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Duration | Price | When | Destination | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6 Days | £5870 | MAY - AUG 2023 | Alaska | Small Group Safari |
A genuine encounter with the Alaskan wilderness often starts with a bush plane. And this adventure begins with a private flight across Cook Inlet, passing active volcanoes and massive glaciers before landing on a pristine beach. The stretch of sand is empty, except for the brown bears that live here - and we often see them ambling along the shore before we even land. Nearby, the sustainable bush camp provides a base for your exploration in the very midst of the bears. On the site of an old homestead, the camp front the bay in an untouched setting that looks just as it did when the first pioneers ventures into these remote wild. It's a peerless location: the camp occupies an enclave of private land surrounded by Lake Clark National Park, one of the world's most renowned bear-viewing destinations. Against the backdrop of the ice-clad Aleutian Range, this Bear Camp offers rustic luxury and total solitude - with enough beat thrills for a lifetime and then some!
Arrive in Homer, a scenic fishing town of 5,500 on Kachemak Bay located near the bottom of the Kenai Peninsula. Known as 'the end of the road', Homer is the most southerly point on Alaska's contiguous highway system. Surrounded by 280 acres of protected state land, this critical wildlife habitat sustains more than 100 bird species and a large local moose population. Homer's key geographic feature is the Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile-long gravel bar that extends into the bay. Visitors to the town harbour frequently see fishing boats unloading their catch - Homer is heralded as the Halibut Capital of the World. This evening, gather with the Expedition Leader for a welcome dinner and orientation to the incredible bear adventures that lie ahead.
Overnight accommodation: Land's End Resort
Leave Homer on a private flight across Cook Inlet to Alaska's Bear Camp. The view from our chartered bush plane is staggering as we pass snow-clad volcanoes and jagged glaciers pouring down from icefields on high. The terrain below, comprising Lake Clark National Park, where the Aleutian and Alaska ranges meet, is some of the world's most critical brown bear habitat. Look for bears in the meadows and along the shoreline as we come in for landing, taxiing down the beach. The exact timing of our arrival is dependent on the tides. Bear Camp is located on a historic homestead, a private inholding of coastal land surrounded by the roadless wilderness of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. These 4 million protected areas are the ancestral homelands of the Dena' Ina people, preserving an intact ecosystem at the headwaters of the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. Accessible only by plane or boat, Bear Camp is ours alone for an unparalleled immersion in wild bear habitat.
At Bear Camp, there is some of the best, most consistent viewing anywhere in Alaska, due to the season-long availability of food. In the spring, sedge grass awaits the bears as they emerge from their dens, protein-rich food that supports rapid growth. Bears also dig clams from the beach as they await their late summer feast: by late July or early August, the region's salmon runs help provide the fat that enables the bears to survive a long winter. Two viewing platforms, one elevated for a territorial view, enable us to see bears nearby and at a distance. And we often watch them right from camp, which is surrounded by electrified wires, ensuring our safety on site.
After an exhilarating day, gather this evening in the dining tent for dinner—fresh local fare is always on the menu, including abundant Alaskan seafood.
Overnight accommodation: Alaska Bear Camp
Nothing comes close to the immersive experience, being among bears in their wild home. Against a backdrop of sheer-sided peaks rising above the green valley floor, the bears are sometimes near enough that we can hear them chewing their food and communicating with one another in woofs, purrs and growls. Alaska's mighty brown bears - the coastal version of the interior grizzly bear (which is the same species, (Ursus arctos) - are the largest land predators in North America. Adult males can weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
While the bear activity we witness will vary according to the season, weather conditions and timing of the salmon runs, and we can never predict exactly what bear behavior we'll witness, there's always something riveting going on. Earlier in the season, we might see mating activity. Later on, we could catch a sighting of mothers with playful cubs. Once the salmon start running by mid- to late summer, we may see bears fishing in streams. And while bears are usually plentiful right in the vicinity of camp, we also go into adjacent Lake Clark National Park for added variety. At every turn, we explore the area in the careful company of our Expedition Leaders, seasoned bear naturalists who offer thorough coaching in respectful "bear etiquette" to ensure your safety. Our low-impact presence ensures that we never disturb the bears, and they in turn grant us comfortable access to watch them go about their daily routines.
Overnight accommodation: Alaska Bear Camp
Few travellers ever have such an encounter with solitude and wilderness on the scale that surrounds us here. The size of the landscape, the raw beauty, the profound silence - these things alone would make for a life-transforming experience. But the chance to watch Alaskan brown bears, these incomparable icons of the wild, on their turf, their terms...it's a wonder to have bears welcome us into their world. We have one last chance this morning to marvel at them, admiring their majesty and whimsy alike. And one thing is certain: no one leaves here unmoved by the bears' plight, intensely aware of the threats from mining, climate change and other potential impacts to the health of this vital ecosystem on which bears rely.
All too soon, it's time to leave Alaska Bear Camp behind. Boarding our small bush plane, we taxi down the beach, bound again for Homer. We depart as ambassadors for the bears, our time among them leaving an indelible mark on us, inspiring us to do all we can to protect them. Time and weather permitting, there may be a chance to explore more of Homer this afternoon. Tonight we celebrate our adventures at a festive farewell dinner.
Our Bear Camp adventure comes to a close today as we transfer to the airport for homeward flights.
This trip is limited to 14 travellers for each departure.
Price includes accommodation in Homer on Day 1 and Day 5 and the Alaska Bear Camp, services of professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides and camp staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through to breakfast on final day, most gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and the final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
There is an additional private flight cost to/from Homer and the Bear Camp of approx £915 GBP/$996 USD per person.
Good health and overall fitness are a must, as we are far from medical facilities in this roadless region. General mobility, including the ability to climb into and out of small planes, is essential. Trip participants must be able to walk at least 1 mile without assistance to join this adventure.
Please note that pricing is subject to exchange rate fluctuations. Price in USD from $6395.
2024 season dates released - Trips available between May 2024 to August 2024. Contact your Destination Specialist for full details and prices.
Trip date | Prices from |
---|---|
May 24 - May 29 2023 | £5870 |
May 27 - Jun 01 2023 | £5870 |
May 30 - Jun 04 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 02 - Jun 07 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 05 - Jun 10 2023 | £6055 |
Jun 08 - Jun 13 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 11 - Jun 16 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 17 - Jun 22 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 20 - Jun 25 2023 | £6055 |
Jun 23 - Jun 28 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 26 - Jul 01 2023 | £5870 |
Jun 29 - Jul 04 2023 | £5870 |
Jul 05 - Jul 10 2023 | £5870 |
Jul 08 - Jul 13 2023 | £5870 |
Jul 11 - Jul 16 2023 | £5870 |
Jul 17 - Jul 22 2023 | £6055 |
Jul 20 - Jul 25 2023 | £6055 |
Jul 23 - Jul 28 2023 | £6055 |
Jul 29 - Aug 03 2023 | £5870 |
Aug 04 - Aug 09 2023 | £5870 |
Aug 07 - Aug 12 2023 | £5870 |
Aug 13 - Aug 18 2023 | £5870 |
Aug 16 - Aug 21 2023 | £6055 |
Aug 19 - Aug 24 2023 | £5870 |
Aug 22 - Aug 27 2023 | £6055 |