Alaska sea kayaking adventure allows Alaska travelers who are pressed for time to still enjoy the pristine beauty of Kenai Fjords National Park plus have a 1/2 day to explore the city of Seward with option to continue on to Denali National Park or our 3-day fly in bear viewing trip.

Aialik Bay (pronounced eye-Al-ick) - Kenai Fjords National Park
4-Day Kenai Fjords Sea Kayaking Package Departing From Anchorage

Our 4-day Aialik Bay sea kayaking Alaska adventure allows travelers who are pressed for time to still enjoy the pristine beauty of Kenai Fjords National Park plus have a 1/2 day to explore the city of Seward. Trips departing after the first week of June have the option to continue on to our 3 or 4 day Denali National Park Adventure or our 3-day fly in remote bear viewing camp.

This 4-day sea kayaking package combines pre and post trip transportation to and from Seward and lodging in Seward with our 2-day Aialik Bay sea kayaking trip.

Your 4-day adventure includes a scenic ride on the Alaska Railroad to Seward and while sea kayaking you'll paddle up to the face of a tidewater glacier, and hear the cracking and thunderous booms as it flows and calves into the ocean. Aialik Bay is a spectacular Alaska sea kayaking paradise, with an abundance of wildlife and tidewater glaciers flowing into its bays. A wide variety of wildlife and marine birds call Aialik Bay home. We often see pods of killer whales, humpback whales, harbor seals, sea otters, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles, the endangered Steller sea lion, and a variety of marine birds, including puffins. Visit our Aialik Bay Photo Album.

Itinerary

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Your Custom Sea Kayaking Package Includes

• Dry Suit - We supply dry suits to keep you warm, dry, and help protect you from hypothermia in Alaska's cold waters. Other Seward sea kayaking outfitters provide (or rent at extra cost) rain gear and rubber boots that offer little protection. Another advantage to dry suits is that if the weather turns wet, they add warmth and a comfort level you would not think possible in this maritime environment.
• Single Kayaks - We provide an option to paddle your own single-person kayak. Most other outfitters use only two-person kayaks. Please inquire.
• Specialty Equipment - No hidden or added gear costs to our trip cost. We supply the specialized outdoor gear you need. Other outfitters may require you to pay extra to rent gear or you may have to buy gear you may use only once. We supply our guests with dry suits, high quality rain gear, rubber boots, pogies (kayaking gloves) to keep your hands warm, tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bag if needed and dry bags to pack your gear in.
• Anchorage Departure - Transportation to Seward by the Alaska Railroad and motor coach back to Anchorage
• Seward Lodging - Pre- and post-trip hotel lodging in Seward is included in your custom tour package. Optional hostel lodging is available for budget-minded guests.
• Environmental Commitment - All of our Alaska adventure tours are run in a manner to minimize environmental impact. We practice Leave No Trace camping techniques.
• High Quality Experience Since 1986 - Recognized by the National Geographic 2007-2009 as one of the best adventure travel companies in the world.

ITINERARY **
Arrival - Fly into Anchorage International Airport. Plan to arrive at least one day before your kayak trip departure date. Anchorage offers many fine hotel and bed and breakfast lodging options. We can provide you a list of recommended lodging options or include hotel lodging in Anchorage with your tour package. If you would like us to include hotel lodging in Anchorage with your sea kayaking tour package just let us know.

Day 1 - Your adventure starts with a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train to Seward. The train follows the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm for about 50 miles before heading into the mountains. The Seward Highway has been designated an All-American Road, USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, and Alaska Scenic Byway. Turnagain Arm has tides with the second greatest fluctuation in North America, varying more than 40 feet. Beluga whales and Dall sheep are frequently seen along this section of Turnagain Arm.

Leaving Turnagain Arm the train heads up into the Kenai Mountains towards Grandview Valley where you'll travel through lush spruce and birch forests. Keep your eyes open for the occasional moose along the railroad and to see the many hanging glaciers. There's Bartlett Glacier, Trail Glacier, and Spencer Glacier, which stands out as one of the most beautiful glaciers along the southern railbelt. You arrive in Seward around noon.

You'll have an opportunity to freshen up before heading out on your own to explore the small maritime community of Seward. Activities you may want to consider include: a walking tour of Seward to visit the many shops; a harbor and sea wall walk; Guided Ice Climbing Adventure, museum, or maybe a fishing trip. Ask our travel host about making arrangements for these special side excursions. Seward has many coffee houses and restaurants to choose from for lunch (on your own).

You can also visit the Alaska SeaLife Center. The Alaska SeaLife Center is a non-profit marine science facility. The center's research facilities and naturalistic exhibits immerse visitors in the dynamic marine ecosystems of Alaska and provide opportunities to watch animals in naturalistic habitats as well as research settings.

Dinner (on your own) at one of the local Seward restaurants. Around 6:00 p.m. one of our guides will meet you at the hotel for a pre-trip meeting. Tonight will get you outfitted with rain gear, rubber boots and dry bags to pack your gear. Also, our guide will answer any last-minute trip questions you may have.

Day 2 - Breakfast on your own. Our guides will pick you at the hotel at 7:00 a.m. and with team effort we will load our sea kayaks and gear onto an ocean charter vessel for a 4-hour marine wildlife and glacier cruise to our first camp. Along the way, we round Cape Aialik, pass Caines Head, Bear Glacier, and a Stellar sea lion haulout. We'll set up camp, then paddle up to face of Holgate Glacier to watch the glacier calve and watch the seals playing on the icebergs.

Day 3 - We break camp early morning and if you choose you can go for a short paddle near camp while waiting for our charter boat to arrive for our ride back to Seward. Our shuttle driver will meet us at the dock and take you to back to your hotel.

Day 4 - Breakfast on your own. Meet the bus at 9:45 a.m. for your trip back to Anchorage. Along the way you will pass through dramatic valleys of the Kenai Mountains and keep a watch out for bald eagles, beluga whales and Dall sheep on this National Scenic Byway. You will arrive in Anchorage around 1:30 p.m.

For those that are continuing on to Denali National Park, you'll have about a 90 minute lunch stop at the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Arts before continuing on to Denali.

Backcountry Safaris P.O. Box 1397 Seward, Alaska USA 99664 1-907-222-1632 or toll-free 1-877-812-2159

**Tour Itineraries: Backcountry Safaris and other tour operators that we work with strive to give you a high quality Alaska experience. The tour itinerary shown on our web page is an example tour itinerary. The actual tour itinerary may vary some due to weather, safety, guest abilities and other conditions. Backcountry Safaris and other independent tour contractors reserve the right to change the tour itinerary and/or make substitutions at any time and without prior notice or to cancel all or part of any tour in its reasonable discretion, for the safety of its participants or due to insufficient number of participants signing up for a tour, because of weather, for the comfort and well being of our guests, for any other conditions that might affect the quality of tour, or as deemed necessary by the tour operator or trip leader.

Limitations of liability: Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, our adventure trips involve inherent risks and dangers which are beyond our control and Backcountry Safaris shall assume no responsibility for personal injuries or deaths and loss of personal property. Due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will read and sign the acknowledgment and Release of Liability before the tour begins. A copy of the text is available on request.