FAQ's

All children receive a Junior Rangers Club badge and activity kit who join us on safari!

Bear tours are good for everyone, but some children believe we will be driving to a field with bears in it, so it helps if you explain to them ahead of time that we will be searching for bears throughout the tour. Please bring car seats if required. Booster seats are available for children 40 pounds and over. If you are unfamiliar with BC child passenger laws, please refer to the link below.
http://www.bcaa.com/road-safety/child-passenger-safety/overview/bc-child-passenger-law

 Any cancellations within 24 hours of the departure are subject to a full charge of the tour cost. Whistler Photo Safaris Ltd. reserves the right to cancel tours due to inclement weather, foreseeable hazards, insufficient bookings or events beyond our control. Full refunds will be made or alternate dates will be offered in these unlikely events.

Gratuities are appreciated but not expected. In Canada 15-20% is typical. We appreciate not all cultures tip and our primary concern is that you are comfortable with your experience. 

Absolutely not! It is against the law in British Columbia to feed bears as it jeopardizes both theirs and your safety.

While our guides are dedicated to tracking bears throughout the seasons we can not always predict their behaviour.  Climatic conditions and food supplies can, from time to time, limit our viewing opportunities.  (See tour packages for more information.) 

We view wildlife from the safety of inside the vehicle. Our guides will explain what is expected in this event during your tour, but we encourage you to visit the following link to educate yourself through this great resource with a remarkable amount of information about black bears.  http://www.bearsmart.com/play/bear-encounters/

Dressing in layers is recommended as weather shifts extremely quick in British Columbia and it is not uncommon to have a 10-15 degree temperature shift from Whistler village to an alpine location. Though this is primarily a driving tour we are in the back country and appropriate footwear is required.

Insects are often present in the back country and will enter the vehicle when the windows are open during viewing. There are no mosquito born illness in British Columbia but please wear insect repellent if this concerns you.

We ask that you do not but understand that some people require small snacks on hand for various reasons.

No, we are sorry, no family pets on the tours. Please contact us if you have a licensed service animal.

No, we only use a third row in the event that a large group or family wants to travel together in the same vehicle. All guests may be placed with other people in the vehicle depending on group sizeWill I be sitting in a third row?  and time of year. We have 5 passenger and 8 passenger vehicles.

While May and early June is often the easiest time to find bears, it is not always the best for weather. So plan your trip according to what type of climate is most important for the bulk of your activities.

We offer several different departure times each day. Traditionally the Sunrise and Sunset have the highest success rates of finding the highest number of bears.

At different times of year the best time changes throughout the day - be sure to email or call us if you want to know the best chances for the time you are looking on taking a safari! We are happy to help!

This is your judgement call but we will be driving on bumpy, winding roads that may cause you discomfort, and we want to ensure that all guests in the vehicle enjoy their tour.

Yes, we will do our best to accommodate anything that you need to make you feel comfortable though this tour involves entering and exiting vehicles and walking on uneven ground.