It is home to hundreds of species of migratory birds such as puffins, cormorants, murres and kittiwakes. Birds of prey patrol the beaches, whales and porpoises frolic in the clear Pacific, and thousands of salmon spawn in many of the park’s rivers. Katmai holds within its borders 15 active volcanoes – more than any park in the world – and remains one of the most geologically active places on earth! Additionally, the coastal region that Katmai National Park and Preserve encompasses contains one of the richest and most concentrated prehistoric and protohistoric cultural resources known in Alaska.

Our 12-day kayaking adventure along the coast will take us along 30+ miles of this spectacular shore – From Geographic Harbor to Kaflia Bay. As we head northeaset along the Alaska Peninsula, we’ll camp on islands and beaches and will have the chance to view this spectacular national park in a way that few ever have. Our route will take us around a complex of narrow fjords, island and sea stack bays, sandy beaches, deep river valleys, and rocky headlands. Views of active volcanoes and Kodiak Island will be the backdrop of our panorama as we glide past a complex ecosystem that includes river drainages, marshes, beaches, inter-tidal zones, estuaries, coastal uplands, and islands. The campsites we choose will allow for beach combing, hiking, exploring, wildlife viewing and more. We’ll also visit Takli Island Archeological District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and will strive to understand the hearty history of those who called this area home for over 6000 years.

This trip originates in Anchorage, Alaska. Getting to Anchorage is a snap. Alaska Airlines, your travel agent, or the carrier of your choice can easily arrange roundtrip airfare from the lower 48.  Once you land in Anchorage, your adventure really begins. For this trip into Katmai National Park,  you'll find that the areas we visit won't be found on any road map; out here there aren't any roads!

Your Flight: Access to Katmai National Park and the rugged Katmai Coast is limited to air travel in a small airplane flown by an experienced bush pilot. Have your camera at the ready, your trip begins here.  For most, this will be your first experience in a small aircraft – a memorable one to be sure.  The 150-mile flight from Homer to the Katmai Coast takes you over the Shelikof Strait, and along some of the most remote and beautiful coastline in Alaska, with towering peaks and tumbling glaciers right off the wing tips.  Our pilot has spent years flying in this area and you’ll immediately understand why we choose to fly with him.

Accommodations:  Lodging on night one in Homer is included in your Katmai Coast Kayaking package. The lodging is comfortable at a great Bed & Breakfasts just outside of town. Prices are double occupancy.  If you prefer your own room on night one you will be asked to pay a single supplement of $105.00.  The remaining nights will be spent camping in the wilderness!

The Experience: Our trip will originate today in Anchorage, where you’ll meet your guide at your hotel.  We’ll then make the scenic four-hour drive to Homer, a delightful fishing village on the shore of Cook Inlet’s Kachemak Bay. We’ll end the evening with dinner at a local restaurant, followed by a thorough orientation and gear check. Dinner included.

Up early on day 2, we'll have breakdast at the B&B.  We'll then make our way over to our air taxi for our flight to Katmai National Park.  Our first day in the wilderness will allow us to collect our senses, gaze at the surrounding beauty, and get a feel for the terrain we will be covering.  You will quickly become acquainted with our style of wilderness travel and camp etiquette.  Meals are planned to be sumptuous, filling culinary adventures of their own.  Because weight is critical, careful consideration is taken in planning and packing the ingredients.  You can be assured every meal will be something you may never have experienced in the wilderness. We use fresh food products when possible and the very best freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients available.

What’ Included:

• All group gear (tents, stoves, fuel, kayaks, dry bags, etc.) and safety equipment.
• Roundtrip van transportation from Anchorage to Homer
• Lodging on night one in Homer
• Air Transportation from Homer to the Katmai Coast.
• Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 client to guide ratio
• All meals from dinner on day one through lunch on the final day of the itinerary.
• Storage for your extra travel items while in the field

What’s Not:

• Personal gear (sleeping bags, packs, rain gear, etc.)
• Trip insurance.
• Additional room nights due to weather delays.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Guide gratuities.

Reservation Policy:

A deposit of $1000.00 per person is required to reserve a trip with Alaska Alpine Adventures. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip. Reservations made within 60 days of the trip starting date require payment in full.

If the participant cancels a reservation earlier than 60 days prior to the starting date, the deposit will be refunded, minus a $500.00 administration fee. If the participant cancels within 59-31 days of the starting date, 50% of the trip balance will be refunded. If cancellation is made within 30-0 days of the trip starting date, there will be no refund of any costs. Alaska Alpine Adventures recommends cancellation insurance available through Travel Guard. Please call or email us for details.

Everyone asks:

What about the mosquitoes?
In case you've heard horror stories... the number of mosquitoes is greatly dependent on hatching season and annual weather conditions. While we are bound to encounter some mosquitoes during the course of our adventure, their numbers have not generally presented major problems on past trips in these specific areas. That said, please arrive prepared with insect repellent and a head net to fend off any mosquitoes that are present.

