A fabulous opportunity to observe Grizzly bears in their natural Alaskan environment.

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 travelers to pay attention to the rules set forth by our staff and to understand that this trip can, potentially, present harmful situations.

Group size is limited to 6 travellers as nature expeditions are best experienced with smaller sized groups

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Dates (2006) :

Jun 28 - Jul 4
Jul 6 - 12
Jul 14 - 21* (Photo trip)
Aug 14 - 20
Aug 22 - 28

* Special Photo trips. These trips will have an extra day on the boat and, upon disembarking, travelers will spend a final night in Kodiak before returning home.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive Kodiak Island, Alaska

For those who choose to arrive early (prior to 1:30pm), a Natural Habitat Adventures representative will accompany you to explore Kodiak’s native and Russian heritage providing insight into this area’s fascinating blend of cultures. Our 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 enormous guns were placed at the ready to protect against an invasion during WWII. The group will meet this evening for an informal orientation dinner.

Day 2: Kodiak Island

In the morning we will venture on an easy sea kayak or boat journey along Kodiak’s coastal waters and rocky shores. This adventure takes us on a tour of Kodiak’s inner island, with incredible coastal scenery. Travel along remote shorelines, out through tidal pools, and past offshore kittiwake rookeries, amid sea lions, otters, puffins and soaring bald eagles. Kodiak is a unique and remote destination indeed and our guide will use this afternoon to explore the island’s unusual combination of sites, including the local winery, as well as the many trails that may reveal some of the area’s wildlife including red fox, river otters and mountain goats.

Day 3: Hallo Bay, Board Ship, Grizzly Viewing

We will have an early morning departure (weather dependent–we may depart for Hallo Bay earlier in the trip if inclement weather is forecasted) by floatplane from Kodiak to Kukak Bay, where you will be met by the captain and crew of the ship. Our plane will pull right up to our ship, which will be our home for the rest of the expedition. After we lift anchor, we cruise slowly along the shores towards Hallo Bay, where we commonly find bears searching for food. As we are totally mobile, we can assure ourselves of the best chance for bear sightings, moving from bay to bay as we please.

Days 4-6: Exploring Coastal Katmai, Bear Viewing

Bear viewing in this region is like no other place on earth! As we cruise the coastal waters, bears often dot the shoreline, appearing almost cuddly against the awesome backdrop of Alaska’s impressive landscape. But as we approach within close range, traveling ashore by skiff and disembarking to explore the beaches by foot, we may find massive grizzlies all over the place, often appearing in large numbers (our leaders have seen as many as 30 to 40 of them at a single moment!). Unlike other bear viewing areas where bears often appear to be quite lethargic, these grizzlies are active as they feed on salmon and sedge grass and dig for clams. Depending on the exact time of our trip, the bears may be mating and cubs may be seen for the first time, providing us with an authentic and exciting glimpse into the life of the grizzly. On many of our other trips, we view grizzlies (and other bears) from platforms or from vehicles. Not here. In coastal Katmai we are on foot, carefully wandering the area in our small group. This trip offers a grizzly thrill beyond expectations. We have planned to travel back to Kodiak by floatplane on the evening of Day 6, arriving at our hotel at approximately 7pm.

Day 7: Return Home

Return home today from Kodiak. We recommend that travelers do not take an early morning flight home in case inclement weather prevents us from traveling to Kodiak on the evening of Day 6 as planned. Bear ViewingUnlike 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 travelers to pay attention to the rules set forth by our staff and to understand that this trip can, potentially, present harmful situations.Special Photo TourOn 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 travelers are free to depart any time on Day 8. We suggest that travelers do not take an early morning flight home in case inclement weather prevents us from flying to Kodiak on Day 7 as planned.

Price Guide:

£ 3,125 (£ 3,300 for Photo Trip) per person based on double occupancy

Single Supplement: £ 225

Call 01903 816500 for further details or email info@exquisiteworld.com