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.
Few locations in Alaska can match the grandeur of this private wilderness fly-in bear viewing camp in Lake Clark National Park. Your bush plane will fly by glaciered volcanoes and land you at the edge of an "Alaskan savanna" that is so perfect for bears that it has been proclaimed a "critical bear habitat".
In the early spring, when the female bears and their young are most vulnerable, they leave their dens to feed on the succulent grasses growing in the meadow directly behind the camp. As the young cubs mature and the salmon begin returning, the bears shift focus and begin to feed upon the Coho and chums directly below the raised viewing platform. This provides us with extremely consistent viewing from early June through the middle of September.
The private bear viewing camp is limited to 12 guests per night and was named "Best Bush Camp in North America" by Outside Magazine. The camp boasts comfortable high-tech "weather-port" custom tent-cabins, complete with two twin beds, linens, propane heat and lights.
In camp, wonderful family style meals are prepared by your guides and feature fresh seafood, meats and pastas, along with wine and beverages.
Knowledgeable attentive guides will teach you the ins and outs of staying in bear country, and at the same time share with you the knowledge that can only be gleaned from actually living with brown bears. In addition to the nearly unlimited time on the bear viewing platform, available activities include clamming and beachcombing. Most of our guests, however, seem happy to spend most of their time in the presence of the incredible animals while in Alaska's most exclusive bear-viewing venue.
ITINERARY
Day 1— We start picking guest up at hotels around 7:00 a.m. and leave Anchorage shortly after. We travel out of Anchorage driving south along the scenic Seward Highway and then on to the Sterling Highway.
The Seward Highway holds triple designations: USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, Alaska Scenic Byway, and All-American Road. The first 50 miles is along the Turnagain Arm. With tides that can vary over 40 feet, it has the second highest tides in North America. We often see Beluga whales and Dall sheep along this section. Leaving Turnagain Arm we head up into the mountains through Turnagain Pass. Keep your eyes open for the occasional moose along the highway and to see the hanging glaciers as we travel towards Sterling. We arrive in Sterling around 11:30 and stop at Great Alaska Adventure Lodge for a salmon lunch.
After lunch we transfer to the Soldotna airport for a spectacular 40-50 minute flight to the private bear viewing camp. You will fly-in on a six passenger Cessna 207, landing on the shoreline right in front of the camp. During the flight you will pass over towering mountains, active volcanoes and huge glaciers. We often spot bears and moose from the air along the way.
You're in for an action packed afternoon viewing and photographing brown bears. Your experienced guides will take you to several spectacular bear viewing points that will give you the best opportunities to get that perfect bear photograph.
After a scrumptious family style dinner you might choose to return to the viewing platform to photograph and watch the bears into the evening hours or just hang around camp and relax. During the summer months Alaska has almost 24 hours of daylight so you will have an almost unlimited time for viewing bears.
Day 2— After breakfast we head out again with the guides to see if we can find some playful bears to watch and photograph. After lunch if you're staying for 2 days you'll catch the afternoon flight back Soldotna and then back to Anchorage. If you're staying on for 3 days, enjoy more bear viewing time and another hardy dinner; then back out for a short hike to see if there are any bears near by that want to pose for a photograph.
Day 3— The three day trip gives you a little extra time to get an intimate connection with the bears and to get that once in lifetime bear photo.
After breakfast more bear viewing time, lunch then an afternoon flight back to Soldotna and Anchorage. Arrive back in Anchorage around 6:00 p.m.
2007 Tour Dates And Rates
Daily Departures
Bear viewing fly-in two day adventure from Anchorage – Cost $895
Bear viewing fly-in three day adventure from Anchorage – Cost $1195 Prices are subject to change without notice.
* Longer stays are possible please inquire for cost.
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
Experience: Locally owned and operated since 1986.
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Service: You are the most important part of our business. From airport logistics to pre-trip shopping, we customize your trip to remove the hassles and increase your enjoyment.
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Customization: We've guided adventure trips in Alaska for more than 20 years. This experience helps us plan a trip that best meets your desires. We work with you to create an Alaskan adventure of a lifetime.
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Credibility: We are members in good standing with major adventure and travel trade associations. Click here. References are available on request.
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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.
In camp, wonderful family style meals are prepared by your guides and feature fresh seafood, meats and pastas, along with wine and beverages.
The Seward Highway holds triple designations: USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, Alaska Scenic Byway, and All-American Road. The first 50 miles is along the Turnagain Arm. With tides that can vary over 40 feet, it has the second highest tides in North America. We often see Beluga whales and Dall sheep along this section. Leaving Turnagain Arm we head up into the mountains through Turnagain Pass. Keep your eyes open for the occasional moose along the highway and to see the hanging glaciers as we travel towards Sterling. We arrive in Sterling around 11:30 and stop at Great Alaska Adventure Lodge for a salmon lunch.
After a scrumptious family style dinner you might choose to return to the viewing platform to photograph and watch the bears into the evening hours or just hang around camp and relax. During the summer months Alaska has almost 24 hours of daylight so you will have an almost unlimited time for viewing bears.
