OVERVIEW

Fly over the majestic wilds of the Tongass National Forest in a floatplane and land in the waters off George Inlet Lodge, where you will feast on iconic Alaskan dishes. You will fly there in a DeHavilland aircraft – the workhorse of the Alaskan bush – on a route over America’s largest national forest and the crystal-clear waterways that rim Revillagigedo Island. Many natural wonders lay below, which include sea cliffs, deep fjords, and mist-shrouded peaks. You may even spot black bears foraging on berries and humpback whales breaching the water’s surface. Shortly after the plane lands in George Inlet, you will enjoy an enlightening tour of the lodge and then sit down to a classic Alaskan meal. Come hungry as you can expect to dine on signature dishes centered around the famous dungeness crab, which is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Dessert will be just as mouthwatering. Once finished with the meal you will be driven back to the ship.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Drive a four-wheel-drive automatic Jeep Wrangler along mountainous roads through Tongass National Forest. Befriend your fellow travelers and group into teams of 4 per Jeep. The safari travels from sea level to the sub-alpine region of this unique coastal island. Learn about the area's natural history as you drive abandoned logging roads. Along the way, you’ll make a stop to take advantage of photo opportunities and to rotate drivers, so everyone has a turn at the wheel. Your next destination is the secluded mountain lake - Lake Harriet Hunt - where you’ll board a Tlingit-style 37 foot, 20 passenger canoe, much like the Alaska Natives used to travel the coastal waterways. Your safari guide will then lead a brief nature walk through old-growth forest from the remote camp where your cook will prepare an Alaska-style snack.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive a 4x4 Jeep Wrangler on abandoned logging roads through the Alaskan rainforest.
• Canoe across a beautiful subalpine lake.
• Partake in an Alaskan-style snack at a remote camp.
• Go on an interpreted nature walk through old-growth forest.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable, water-resistant walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Go fishing on an open-deck skiff in the pristine waters off Ketchikan and then gather around a crackling campfire and enjoy a classic Alaskan fish dinner. The captain will assess the water conditions and choose a secluded spot where you will have the best chance of catching numerous Alaskan bottom fish species. To add to the fun, you will use light tackle so even average-size fish will be more exciting to land. After a couple of hours on the water, you will disembark on the shore of a spruce and cedar rainforest and settle in while the camp cook prepares dinner. The bottom-feeders that you have caught will be served atop a saffron-infused bouillabaisse. Seasoned potatoes in homemade fish broth, warm sourdough rolls and rhubarb-blueberry crisp round out the menu.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fish in the waters off Ketchikan in a skiff with only a few other anglers.
• Use the provided light tackle and bait that’s been selected for what’s biting that day.
• Enjoy your fresh catch for dinner around a campfire in the rainforest.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise into the sheltered waters of the Tongass Narrows looking for whales, porpoise and other Alaskan wildlife, and then pull up to a forested island to feast around a bonfire. There is no telling what you may see as the captain navigates the boat into remote coves and around forested islands. Humpback whales are often spotted and the sight is mesmerizing. Two other types of cetaceans – orcas and Dall’s porpoise – are also commonly seen. Orcas tend to travel in large groups. Dall’s porpoise can easily be identified by their distinct rooster-tail splash when traveling quickly just below the water’s surface. This wildlife safari includes a stop on secluded Annette Island for some delicious Alaskan Dogs, seasonal jams, chips, s’mores. Leave room for a dessert of s’mores around a roaring fire. Chances are, there will be time for an enlightening exploration of the island’s old-growth forest.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise the Tongass Narrows and Revillagigedo Channel looking for whales and porpoises.
• Learn about the animals’ habits and characteristics from the captain and naturalist guide.
• Savor a hearty meal of Alaskan dishes around a crackling fire on Annette Island.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Follow a guide along a winding gravel trail through the Tongass National Forest and feast on seafood at a popular waterfront lounge afterwards. As you hike the two-mile-long Coast Guard Beach trail – which is considered challenging – the guide will point out and describe the flora and fauna that you encounter in the serene rainforest. You can expect to travel over steep rocky slopes, between outcroppings of jagged rocks and over a wooden bridge. The experience will be well worth the effort as you will be rewarded with stunning views of the beach below. You will also enjoy a waterfront view, overlooking Ketchikan’s historic working float plane docks at Bush Pilot's Lounge for your Taste of Alaska lunch. Which includes locally sourced salmon, reindeer sausage, halibut and more! Served along with a local craft beer or wine.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike a challenging but rewarding coastal trail through the Tongass National Forest.
• Enjoy the tranquility of the rainforest and spectacular views the entire time.
• Learn about the flora and fauna that thrive in the rainforest and along the coast.
• Dine on a bounty of Alaskan seafood at Bush Pilot's Lounge following the hike.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress for inclement weather.
• Layered clothing and comfortable footwear recommended.

