Highlights

Raft the Kongakut River through the last great prehistoric wilderness in North America. Travel with the spring migration of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Hike under the midnight sun. Experience the Arctic in its most pristine environment.

This land is a hikers dream with its open rolling hills and wild flowers. Experience the Arctic's awesome wilderness and solitude.

Full Description

Travel down Alaska's Kongakut River, a truly wild stretch of water teeming with caribou, expansive vistas and unparalleled solitude.

The Brooks Range stretches for 600 miles across northern Alaska from east to west like a necklace across the breast of the Arctic. To the north of these mountains the Arctic Coastal Plain opens and slopes gently to the Beaufort Sea. It is a vast sweep of treeless tundra and rolling hills. It is an expanse so vast it redefines the concept of wilderness. When the Arctic comes out to play in the summer, it never goes to bed. The land of the midnight sun is another dimension. The sun does not set but plays along the horizon for hours, creating a quality of light that is uniquely clear and soft. Our June trips near summer solstice give us our best Arctic conditions and a chance to see the vast Porcupine Caribou migration in full splendor. Our schedule on the Kongakut will be leisurely since we'll have nearly continuous daylight. A Paddle Boat Adventure. Our Kongakut River Rafting Expedition is a combination of both hiking and rafting adventures. We'll paddle the river in inflatable rafts. Everyone participates to navigate our rafts down river. No prior paddle rafting experience is necessary. The Kongakut River is a fast and fun. There are several small rapids to negotiate and breathtaking mountain and valley scenery along the entire route. The rafts allow us to travel from mountains to coast and find the greatest places for hiking and watching wildlife. Our professional river guides will impart a love of the land that will be yours forever.

World class hiking, fishing, and photography River rafting are only part of the fun. This is some great hiking country and we will hike and explore every day. We will have many opportunities for both short walks and long hikes. Some days may be devoted exclusively to hiking. Or you can relax at camp or even fish for Artic Char. Bring your cameras and binoculars and keep them available as we can see wildlife 24 hours a day. While rafting or hiking, we will always be ready to photograph the Arctic's wildlife and scenery. You never know what wildlife has come to the river’s shore just around the bend, so keep your camera ready!

We have three guidelines for our nutritious and delicious food selection: quality, quantity and variety. If you have special needs or desire a copy of our detailed meal descriptions, please let us know. With advanced notice we can accommodate most special dietary requirements (indicate on your pre trip questionnaire). Snacks and treats are provided, but if you have any special favorites, feel free to bring some along. We are able to adapt to special diet requirements. The earlier we know about any dietary considerations, the better we can prepare for them.

Each adventure is scheduled to allow for maximum opportunities to see the wildlife of that particular area. The Alsek and Tatshenshini are below tree line and we can see dall sheep, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, and wolf. The north is rich in wildlife even if it is not readily seen. Our guides will do their best to point out animal "sign" such as tracks, scat, bear scratching posts, etc. as they come across them. The interpretation of natural history is a significant focus on our trips. We do our best to impart our knowledge of the geology, wildlife and prehistory of the area.

Depending on what trip you are on, you may see different wildlife. You are more likely to see more bears on the Alsek and more moose on the Tat. The Kongakut provides great viewing of caribou herds. Other wildlife you may see are dall sheep, mountain goats, wolves, lynx, wolverine, ducks, geese, swans, eagles, falcons, hawks, and salmon.