7-day sea kayaking adventure, sea kayaking in Seward Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park's Aialik Bay, one of Alaska's most diverse sea kayaking destination. 7-day sea kayak trip departing Anchorage, Alaska includes whale watching and tide water glaciers.

We make it simple by including round trip Anchorage to Seward transportation and pre and post trip lodging in Seward in this custom Kenai Fjords sea kayaking tour.

Seward transportation and lodging is combined with of our 5-day Aialik Bay sea kayaking trip to give you a complete sea kayaking tour package departing from Anchorage.

This 7-day Seward sea kayaking adventure includes 5-days sea kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park's Aialik Bay, one of Alaska's most diverse sea kayaking destinations. There are 3 tidewater glaciers that flow into Aialik Bay, and the area is well know as one of Alaska top wildlife viewing hotspots. We often see humpback whales and pods of orca whales and sometimes we get quite close to them. Dall porpoise, harbor seals, sea otters, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles, and a variety of marine birds including puffins are also commonly seen. We'll sea kayak through rock arches while we explore the rugged coast of this fjord. Three immense glaciers flow into the ocean and we explore them all. You'll sea kayak among giant icebergs trapped in a lagoon and witness the awesome power of calving glaciers from the best seat in the house, your kayak. You'll see lots of waterfalls cascading down sheer granite walls. You can even sea kayak under waterfalls, if you're bold.

This Aialik Bay Kenai Fjords National Park 7-day sea kayaking adventure provides a complete tour package; transportation, lodging in Seward and an Alaska sea kayaking wilderness camping experience with enough time to gain an intimate understanding of this magical place. We think this is the single best overall sea kayaking adventure we offer. Take a look at our Aialik Bay Photo Album and see how incredible it is.

Itinerary

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Your Custom Sea Kayaking Package Includes

• Dry Suit - We supply dry suits to keep you warm, dry, and help protect you from hypothermia in Alaska's cold waters. Other Seward sea kayaking outfitters provide (or rent at extra cost) rain gear and rubber boots that offer little protection. Another advantage to dry suits is that if the weather turns wet, they add warmth and a comfort level you would not think possible in this maritime environment.
• Single Kayaks - We provide an option to paddle your own single-person kayak. Most other outfitters use only two-person kayaks. Please inquire.
• Specialty Equipment - No hidden or added gear costs to our trip cost. We supply the specialized outdoor gear you need. Other outfitters may require you to pay extra to rent gear or you may have to buy gear you may use only once. We supply our guests with dry suits, high quality rain gear, rubber boots, pogies (kayaking gloves) to keep your hands warm, tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bag if needed and dry bags to pack your gear in.
• Anchorage Departure - Transportation to Seward by the Alaska Railroad and motor coach back to Anchorage
• Seward Lodging - Pre- and post-trip hotel lodging in Seward is included in your custom tour package. Optional hostel lodging is available for budget-minded guests.
• Environmental Commitment - All of our Alaska adventure tours are run in a manner to minimize environmental impact. We practice Leave No Trace camping techniques.
• High Quality Experience Since 1986 - Recognized by the National Geographic 2007-2009 as one of the best adventure travel companies in the world.

ITINERARY **
Arrival - Fly into Anchorage International Airport. Plan to arrive at least one day before your kayak trip departure date. Anchorage offers many fine hotel and bed and breakfast lodging options. We can provide you a list of recommended lodging options or include hotel lodging in Anchorage with your tour package. If you would like us to include hotel lodging in Anchorage with your sea kayaking tour package just let us know.

Day 1 - Your adventure starts with a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train to Seward. 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 railroad and to see the many hanging glaciers. 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.

You'll have an opportunity to freshen up before heading out on your own to explore the small maritime community of Seward. Activities you may want to consider include: a walking tour of Seward to visit the many shops; a harbor and sea wall walk; Guided Ice Climbing Adventure, museum, or maybe a fishing trip. Ask our travel host about making arrangements for these special side excursions. Seward has many coffee houses and restaurants to choose from for lunch (on your own).

You can also visit the Alaska SeaLife Center. The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit marine science facility. The center's research facilities and naturalistic exhibits immerse visitors in the dynamic marine ecosystems of Alaska and provide opportunities to watch animals in naturalistic habitats as well as research settings.

Seward is a small community and everything is within walking distance. From your Seward hotel you can easily walk to the small boat harbor, downtown and the SeaLife Center.

Dinner (on your own) at one of the local Seward restaurants. Around 6:00 p.m. one of our guides will meet you at the hotel for a pre-trip meeting. Tonight will get you outfitted with rain gear, rubber boots and dry bags to pack your gear. Also, our guide will answer any last-minute trip questions you may have.

Day 2 - Breakfast on your own. Our guides will pick you at the hotel and with team effort we will load our sea kayaks and gear onto an ocean charter vessel for a 4-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 - Today we paddle up to face of Aialik Glacier and take a long lunch break to watch the glacier calve and watch the seals playing on the icebergs. After lunch we head for Pedersen Lagoon, which is used by harbor seals to escape from orca whales. A beautiful glacier empties into an upper lagoon filling it with massive icebergs. This area is teeming with wildlife including bears, eagles, waterfowl, shorebirds, sea otters and harbor seals. Wolves and coyotes have also been reported in this area.

Day 4 - Today we head out toward the open ocean and paddle around Holgate Head and back into Holgate Arm, setting camp up on Holgate Beach.

Day 5 - We will paddle our way to the end of the fjord to visit the Holgate Glacier, the last of the three tidewater glaciers in Aialik Bay. We'll sea kayak through ice and "bergy bits" in front of the active glacier and watch it calve into the ocean with a thunderous roar.

Day 6 - We break camp early morning and if you choose you can go for a short paddle near camp while waiting for our charter boat to arrive for our ride back to Seward. Our shuttle driver will meet us at the dock and take you to back to your hotel.

Day 7 - Breakfast on your own. Meet the bus at 9:45 a.m. for your trip back to Anchorage. Along the way you will 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. You will arrive in Anchorage around 1:30 p.m.

For those that are continuing on to Denali National Park, you'll have about a 90 minute lunch stop at the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Arts before continuing on to Denali.

Backcountry Safaris P.O. Box 1397 Seward, Alaska USA 99664 1-907-222-1632 or toll-free 1-877-812-2159

**Tour Itineraries: Backcountry Safaris and other tour operators that we work with strive to give you a high quality Alaska experience. The tour itinerary shown on our web page is an example tour itinerary. The actual tour itinerary may vary some due to weather, safety, guest abilities and other conditions. Backcountry Safaris and other independent tour contractors reserve the right to change the tour itinerary and/or make substitutions at any time and without prior notice or to cancel all or part of any tour in its reasonable discretion, for the safety of its participants or due to insufficient number of participants signing up for a tour, because of weather, for the comfort and well being of our guests, for any other conditions that might affect the quality of tour, or as deemed necessary by the tour operator or trip leader.

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. Due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will read and sign the acknowledgment and Release of Liability before the tour begins. A copy of the text is available on request.