Alaska | Grizzlies: From Kodiak to Katmai
In a flash of liquid silver, a salmon leaps from a foaming cascade. An Alaskan brown bear captures it in its jaws in mid-air. The water boils as several Alaska grizzlies, the largest grizzlies in the world, perch on its banks to gorge on the river's bounty during this annual summer feast. And where the river tumbles into the sea, bears are here, too, foraging for clams and loping along the beach. Here in Katmai National Park in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness, our Alaskan grizzly bear tours offer a rare encounter with Ursus arctos in all its wild majesty.
| Duration: | 7 Days |
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| Tour Code: | ITW490 |
| Trip Style: | Deluxe - 5 star |
| Departure Dates: | 29 Jun 2012, 08 Jul 2012, 16 Jul 2012, 25 Jul 2012, 02 Aug 2012, 10 Aug 2012, 29 Jun 2013, 08 Jul 2013, 16 Jul 2013, 25 Jul 2013, 02 Aug 2013, 10 Aug 2013 |
| Price: | From $7,173 |
| Single Supplement: | $365 |
| Places you'll visit: |
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| Highlights: |
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Ideal for Solo Travellers
The travellers on this tour are generally animal lovers, nature enthusiasts and people of all ages who have a desire to view wildlife in its own environment. They all possess the same thirst for encounters with nature. The groups are small. Therefore, as a solo traveller you would be with an intimate group of like minded people.
Please note: Single supplement is for accommodation in Kodiak only. Single cabins on the boat are not available due to space limitations.
Trip Details
SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTURES: 29 JUN 2012, 16 Jul 2012, 29 JUL 2013
Price: $7,565 per person twin share
These trips have an extra day on the boat.
GROUP SIZE: 6 max.
Day 1: Arrive Kodiak, Alaska
For those who choose to arrive early, an NHA representative will accompany you to explore Kodiak's native and Russian heritage. Destinations may include the National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, St. Paul Harbor, Pillar Mountain Overlook, Baranov Museum, Alutiiq Museum, Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church and Fort Abercrombie State Park, where guns were readied to defend against an invasion during WWII. Meet your fellow travellers this evening at an informal orientation dinner.
Day 2: Kodiak Island
Today explore Kodiak's coastal waters and rocky shorelines on a private boat trip. We journey to Kodiak's protected inner island, past tidal pools and offshore kittiwake rookeries, amid sea lions, otters, puffins, bald eagles and at often times whales. Kodiak is remote, not often visited by travelers to Alaska, and our sense of a unique encounter with nature is palpable as we glide through the rockbound coves. We will enjoy a picnic lunch ashore and spend some time on the coastal trail lined with wildflowers and Sitka spruce trees. This evening we will have a gourmet home-cooked dinner aboard the boat.
Day 3: Kodiak / Hallo Bay
Early this morning we take a floatplane (weather-contingent: we may depart earlier or later in the trip if conditions require) from Kodiak to Kukak Bay, to meet our ship. The plane pulls up right alongside, and we disembark to board the vessel that will be our floating home for the next several days. We cruise slowly along the shore toward Hallo Bay, where we commonly find coastal grizzlies - known as brown bears - foraging for food. As we are mobile, we can cruise to wherever the bears are, following them from bay to bay.
Days 4 - 6: Coastal Katmai
While we've all seen footage in nature documentaries of Alaskan brown bears in the wild, nothing prepares us for the drama of an actual encounter with these magnificent beasts, just yards away. They are North America's largest land predators, and an adult male can weigh 900 lbs. As we cruise just off the coast, bears often dot the shoreline. We go ashore by skiff for an even closer view, exploring the beaches on foot.
It's not uncommon to find massive grizzlies in great numbers; our previous trips have seen as many as 30 to 40 of them at once. And far from dozing lethargically, these bears put on quite a show in their efforts to fill up on enough protein-rich food to prepare them for a long winter in hibernation. They fight to capture salmon in their jaws, swiping out at a slippery fish with talons as long as a man's fingers. They dig for clams in the sand and browse on sedge grass. Depending on the time of our visit, we may even see bears mating or cubs gallivanting on the shore.
On our other trips we watch grizzlies from viewing platforms or vehicles. Not here. In coastal Katmai we are on foot, carefully wandering the area in our small group under the cautious guidance of our Expedition Leader. As a result, this trip offers a wildlife encounter that will thrill you beyond expectation. On Day 6 we plan to return to Kodiak by floatplane.
Day 7: Kodiak / Home
Return home today from Kodiak. We recommend that travelers do not book an early-morning flight out in case inclement weather prevents us from flying back to Kodiak on the evening of Day 6 as planned.
SPECIAL PHOTO TOUR - 8 JULY
On the Special Photo Tour we have an extra afternoon/evening of bear photography on Day 6 plus an additional full morning of bear photography on Day 7. We depart the ship at approximately 1:00 pm on Day 7 and arrive back in Kodiak about an hour later (all depending on weather). We will overnight in Kodiak and travellers are free to depart any time on Day 8. Additional cost of this tour is USD400.
THE GRIZZLY SHIP - THE WATERS
Our "Grizzly Ship" is a converted tug boat/research vessel which is perfect for this type of unique exploration. It is simple in design and appointments but offers ample space for all of the activities planned. It accommodates just 6 travellers in 3 guest cabins with upper/lower bunks. There are 2 toilets and showers (1 for crew and 1 for guests). An important part of this trip are the shore excursions which take place from onboard Zodiacs. Wet landings (landings where your feet may get wet) often occur but are tempered by the waterproof boots/waders we provide.
BEAR VIEWING
Unlike bear viewing at other spots in Alaska, on this trip we watch grizzlies from our small boat and from the ground. Of course grizzlies are unpredictable and can never be guaranteed, but the ship operator has been running scientists and a select few photographers to this region for over 10 years and has never missed seeing them. Furthermore, the unpredictability of the bears can lead to dangerous situations. These are wild animals and we can never fully understand their behaviors and motivations. We ask travellers to pay attention to the rules set forth by our staff and to understand that this trip can, potentially, present harmful situations.
Inclusions
- Returm flights from Kodiak to Kukak Bay
- Accommodation
- All meals from dinner day 1 to breakfast on final day
- Bottled Water
- Airport transfers on day 1 and final day
- services of Expedition Leader, boat crew and local staff
- hip waders for shore excursions
- permits and entrance fees
- all taxes
What's Not Included
- Travel to and from start and end point of trip
- all gratuities
- airport and departure taxes
Terms & Conditions
Click here for our Terms & Conditions
For more information, availability and pricing and options, please contact our expert travel specialists at Inspired Travel Worldwide on (02) 9449 8598 or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
