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Alaska: The Kenai Peninsula

Destination: Alaska's Kenai Peninsula

| Activities: Hiking and Kayaking

No trip to Alaska is complete without a visit to the famed Kenai Peninsula, home of giant king salmon, active volcanoes, and unsurpassed coastal wonders. We'll start our adventure in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, and wend our way south to Homer, literally as far as you can go while still being on land. During our journey, we'll hike unique trails, gaze at glaciers, look for humpback whales, orcas and puffins while we sea kayak, and explore two of Alaska's small communities to get a feel for the unique characters that choose to live in The Great Land. If you’re interested in seeing Alaska's interior beauty, including Denali National Park, join us the week before on Alaska: Fairbanks to Anchorage

Highlights

Kayaking in Aialik Bay, surrounded by mountains and within earshot of glaciers
Seeing an amazing diversity of marine birds and wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, seals, orcas, and puffins
Spending a night in a yurt away from civilization
Visiting the small towns of Homer and Seward

Departures and Prices

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Inclusions

1 - 2 experienced AGC guides based on group size
8 nights double occupancy lodging (except for our night in the yurt)
All activities on the itinerary unless specified as optional at additional cost
All meals from dinner the first day through breakfast the last with the exception of breakfast and lunch in Seward as specified on the itinerary
All transport within Alaska
National Park Entrance fees

Not included: Airfare to/from Anchorage or from Homer, alcoholic beverages, one dinner and one lunch, guide gratuities, optional activities, travel insurance, items of a personal nature.

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Trip Intro

These are suitable for any woman who regularly walks at a brisk pace 3 to 4 days a week for 35 - 45 minutes. There are typically 3 to 5 hours of daily activity.

This trip is designed for women in good health and physical condition who want to see Alaska. We have designed the itinerary to minimize time in the van and all activities are moderate. The rating for this trip is a 2, suitable for any woman who regularly walks at a brisk pace 3 - 4 days a week for 35 - 45 minutes. Rating: 1 [2] 3 4 5.

On this trip we combine hiking in forests and along coasts, kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park, exploring small towns, and looking for the always interesting marine wildlife (not to mention moose) that the Kenai Peninsula is known for. All activities are at a moderate level and suitable for beginners.

With the exception of the first two nights at Hampton Inn, we will be staying at several different family run lodges and hotels in double occupancy rooms with ensuite bathrooms. All are clean, comfortable, and will give you a feel for the real Alaska. In addition we'll spend one night in rustic conditions (but with beds and outhouses) in a yurt.

Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.

DAY 1

Arrive in Anchorage anytime on Monday, but in time to meet at our hotel at 5:00 pm. If you arrive before your room is ready, the hotel is happy to store your luggage. We will meet in the lobby of our hotel for introductions and then go out together for a welcome dinner, where we will continue getting to know each other and talk about our upcoming Alaskan adventure. D

DAY 2

To start our adventure together, we'll spend a day in and around Anchorage. After breakfast at the hotel, we'll start by driving to a fantastic hiking location so you can see just how close Anchorage is to wild Alaska. After warming up our legs and enjoying lunch al fresco, we'll warm up our brains with a trip to the Alaska Native Heritage Center where we can learn about Native Alaskan cultures from around the state. Tonight we'll go out to another of Anchorage's interesting restaurants. B, L, D

DAY 3

As with yesterday, eat breakfast at your leisure at the hotel. We'll first drive to the funky little town of Girdwood, home of Alaska's largest ski resort, Alyeska. Our hike today, Winner Creek Trail, is a lovely 3 miles on a wide, well-developed trail with gentle elevation gain. It winds through America's northernmost rainforest, crossing a wooden bridge over a thundering blue-water gorge and then connecting to a hand tram high above thrashing Glacier Creek before ending on Crow Creek Mine Road just below the mine.

After completing our hike we'll take the tram up Mt. Alyeska to the historic Roundhouse. After taking a few minutes to see photos of what the resort looked like back in the "old days", we'll enjoy lunch with panoramic views of Cook Inlet on a clear day. We then continue our drive to Seward, a fishing town nestled on the shore of Resurrection Bay. Along the way, we'll admire the views that earned the Seward Highway designations as a National Forest Scenic Byway, All-American Road, and Alaska Scenic Byway. Driving time: approximately 2.5 hours. B, L, D

DAY 4

We're going to divide into 2 small groups today. One will go sea kayaking in Aialik Bay near Aialik Glacier, about a 2-hour boat ride from Seward. The boat will drop us off with our kayaks near the glacier, and we'll kayak in the bay with rugged snowcapped peaks surrounding us. We'll listen for the sounds of the glacier calving, perhaps catching a look as a piece plunges into the water below. The boat trip out and back is an adventure in itself. Aside from the stunning scenery, we'll keep your eyes open for puffins, humpback and orca whales, black and brown bears, and even more wildlife. Those who don't kayak today will stay in Seward, visiting the SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier as described in the next day's itinerary.

DAY 5

If you went sea kayaking yesterday, today you'll have the morning free to explore Seward. A visit to the Seward Sealife Center is highly recommended for an up-close encounter with local fish, birds, and marine mammals, most of which were rescued and rehabilitated at the center. After breakfast and lunch on your own, we'll regroup for a short drive out to Exit Glacier where we'll walk up to within sight of the glacier. It's retreated quite abit over the years and is a great backdrop for learning about how glaciers are formed and why they are retreating. The process of revegetation as the glacier retreats is also striking. In late afternoon we'll rejoin our kayaking group for dinner where we'll swap tales of our day. D

DAY 6

Today we'll leave beautiful Resurrection Bay after breakfast and head towards one of Alaska's crown jewels: the Kenai River. Renowned for its giant king salmon, the Kenai River also beautifully shows off turquoise waters caused by suspended glacial silt. We'll enjoy a duck's-eye view as we gently raft from Cooper Landing along a non-motorized stretch of the upper Kenai River. We'll all be watching for moose and bears as we relax and enjoy the float. We then continue to wend our way to the very bottom of the Kenai Peninsula where we'll reach Homer, a town that enjoys reputations for arts, fishing, and natural wonders. B, L, D

DAY 7

After a hearty breakfast we'll take a water taxi across to Kachemak Bay State Park for a hike in this coastal paradise. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch while we hike, look in tidepools, and appreciate the vast sweep of the landscape. We'll arrive back at shore in time to catch another water taxi to Peterson Bay for a comfortable yurt camping experience on the edge of the Alaskan wilderness. Away from it all, quiet and beauty will slowly seep into our bones. B, L, D

DAY 8

We'll have a relaxed morning before joining one of the resident naturalists for a tour of the Peterson Bay Field Station. We'll experience this unique place that is Kachemak Bay, from the ocean to the forest. We'll return to Homer on the 4pm water taxi and have a chance to wash up before going out for a final farewell dinner. Alaska is an amazing place and we're so glad we could share it with you.

DAY 9

This morning it's time to say goodbye as we depart for the Homer airport or on to our next adventure. We'll include information about how to get to the airport in the PreDeparture document. Alternatively the guides will be returning to Anchorage. If you're up for a 6 hour drive and prefer to return to Anchorage that way, you're free to join them. In that case plan a flight out after 5pm.