Introduction

The trip has been designed to take in some of the best whale and bear-viewing opportunities available anywhere in the world. Even ursid and cetacean biologists can only dream of visiting some of these hot-spots! Your adventure will take you from the coastal fjordlands of the KhutzeymateenValley on the British Columbia Coast, to the Alaska’s famed Inside Passage along the narrow waterways of the panhandle, to the northern coastal mountains and rich waters of Glacier Bay National Park. From there you will be transported to Kodiak island and the Katmai Coast – one of the most isolated wilderness areas in North America and home to the largest bears in the world. Brooks River will provide world-class photograph opportunities as brown bears fish for salmon at the famous falls and finally, the majestic Denali National Park will offer glimpses of grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou and North America’s highest peak. During this 27 day trip you will be transported and accommodated in comfort and style whilst being provided the chance to experience nature up close and personal.

Alaska Facts

Itinerary

Welcome to the USA! If you are feeling energetic enough, we will get together in the evening to pour over maps and go through details of the adventure ahead. The alternative may be to meet the next morning before departing to Vancouver. Night in Bellingham hotel.

Day 2: Drive to Vancouver, then fly to Prince Rupert.

Transportation from Bellingham to Vancouver International Airport, Canada (1 hour 15 minutes) for your flight north to Prince Rupert on the British Columbia coast. Night in Prince Rupert.

Days 3-6: Sailing ketch to Khutzeymateen.

Day three sees the start of your four day journey aboard a beautiful, exclusively-chartered, fully-equipped 40 foot motor sailing ketch. The stunning Khutzeymateen Valley is located 50 miles from Prince Rupert up a long inland fjord among dramatic coastal mountains that drop thousands of feet to the sea. The valley is located in Canada’s first and only grizzly bear sanctuary. You will have use of a zodiac boat which will enable you to join your guide in an exploration of the rich habitat: old growth forest, eagles, wild flowers, wildfowl, bear trails, seals, otters, brown/grizzly bears, black bears, porcupines etc. There are no facilities in the Khutzeymateen. You will enjoy meals and relaxation time on board the ketch where you will spend three nights enjoying the peace and tranquility of this magical region. You may also be lucky enough to see wolves, porpoise, grey, humpback and killer whales while sailing to and from the valley. Nights on board ketch. Last night in Prince Rupert.

Day 7: Alaska State Ferry from Prince Rupert to Petersburg.

On day 7 you will begin your journey northwards up the inside passage from Prince Rupert (BC) to Petersburg (Alaska) via the Alaska State Ferry. This relaxing 16 hour journey offers spectacular views along some of the most breathtaking coastal waterways and forest-carpeted islands in the world. While on board you will have use of a private 4-berth cabin. For many people, the ferry journey north to Alaska is the highlight of their trip. Although wonderful, you will have even better things to come. The ferry arrives in Petersburg where you will be met by your hosts who will check you in at your beachfront bed and breakfast, which be exclusively yours for the next four nights. Night at B&B, Petersburg.

Day 8: Exploring Petersburg.
Today there will be plenty of time to explore Petersburg – a small, picturesque fishing town midway between Ketchikan and Juneau. The old fashioned main street offers intriguing shops, while the bustling docks give you the opportunity to see a traditional fishing town at work. Luxury yachts, sailboats and research vessels also call at Petersburg's three harbors. From here you can access miles of road and hiking trails to explore the world's largest temperate rainforest, the Tongass National Forest. Night at beachfront B&B, Petersburg.

Day 9: Whale watching on a private vessel

Southeast Alaska is a very important summer feeding ground for humpback whales which winter in Hawaii. Frederick Sound, near Petersburg, offers some of the best whale-watching opportunities found anywhere. Experts estimate that as many as 500 individual humpbacks may enter Frederick Sound each summer. They are normally present from mid-May through September with peak abundance in July and August. Petersburg thus boasts the largest concentration of humpback whales in Alaska and today you will be observing them under the expert guidance of a professional marine biologist and naturalist. You will have the exclusive use of a charter boat for a full day of whale watching in the waters around Petersburg. A hydrophone (underwater microphone) is on board for listening to whales when water conditions and feeding behavior allows. Orcas (killer whales) and Dall's porpoise are also frequently seen. Pacific white-sided dolphins, minke whales, and gray whales are occasional visitors to the inside waters of Southeast Alaska. There is an abundance of other marine wildlife to be observed including Steller's sea lions, harbor seals, and many species of marine birds. Night at beachfront B&B, Petersburg.

Day 10: Continued exploration of the Petersburg area.

Today you will continue your tour of the Petersburg area. Local options for activities and sights include bicycling (available from the B&B), hiking, car rental (there are 100 miles of roads to explore), flightseeing over the icefield etc. Night at beachfront B&B, Petersburg.

Day 11: Ferry from Petersburg to Hoonah.

