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Want
to increase your chances of seeing
bears without resorting to the Alaska
Zoo? Rust's
Flying Service will whisk you
off into the Alaskan wilderness for
a day of world-class brown-bear viewing
in their natural habitat. We love Rust's,
which has been safely carrying people
far away from the crowds since 1963
and provides two-way headsets and window
seats for every passenger.
Take off by seaplane for an all-day
bear viewing expedition past glaciers
and volcanoes to the land of the giants,
the brown-bear country of southwest
Alaska. Your Seaplane
Bear Safari will take you
to Brooks River Falls in Katmai National
Park , home of the world ' s largest
salmon run—i.e.
bear-viewing central. During your 200-mile safari,
numerous bears can often be spotted
from the air as well.
That's not your only option. You
can also fly 70 miles southwest of
Anchorage to the entrance of Lake Clark
Wilderness Preserve, home of the Redoubt
Bay Lodge and incredible bear viewing.
An experienced natural history guide
will take you by boat through bear
country, where Wolverine Creek empties
into Big River Lakes.
Look for bears as they fish for
salmon, and don't forget to watch
for other wildlife along the
way. Guests receive a Redoubt
Bay Field Guide that provides
interesting facts about bears
and a checklist of flora and
fauna specific to this region.
Both
sites are very popular, and
both draw a fairly large crowd
of people. It's not uncommon
to be within 100 feet of a bear,
or even closer.
So how do you choose
between these two great locations?
- Timing: Timing may dictate your choice. The peak season for Brooks River Falls is July, while you can enjoy good bear viewing anytime between mid-June and mid-August at Redoubt Bay Lodge.
- Distance: At Brooks Falls, you’ll typically see more bears and get to see the quintessential Alaskan scene of bears fishing for salmon swimming up falls—but from a greater distance. At Redoubt, the bears might come very close to your boat as they lunge for salmon in the lake.
- Cost: Redoubt Bay is more affordable—but neither trip is inexpensive, so this may not be a factor for you.
- Setting: At Brooks, you stand on a Park Service viewing platform, watching bears snatch salmon as they jump up the falls. It's not really guided—rangers escort you to and from the falls. At Redoubt, you're in a boat, and the guides are with you the whole time.
- Flight Time: It's only 50 minutes of flying time to Redoubt, and 2 hours plus for Katmai—both flights offer gorgeous scenery.
- Schedule: The Redoubt Bay Lodge trip is shorter (6 hours vs. 10), and offers two separate departure times as well.
- Weather: Sometimes weather does shut down the trips. Katmai tends to be a little more finicky, due to the greater distance. But don't worry, weather won't affect the bears.
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