2023 Kodiak Bears, Whales, Northern Lights Tour 9/1-9/5

September 1-5, 2023

Trip Cost: $5,900

Kodiak, Alaska: Home of the largest brown bears in the world +

NORTHERN LIGHTS, BREACHING WHALES, WILD HORSES, SEA OTTERS, SEA LIONS, PUFFINS, EAGLES, FOX, ERMINE, AND SO MUCH MORE!

This trip is PACKED with wildlife photography each day with so much variety beyond the amazing and captivating Kodiak brown bears. Yes, you’ll see the Kodiak bears, and enjoy their cubs…which have distinctive white fur around their necks for several years. They’ll be fishing for silver salmon, which will be running. But also, the night sky gets dark enough for us to see and photograph northern lights, if the sky is clear. Puffins have hatched their chicks and are bringing back silver fish in their beaks to feed them. Bald eagle chicks are fledging. And whales are abundant. We’ll also head out on an ATV tour to find more bears, wild horses, and fox, as well as other species, perhaps mountain goats up on the ridges.

Trip Level: While this trip is perfect for shutterbugs, others who enjoy wildlife viewing and unparalleled stunning landscapes will get a true Alaska adventure. To join this trip, you must be able to walk up and down stairs, and ride comfortably in boats, and shuttles, and in off-road vehicles on rough terrain. The activity level is rated 1-2 / easy. Avid photography enthusiasts (beginners to professionals) should bring (you can rent them too) a digital SLR camera, a 300mm lens or longer and be familiar with basic manual menu settings prior to the trip.

Join Michelle Theall, senior editor at Alaska magazine and an award-winning professional photographer for the title on an EXCLUSIVE Alaska bear viewing and photography excursion. In her role as senior editor and photographer for Alaska Magazine, Theall has had the opportunity to explore Alaska in a way few others have, enabling her to find the best locations and vendors along with perfecting the logistical acrobatics needed to navigate an immense state with few road systems. The result: Theall’s tours through Wild Departures offer the very best of the state with one of the most knowledgeable guides available. Bonus: Theall owns property in Kodiak, because it’s her favorite place in Alaska.

THE TRIP AT A GLANCE

• 5 days and 4 nights of fully guided, safe bear viewing in the heart of bear country and on the island of Kodiak.
• Comfortable accommodations with modern amenities and hearty meals. Single rooms with no additional fees.
• Small group size: 6 tour participants
• Marine wildlife photography tour, ATV wild horse tour.
• Daily photography instruction, along with educational dialogue about bear behavior and the flora and fauna of Alaska, while shadowing Alaska Magazine’s senior editor and award-winning photographer for the title.
• Daily bear-viewing excursions along the coast and rivers.
• Nightly alerts for northern lights opportunities.
• A framed image of your favorite shot from the trip, shipped to your home on your return.

SPACE: Limited to 6

COMMITMENT DEADLINE: April 1 / Deposit Due

COST: $5,900 per person / $1,000 non-refundable deposit 

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Airfare to and from Kodiak and your home, trip insurance, and gratuities, not included. Full terms and conditions available with deposit.

For more information or to secure a spot on the trip, please contact [email protected] ASAP or book immediately by submitting your deposit below. Payment by check is preferred to keep costs down. Email for specifics. Or, call: 720-635-1380 for additional details.