See polar bears in the wild!
Observing wild polar bears in their natural habitat is truly a remarkable experience. Now, you can join a trip exclusively offered by Trustees for Alaska this fall.
During the four-day trip, Executive Director Vicki Clark will take you in small groups to see the Arctic’s most enigmatic and endangered species. The bear-viewing adventure will be based in Kaktovik, an Inupiaq village nestled along the Beaufort Sea within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Guides take you into Arctic waters in small boats
Akook Arctic Adventures will provide guides. Its owner Jack Kayotuk grew up in the Arctic and works with Steven Kazlowski of Left Eye Productions, Inc., a professional photographer who has been capturing polar bears in the Alaska Arctic for over 17 years. The group will search for bears along the coast near Barter Island, where the animals congregate during ice-free periods of the year. Here, you will safely observe, photograph and witness polar bears in the wild.
Five excursions to see polar bears
Participants from last year’s trip
Our trip will launch from Fairbanks, where we will meet for dinner. The next day you will fly to Kaktovik and settle into the Waldo Arms Hotel. After lunch, you will go on the first boat trip to see bears. Later you’ll meet up for a family-style dinner and share your photos and first impressions. You’ll also have an opportunity for an in-depth discussion of how climate change affects these predators. Over the next two and a half days, you will go on four more four-hour boat trips to see Alaska’s iconic polar bears. You will also have time to stroll around the village and meet with U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff.
The trip includes lodging, meals, transportation, tour guides and flights to and from Fairbanks, Alaska. Lodging, meals, and transportation to and within
Fairbanks—and the guide’s tips—are not included. The group is limited to six people.
See polar bears in the wild while supporting conservation in the Arctic
Photo courtesy Jim Spitzer
When: August 30 – September 2, 2017
Where: Kaktovik, Alaska
Cost: TBD, but approximately $5,000 round-trip from Fairbanks
Who: Trustees for Alaska and you!
For more information, please contact Vicki Clark at (907) 433-2010 or vclark@trustees.org.
About polar bears: The polar bear is the world’s largest carnivore, and its favorite prey is the ringed seal. They often capture seals by waiting at breathing holes. They live most of their lives at sea, staying close to the pack ice and using it as a platform for hunting. In September and early October, the bears congregate along the coast and in the protected lagoons of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.