Flightseeing, Brown Bears & Kayaking

Flightseeing, Brown Bears & Kayaking Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

Book early, as limited permits are available to this world-class bear viewing sanctuary!

Book early, as limited permits are available to this world-class bear viewing sanctuary located on Admiralty Island--home to the highest concentration of brown bears in the world!

Join us for an unforgettable wildlife kayaking experience into the “Fortress of the Bears” on Admiralty Island! This full-day adventure begins with a 25-minute scenic floatplane flight to Windfall Island.

From there, we'll sea kayak to either Pack Creek or Windfall Harbor. These world-class wildlife viewing destinations provide protected habitat for brown bears, while affording visitors an opportunity to view and photograph wildlife up-close.

The Tlingit call Admiralty Island by its original Indian name, Kootznoowoo, which translates to "Fortress of the Bears." The island is aptly named as there are perhaps 1,500 brown bears, giving it one of the highest bear densities anywhere on earth. Eagles are extraordinarily abundant along the shoreline, and the cries of loons haunt Admiralty's lakes. This is truly one of the gemstones of Southeast Alaska.

Bear Viewing at Pack Creek:
For our Pack Creek bear viewing tours, we'll kayak from Windfall Island to Pack Creek. Total paddling distance is about 2 miles round trip. Upon arrivatl at Pack Creek, there are two primary bear viewing areas. The most accessible is a sandy spit of land right at the mouth of the creek and a short beach hike from where floatplanes land and boats tie up. A bit more challenging is a beautiful one-mile trail that leads through an old-growth forest to a viewing tower. The tower has room for eight people and is an excellent place to watch bears as they pass directly below you.

Brown Bear Viewing at Windfall Harbor:
Within a few miles of Pack Creek is the bear sanctuary of Windfall Harbor. For our Windfall Harbor bear viewing tours, we kayak from Staunch Point into Windfall Harbor. Total paddling distance is about five miles round trip. This is undoubtedly is one of our most scenic paddling tours! We'll kayak along the remote coastline of Admiralty looking for bears, while also keeping watch for marine wildlife in the ocean waters. Windfall Harbor is even more remote and rugged than Pack Creek as there are no designated structures to view wildlife once you get there. You are in true bear country and our guides have several “secret locations” to pull kayaks ashore for scenic breaks and bear viewing.

- The best time of year to view brown bears is July and August, during salmon spawning season. Late May and June are also great months because it’s brown bear mating season. The number of bears a group sees varies greatly throughout the summer, but most visitors see at least one bear, if not more. However, bear sightings are not guaranteed. This is wild Alaska!
- There are NO facilites on site at the bear viewing areas. This includes docks, bathrooms, shelter from the elements (except in Observation Tower at Pack Creek), and cell phone service.
- Please dress appropriately for the weather.
- All clients need to follow these rules while at the bear viewing areas: All food is required to be stored in bear-proof lockers at the entrance site, clients must stay together as a group with their guide and within designated travel routes, and clients must never leave gear or personal belongings unattended.

- This tour operates May 15th - September 4th. During shoulder season, which is May 15th-31st and September 1-10th, this tour will include Fly In and Fly Out bear viewing. Starting June 1st-end of August kayaking will be included.
- There is a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 for this tour.
- Minimum age is 12 years old. Children must be in good enough physical condition to paddle a tandem kayak with an adult.
- Tour is not suitable for pregnant persons.
- Due to safety concerns, there is a 250 lb. per person weight limit on this tour. All passenger weights need to be provided at time of booking.
- Participants must be fit enough to kayak/hike a few miles through wilderness.
- Please note: There is a $50 per person non-refundable fee once this trip is booked. This is non-refundable for any reason, including for weather cancellations.
- All participants must sign a waiver form at the start of the trip. Participants under the age of 18 will need a parent/guardian to sign for them. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.

Days offered: 7 days a week

Departures:

• , duration: 8 hours Departure time will be assigned upon confirmation.