Your journey by ferry continues northward today on the M/V LeConte taking a less well-traveled route among the spectacular islands of the Alaska panhandle, including Baranof, Admiralty and Chicagof Islands. Cabins are not available on this particular ferry, but there is an inviting sundeck for you to relax on while enjoying the long extended hours of summer light (and hopefully sunshine!).

Hoonah (pronounced Hooner) is a small fishing town located on Chicagof Island at the mouth of Glacier Bay – one of North America’s most spectacular National Parks. When you arrive you will be picked up by your host and taken to your self-catering cabin - a cozy but comfortable place that offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local community (the cabin is located just across the street from the harbor). Night in Hoonah cabin.

Day 12: Flightseeing trip over Glacier Bay National Park.

Prepare for the thrill of a lifetime today! After an easy going start to the day following your late night you will take a flightseeing trip from Hoonah. The Beaver aircraft will take you over Glacier Bay National Park where (weather permitting) you will land to stretch your legs and take in the scenery of this astounding wilderness jewel. The park, which is also a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, can only be reached by boat or plane – a function of its wild isolation. The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve provides for adventure, a living laboratory for observing the ebb and flow of glaciers, and a chance to study life as it returns in the wake of retreating ice - shorelines that were completely covered by ice just 200 years ago. When explorer George Vancouver entered this area in 1794, Glacier Bay was a barely indented glacier - 4000 feet thick, 20 miles wide and 100 miles long. By 1879, the ice had retreated 48 miles up the bay and continues to recede. Such rapid retreat is known nowhere else on earth. Amidst majestic scenery, Glacier Bay offers a connection to a powerful and wild landscape. The park has snow-capped mountain ranges rising to over 15,000 feet, coastal beaches with protected coves, deep fjords, tidewater glaciers, coastal and estuarine waters, and freshwater lakes. These diverse land and seascapes host a mosaic of plant communities ranging from pioneer species in areas recently exposed by receding glaciers, to climax communities in older coastal and alpine ecosystems. Diverse habitats support a variety of life including seabirds, marine and terrestrial mammals that provide ideal conditions for wildlife viewing and research.

Time and conditions permitting, you will then be flown around Mount Fairweather (north of the Park) for a spectacular view of this 15,300 foot beauty before returning to Hoonah. Total flight time is approximately two hours. Night in Hoonah cabin.

Day 13: Whale watching on Shawn McConnell’s private vessel.

Today you will be escorted by your very own guide on an exclusive whale-watching vessel around the waters of Hoonah in search of whales and other wildlife sights today. The service is extremely personalized and will enable you to see whatever you want, at the pace of your choosing. Night in Hoonah cabin.
 

Day 14: From Hoonah to Juneau and then on to Kodiak via Anchorage.

A small aircraft will transport you from Hoonah to Juneau today. From the airport you will take a rental car to explore the town of Juneau – Alaska’s capital city: ‘the most scenic capital in the country’. Dominated by the peaks of Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, Juneau was born in the 1880’s following the discovery of gold in a local stream. The frontier appearance of Juneau continues to this day and offers much to explore.

By late afternoon you will head back to Juneau airport to take your flight to Kodiak (via Anchorage). Kodiak Island is rich in both wildlife and cultural tradition and offers much to explore. For most people, Kodiak's identity is inexorably linked with its most famous resident, the Kodiak brown bear. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 to protect bear and other wildlife habitat. About 3,000 bears live in the archipelago, with many additional bears inhabiting the Katmai Coast. The proximity of these two large bear populations make Kodiak an ideal bear viewing locale. Kodiak also offers world class bird watching opportunities. Night in downtown Kodiak hotel.
 
 

Day 15: Exploring Kodiak Island

After a relaxing morning, your afternoon will be spent exploring Kodiak Island – experiencing the thrill of seeing the Emerald Isle from the comfort of your own chartered float plane. The shuttle van will pick you up from the Kodiak Inn in time for your flight (the trip includes lunch). The vast Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge can only realistically be reached by air, and this will afford you the opportunity to take in the grand scale of this Alaskan archipelago. For two hours of your four hour flight excursion, you will be on the ground viewing Kodiak’s famed Kodiak brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorfi) at Frazier Lake (south west end of Kodiak Island). These are considered the largest brown bears in the world (the largest males may weigh in at close to 2000 pounds!). Night in downtown Kodiak hotel.
 
 

Days 16-18: The spectacular Katmai coast on a private vessel

From the city of Kodiak, you will fly 60 minutes by seaplane to join your private vessel for the first of an unforgettable three day/two night trip to explore the remote Katmai coast mainland and the plethora of wildlife species to be found there. From the comfort of your sturdy 73 foot vessel, and also during forays of the beach (accessed by 18 foot boats), you will be observing the planet’s largest terrestrial carnivores - coastal brown bears (some of which weigh over 1200 pounds!). Very few people are fortunate enough to set foot in this region – boat operations are heavily restricted, which lends to the extreme sense of isolation and wilderness. This boat has been temporary home to some impressive clients to this area including the IMAX team, the BBC (Sir David Attenborough and his crew) and a whole host of wildlife documentary film makers. Stunning mountainous scenery, expansive coastal flats and a dense population of bears make a superb setting for photography and relaxation. To top it all, gourmet food is served aboard your comfortable 6 person boat!
 

