Alaskan Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays
Alaska is home to some of the greatest wilderness and greatest wildlife left on earth. Most of our itineraries to Alaska are tailor-made. We generally fly people to Vancouver first for the night before flying onward to Anchorage (although from Anchorage back to the UK it is possible to complete the journey without a break). This opens up the opportunity to combine Canada and Alaska if you wish - what could be better!
Anchorage
Anchorage is an important port and railway terminus located in South-central Alaska on a strip of coastal lowland beside a fjord. The city extends up the lower alpine slopes of the Chugach Mountains. The whole area is home to a diverse population of wildlife including around 1600 Moose, 250 Black Bears, 60 Brown Bears, as well as wolves, eagles, whales, beavers and foxes; and there are frequent sightings of bears and Moose in the urban areas. Excellent birdwatching opportunities can be had here too, especially at Potter's Marsh, and there are several excellent museums including the Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Centre. For walkers, the city boasts a 200 or so, kilometres of trails, including the popular Tony Knowles Coastal Trail along Cook Inlet with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. There are many more hiking trails in the wilderness and park areas surrounding the city, including Chugach State Park with its 50 glaciers and the famous Portage Glacier to the south of the city.
The Copper Whale Inn is an award-winning, historic bed and breakfast located in the heart of downtown Anchorage and close to the restaurants, shops and museums. The Inn has 14 guestrooms offering views of the gardens, Cook Inlet and Alaska Range. The lounge has stunning views too and there are binoculars on hand for spotting eagles, whales and other wildlife.
The Westmark Hotel is a modern comfortable hotel, located in the heart of downtown Anchorage. The hotel has modern facilities and amenities including private balconies for every room, with views of the surrounding Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. The hotel also has a bar and grill, lounge and fitness area.
Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park has two spectacular attractions, volcanoes and Brown Bears. Sockeye Salmon run through Brooks River in large numbers, from the end of June to the end of July and from late August until mid- September, during which time bears can be seen in great numbers. Bear-watching is also possible in early August, however the bears appear in lesser numbers. The bears also wander along the coast feeding on sedge grass, and digging for clams. You can also view the active volcanoes in the 'Valley of 10,000 Smokes'. In 1912 this area experienced one of the most violent eruptions in modern history when Novarupta Volcano exploded destroying all living things.
Brooks Lodge overlooks the world famous Brooks River in the heart of Katmai National Park. The lodge has gained a world-wide reputation for its bear-viewing. Guest accommodation consists of 16 modern rooms and a beautiful main lodge building with spectacular views of Naknek Lake. Bear-viewing takes place a short walk away at Brooks Falls.
Hallo Bay is a lovely wilderness camp a couple of hundred kilometres south-west of Homer, on the remote Pacific Coast surrounded by the 6,400 square kilometre Katmai National Park. It has one of the most beautiful beaches and wildlife-viewing areas in Alaska. The bearviewing areas offer many different opportunities to observe Alaska's coastal Brown Bears. Big River and Clint's Creek, which are located near camp offer an excellent variety of salmon runs. The tidal flats on the coast offer good clam digging and sweet sedge grass meadows for the feeding Brown Bears. This is the only lodge designed exclusively for wildlife-viewing on the Pacific coast of Katmai National Park. There are five comfortable cabins, separate showers and a comfortable lounge-dining area. The lodge conducts daily guided wildlife-viewing activities with expert naturalists. It is accessed by air from Homer.
Redoubt Bay Lodge is a tiny lodge offering some of the world's most incredible close-up bear-viewing at Wolverine Creek. Only accessible by a scenic floatplane hop from Anchorage, this is a rustic lodge, but with personal service. Its remote hilltop location offers fabulous vistas across the nearby lakes.
Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island is the largest island in the Gulf of Alaska. It is a picturesque wilderness rich with Brown Bears, otters, whales, seals and sealions. Kodiak bears are considered by some to be a unique subspecies of Brown Bear living exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and having been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years. They are generally larger than the Brown Bears on the mainland and over 3,000 bears make their home throughout the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. Kodiak is also an important staging area for seabirds and wintering wildfowl whose combined populations number well over a million birds. Summer lures many migrant birds to nest and feed upon the plentiful supply of food. 237 species of bird have been recorded in the Kodiak archipelago.
Zachar Bay Lodge offers friendly and comfortable accommodation in the heart of the Kodiak Island National Wildlife Refuge. This small lodge has 11 rooms, five boats and two floatplanes. Whilst mainly a fishing lodge, it offers guided bear-viewing trips on foot, by boat and by air, and we would recommend four nights here to do the area justice. There are also fabulous hikes into the surrounding mountains, excellent birdwatching and other wildlife viewing.
Buskin River Inn is a small quiet hotel in Kodiak, located near the airport, next the river. Nearby is a hiking trail, the wildlife refuge visitor centre and a 9-hole golf course. We often use this small hotel as a pre (or post) Zachar Bay Lodge stay.
Fairbanks
Fairbanks is Alaska's largest inland city, located in the heart of the wilderness 500 kilometres north of Anchorage and just 300 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle. It is the gateway to Denali National Park and usually used as an overnight stop by visitors en-route to the Arctic wilderness beyond. However, the city has interesting exhibits on Alaska's cultural and natural history and you can shop here for native Athabascan and Eskimo crafts. In the summer the days never end, and in the winter you can go dog-sledding, watch the spectacular displays of the northern lights and see lifesized ice sculptures.
