Matt Brooks
Matt Brooks didn't discover birding until (literally) the day after college, but that hasn't stopped him from turning it into a life-long hobby and obsession. He came into his own as a birder in Alaska while working for the Forest Service and Fish & Wildlife Service in various bird-related capacities over the years. ...more
Join us on a tour of some of Alaska’s prime birding spots: Anchorage, Denali National Park, Denali Highway, and the Kenai Peninsula including Seward. We expect to see a number of bird species and hopefully all of the “Big 5” large mammals that Alaska is famous for - grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, and wolves. June is a great month to view Alaska’s returning and breeding birds. With a little luck we should be early enough to miss out on the hordes of mosquitoes for which this state is famous and just in time for early summer flowers.
We’ll spend the first day birding in Anchorage along the shoreline and at Westchester Lagoon where we may see Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpecker, Red-necked Grebe, White-winged Crossbill, and Alder Flycatcher. On our drive up to Denali National Park we’ll stop at a museum showcasing the diverse native Alaskan cultures. On our way north we’ll spend the next day birding around the historic (and scenic) town of Talkeetna.
We’ll then spend three days visiting Denali, including a full day’s tour of the backcountry by bus and a “free” day to go rafting, hike with a park ranger, or relax at our out of the way lodge. Here is Alaska at its wildest. With clear weather we’ll see snowy Mt. Denali at 20,320 feet. From the safety of our tour bus it is very likely we’ll see many large mammals. Highlight birds we hope to see include Northern Hawk Owl, Long-tailed Jaeger, Lapland Longspur, and Northern Wheatear.
The next day is devoted to traveling the Denali Highway looking for birds such as Artic Warbler, Trumpeter Swan, and Willow and Rock Ptarmigan. We’ll spend that evening at a lodge near Tangle Lakes.
Then onward to the sea! We drive to the Kenai Peninsula via the Glenn Highway. There we spend two nights in Seward at an ocean-front lodge and take a full-day cruise to view birds and glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. Birds we may see include Black Kittiwakes, Tufted and Horned Puffin, and Aleutian Tern. Our journey ends back in Anchorage.
The trip price is $4399 based on double occupancy. This includes all ground transportation by van from Anchorage, day cruise, all meals, accommodations, gratuities, entrance fees, guiding, and emergency medical insurance. The single supplement is $600. Airfare to Anchorage and alcoholic beverages are not included.
For more information and to register, contact Nature Treks and Passages at (781) 789-8127 or at info@naturetreks.net. A deposit of $400 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. The tour will be limited to a maximum of 10 participants.
Please send your check to Nature Treks and Passages, P. O. Box 542, Bryantville, MA 02357. If you have any questions, please contact us at (781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
In the event that Nature Treks needs to cancel a trip, your payment and deposit will be fully refunded.
Optional trip cancellation insurance is recommended to cover your trip investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to a trip. You may purchase this policy on line by visiting our website at www.naturetreks.net and clicking onto the “Trip Insurance” button on the home page or calling CSA Insurance at 1-800-348-9505. Please make sure that you use the agent number #82990679 when you sign up for insurance to ensure receiving the best rate.
If you have any questions, please contact us at (781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
