Katmai
Park
7-Day Bear Viewing
Adventure Having appeared in magazines and films around the
world, Katmai's brown bears are renowned Alaskan icons. The world's largest
run of sockeye salmon up the Naknek River creates an ideal feast for brown
bears - attracting more than 2,000 of the bruins to the lands of Katmai
National Park and Preserve. This is one of the world's premier brown bear
viewing trips.
Our 4-day Aialik Bay sea kayaking Alaska adventure allows travelers who are pressed for time to still enjoy the pristine beauty of Kenai Fjords National Park plus have an evening to explore the city of Seward. Trips departing on June 6th and after have the option to continue on to our 3-day Denali National Park Adventure.
Aialik Bay is a spectacular Alaska sea kayaking paradise, with an abundance of wildlife and tidewater glaciers flowing into its bays. A wide variety of wildlife and marine birds call Aialik Bay home. We often see pods of killer whales, humpback whales, harbor seals, sea otters, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles, the endangered Steller sea lion, and a variety of marine birds, including puffins. You'll see a tidewater glacier, and hear the cracking and thunderous booms as it flows and calves into the ocean. Our experienced sea kayaking guides are here to make this 4-day wilderness sea kayaking adventure the highlight of your Alaska vacation. Visit our Aialik Bay Photo Album.
ITINERARY Arrival/Introduction— A Backcountry Safaris host will meet you at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and transport you to your hotel.
Arrival— Fly in to Anchorage International Airport. Plan to arrive a day before your kayak trip's departure date. Anchorage offers many fine hotel and bed and breakfast lodging options. We can provide you a list of recommended lodging options or arrange for you to stay at the downtown Anchorage Ramada Inn at a discounted guest rate. Let us know if you prefer to have us add a hotel stay with your reservation at our discounted rate. The Ramada Inn offers free airport transfers to and from the airport.
Day 1— Your adventure starts at 6:45 a.m. with a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad Costal Classic Train to Seward. If you choose to stay at the Ramada Inn, they will take you to the Anchorage rail station.
The train follows the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm for about 50 miles before heading into the mountains. The Seward Highway has been designated an All-American Road, USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, and Alaska Scenic Byway. Turnagain Arm has tides with the second greatest fluctuation in North America, varying more than 40 feet. Beluga whales and Dall sheep are frequently seen along this section of Turnagain Arm.
Leaving Turnagain Arm the train heads up into the Kenai Mountains towards Grandview Valley where you'll travel through lush spruce and birch forests. Keep your eyes open for the occasional moose along the rail and to see the many hanging glaciers. To mention a few, there's Bartlett Glacier, Trail Glacier, and Spencer Glacier, which stands out as one of the most beautiful glaciers along the southern railbelt. You arrive in Seward around noon.
Our guides will meet you at the Seward rail station where we'll unload your personal gear for an overnight stay. You'll have an opportunity to freshen up before heading out on your own to explore the maritime community of Seward. Activities you may want to consider include: a visit to the Alaska Sea Life Center; a walking tour of Seward to visit the many shops; a harbor and sea wall walk; dog mushing (yes, even in summer) and fishing. Ask our travel host about making arrangements for these special side excursions. Seward has many coffee houses and restaurants to choose from for lunch.
As evening approaches, our shuttle driver will pick you up in Seward and take you to our base camp where your guides will prepare a hardy evening meal. After dinner, we'll outfit you with expedition equipment, including rain gear, dry suit and rubber boots. Our guides will help you set up your tent and demonstrate how to pack your gear in dry bags for your trip. We finish the evening gathered around the campfire to visit and exchange stories before retiring for the evening and resting for the next day's adventure.
Day 2— We have a early morning breakfast and load our sea kayaks and gear onto an ocean charter vessel for a three-hour marine wildlife and glacier cruise to our first camp. Along the way, we round Cape Aialik, pass Caines Head, Bear Glacier, and a Stellar sea lion haulout. We'll set up camp, then devote the rest of the day to sea kayak safety and instruction as we paddle around our new environment.
Day 3— This is your full day of sea kayaking in Kenai Fjords. Paddling up to face of Aialik Glacier we will and take a long lunch break to watch the glacier calve and the seals playing on the icebergs.
Day 4— Early-risers may choose a morning paddle near camp while waiting for our charter boat pickup back to Seward on another marine wildlife cruise. In Seward you'll have the opportunity to grab a quick dinner on your own before our drive back to Anchorage. Along the way we pass through dramatic valleys of the Kenai Mountains and keep a watch out for bald eagles, beluga whales and Dall sheep on this National Scenic Byway. We arrive in Anchorage late evening.