OVERVIEW

Go deep-sea fishing with a captain and crew that know the prime fishing grounds and the best methods to catch plenty of salmon. Although countless species inhabit these waters, Ketchikan is the Salmon Capital of the World, so there is no better place to catch these highly prized sportfish. Once you reach a spot where the fish have been biting lately, you will begin trolling for salmon using a downrigger to ensure that the bait reaches the desired depth. All the fishing tackle is provided so you can just concentrate on landing a big one. Five species of salmon are found in this part of Alaska, including king salmon, which are also called Chinook salmon. Pink salmon are the most abundant species, and they are vigorous fighters. If you want to keep what you catch, it can be processed and shipped anywhere in the United States. Of course, be sure to snap lots of photos first.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fish for hard-fighting salmon in a small group of not more than six people.
• Enjoy the stunningly beautiful, natural backdrop of the Tongass National Forest.
• Ship your catch home fully processed if you want to eat it later.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Take in the gorgeous scenery within the pristine Misty Fjords National Monument while flying in a DeHavilland floatplane as your bush pilot elaborates on the natural wonders below. This completely undeveloped wilderness sprawls across more than two million acres in the Tongass National Forest, America’s largest national forest. Majestic beyond imagination, the landscape is a mosaic of sea cliffs, misty mountains, deep fjords, thundering waterfalls, jewel-like lakes and dense rainforest, all of which you will gaze down upon from your own window seat. The exact route for the flight will depend on the weather. If you fly south, you will likely see shimmering Big Goat Lake and New Eddystone Rock, an immense volcanic spire that rises above the sea. The northern route usually passes over Neets Bay and Bell Island Hot Springs. Be sure to look for brown and black bear, Sitka black-tailed deer and bald eagles as wildlife is abundant.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fly over the Misty Fjords National Monument wilderness in a DeHavilland floatplane.
• Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of a pristine landscape that glaciers sculpted centuries ago.
• Pass over dense rainforest, cliff-lined fjords, majestic mountains and sparkling lakes.
• Keep an eye out for bears, deer, bald eagles and other iconic Alaskan wildlife.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Try your luck fishing for halibut, a species of flatfish that gets massive and feeds voraciously in the summer. You will head out to the fishing grounds in a group of no more than six guests, which ensures that the captain and crew can provide exceptional personal attention to increase your chances of catching one of these behemoths. Once the boat anchors, you will fish with a vertical rigging to reach the bottom of the ocean floor where halibut live. The larger fish are usually females and can grow up to eight feet in length and five feet in width, which is why they are often called “barn doors.” Imagine what a thrill it would be to reel in one of these lunkers. If you catch one, you will notice that it has smooth scales and a light-colored bottom and a darker top, which acts as a natural camouflage that mimics the hues of the ocean floor and water.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fish for halibut on a private boat with just five other guest’s maximum.
• Follow the crew’s advice and tips to increase your chance of catching a huge halibut.
• Ship your catch home fully processed if you want to eat it later.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
• REQUIRED to purchase fishing license in advance. The license itself will have a QR code on it and the state seal of Alaska.
• For Local Halibut, a 1-day nonresident sportfishing license($15) is required for those 16 and older.
• For Local Salmon, a 1-day nonresident sportfishing license($15) and King stamp ($15) is required for those 16 and older. The King stamp is required until July 15.

