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Polar Bear Watching
&
Whale Harvesting in Alaska
September 02,
2006 – September 07, 2006
Day 1 Saturday
September 2
Arrival to Anchorage on your own. . Transfer to a local hotel for
check-in.
( we can
assist with these arrangements for you) This evening we will meet
our tour leader and other members of the group for an orientation
meeting.
Day 2 Sunday September 03
A two-hour flight takes us north to the Arctic Ocean and the
village of Barrow, Alaska. Upon our arrival, we will drop off our
luggage and check-in at our comfortable hotel. We then immediately
board our specially equipped van for polar bear watching.
Sometimes the Arctic Ice Pack
is visible. Sometimes arctic fox and caribou can be seen. After
lunch, we will explore the
village of
Barrow, the
northernmost city in the USA. We usually have time to visit the
famous Eskimo Museum at the Inupiat Heritage Center and other
local sights. Dinner will be at Pepe's North of the Border,
serving the finest Mexican food in the Arctic. After dinner,
weather permitting, we will again go polar bear viewing.
Days
3 Monday September 04
After
breakfast, we fly to Prudhoe Bay where we will tour the oil
facilities and have lunch. We then fly to Kaktovik, a small native
village on an island in the
Arctic Ocean, and the only village in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This is whaling season and hopefully the
local villagers have or will be landing whales at the time of our
arrival. Whaling and its ceremonies are significant parts of
native culture and village subsistence lifestyle. We will observe
the ceremonies and the traditional hunting, processing and sharing
of the whale and what it means to the people of Kaktovik. Whales
also attract polar bears including sows with cubs, and we will be
bear-watching as well as exploring Kaktovik. Evenings are spent at
our comfortable arctic hotel where the coffee is always on and
food is always available. Be prepared for informal meetings with
local residents and other visitors who will share their knowledge
of whales, bears, and arctic village life.
Day 4
Tuesday September 05
Day
5 Wednesday September 06
Day 6 Thursday September 07
Our morning is
spent viewing the activity of the whale hunters who might be going
out again to hunt for more whales. We continue to explore this
island, visit with local people, and always watching for polar
bears. In the late afternoon, we depart Kaktovik and return to
Anchorage.
Tour Size
will be limited to only six participants.
This is a specialized tour for nature and wildlife lovers,
photographers, and anyone who wants to observe arctic wildlife and
native culture at the source. It is a unique arctic experience.
Price
$3699
Included in
price
-
4 nights
lodging
-
5 days of bear
viewing
-
4 days of
whale harvesting
-
All meals
during the trip
-
Round-trip
airfare from Anchorage (subject to change)
-
Ground
transportation
-
Tour Guide
/ Polar Bear Certificate
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