2007 Tour Dates And Rates
Form your own group for a group discount and choose any departure date or choose from one of our scheduled tour dates.
June 2 – June 6
June 10 – June 13
June 17 – June 20
June 24 – June 27
July 1 – July 4
July 8 – July 11
July 15 – July 18
July 22 – July 25
July 29 – August 1
August 5 – August 8
August 12 – August 15
August 19 – August 22
August 26 – August 29
Aialik Bay 4-day Sea Kayaking Adventure – Cost $1380 Prices are subject to change without notice.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO GO!Fill out the secure on-line reservation form or call our office at (907) 222-1632 or toll-free (877) 812-2159. Reservation requires a 50% deposit. We accept payment by VISA/MasterCard. You will receive a pre-trip packet detailing the itinerary of the tour you have chosen and an equipment list. (Reservation and Payment Terms)
Last minute reservations may be available so don't hesitate to contact us. If a trip has space, we can get you on it.
Limitations of liability:
Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, our adventure trips involve inherent risks and dangers which are beyond our control and Backcountry Safaris shall assume no responsibility for personal injuries or deaths and loss of personal property. We highly recommend that you consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance coverage can help with expenses for the unforeseeable such as lost baggage trip delays, emergency evacuation, and cancellation due to illness.
We use independent contractors to supply Backcountry Safaris with various services on many of our adventures. Some trips require us to use independent tour guides, drivers, lodges and hotels, air and water taxis, and other suppliers. Because we do not own, operate, manage, control, or supervise these suppliers, we cannot be liable for any acts or omissions on their part, including any negligence, gross negligence, or reckless or willful acts. Backcountry Safaris assumes no responsibility for any injury, loss, damage, delay, or death to person or property arising from the negligent or willful act or failure to act of any person who is to or does provide goods or services for this trip or for the action or inaction of any other third party. Without limitation, Backcountry Safaris is not responsible for acts of God, equipment failures, vehicle or vessel accidents, illness from food or otherwise, annoyance, delays, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, and changes in transit or hotel and lodge services over which it has no control. We make occasional changes in trip itineraries for the comfort and well being of our guests. We will keep you informed of any necessary changes in a timely fashion.
On payment of your deposit to Backcountry Safaris, you agree to be bound by the above terms and conditions.
Alaska Adventure Travel Specialist Backcountry Safaris P.O. Box 231121 • Anchorage, Alaska USA 99523 1-907-222-1632 or toll-free 1-877-812-2159
Why You Should Choose Backcountry Safaris For Your Alaska Sea
Kayaking Adventure
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Airport pick-up:
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Anchorage Departure: Anchorage departure on out multi-day trips. You don't have the expense and hassle of renting a car or taking the bus to Seward, Whittier or Valdez.
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Drysuits: We supply drysuits for your safety and comfort while kayaking. Most outfitters have you paddling in rain gear. Drysuits will protect you from hypothermia in Alaska's cold waters. Your comfort and safety is high on our list. Another advantage to drysuits is that if the weather turns wet, they add warmth and a comfort level you would not think possible in this maritime environment.
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Gear We Save You Money: We supply the specialized outdoor gear needed. You will save money since you don't have to buy gear that you may only use one time. We supply high quality rain gear, rubber boots, pogies (kayaking gloves) to keep your hands warm, tents, sleeping pads, and dry bags to pack your gear in.
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Insurance and Permits: We are fully insured and have special use permits from the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and Alaska State Parks
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Guides: Our Alaska guides have the right mix of camaraderie, experience and leadership to make your trip memorable. All are professionally trained experts and have current advanced first aid certification.
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Safety: Your welfare is our highest priority and is reflected in everything we do. We are vigilant about your safety. We exercise judgment to prevent accidents, are trained to respond to situations, and carry a satellite phone, marine or VHF radio or other communication equipment that allow us to make emergency contact should any needs arise.
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Environmental Commitment: All of our Alaska adventure tours are run in matter to minimize environmental impact. We also support the voluntary dollar a day for conservation program and the National River Cleanup Week just to mention a few.
Our 4-day Aialik Bay sea kayaking Alaska adventure allows travelers who are pressed for time to still enjoy the pristine beauty of Kenai Fjords National Park plus have an evening to explore the city of Seward. Trips departing on June 6th and after have the option to continue on to our 3-day Denali National Park Adventure.
