|  | |  | | | | Tour Highlights: | - Large population of brown bears during salmon migration
- Special platforms offer unobstructed, up-close bear viewing
- National Park Ranger programs available each day
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Tour Includes:
| - Round trip flights between Anchorage and King Salmon
- Daily roundtrip flights between King Salmon and Brooks Lodge
- Overnight in King Salmon (see under Rates & Policies for
accommodation information)
- Unguided bear viewing at Brooks
- All taxes and park fees
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Brooks Falls, located in Katmai National Park, is world renowned for its
incredible brown bear viewing. Special viewing platforms are located along the
Brooks River and at Brooks Falls. These platforms offer safe, unobstructed and
up-close bear watching, and photography - within easy walking distance from
Brooks Lodge on maintained trails.
Peak bear viewing season at Brooks
Falls is from late-June through July. This is the period when you would most
likely see the bears fishing for salmon at the falls. From late-August until
mid-September, which is also a peak time, salmon will be actually spawning in
the Brooks River and the bears are feeding throughout the river. While much of
August is not considered peak bear viewing season, the bears of Katmai continue
to roam through the area and sightings are quite common.
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LODGE INFORMATION AND ITINERARY
INFORMATION
Accommodations:The overnight accommodation in King Salmon is the King Ko
Inn. The King Ko Inn offers very basic and simple accommodation. Rooms
have private bath. The King Ko Inn has an on-site restaurant and bar. It is
located next to the airport. Please note that King Salmon is a small community.
Bear Viewing at Brooks: While
bears are typically seen in the area of Brooks all summer long, sightings are
NOT guaranteed. Prime viewing is typically from the end of June through July and
the end of August through mid-September, when the salmon are running.
Airplane
Information: The flight from Anchorage to King Salmon is in a twin-engine,
wheeled plane. The flight from King Salmon to Brooks is on a small, 6 to 10
passenger, single-engine float plane. Due to limited space, visitors are asked
to keep their luggage to a minimum and bring only soft-side luggage. Please do
not bring hard-side suitcases!
Food and
Meals: Visitors are not allowed to bring food to Brooks. This is
for the protection of both people and bears. A dining area in the main lodge
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets daily. Meals are NOT included with
any of the packages. The Lodge ONLY accepts cash, Visa and MasterCard.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Anchorage
to King Salmon and to Brooks Falls / Katmai National Park
In the
morning transfer to the Anchorage Airport by hotel courtesy shuttle. Depart
Anchorage (as early as 7:30 am) aboard a scheduled flight to King Salmon. On
arrival in King Salmon, a local representative will transfer you directly to a
seaplane for a 20 minute flight to Brooks Camp. On arrival in Brooks Camp, meet
with Park Service staff for a brief bear safety orientation. Spend the remainder
of the day exploring Brooks Camp, viewing brown bears from observation
platforms, and hiking on the numerous trails. In the evening fly back to King
Salmon, where you overnight.
Day 2/Departure: Brooks Falls /
Katmai National Park to Anchorage
This early morning you will fly
from King Salmon to Brooks for bear viewing. Spend the day at Brooks Lodge: take
a walk on the trails to the observation platforms, or take a guided bus tour to
the Valley of 10,000 Smokes (not included). In the late afternoon fly from
Brooks to King Salmon. From King Salmon you fly to Anchorage **.
If you
stay longer: you enjoy more bear viewing and can part take in the offered park
ranger programs. You will fly daily from King Salmon to Brooks so that you can
spend the day in Brooks for bear viewing.
** The return to Anchorage can
vary and depends on the length of stay and availability of flights. If you book
the 2 day/1 night program you typically return to Anchorage at
approximately 9:00 pm. With the 3 day/2 night or 4 day/3 night programs
you typically depart Anchorage around 9:30 am on day 1, and return to
Anchorage at approximately 4:00 pm on the last day. Please note that you
sometimes have a layover of even over an hour in King Salmon on the departure
day, depending on flight availability from King Salmon to Anchorage.
A night in Anchorage before and after this tour is required.
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IMPORTANT
NOTES
- July & Sept /
High Season Stays: July and September
are the most popular months for bear viewing at Brooks Falls. The only
accommodation available at Brooks Falls is Brooks Lodge. Brooks Lodge is
sold out in July and early September over a year in advance. If you are
looking at going to Katmai National Park / Brooks Falls in July or September,
we highly recommend this program with alternative accommodations in King
Salmon. This program includes daily flights to Brooks Falls (included in
tour price) for bear viewing.
- Food and Meals:
Visitors are not allowed to bring food to Brooks. This is for the protection
of both people and bears. A dining area in the main lodge serves breakfast,
lunch and dinner buffets daily. Meals are NOT included with any of the
packages. The Lodge ONLY accepts cash, Visa and MasterCard. Meals are also
available at the King Ko Inn in King Salmon.
- Flight
Schedule: Due to flight schedule variances, a pre and post
night in Anchorage is highly recommended! Listed
flight times are subject to change!
REFUND / CANCELLATION
POLICY
Any time after our written
confirmation: $100 per person or 10% of invoice total, whichever is
greater.
60 to 45 days prior to lodge stay / tour date: 30% of invoice
total.
44 to 31 days prior to lodge stay / tour date: 60% of invoice
total.
30 to 0 days prior to lodge stay / tour date: 100% of invoice
total.
Day
tour and overnight packages are non-refundable, even if flights between King
Salmon and Brooks are cancelled due to weather. However, flights between
Anchorage and
King Salmon/Brooks Camp are generally very reliable in any weather.
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TRAVEL TO ALASKA: Please make sure you have your proper documents (US Drivers License or
passport) with you, your credit card and camera/video recorder. If you booked a rental car with us that you will pick up upon arrival in
Alaska, please make sure you provide us with your flight arrival information so
that your car is ready for you when you arrive! Also remember that Alaska has its own time zone. Alaska is 1 hour behind
Pacific Standard Time / 2 hours behind Mountain Standard Time / 3 hours behind
Central Standard Time / 4 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. WHAT TO PACK: Temperatures from June through August range between 60°F / 16° C to 80°F /
27°. May and September are typically cooler, with temperatures ranging between
45°F / 7° C to 55°F / 13° C. Temperatures in the winter can range from -40
degrees to 40 degrees. If summer or winter the general rule for Alaska is casual, comfortable
clothing that can be worn in layers. The first layer should be something thin
and next to the skin (try to avoid cotton). The second layer adds warmth and
allows you the option of removing if it gets warmer (mostly fleece or similar).
The third layer should protect you against rain and wind if necessary.
For day cruises into Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National
Park, for example, we recommend an extra layer including a scarf, hat and
gloves, as it can be chilly on the boats - even in the summer!
Comfortable walking shoes or water repellent hiking boots are also
important.
If you visit in the winter, your outer layer should
protect you against the cold and wind. Even so jeans are comfortable, they are
not ideal when it is really cold. Ski pants are protecting better against the
cold weather. Do not forget to bring a warm scarf, hat, gloves, and boots.
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