Will bears be a problem?
Alaska is bear country! There are both grizzly and black bears in most of the wilderness areas of Alaska we visit. We love seeing bears in the wild and it really is one of the most thrilling experiences common in Alaska backcountry travel. With that said, traveling safely and taking precautions to minimize a negative encounter are things we take very seriously. In addition to being subject to our thorough bear safety orientation, you’ll also see that we take many precautions when traveling in Alaska’s wilderness – 1 all of our food has been packaged to minimize odors – we vacuum seal most of our fresh ingredients and sauces, we pack our food in bear resistant food canisters, and we store our food well away from camp. 2 We make noise when we’re hiking in thick brush or when we’re hiking in windy conditions to minimize surprise encounters 3 we keep an exceptionally clean camp. and 4 as a last resort we travel armed. Our guides carry 44 mags or shotguns. Alaska’s national parks allow for the use of firearms and our guides are thoroughly trained in firearm use. Again, using a gun is a last resort and thankfully we’ve never had to call one into service on a trip!

What kind of food might we expect?
Our food is excellent – in fact it is something that clearly differentiates us from our competitors. We have spent the past decade fine tuning our backcountry menu. Breakfasts include pancakes, scrambles, various homemade granola and cereals, French pressed coffee, assorted teas and hot drinks. For lunch we enjoy foccacia sandwiches, bagels and Alaska lox, hummus and toasted pita chips, and assorted wraps. We also have homemade snack mixes both salty and sweet and energy and candy bars available throughout the day. Dinners could include lasagna, pad thai, beef mole’ tacos, penne pasta with a roasted red pepper pesto, wild mushroom risotto, etc. And we ALWAYS enjoy one of Derek’s home baked desserts after dinner.

When would you require a deposit? and how much? Trip cancellation insurance? Can we get it through you?
We require a deposit of $1000 per person to officially reserve a trip. Really the deposit is due as soon as you’d like to book. That way, we have the trip inked in on the schedule and can begin the effort to coax others into joining the adventure. When you decide to book, we then generate an invoice that we send by email. You’ll then have the option to pay the deposit by mailing us a check, calling us with a credit card number or by using a Visa, Master Card, or American Express on our secure online payment system. As for trip cancellation insurance, Alaska Alpine Adventures is licensed to sell Travel Guard - an industry leading insurance product designed specifically for adventure travelers. Please contact us for details, or click here to obtain a quote.

Katmai National Park and Preserve:

Where is Katmai National Park?
The 3.5 Million Acre Katmai National Park it's contained within lies the end of the Alaska Peninsula at the crest of the Pacific Rim of fire.  This remote park is over 200 air miles south-west of Anchorage.  

How do you get to Katmai National Park?
Access to Katmai National Park is solely by small aircraft or, in some instances, by boat.

Is transportation to Katmai National Park included in the price of the trip?
Absolutely, our Katmai trips are all inclusive from Anchorage.

Where will you meet us?
Alaska Alpine Adventures will provide van transportation to Homer on day 1.  Your guide will meet you at a Bed & Breakfast in downtown Anchorage before departing for Homer.

Who will I be flying with during our departure?
You'll be flying with Beluga Air based out of homer.  Our pilot has spent years flying in this area and you’ll immediately understand why we choose to fly with him.

Is Katmai National Park a good place for viewing wildlife?
Absolutely. Katmai National Park is home to grizzly, coastal brown, and black bears, dall sheep, caribou, moose, wolves, and tremendous seasonal populations of migratory birds.

Day 1: Our trip will originate today in Anchorage, where you’ll meet your guide at a local Bed & Breakfast.  We’ll then make the scenic four hour drive to Homer, a delightful fishing village on the shore of Cook Inlet’s Kachemak Bay. After settling into our accommodations, we’ll end the evening with dinner at a local restaurant, followed by a thorough orientation and gear check. Dinner included.

Day 2: After a night enjoying the quaint charm of Homer, we’ll board a float-plane for the 1-hour flight to Geographic Harbor and the starting point for our kayaking trip up the coast.  Our flight route will take us directly over our route and along the stunning coastline of Katmai National Park. All meals included.

Days 3-11: We’ll spend the next 9-days kayaking and exploring this amazing wilderness.  Days will be spent kayaking, bear viewing, beach combing, assessing the constantly changing weather, and basking in the incredible solitude found in this wilderness park.  All meals included.

Day 12: Today, after our final breakfast in Katmai National Park, we’ll await our return float-plane flight to Homer.  We’ll then continue by van toward Anchorage.  Along the way we’ll stop to stretch our legs in Portage and will visit the Begich Boggs Visitor Center near the Portage Glacier. If you are leaving Alaska on this day, please schedule homebound flights from Anchorage after 9pm.  Breafast and lunch included.