Pike's Waterfront Lodge is a comfortable friendly hotel right beside the Chena River, a few minutes drive from the airport. The rooms and suites all have modern amenities (some are in traditional log-cabin style) and many overlook the river. There is a restaurant, cosy Captain's lounge bar and riverside decking.
Denali National Park
Denali National Park is one of the world's great wilderness preserves with absolutely stunning scenery. Mount McKinley, which at 6,100 metre is the highest peak in North America, towers over the tundra below. Denali is well known for its diversity of wildlife with 39 species of mammals, 167 species of birds, 10 species of fish, and one species of amphibian known to occur here.
The wildlife activity is of course dictated by the seasons. The brief spring season brings the return of 80% of Denali's birdlife, the hibernating bears begin to stir and wake up in readiness for summer. Summer is a time for raising young and preparing for migration, hibernation, or survival during the winter. In late summer the salmon swim upstream in the numerous streams and rivers, and of course the bears fish for them! Denali is also home to wolves, moose and caribou, but it is worth bearing in mind that there is only a single road through the park and that wildlife encounters here are usually fleeting.
Kantishna Roadhouse is one of only three lodges situated within the park boundary. It has developed from a gold miner's tented camp to today's 'modern' resort with cosy cabins. There are many daily guided (and self-guided) activities including wildlife-viewing, hiking and biking, and there are evening naturalist programmes. Brown Bears, Moose and Caribou are often seen in and around the resort itself.
Denali Backcountry Lodge is deep inside the park at the end of the 150 kilometre park road, offering opportunities for viewing wildlife en-route such as bears, Caribou, Moose, Dall Sheep, Wolves and eagles. Accommodation is in 30 warm, cosy cedar cabins with full amenities. Activities here include hiking, biking and presentations led by resident naturalists and guest speakers. There is also gold panning, flight-seeing and a shuttle service to view Mount Denali on clear days.
The Railroad
One of the best ways to enjoy the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness is whilst travelling on board the Alaskan Railroad. Forget the fatigue of long road journeys, instead you can watch the snowy peaks, glaciers, gorges, rivers and wildlife pass by from the comfort of a warm carriage with panoramic viewing windows and observation domes. Knowledgeable guards and guides provide commentary and bears, Moose and Wolf are often seen en-route. There is a coastal train from Anchorage to Seward, but the Alaskan Railroad's flagship train is the Denali Star which runs from mid- May to mid-September between Anchorage and Fairbanks crossing tundra, rivers, canyons, mountain passes and offering spectacular views of Mt McKinley itself. The even more luxurious Gold Star upgrade option has a private outdoor viewing deck amongst other features. Just ask us for more details of how we can incorporate this into your Alaskan holiday.
Kenai Fjords
Day cruises into the Kenai Fjords depart from Seward, about 160 kilometres south of Anchorage. Here, towering glaciers pour into the sea and you can hear the cracks and rumblings of the calving icebergs. The fjords provide excellent opportunities to view Humpback, and Orca Whales, porpoises, seals, sea otters and a huge colony of puffins. The surrounding park is home to a varied wildlife including Bald Eagles, mountain goats, Moose, bears, Wolverines and marmots. Thousands of seabirds also gather here including kittiwakes, guillemots and gulls.
Seward's Breeze Inn is a comfortable motel located at the heart of Seward's Small Harbour. Nearby are art galleries and Alaskan gift shops, and it is a short drive to the downtown shopping area and the Alaska SeaLife Centre.
Windsong Lodge offers 180 spacious rooms in a secluded rural setting just minutes from downtown Seward. There is a free shuttle bus to local activities, a restaurant and bar.
Fox Island is a former private island that has been turned into a beautiful retreat for nature lovers. Visitors can now stay overnight at Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge, located on the island, in eight waterfront cabins, and explore the wonders of Fox Island for themselves! The island is self-sufficient, getting its power from wind and solar-powered generators - there are no televisions, radios, computers or phones to disrupt you here! The marine wildlife here is prolific, and activities include guided sea-kayaking, beach-combing or simply relaxing.
Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a marine wilderness area with stunning vistas of glaciers, snowcapped mountain ranges, ocean coastlines, deep fjords, and freshwater rivers and lakes. Each summer Humpback Whales return to feed and are joined by Minke, and Orca Whales, and Dall's Porpoises. Steller's Sealions congregate on rocky islands to mate or to rest, and thousands of Harbour Seals breed and nurture their pups on the islands. It is not unusual to see Moose and bears swimming across the bay, and the bears can often be seen on the shoreline turning over rocks to find a tasty shellfish meal. The easier coastal terrain is also used at times by Wolves, coyotes, marmots and mountain goats. For bear lovers the park is home to both Black, and Brown Bear. River Otters are widespread along with Pine Marten, Mink and Weasel, while Wolverine is scarcer and rarely sighted. The Alsek River delta area is home to Lynx, Snowshoe Hare and Beaver. Thousands of seabirds nest on cliffs and rocky shores and migrating geese and sea ducks find refuge in quiet arms of the bay. Glacier Bay is only accessible by air or water and the easiest way to visit is on one of the many wildlife cruises that ply the coastal waters in the summer (see opposite), although there are a few other options for those wishing to stay here, namely Glacier Bay Lodge a number of guesthouses in nearby Gustavus.
Juneau
Go to our Suggested Wildlife Holiday Itineraries in Alaska