Alaska | Hidden Alaska
While superlatives strive to convey the grandeur of Alaska, they never quite manage to capture the reality. Our "Hidden Alaska" trip does, though. We take you far afield from the heavily touristed routes to get you up close to the real Alaska: To the inner heart of Denali. Alongside the face of a calving glacier. At river's edge, watching giant brown bears fish for salmon. This is Alaska "less discovered": bigger, wilder, more amazing than you've imagined. You've got to see it for yourself.
| Duration: | 13 Days |
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| Tour Code: | ITW493 |
| Trip Style: | Not rated |
| Departure Dates: | 27 Jun 2011, 30 Jun 2011, 03 Jul 2011, 12 Jul 2011, 15 Jul 2011, 18 Jul 2011, 26 Aug 2011, 29 Aug 2011, 27 Jun 2012, 30 Jun 2012, 03 Jul 2012, 12 Jul 2012, 15 Jul 2012, 18 Jul 2012, 26 Aug 2012, 29 Aug 2012 |
| Price: | Please Contact Us |
| Single Supplement: | $1,540 |
| Places you'll visit: |
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| Highlights: |
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Ideal for Solo Travellers
Travellers on this tour are 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. Groups are small. Therefore, as a solo traveller you would be with an intimate group of like minded people.
Please note that you will be required to share a room with someone of the same gender at Brooks Lodge, as single accommodation is not available.
Trip Details
GROUP SIZE: 13 max.
Day 1: Fairbanks, Alaska
Meet in Fairbanks, a modern city that retains its frontier flavor with pioneer saloons, paddle wheelers and outlying mining camps.
Days 2 - 4: Denali - Kantishna
Denali National Park, larger than the state of Massachusetts,is one of the world's great wilderness preserves. Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, towers over the tundra and taiga below, habitat for wolves, grizzlies, moose and caribou. From our base at historic Kantishna Roadhouse, 92 miles inside the park, we have time and space to encounter the wilderness. Hiking, nature walks, biking, fishing and optional flightseeing are available. Early morning and evening offer excellent opportunities to see wildlife in the lodge environs.
Day 5: Denali / Talkeetna
Depart Denali by train on a journey through Alaska's rugged interior, over Broad Pass and along the Susitna River to Talkeetna. There's time on arrival to explore this rustic village of log cabins, bush pilots and Far North hospitality.
Day 6: Girdwood / Alyeska
We drive south to Alyeska Resort, Alaska's premier ski area that is replete with summer activities, too. Set in a lush glacial valley in the Chugach Range near the coast, Alyeska offers nature and luxury in tandem. Streamside trails lined with wildflowers beckon at the base, or board the tram to the summit, where you may choose to dine at Seven Glaciers, a five-star restaurant with vistas of the ice-bound peaks and Turnagain Arm far below.
Day 7: Fox Island
Fox Island, a private island bordering the Kenai Fjords, reveals the pristine side of Alaska most visitors miss, providing accommodations for just 18 guests in comfortable beachfront cabins. The region is famed for sea kayaking, and an easy paddling trip may unveil some of the area's prolific marine life.
Day 8: Kenai Fjords - Private Yacht
Today we cruise through a land where the ice age still lingers. Our small yacht allows us to approach wildlife more intimately, and Kenai Fjords National Park provides unparalleled opportunities for viewing humpback and orca whales, porpoises, sea otters and a large colony of puffins. Here, glaciers pour into the sea, and we may observe icebergs calving with a crash. Overnight in Seward, on Resurrection Bay.
Day 9: Kenai Peninsula / Anchorage
The mountain ranges of the Kenai Peninsula rise one after another on our drive to Anchorage. Time permitting, we'll stop at Exit Glacier for a close-up look at this active river of ice. We spend the night in Anchorage.
Days 10 & 11: Brooks Falls - Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park is home to the world's largest population of brown bears. We fly by small plane to King Salmon, then by floatplane to world-renowned Brooks Lodge, one of the best places to view these coastal grizzlies in their natural habitat. From the safety of platforms built over Brooks Falls, we observe this classic spectacle up close, as the bears fish vigorously for salmon swimming upstream to spawn.
Day 12: Katmai / Anchorage
After morning activities in Katmai, we return to Anchorage.
Day 13: Anchorage / Home
We transfer to the airport for our flights home.
PHOTO TRIP - 12 JULY
The 12 July departure is a special photo trip with photographer Eric Rock. The additional cost of this tour is $525. The additional cost of a single room is $105.
ACCOMMODATION
Kenai Wilderness Lodge - Private Fox Island, Kenai Fjords National Park
This remote lodge set on the private Fox Island within Kenai Fjords National Park, accommodates just 18 visitors amidst some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. The lodge accommodates its guests in cozy and comfortable private cabins, each with ensuite facilities but no electricity (solar lighting). The island is remarkable indeed with tower mountains overlooking the wildlife-rich waters. Here, we will quietly participate in a wildlife sea-kayaking journey (no experience necessary and our guides will help even the least experienced travellers) and will journey in a small ship (our group is usually only 13-14 people and most other ships hold over one hundred travellers!) to view puffins, sea lions, otters and perhaps even whales. This stop is surely a highlight of our trip.
Kantishna Roadhouse - 90 miles within Denali National Park
Our Alaska program differs from most others in that we spend our time as close as possible to the wildlife and away from the crowds. After all, our trips are designed for small groups to view wildlife. The Kantishna Roadhouse is one of only 3 lodges located within Denali National Park, and far beyond the boundary of the day tripper buses, allowing guests to exclusively experience this remarkable area away from tourist crowds. Its private cabins provide wonderful amenities (including ensuite facilities) and its location allows us to explore, view wildlife, walk and hike in the shadows of North America's largest peak. As with all of our accommodations, Kantishna is chosen for its high quality plus its accessability to wildlife and its wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.
Brooks Lodge - Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park
World famous Brooks lodge provides one of the best places on earth to easily view grizzly bears at close range! From the rustic cabins, it is a mile walk to the falls where bears fish for salmon in preparation for winter's freeze. In September, bears are everywhere in the area (not just at the falls). Accommodation here is rustic but comfortable and requires 3-4 travellers to share rooms for two nights. Here, we match travellers by gender (or by couples, depending on the group). The cabins have bunkbeds and private facilities. Any inconvenience caused by the shared cabins is well worth it as the bears provide a spectacular show!
Physical Rating
Easy to Moderate / Flexible
The activities on our Alaska adventure are diverse. Although the longest walk required is one mile (to the falls in Katmai), longer walks and hikes are available for those who choose them. We stress that travellers are not required to participate in every activity.
Important Information about This Trip
This trip ventures far afield from the typical Alaska tour where buses move long lines of cruise clients to crowded destinations. We also focus on bears, which, naturally, should be treated with caution. At Brooks Falls, thousands of visitors have traveled to view bears in the past 50 years and, to our knowledge, there has never been a bear attack. But we never know exactly what bears are thinking, so we ask our travellers to consider this and pay close attention to the rules set forth by the park rangers.
Accommodation at Brooks Lodge is with two bunk beds and private facilities in each cabin. Solar power is available during daytime hours at Kenai Wilderness Lodge. The tour begins in Fairbanks and ends in Anchorage.
Inclusions
- Internal flights and train
- Accomodation
- All meals except dinner on Days 6 & 9
- Bottled water
- Airport transfers
- Kayaking on the Kenai Fjords
- Services of an Expedition Leader, local guides and lodge staff
- Some gratuities
- Permits and entrance fees
- All taxes
What's Not Included
- Dinner on Days 6 & 9
- Alcoholic beverages
- Most gratuities
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.
