HIGHLIGHTS

Travel with Photo Quest Adventures on our 8th Quest to the greatest place on earth to photograph Brown Bears close-up, as they feast on salmon and clams at Lake Clark National Park. Be prepared to photograph just yards away from these incredible animals!. You will be driven from location to location on ATV Quads pulling a trailer, so you don't have to lug your camera gear. Join us on an exceptional once-in-a-lifetime adventure to capture heart stirring images of brown bears amidst the rugged Alaskan scenery. This is the easiest trip ever!

photography

This trip will be an immersion in brown bear photography: we will spend our days in the field photographing bears in a wide range of behaviours and habitats. Photographic instruction and guidance by Adam Jones will be available at all times. During downtime, and most of the time we will be out in the field shooting, we will focus on camera settings, classes and constructive critique sessions, designed to help you master the techniques necessary to bring home great images. The lodge will provide you with knee high boots so you don’t have to worry about the terrain.

July 7: Arrive in Anchorage, Alaska

Arrival in Anchorage, Alaska. Welcome dinner and overnight stay in Anchorage. Please book your room in Anchorage on your own. Photo Quest staff  will be staying at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa Hotel.(D)

July 8: Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, Lake Clark National Park

After breakfast depart at 8:00 AM by van for our 9:00 AM chartered 1 hour flight to the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge. If the weather is good, we can see Mt. ReDoubt, Mt. Augustine, and Mt. Iliamna, all active volcanoes, on the flight in. We will land on a beach in front of our lodge, and will be greeted by our hosts. You are taken to the lodge by ATV, shown your room/cabin, given a short orientation about moving around bears. Late afternoon, we will go out on our first Quest to photograph bears. After settling in, we’ll head out to start our photographic adventure.

At Lake Clark, the landscape, wildlife and outdoor opportunities combine to offer photographers a true sense of Alaskan wilderness. Witness towering volcanic mountains that form the backdrop to tidal marshes, streams and pristine salt- water bays that comprise the coastline.

July 9-12 : Lake Clark National Park

Each day will include guided activities in the early morning and afternoon to photograph the bears against dramatic landscapes as well as other wildlife in the Lake Clark National Park area, including puffins and other birdlife. All meals are included and we can arrange a selection of wine and beers to share during the stay. Enjoying some time around the campfire after dinner is a must! At night you may choose to stay up late to view and photograph the Aurora Borealis.  On one of the days, weather permitting, we will take a boat trip to photograph puffins at a nearby rookery. Our Photo Quest staff will accompany you during all guided wildlife viewing activities, and will be available to offer camera tips, photographic advice and general assistance in both group and one-on-one sessions throughout the photography tour.  Each day we return to our lodge for lunch and some free time to download and edit images. We are back in the field for late afternoon and/or evening photo sessions. A great dinner awaits our return to the lodge.(B,L,D)

July 13: Return to Anchorage

After a last morning photographing in Lake Clark National Park, we’ll set off on the stunning flight to Anchorage, where we will go our separate ways. Although flights to Anchorage FROM the Lodge usually arrive before noon, weather can always be a factor (about 10% of the time). We recommend you to schedule your departure from Anchorage after 4pm on July 13, to minimize the chance of missing your flight.

Although fairly rare, weather delays can take place, either for an inbound or outbound trip. It’s usually only part of a day lost, as the weather clears and deteriorates rapidly, and we’ll be in constant communication with the pilots. If you need to spend an additional night in Anchorage on July 13 please book your own hotel room in Anchorage. We encourage everyone to purchase Trip Insurance! 

WEATHER

Temps will usually be in the 50’s and 60’s, cool & coastal. Rain is likely so bring a raincoat & layered clothing. We do have limited laundry facilities @ the lodge. We have a hair-dryer to loan but cabins are not provided with them.

Luggage/Flights

Please limit your baggage weight to 50 lbs per person including camera gear.. The Cessna 206 carries about 950 pounds of passengers and gear & carries 4 with some gear. Some larger parties will arrive in 2 or more planes, and with mixed air services. Use soft luggage please. Flight time to the lodge is about one hour in these wheel planes.

Although flights to Anchorage FROM the Lodge usually arrive before noon, weather can always be a factor (about 10% of the time). We recommend you to schedule your departure from Anchorage after 4pm on August 30, to minimize the chance of missing your flight.

Although fairly rare, weather delays can take place, either for an inbound or outbound trip. It’s usually only part of a day lost, as the weather clears and deteriorates rapidly, and we’ll be in constant communication with the pilots. If you need to spend an additional night in Anchorage on August 30, please book your own hotel room in Anchorage. We encourage everyone to purchase Trip Insurance!

Wifi

The Lodge provides intermittent internet access via Excede satellite service, for emails only. We are remote and although we have the maximum package that Exede allows it is rapidly depleted by downloads, uploads, automatic updates and/or video streaming. Once the bandwidth goes over, we are shut down for the following week, which has happened. We request that Internet be used for emails and light web surfing only.

Bar

There is no bar or liquor store at the lodge but you are welcome to bring your own beverages.

Tipping

Guests often ask about our gratuity policy. It is common for tips to be given directly to the guide(s) & a lump sum left for the kitchen & housekeeping staff. We suggest a range is $15-20 per person per guide per day. Please bring cash for any gratuities you wish to give.

Diet

If you have any health-related dietary concerns, please let us know.

PHOTOGRAPHY

With the chance of rain, bringing protective rain covers for your equipment is important. Some people simply use a XL ziplock bag. Some photographers prefer hip boots or even chest waders to allow kneeling or sitting in wet conditions. Camera batteries can be charged 24 hours a day.

There will be other photographers in the field, and we ask all shooters to use common sense & courteous manners & follow instructions outlined by their guide.

ARE BOOTS NECESSARY AT SILVER SALMON?

Boots are essential at Silver Salmon. Knee boots are adequate for most local activities & and we can borrow them from the Lodge. Please bring waterproof hiking shoes with you.