"Look for Stellar sea lions, porpoise, whales, fox dens and bird rookeries. The Katmai Coast is home to hundreds of migratory birds such as horned and tufted puffins, cormorants, murres and kittiwakes. Photograph eagles and nesting eaglets. Watch in amazement as the ebbing tides (second largest in the world) expose miles of rich intertidal areas, second in world productivity to our precious rain forests. These inter-tidal zones are rich in clams, an important food source for the bears while they wait for the salmon returns. View numerous rivers and creeks carving their way down from glaciers and snow-capped mountains. Although bears in the wilderness are the reason many photographers take our tour, there are many other wild animals we shall likely encounter, depending upon the length of your trip. We can visit a rookery of Stellar Sea Lions. We may see salmon, porpoise, seals, sea and land otters, and foxes with kitts. Several islands are summer homes for Horned and Tufted Puffins, Oyster Catchers and chicks, Gulls, Eagles and Eaglets, Loons, and many other bird species. If we are lucky, we may even come across a pod of whales visiting the Shelikof Strait. The breath taking landscapes in this wilderness unspoiled by man are reason enough to visit Katmai."

"In the land of the "midnight sun" darkness is rare, leaving hours for you to play and work up an appetite. Our chef provides three gourmet meals each day made from only the finest ingredients. Fresh food is flown in weekly. Fresh Alaskan seafood, including halibut, salmon, and crab, highlight many of the dinners." Nights on board your vessel, last night at Brooks River cabin.
 
 
 

Day 18 (continued)-20: From The Katmai Coast to Brooks River Camp.

Still so much adventure to come! From your vessel you will be flown over the Katmai Mountain Range to Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Katmai National Park is located on the northeast coast of the Alaska Peninsula. It boasts the largest population of protected brown bears in the world. During the July salmon runs, Katmai's Brooks River & Falls is the focus of bears feeding in the park, providing visitors with unparalleled views of Alaskan brown bears in action.

Brown bears are very active in Katmai. The number of brown bears in the Park has grown to over 2,000, making them the world's largest protected population of these bigger cousins of the grizzly. Calorie rich seafood is the reason they get so big. During the peak of the world's largest sockeye salmon run each July, and during return of the "spawned out" salmon in September, forty to sixty bears congregate along the Brooks River near Brooks Camp.

You will be staying in a Brooks Camp lodge cabin – small comfortable accommodations located in the heart of bear activity. Daytime visitors may number 150 people, but you will enjoy much quieter evenings with the magic of Brooks to yourself. Optional extra side trips include a tour to the famed Valley of 10,000 Smokes (an area of once intense volcanic activity) and kayaking (available on site at Brooks Camp). Nights in Brooks Lodge cabins.

Day 20 (continued): From Brooks Camp to Anchorage.

Today you will be transported by air from Brooks Camp to Anchorage via the small Katmai town of King Salmon (approximately 2 hours total). Night in Anchorage B&B..

Day 21: Train from Anchorage to Denali National Park.

Enjoy a day of train travel through Alaska’s wilderness from Anchorage to the gateway of Denali National Park, 250 miles to the north. At 6 million acres, the park is bigger than Massachusetts and hosts North America’s highest peak (Mount McKinley – 20,320 feet). Night at park entrance hotel.
 
 
 
 

Days 22-26: The interior of Denali National Park.

At around lunchtime today you will be picked up by private van from the Denali National Park entrance and taken in style to your backcountry accommodations in the heart of the park. Your base is located at the end of Denali’s only road which is 93 miles long and unpaved. A drive down this road has been likened to a wilderness safari park, offering glimpses of wolves, caribou, grizzly bears, moose, and of course, mountains. The vast majority of visitors to this jewel never venture beyond a few miles down the road (park buses transport them back and forth). However, you will be able to experience the true Denali during your extended stay, among people who truly appreciate their wild surroundings.
 

No less than eight major peaks of the Alaska Range command the view from your base's unique hillside location, and Mount McKinley is mirrored in the still waters of Nugget Pond, a natural centerpiece. Seventeen guest cabins, which are carefully situated to capture superlative mountain views, are complemented by a historic hand-hewn log lodge and homey dining room. Many guest wildlife specialists share their expertise on field trips and during evening programs, and the flavor of the facility is definitely one of wildlife appreciation and learning. The four nights that you are to spend here will definitely provide the opportunity for you to fully immerse yourself in the Denali experience. Nights in Denali cabins.

Day 26 (continued): Shuttle van from Denali to Anchorage.

The Camp Denali van will transport you back to the park entrance this morning. From there, you will make your way back to Anchorage via shuttle van in preparation for your flight home the following day. Night in Anchorage B&B.

Day 27: Depart for home

Refreshed and inspired!

Click here to read a poem written by one of our customers, following his experiences on this trip.