Hiking & Kayaking in Lake Clark National Park

10 amazing days of Hiking & Kayaking in Lake Clark National Park!

Kayak the crystal blue waters of Kontrashibuna Lake, then hike the slopes of Gladiator Basin! Set in one of the least visited corners of Lake Clark National Park, this 10-day combined tour is pure Alaskan adventure!

With over 100,000 glaciers, a million lakes and 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline, Alaska is without doubt one of the world’s premier adventure travel destinations! America’s largest state is home to just 700,000 people; outside Juneau (the capital) Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska presents as wild a landscape as you’re likely to find anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. ‘The Bush’, as it is known locally, comprises tundra, marshlands and scores of active volcanoes, along with the Aleutian Islands, a 300-strong archipelago strung out like Christmas lights between America and Asia! As you’d expect of such a wild and wonderful region, Alaska is home to a mesmerising diversity of wildlife. Terrestrial fauna include wolves, bears, beavers and moose, while the Peninsula waters abound with sea lions, whales and seabird colonies!

This combination kayak and hiking tour is one of the finest all-round adventure holidays we’ve come across. The fun begins in the charming town of Port Alsworth, gateway to Lake Clark National Park, from where you’ll hike up to Kontrashibuna Lake to begin the kayaking. After two days paddling and looking out for bears and caribou on the shore, you’ll stow your kayaks at the lake’s head and ascend into the Alpine domain of Gladiator Basin! Here you’ll explore the forests and tundra of the ‘Alaskan Alps’, with their small tarns, pocket glaciers and high alpine cirques! It’s then back down to the valley floor for the return kayak along Kontrashibuna and the hike back to Port Alsworth for a well-earned drink!

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1: After an amazing scenic flight through Lake Clark Pass, your charter will arrive in the bush community of Port Alsworth. A charming town on the edge of Lake Clark, it is the true gateway to Lake Clark National Park, and home to the summer base of operations. After meeting your guides and settling into your accommodations for the night, you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and conclude the day with an orientation and gear check.

Day 2: You’ll enjoy a hardy breakfast that is sure to fuel you for the adventure ahead; you hoist your packs and head out of town on one of the few trails in Lake Clark National Park. Upon reaching the shores of Kontrashibuna Lake, you’ll stow our packs, don your life jackets and begin paddling the crystal clear waters. You'll look for Black Bears and Dall Sheep as you make our way to our first camp. This lake is home to many species of waterfowl including Arctic and Red throated Loons, Golden Eyes, Harlequins, Scaups, Mallards and many others.

Day 3: Today you 'll paddle the remainder of the lake, and your shoulders will surely thank us when you arrive at the eastern shore of the lake and your second camp.

Day 4: As you pack up our camp, you are sure to be eyeing your destination for the day, Gladiator Basin. You’ll revel in views of Kontrashibuna Lake and the mighty rivers that feed it as you climb the mountainside entrance to this hidden gem. You'll make camp in the basin, and as you refuel on one of many exceptional meals, plans will be made for the following day’s adventure.

Day 5 – 7: The remainder of the trip will go by all too quickly as you explore Gladiator Basin, a spectacular U-shaped valley in the heart of the Chigmits, a mountain range many have referred to as the 'Alaskan Alps'. You will spend the next three days exploring this magnificent portion of the Park. Your high camp will be nestled at the 3,000 feet contour in the tundra and talus and you 'll enjoy scenes of Dall rams, high alpine cirques, pocket glaciers and small tarns.

Day 8-9: As you descend to the valley floor below, Hoary Marmots will whistle you farewell and the roar of the waterfall at its lower end will beckon you to someday return. You again trade your trekking poles for paddles as you make your way back along Kontrashibuna Lake. As the hours wane on your final night in the wilderness, you will surely be fighting the urge to stay longer in the wild paradise.

Day 10: After pulling the kayaks up on shore for the final time, you’ll steal glances back up the lake as you begin the final hike back to Port Alsworth. There will be time for lunch and a stop at the Lake Clark National Park visitors’ centre before your charter returns you to Anchorage. Please arrange homebound flights no earlier than 8pm

Other Details

Accommodation Details

For this tour you’ll spend one night in a comfortable bed and breakfast in Port Alsworth, then the following eight nights camping by the lake shore or up on the tundra! You’ll be provided with an expedition-quality tent, as well as all group camping equipment and cookware, meaning camps that are cosy and communal. Food-wise you’re in for a treat – this is not your standard camping fare! In addition to high-energy staples like pasta, cereals and chocolate, you can expect breakfasts comprising pancakes, scrambled eggs and fresh coffee, bagels, wraps and foccacia sandwiches for lunch, and hearty dinners like lasagne, pad thai and tacos! Ingredients are fresh and locally sourced wherever possible, and special dietary requirements are well catered for.