Polar Bears- Zukerman Custom

Polar Bears- Zukerman Custom

DATES

September 21, 2017 - September 27, 2017

REGION

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

TRIP COST

$9,300/ person (party of 6)

calendar

DATES

September 21, 2017 - September 27, 2017
region

REGION

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
price

TRIP COST

$9,300/ person (party of 6)

The Arctic Refuge is the best place in the world to watch Polar Bears. With as many as 50 bears roaming Barter Island, we can watch and photograph them to our heart’s content. Combine that experience with a road trip on the famed Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Deadhorse and a night in Barrow at the Top of the World, and you have an experience of a lifetime!

TRIP DETAILS

Last updated: January 11, 2017

Itinerary

What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.

September 20

Meet your guide for a pre-trip meeting at 6 pm in Fairbanks at Arctic Wild headquarters in Fairbanks.

September 21

Fairbanks to Wiseman:

We will pick you up at your local lodging and begin our drive to the Brooks Range. We cross the Yukon River, the “Old Woman Hills” and mile after mile of wilderness along the Dalton Highway. Near the end of the day we arrive in the historic mining town of Wiseman (Population 15) and meet our hosts, true Alaska pioneers.

September 22

A day to explore the southern Brooks Range:

From our base in Wiseman we will spend the day hiking in the mountains. If the weather is clear we can climb high into the tundra, or elect to explore the big woods by the creek. When darkness descends we look up in hopes of seeing the Aurora.

September 23

Wiseman to Deadhorse:

Drive over the Brooks Range and onto the Arctic Slope. Dall sheep, caribou and muskoxen can all been seen in the area and we will have time to enjoy the sights. After a long drive we arrive in the oil camp of Deadhorse, Alaska, aka Prudhoe Bay. The oil company accommodations are not as quaint as the log cabins of Wiseman, but the place is fascinating nonetheless.

September 24

Deadhorse to Kaktovik:

Catch the morning flight to the native village of Kaktovik. Population 300. Once we settle into our rooms we can tour the town with a local inupiat guide before heading to the beach to meet our captain for our first trip out to see the bears.

September 25

Polar Bears:

Weather permitting, we will enjoy two, 3-hour boat rides with a local guide. We will certainly see polar bears but we may also see bowhead whales, bearded seals and perhaps even beluga whales. Between boat trips we can walk around the village, explore both roads that go out on the tundra, or buy some locally made crafts.

September 26

Kaktovik to Barrow:

Our last day in Kaktovik and a final boat trip to visit with the bears before we board our flight to the top-of-the-world, Barrow Alaska. We arrive in Barrow by mid-afternoon and will head towards Point Barrow the furthest north location in the United States. On the way, we may encounter local hunters butchering a whale, fishing or out hunting birds. Time permitting we visit the Heritage Center and learn more about the history of the area.

September 27

Barrow to Fairbanks:

We will have time to see a bit more of the community this morning. What other town sells whaling harpoons at the auto-parts store? Where else do walrus heads adorn a home’s entry? Mid-day, we catch our flight back to Fairbanks where, sadly the trip ends.

Such a joy to spend days where time was meaningless.  A wonderful adventure and I would like to return next year for a longer, more challenging trip.

You mentioned to me in an email that you have terrific guides - you do indeed.  Dave is a superb guide. He is personable, knowledgeable about the Arctic, and has excellent group management skills. I appreciated the time he spent teaching me to read the map, which is not easy without trails.   He allowed Adrian and me to hike at our own pace and he encouraged all of us to explore the area surrounding our campsites. I know the others would concur in my praise.

- Sandra, California, USA

DETAILS

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Transportation from Fairbanks to Wiseman, Deadhorse, Kaktovik, and Barrow starting and ending in Fairbanks, outstanding guide service, 2 nights in Wiseman, 1 night in Deadhorse, 3 nights lodging in Kaktovik at Marsh Creek Inn (Double and Triple occupancy rooms), and 1 night in Barrow. Plus four, 3 hours boat trips from Kaktovik. All travel is of course weather permitting and delays and adjustments due to weather are highly likely.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Lodging beyond the duration of the scheduled trip, food beyond the duration of the scheduled trip, warm clothing, gratuity for guide(s). (Should weather force us to stay in Kaktovik, Barrow, or Deadhorse for additional nights, you will need to pay for additional nights of lodging.)

WEATHER & BUGS

A variety of weather should be expected including foggy periods and sunny conditions. Temperatures will be cold (15 to 40). Snow is likely. Bring a good parka, hat, and gloves. The up-side is that mosquitoes will be nowhere in sight.

RECOMMENDED READING

Polar Bears, Ian Sterling; Fifty Years Below Zero, Charles Brown; Arctic Dreams, Barry Lopez.  More Alaska reading is available from our Bookstore.

"The wilderness was spectacular, the leadership perfect."
"I am just finishing my tenth trip with you guys. As always, the trip was more than I expected and I had a great time. See you next year!"
"Of all outfitters with whom we have worked (and that is quite a number), you were by far the most organized and responsive."
"That feeling of wide open wonder, the possibilities for nearly limitless wandering, and the image of those proud caribou...that will stay with me a long time"
"Our guide was an encyclopedia on legs. He was always willing and ready to teach, to talk, to listen, to do another hike, or to lie low in camp if we were beat. He truly gave us the trip we wanted!"
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Eileen - Canning River