Aialik & Northwestern 6-Day Combination Trip

Aialik and Northwestern 6-Day Combo Trip    

These prices include all water taxi costs and surcharges**, a naturalist guide, and all paddling and safety gear.  Tax and gratuity will be the only additional costs.

Guided Rental:  $1499 / person  (4 person minimum)

Fully Outfitted:  $1999 / person  (4 person minimum)

These combo trips are only possible starting in Aialik on a Wednesday, transferring to Northwestern on Friday, and returning home on Monday... due to the water taxi's schedule for Northwestern runs.

For a detailed description of the differences between Fully Outfitted and Guided Rental Trips, please click here.  And for more photos, please see the Aialik and Northwestern Special pages.

If you've read about the magic of the glaciers in Aialik Bay, the wonders of Pederson Lagoon, and the incredible wildlife that inhabits the fjord, then you know it is a phenomenal kayaking destination.  But, after reading about Northwestern Fjord, you must also know that it's freshly exposed rugged shoreline and it's sheer rock and ice are endlessly impressive.  It truly is a difficult choice between the two! 

Now we have the perfect solution for you.  Combine the two in one amazing adventure!  Check out the itinerary below to see what we can do with your six days on the water:

** The order of this itinerary will change depending on the weather, the tides, and the desired amount of paddling, but the highlights should be similar.

Day One:

We'll meet the water taxi at 8am, and head out of Resurrection Bay and into Aialik (eye-al-ik)... the next fjord to the west. Usually we'll see orcas, humpbacks, and sea lions on the way, and we'll certainly stop for good viewing and photo opportunities. The water taxi will drop us off at a beach near Aialik Glacier.  We'll pack up our boats and head off into the ice laden waters near Aialik's large tidewater face.  This glacier is quite active, so we'll sit quietly in our kayaks, hoping for a good show of tumbling ice and thunderous noise.  Many ice chunks tend to float in front of the glacier, and we'll often see harbor seals either swimming in the ice or hauled-out.  There will be plenty of time to soak this in, and enjoy the grandeur of this glacier.  Probably ready for a break from the kayaks, we'll stop at a beach for lunch and possibly a short walk that provides spectacular views of the glacier.  Then onward we'll paddle, exploring the coastline and looking for wildlife until we reach our campsite for the night.  Since we carry all our food in bear canisters - we can camp anywhere, and can get away from other people.  Enjoy a quiet and secluded night - watching the otters and seals offshore, and taking in stunning views.

Day Two:

After a hearty breakfast, we'll pack up camp and head off to Pederson Lagoon.  Pederson is a phenomenal paradise... a haven for marine mammals, black bears, bald eagles, and the like.  A population of over 200 harbor seals lives in the lagoon, and if we're lucky they'll either swim curiously around our kayaks, or they'll be hauled out on icebergs near the glacier.  Black bears often wander the beaches of the lagoon, and sometimes we'll see sea otters carelessly eating while they float past on their backs.  This is an incredible place to spend time and explore! 

After paddling in the lagoon, we'll head around the head and into Holgate Arm, where Holgate Glacier flows down the rocky mountainside.  Depending on timing, and what the group is up for, we can either head to our camping beach and set up camp for the night... or we can paddle up to the glacier.  Similar to Aialik - yet different in shape and size - you'll sit, humbled, by Holgate Glacier and marvel in the sights and sounds of this pristine wonderland.  Our campsite for the night will have great views of the glacier, and you'll sleep soundly to the rumbling thunder of the calving ice all night long.

Day Three:

After a great breakfast, we'll pack up camp and await our water taxi.  Today they'll pick us up and transport us to Northwestern Fjord.  This boat ride in itself has great potential for whale viewing, and you'll be amazed at the transition from Aialik Bay to Northwestern.  Although they're neighboring fjords, their landscape is entirely different!  We'll get dropped at the beach near the moraine of the fjord, pack our boats again (by now we'll be experts at this!), and make our way along the coastline to our campsite.  The views here will be totally different from the ones you've grown accustomed to in Aialik - and we'll spend the evening enjoying the rugged and impressive terrain.

Day Four: 

After a good breakfast, we'll pack our things and head out to see Northwestern Glacier.  This glacier used to be a huge tidewater face like Holgate and Aialik, but is now climbing up the cliffside at the head of the fjord.  The ice here has retreated so quickly, and it's impressive to sit near Northwestern in your kayak - with tall, sheer cliffs and hanging ice all around you.  You'll be humbled and amazed.  We'll stop for some lunch, and then head out to see Ogive and Anchor glaciers.  They are smaller glaciers, but fantastically impressive in their shape and structure.  After an ice-filled day, we'll make our way to a new campsite and enjoy a good dinner.  We'll pass the evening listening to the thunder of ice tumbling from the nearby hanging glaciers... and watching as giant chunks of ice break lose and flow down the cliffs.

Day Five: 

Today we'll change up the pace a little bit, and head out for a bit of a "hike".  It's an easy walk, but a gorgeous stroll alongside Southwestern Glacier.  We'll gain enough elevation to be treated to spectacular views over the fjord, and from that height you can truly see the retreat of the glacier and observe the rebounding fauna in its wake.  It's a treat to stretch out the legs for a change, and see this area from a different perspective. 

This afternoon, we'll pack up and paddle back out to the moraine.  The coastline on the way is fantastic, and we'll most likely be accompanied by some harbor seals and sea otters along the way.  Once camp is set up, we'll enjoy the light of the setting sun on the glaciers in the distance, and reflect on the magic of what we've experienced.

Day Six: 

Depending on the tides, this morning is the perfect time to wake up early and find one last adventure.  There's a river near our camping beach that can be explored at high tide.  If timing allows, we'll head out early and ride the tide into the river mouth.  During the spawning season, the river is teeming with salmon and eagles.  Harbor seals and black bears enjoy this area, too, feasting on the run of fresh food.  The water taxi will arrive in the early afternoon to take us home.  On the way back to Seward, we'll keep an eye out for more wildlife and take in the magnificent scenery.  You'll arrive back at our shop around 6pm.


** Please keep in mind that this is only a sample itinerary.  The real itinerary will be similar, but will be determined by the guide depending on tides, weather, and paddling abilities.

** Minimum of 4 people required for the water taxi transport to / from Northwestern.  Please call today to find out if other people are booked on the taxi for that day... and so we can get you listed on our web calendar to find others to join you!

 ** A fuel surcharge is included in the trip cost, and that surcharge will vary from week to week, reflecting fuel costs at the time of trip departure.  Our quoted trip price may fluctuate slightly between the time of booking and the time of the trip - due solely to this fuel surcharge variation.