I Only Go on Cruises That Stop at Disney's Private Island Castaway Cay
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The view along the coast from your chartered plane is staggering as you look down on glacial valleys and braided rivers, passing snow-clad volcanoes rising above icefields. Your destination, where the Aleutian and Alaska ranges meet, is Lake Clark National Park, comprising some of the world’s most critical brown bear habitat. Look for bears along the shoreline as you come in for a landing, taxiing down the beach. Bear Camp is located on a historic homestead, a rare private inholding of coastal land surrounded by the roadless wilderness of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. These 4 million protected acres 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.
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One last morning is set aside for bear photography in the Hallo Bay region before you fly to Kodiak. Your timing is flexible in the event of weather delays, but soon your floatplane taxis right up to the Ursus to collect everyone. Once on board, leave the Katmai Peninsula behind, flying east across Shelikof Strait and over the steep green mountains of the Kodiak Archipelago. Defined by high mountains, lush forests and a crenellated coastline, much of the island’s wild terrain lies within the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, home to 3,500 brown bears and a multitude of other wildlife. Bear activity varies according to the season, weather conditions, and timing of the salmon runs, but there’s always something riveting to watch. Perhaps see bears fighting to capture salmon in their jaws, trying to seize spawning fish that make their way up the streams flowing over the intertidal area.
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At times, you may sit for several hours in chilly temperatures, rain and/or wind. At 3,670 square miles, Kodiak is the second-largest island in the United States. Defined by high mountains, lush forests and a crenellated coastline, much of the island’s wild terrain lies within the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, home to 3,500 brown bears and a host of other wildlife.
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Far from dozing lethargically, they often put on quite a show as they go about filling up on enough protein-rich food to prepare for a long winter in hibernation. Your 45-minute flight across Cook Inlet brings you to 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.
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In 1794, the Russian Orthodox Church established its first North American mission in Kodiak. Other options for free time include the Alutiiq Museum, the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, and several galleries featuring the work of resident artists. All are centrally located in the compact town of Kodiak surrounding picturesque St. Paul’s Harbor. Kodiak is also home to Alaska’s largest fishing fleet, bringing in a great haul of salmon, halibut and herring each season. This itinerary highlights the best bear viewing experiences you’re likely to encounter on a cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage and across the Gulf of Alaska.
Most cruises to Alaska depart from either Vancouver, B.C., or Seattle, giving you a day or two to get accustomed to shipboard life before you enter the protected waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Board the 12-guest classic yacht Sea Star for an unforgettable 5- or 7-day Kenai Fjords National Park cruise. Travel round-trip from Anchorage to embark and disembark the ship via the renowned Alaska Railroad. Crackling ice, pristine air, vivid blues and grays, and ancient carved glacial rocks all tantalize the senses in this constantly changing environment. Due the expedition nature and isolated location of this program, children must be 16 years old at time of departure. Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Alaska trips and Alaska small ship cruises.
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Depending on arrival time, you may have free time to explore some of Kodiak’s Russian and Native heritage this afternoon. Options include the Baranov Museum, Alutiiq Museum, Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center. All are centrally located in the compact town of Kodiak that surrounds St. Paul’s Harbor. Your grizzly adventure officially begins this evening with an informal welcome dinner and orientation hosted by the local guide.
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On the wild, western shore of Cook Inlet, pass snow-clad volcanoes and jagged glaciers pouring down from icefields on high. The terrain below, where the Aleutian and Alaska ranges meet, is part of Lake Clark National Park, some of the world’s most critical brown bear habitat. Most travelers never get such an immersion in genuine wilderness, let alone the chance to sit in solitude with some of the world’s most magnificent carnivores. In mid-afternoon, fly by floatplane to Kodiak, though the exact timing will vary according to weather, marine conditions and other logistical factors. Back in Kodiak, be met by the local guide once more and transfer to the hotel. Many travelers come to Alaska expecting to see Alaska’s enormous brown bears lumbering over tidal flats, feasting on salmon and tending to their frisky cubs.
