Aug 26th-Sept 1st 2024  (1st trip)

  Sept 1st-7th 2024 (2nd trip)

Arrival Destination:

Kodiak, Alaska

I only take 4 guests

Availability: 

1st trip -FULL

2nd trip -FULL

Price Per Person:  

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About the Tour

Experience the wonder of Kodiak from the remote Kodiak National Wildlife refuge. Coastal grizzlies fishing in the outgoing tide. Eagles line the cliff walls. Silver, cross and red fox trot along the shoreline looking for scrapes. Deer shyly walk along the beach in the early morning. Short tailed weasels peek out from the rocky outcrops at your passing. 

This tour is for wildlife photographers that want to go all day! You must have a good familiarity with your camera and gear. You should know where your settings are and how to change them quickly I will give you the tools to work with, and help you to apply them to achieve the quality of image you hoped for.

Wildlife

Sea birds fill the air at all times of the day. Otters play in the water next to your boat. Whales, orca, and seals can make appearances.

Puffins are seen stocking up for winter, both horned and tufted are out on the water, taking food back and forth to the nesting sites. We spend as much time as you want photographing them.

Besides the brown bears, Kodiak is well known for marine life, we have seen on outings, humpback and fin whales, seals, otters, seal lions and orca. There is also abundance of bird life everywhere you look.

There is an abundance of bald eagles along the river, along with many other types of birds, a photographers paradise awaits you in the wilds of Kodiak.

We don’t give you 4 hours of bear viewing, we give you 4.5 days photographing the bears and other wildlife! This gives you plenty of time to get great shots and to work around any bad weather. I only take 4 people on this tour. That way, the bears don’t feel crowded and if you need help with settings, I am free to help.

Please note, we cover bear safety guidelines, as you will be out in the wild with bears not habituated to people. We will be traveling to a remote part of Kodiak Island for the 5 days. So put your cell phone away, grab your camera, and be prepared to show your camera the wild side of photography.

Each day, we will head out in a small boat to search for wildlife and scenery to photograph. The bears come out to feed on the salmon when the tide is low. When the tide is in, we have many other options to photograph. There is always an abundance of wildlife either close to the shore or in the water. Equipment will need to be handheld while on the boat. The bears are photographed from shore. PLEASE NOTE, THESE BEARS ARE NOT HABITUATED TO HUMANS, so I ask that a telephoto lens be used so as to not disturb them.

Your Lodging

Our remote location takes you away from crowds and puts you in a pristine wilderness , right in the heart of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.

The grandeur of the wildlife refuge doesn’t only apply to wildlife, the scenery is one of the most pristine, and untouched you will find. There will be no other people at our lodge, only our group.

Because we are in a remote part of the wilderness, cell phones and internet will not be working. But why would you want to be on your phone or your computer, when you have such wild beauty in front of your eyes and camera lens.

There are 2 guest cabins situated a short distance from the lodge for privacy. Each cabin is outfitted with one full size bed and a set of twin bunks, night stands, table, deck chairs. We work out who stays at which cabin by what genders sign up. There are only 2 cabins, so you will be sharing a cabin with someone. The consensus of our guests is that they love the Big Screen TV view from the cabins. There are flush toilets and a double shower house very conveniently located a short distance from the cabins.

Meals

Meals are served family style. Coffee is ready at 7am. Breakfast is served around 8am. Lunches are taken along in the boat to be enjoyed during the adventure of the day. Dinners are served around 8pm. The menu regularly features freshly caught fish and/or snow crab for those that enjoy seafood. We also serve a variety of other meats to satisfy various appetites. Fresh salads & healthy veggies accompany each dinner. OH! and there is the bakery … fresh cookies with lunches … delicious dinner desserts … all homemade, FRESH CRAB!

Important Note

If you have trouble walking and can’t carry your own gear, this may not be the tour for you. The cabins are up hill and the boat is down hill. We frequently park the boat and walk along the shore and through the flats to set up our gear. We can walk up to a mile (sometimes more), through thick bear trails, and weeds, on uneven rocky river beds. On occasion, we climb small mounds and walk through muddy banks. You will be wearing waders (provided),
and crossing moving water.

You will have to get in and out of a boat. You will have to walk up to your cabin. You should be able to stand for periods of time. This trip is rated MODERATE for physical requirement. You will need to have or rent a full frame camera and telephoto lens and tripod.

Also please note, there is no tripod/mono use on the boat, you will need to hand hold you lens when we shoot the sea life/ otters/puffins. The boat rocks, so you would have photos of sea/sky and the motor vibrates,

I do wish to speak to each client, assess your photographic level, and your gear. We sometimes make recommendations on renting equipment that might serve you better out in the remote wilderness.

Our Itinerary

Pricing Details

Per person =

See below for deposit information

Important Information

Deposit

A deposit of $500 is required to hold your spot. Please review our Terms & Conditions before inquiring about a reservation. Please note: We reserve the right to decline your deposit if we feel you aren’t able to meet the physical requirements of the trip.

COVID-19 Vaccinations/boosters- are based on the requirements of the state/location

Packing

We will be in the remote part of the island, so what clothing you bring will be important. You will receive a phone call from me going over your camera gear and what you will need to achieve the images you expect. And what clothing to pack. Since we fly over on a small float plane, large big bags are discouraged. And fitness, health and photographic ability is also requested.