level. The resort provides guests with fat-bike tires to make it easier to traverse snow and varied terrain, but skilled riders may bring and use their own bikes. More varied technical landscape, like remote ridgelines or mountain glaciers, await the expert rider wishing to push their limit on two wheels, while moderate bikers will be taken to alpine expanses and logging roads. Even a tame shorter self-paced ride on a remote beach is an option, accompanied by educational information about the surrounding environment.
Holistic Spa Experience In Natural Surroundings
Guests will now be able to indulge in a five-hour natural spa and wellness experience tailored to individuals or small groups. The package includes a choice of treatments like reiki, reflexology, massage, scalp massage, a mindful walk in the rainforest, journaling, and a hands-on yoga class and meditation. Guests will be treated by master practitioners and yoga teachers with numerous years of experience and a natural healing touch. The program is an addition to the resort’s regular spa treatments.
Heli-Surfing On Canada’s West Coast
The resort is taking adventurers to the air with their new heli-surf experience. When booked in advance, guests can grab up to eight like-minded individuals and head out in the helicopter for between one and seven days of remote, wild West Coast surfing. Professional surf guides will join guests for the heli-surfing experience, confirming conditions at multiple locations within a two-hour helicopter flight from Nimmo Bay at the start of the day. This full-day or multi-day activity includes a cook-out lunch and/or dinner when the break is needed (or desired), allowing everyone to re-energize before returning to the swell. The helicopter is at the guests’ disposal to access surf along the coast, returning to Nimmo Bay each evening. Or, guests may choose to stay the night at a remote location for a truly intimate coastal experience.
Giving Back (to the bears)
The resort has offered all hunters the opportunity trade their bear hunting tag for a bear viewing experience that includes a two-night stay at the property. Because of the process that is required to obtain a bear tag through a lottery process that is run by the provincial government, many hunters covet tags. Because of the program, Nimmo Bay has accepted tags from hunters who want to participate in the program to help end the trophy hunt without requesting a stay. In addition, many people who do not normally hunt for bears have started to apply to the lottery in the hope of receiving a tag that can be exchanged for a stay, which also removes the opportunity for a hunt to occur.
Getting There
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is accessible only by air or water. The resort itself is the only development in the area and there is no road access. From Seattle, direct flights via floatplane are available with either Kenmore Air or Northwest Seaplanes. From Vancouver, via Pacific Coastal Airlines, it is a one-hour flight to Port Hardy. From Port Hardy, guests may reach the resort via boat or helicopter. The resort is happy to arrange transportation from Vancouver or Port Hardy for guests. For more information about Nimmo Bay, visit NimmoBay.com.