Alaskan Wilderness Retreat

Your Alaskan odyssey begins with a scenic transfer to a remote wilderness lodge. After touching down at Anchorage International Airport, you’ll board an ERA Aviation flight to Homer on the northern shore of Kachemak Bay, where a water taxi will take you across the water to your base for the following two nights, Tutka Bay Lodge. The lodge sits within a private cove on Kachemak Bay at the head of a rugged seven-mile fjord, in a region resplendent with snow-clad mountains, ancient rainforest, rugged coastlines, and deep-water fjords. The area is known for marine and wildlife viewing, sport fishing, sea kayaking and backcountry hiking.

At Tutka Bay you’ll stay in one of six spacious, rustic but homely cabins, with glorious ocean, mountain, and forest views. The main lodge houses a superb restaurant, comfortable lounge, and library, while outside there’s a wood-fired sauna and hot tub for relaxation following an active day.

After a chance to acclimatise with a refreshing night’s sleep, your first full day in Alaska is a chance to indulge in the wide range of guided activities on offer at the lodge. You may wish to try backcountry hiking, fishing, mountain biking or kayaking on the bay, while scouting for seabirds, sea otters and even visiting whales. There’s also the opportunity to take a helicopter ride over the Harding Icefield. One of four significant ice caps in the US, it is the crowning glory of the Kenai Fjords National Park.

The following day brings another opportunity to explore the scenery and wildlife around the Lodge. Along with the choice of outdoor adventure activities, you can also enjoy a yoga or cookery class, relax on the deck or fish from the dock. The more adventurous may wish to hike the mountain trails for panoramic views over Kachemak Bay and the Cook Inlet.

By late afternoon it’s time to leave Tutka Bay, for a scenic floatplane flight over the Cook Inlet to Big River Lakes, home to one of Alaska’s largest and most viewable bear populations. You will spend tonight in one of three traditional log cabins at Redoubt Bay Lodge, providing an authentic and memorable Alaskan experience.

Located on Lake Crescent, one of the chain of lakes making up Big River Lakes, Redoubt Bay Lodge is set against a backdrop of the beautiful Chigmit Mountains. The area is home to both black and brown bears who feed in the salmon-rich waters and they are the star attraction. The bear viewing is superb and one of the lodge’s naturalist guides will ensure you enjoy bear encounters in both a safe and comfortable environment.

Most of today is spent enjoying the activities at Redoubt Bay Lodge. With some of the finest Sockeye and Coho Salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet, sports fisherman will be in their element. Guided hiking is also available, and guests can use the canoes and kayaks to explore the stunning shorelines of the lakes.

Late afternoon, you will board another floatplane bound for Finger Lake, 200-miles northwest of Anchorage. For the following two nights, your base is one of just five cosy and characterful cabins at Winterlake Lodge. Surrounded by the Alaskan wilderness, this remote lodge is located between the Tordrillo Mountains and the Alaska Range on peaceful Winter Lake. Only accessible by floatplane, it is the ideal location to escape the world and embrace the great outdoors

Owned by the same company as Tutka Bay Lodge, while at Tutka the focus is on marine exploration, Winterlake Lodge is all about mountain adventure. The site was a former hunting camp, but owners, Carl and Kirsten Dixon decided to cease all hunting activities to create a lodge with a focus on sustainable adventure. This has revived the wildlife population and bears, moose, beavers, loons, river otters and wolverine have all returned to the area, to the delight of wildlife lovers.

Winterlake offers any number of activities which guests can personalise to their moods and interests. The property sits on the Iditarod National Historic Trail and serves as the Finger Lake checkpoint for the famous Iditarod sled dog race. The trail offers great hiking opportunities, or for fabulous views of Mount Denali, as well as wildlife viewing, hike the Wolverine Ridge Mountain Trail. Guests can also enjoy fishing, lake swimming, kayaking, canoeing, yoga, and world-class cookery classes with Kirsten, who is an acclaimed and accomplished chef.

Your second full day at the lodge includes the choice of an exciting helicopter adventure to explore the pristine backcountry of the surrounding area. Travelling by helicopter provides access to a range of otherwise inaccessible locations and activities, and your heli-adventure could include sport fishing, glacier trekking, river rafting on the wild waters of Happy River and even dining on Wolverine Ridge.

With Kirsten overseeing the menus, the food here is superb, with dishes created from fresh, local, and organic produce. During any downtime, you can snuggle up with a book by the fire in the comfortable lounge, take a yoga class, indulge in a lakeside sauna or soak in the outdoor hot tub, drinking in the glorious views.

Most of your final day in Alaska will be spent enjoying more of the delights of Winterlake Lodge. Whether that is basking in the beauty and seclusion of the wilderness or enjoying more of the adventure activities, the choice is yours. Come late afternoon, you will board a floatplane bound for Lake Hood and Anchorage.

Your last night is spent at the Hotel Captain Cook in a Junior Suite. Conveniently located in the downtown area, you will have easy access to the many scenic trails that surround the city, as well as a good choice of restaurants. Having said that, there’s plenty onsite for those who wish to stay put and unwind before the journey home. Along with one of the only fine dining restaurants in Anchorage, the hotel boasts a private art collection, fitness centre, indoor pool, sauna, and steam room.

The following morning, having enjoyed a trip full of amazing Alaskan scenery and a range of distinctly Alaskan activities, you will be collected from the hotel and taken to the airport to begin the journey home.