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The Land's End Resort in Homer, Alaska, features oceanfront views and a nautical theme. An excellent jumping off point for Kenai adventures, this hotel puts guests right at the tip of the Homer Spit for unmatched Kachemak Bay wildlife viewing. The Kodiak Compass Suites sit one block off the ocean in the center of town on Kodiak Island. The island is known for its remote, untamed nature, and this hotel is known for its modern, larger-than-average rooms and commanding views. September brings dramatic change, an optimal time for photographers hoping to capture images of fishing bears exhibiting their most fierce physical appearance in beautiful seasonal light.
Some cruises only run up and down the Inside Passage, with most passengers traveling just one way on the cruise ship and the other way by air. Once you arrive in Seward or Whittier, board a train and head to Anchorage, where you’ll spend the night. Spend 3-4 nights at a remote backcountry lodge situated 90 miles inside Denali National Park. Unbeatable wildlife viewing, landscape photography, guided hikes, fishing, dog sleds and an Alaska railroad ride can be customized to complement any Alaska small ship cruise. On this 12-day Alaska wildlife safari, travel farther afield from standard routes, for a genuine Alaskan wilderness adventure. With only 14 or fewer fellow travelers and in the company of top naturalist guides, sample some of Alaska's highlights—with a few by private excursion.
The loft game room upstairs is equipped with a pool-table that will provide hours of fun! The hotel provides guests with a complimentary luxury pass, which offers a daily free ticket to some of the most popular attractions in the area. Explore other nearby attractions such as Ober Gatlinburg and The Arts & Crafts Community of Gatlinburg. Go ashore by skiff for a closer view, exploring the beaches on foot, traversing the area carefully under the watchful eye of your guide who is one of Alaska’s most experienced bear naturalists. It’s not uncommon to find several massive bears at once, and when you do, you may spend hours in once place with them. While we’ve all seen footage in nature documentaries of Alaskan brown bears in the wild, nothing captures the drama of an actual encounter with these magnificent beasts, sometimes just feet away.
The bay is transformed daily by some of the largest tidal fluctuations in the world, and it’s home not only to coveted sport fish but also sea otters, seals, porpoises, sea lions and whales, many of which are seen frequently. A highlight is the Gull Island rookery, home to 10,000 nesting seabirds with a chance to get shots of puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, murres and more. Later this afternoon, enjoy some free time to wander along the spit, lined with local boutiques, galleries and eateries. This evening, celebrate your photography adventures at a farewell dinner. Depending on the weather, plan to depart this afternoon for Alaska Bear Camp, as your wheeled bush plane flies you directly to Chinitna Bay.
As omnivores, bears also dig for clams and mussels in the sand and browse on protein-rich sedges. Depending on the time of year, bears may be mating or cubs gallivanting on the shore. In coastal Katmai you are on foot, carefully wandering the area in small group under the cautious guidance of a professional expedition leader, who offers thorough coaching in safe bear-country etiquette. Sometimes wolves join the scene and have interesting interactions with the bears. While occasionally there may be another boat in the region, usually the Ursus is alone in the wilderness, offering a profound sense of solitude, peace and raw beauty. The brown bears—or coastal grizzlies as they’re often called—encountered on this Alaska cruise are the largest in the world, living in the remote reaches of Katmai National Park, far from any cruise ship or tour bus route.
Tour operators in Juneau whisk guests over to the island’s bear viewing area, where your guides will escort you on a beach walk to see bears feeding on salmon near the mouth of the creek. Most floatplane flights will depart Kodiak to meet the Ursus in late morning and return to Kodiak mid-afternoon. The exact times will vary according to weather and other logistical factors.
Eventually, it’s time to leave Bear Camp behind as you board your small bush plane and taxi down the beach, headed south for the Katmai Peninsula. Your pilot is in radio contact with the ship, and soon you’re taxiing on the beach near Hallo Bay where the Ursus awaits. Behind, the ice-crowned peaks of the Aleutian Range rise in a serrated spine. Here at Bear Camp, you have some of the best, most consistent viewing anywhere in Alaska, due to the season-long availability of food. All summer, nature serves up a steady bounty to these omnivores, with protein-rich sedges and clams dug from the beach as the “first course” before the late summer salmon run that will fatten them up to survive a long winter.
All travelers must take their own safety into consideration before and when joining this adventure. Itineraries may be altered due to weather, wildlife, national park regulation or at the captain’s and guides’ discretion. The ability to be flexible makes this type of small ship cruising unique. On arrival in Kodiak, be transferred to the hotel by a local guide who points out sights along the way.
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