Bear trips

[chrob]

We will be in Alaska between 5th and 12th August 2005 before boarding the Coral Princess on 13th in Whittier.

 

Would we be better booking a trip to see bears before starting the cruise?

 

We plan to fly to Fairbanks form Calgary around the 5th and spend some time in the interior. We will hire a car but are not sure the best places to go or who to book tours with.

 

We want to go the Artic Circle, visit Danali national park and see some bears....preferably the big grizzlies with salmon.

 

Any recommendations or ideas would be very welcome.

 

Chros

[lmcd]

In Denali you can see big grizzlies, but they don't feed on salmon. Before cruise you could book a day trip to Katmai Peninsula for a grizzly watching trip. These would be seen, I believe, at Brooks Falls and would be feeding on salmon. Admiralty Island from Juneau is another option. Any coastal browns seen from Ketchikan would be minimum number at best. The Katmai, Admiralty Island grizzly is larger than the Denali grizzly because they feed on the salmon.

 

Larry

[Budget Queen]

The bears in Denali Park are about 1/2 the size of coastal bears who eat salmon- if you want browns- you have to consider a fly in and out of Anchorage would be your best option. Juneau to Pack Creek second best- both over $400pp. As for the "Arctic Circle" that is wide open. I have done it 4 times and greatly prefer- rather than a "tour", I like taking the cargo runs with Warbelows- you see some "real" Alaska people and their way of life. :) I see this trip is in 2005?? Way early for firm plans- research fully for a few more months and see what is of interest and best for your plans.

[chrob]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure what you mean by "a fly in and out of Anchorage". Where would we fly to? Where would we book the trip? Where do we ask to go to?

 

Also the cargo runs with 'Warbelows' (what or who is this?)sound just what we would love to do. Could you give us more detail about this please?

 

Where will I find further information on Brook Falls and Katmai Peninsular?

 

Thanks for your help. As you can see this is our first time and we have very little knowledge of Alaska or Canada. We plan to leave England around the 24th or 25th July flying into Vancouver and spend 4-5 weeks altogether touring the Canadian Rockies and then the Alasakan Interior.

[JohnQ]

BQ

 

Would your two best brown bear trip recomm, besides denali, Anc to Admiralty Is and Juneau to Pack Crk, still apply in first week of Sept? If I were to sell one on my kids and spend $400 plus for each of us, I want to have a close and personal guarantee!!

[Budget Queen]

http://www.anchorage.net/453.cfm?a=a&major_category=Activities%20%26%20Attractions&minor_category=Flightseeing&metatitle=Anchorage+Flightseeing

 

 

Here are Anchorage operators that may offer bear watching tours- Rust's is probabaly the most well known. Should have proof read- meaning a fly in/out tour and Anchorage the the place to base out of for this since you aren't going to Homer. As for Warbelows- they are out of Fairbanks- http://www.warbelows.com/

[Budget Queen]

BQ

 

Would your two best brown bear trip recomm, besides denali, Anc to Admiralty Is and Juneau to Pack Crk, still apply in first week of Sept? If I were to sell one on my kids and spend $400 plus for each of us, I want to have a close and personal guarantee!!

 

 

 

http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/viewing/packck.cfm

 

Pack Creek IS Admiralty Island. :) You are late going in Sept. Alaska Fly N Fish is the vender to use- inquire directly from them the sighting stats.