Northern Vacations Visit our Alaska Company

Walrus Viewing

 

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Walrus Viewing

 

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Includes:

Whale watching and hike (naturalist guide, water, hearty snack, poncho, & boat transportation), Bear viewing tour (Permits, flight, guiding services, and gear (binoculars, boots, rain wear), 2 nights accommodation at specified hotel.

Description:
USD Cost (Net)
Price
$1,398

2008 rates and dates not yet available.  2007 rates are per person.

Notes:

  • Passengers should be in moderately good health and capable for walking up and down steep slopes for short distances. The island trail is a little over a mile each way, but is hilly and muddy at times.
  • Weather usually is mild, in the 50s and 60s (10-15C) with light winds. However, inclement weather is not unusual and visitors should be prepared for both rain and choppy seas.
  • Passengers need suitable field clothing and field gear, including rain gear, boots and rucksack. Personal affects should be kept to a minimum and packed in several soft-sided bags rather than suitcases.
  • Trip cancellation insurance is recommended.

Walrus Viewing on Round Island
3 days and 2 nights: Daily May 15 – Sept. 15

Located in Bristol Bay (north of the Aleutian Peninsula), Round Island, the centerpiece of the wild and lonely Walrus Islands archipelago. The islands and surrounding waters support a profusion of marine wildlife. It is here that hundreds, and often thousands, of walrus gather. Round Island has been long known to professional wildlife photographers around the world as the best place to photograph walrus. This wonderfully pristine wilderness location is also home to foxes, endangered Steller sea lions, harbor seals, gray whales and harbor porpoises. The mainland slopes and valleys are home to moose and caribou, and giant Alaska brown (“grizzly”) bears patrol the creeks and beaches. This is truly one of Alaska’s most in-depth wildlife viewing experiences.

Travel Itinerary:

Day 01 - Flight from Anchorage to the Yupic Eskimo (Inuit) village of Togiak.
On arrival in Togiak, you will be met by your guide and board the touring vessel (the Inconnu) for the trip to the Walrus Islands. If you arrive early enough the first day you’ll proceed directly to Round Island. If not, you’ll travel to a nearer island location for an afternoon and evening of wildlife viewing, beachcombing and tundra walking. More than 250,000 seabirds, including kittiwakes, murres, auklets, cormorants, guillemots and two species of puffins, nest on Round Island’s slopes and cliffs during the summer. Overnight on-board the vessel.

Day 02 - Round Island Walrus Viewing
Approaching the island slowly and quietly, we’ll anchor a distance offshore, and land in an inflatable boat. We’ll move carefully so as not to disturb walrus hauled out near our landing point. We’ll be met by biologists assigned to monitor the island and wildlife, for permits and orientation. Then we’re on our own for an amazing day on this magical isle, travelling the trails on the treeless bluffs to points above the walrus haul outs. In the evening we return to the boat and motor to another island or a mainland anchorage.

Day 03 - Walrus Viewing
Today we have the option of returning to Round Island or we can choose another island location before returning the Togiak to meet your return flight to Anchorage. End.