OVERVIEW

Discover the art and science of distilling on a behind-the-scenes tour of Uncharted Alaska Distillery and then custom-blend your own bottled spirit in a hands-on class. Located in a former Ketchikan fire station, the distillery handcrafts gin, vodka, whiskey and agave spirits that capture the essence of the Alaskan wilderness. Samples will be offered that best express each product’s characteristics, a tasting that will inspire you to create your own signature spirit. Upstairs in the laboratory, you will find everything necessary to start the process. The instructor will help you choose the flowers, herbs, spices and other ingredients to infuse and blend your signature creation. For the final touch, you will design a personal label for the bottle. It could be silly or serious, depending on the image you wish to convey. The bottled spirit is yours to keep.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a private tour of Uncharted Alaska Distillery in Ketchikan.
• Sample some of the unique spirits that the distillery produces.
• Create your own spirit and label during a hands-on class in the distillery laboratory.
• Take home your custom-blended spirit as a souvenir of the experience.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Fly to a remote wilderness on a floatplane and observe black bears feasting on salmon. From your window seat on the DeHavilland floatplane, you will look down on the natural beauty of the seemingly endless Tongass National Forest. The sights will be breathtaking as the plane flies over a sheltered fjords and lands in the water just off Traitor’s Cove, where you will meet a naturalist guide that is especially knowledgeable about black bears. A short hike will bring you to an elevated observation platform that overlooks a stream where pink, coho and chum salmon spawn. Bears typically gather there to feast on the salmon as they make their way upstream. It can be quite the sight to see a salmon leap into the air only to be caught in the mouth off an awaiting bear. Chances are, you will also see bald eagles feeding on the scraps that the bears leave behind.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fly deep into the Alaskan wilderness in a DeHavilland floatplane.
• d off Traitor’s Cove, a remote area frequented by black bears.
• Follow a naturalist guide to a wildlife viewing platform that overlooks a stream.
• Look for black bears feasting on spawning salmon as they make their way upstream.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Delve into the fascinating culture of the indigenous people of Southeast Alaska by visiting authentic totem poles in the rainforest and paddling a canoe across a gorgeous mountain lake. As you wander through Totem Bight State Historical Park, you will see colorful, hand-carved totem poles and a large clan house similar to ones built in the early 19th century. The park offers a fascinating insight into the culture of the indigenous people, as will your experience on Lake Harriet Hunt, where you will board a 37-foot canoe patterned after the ones that the Tlingit and Haida built. The lake provides a beautiful setting for your paddling adventure because the dense forest comes to the edge of the water. In time, you will disembark for an Alaskan-style snack. You will have the opportunity to walk through an old-growth forest while the guide points out the most interesting flora and perhaps fauna.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into the fascinating culture of Alaska’s indigenous people.
• Paddle a canoe like the ones the indigenous Tlingits and Haidas built.
• Enjoy a snack and an interpretive nature walk through an old growth forest.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat, comfortable, water-resistant walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Salmon, cod, rockfish, and lingcod are the order of the day on this highly adaptable adventure fishing excursion! On the Alaskan Combination Fishing trip, you and your guide are free to chase whatever species offers the best chance of action that day. This five-hour trip is about fun, fishing flexibility, and adventure. If the salmon are running, your guide is likely to recommend a day spent trolling through schools of pink, silver, and the elusive mighty king salmon. If you’re looking to have fun hooking fish on light tackle, you’ll be seeking out schools of rockfish suspended in the water column. On a particularly calm day, you might run farther in search of pacific cod and lingcod. Along the way, you’ll see primeval forests, mountains soaring up from the sea, and have a good chance of spotting marine mammals such as whales; porpoises; seals; and more! Though we can’t retain halibut on this trip, you may end up fighting some of these mighty fish in the process of chasing other species on the bottom. While we love catching and eating fish, we also love to safely release them back into the wild. Our company, and this excursion, are about accessing the absolute best experiences Alaska has to offer.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fish in protected, relatively remote waters away from other anglers.
• Use the crew’s advice and fishing tips to increase your chances for landing a big fish.
• Watch for breaching whales, seals and eagles when cruising to and from the fishing grounds.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress warmly in layered clothing and light rain gear.
• Wear flat comfortable shoes with non-slip soles.