Adventure
Into the Wild
Nature doesn't get much more extreme than in Alaska. From spotting brown bears on remote islands to fishing for salmon in streams accessible only by helicopter
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Thrilling Bear Encounters
Admiralty Island
If you’re seeking an exhilarating and nigh-on magical luxury travel adventure, it doesn’t get much better than Pack Creek Brown Bear Sanctuary on Admiralty Island. The native Tlingit people call this rugged island Kootznoowoo, meaning ‘fortress of the bear’, and it’s the most densely populated location on earth for brown bears, because estuaries and avalanche chutes provide everything these majestic giants need to flourish. Witness ursine families roaming the rivers and feasting on leaping salmon against a dramatic backdrop provided by other wildlife, including bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and wolves.
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The Mere Tip of the Iceberg
Prince William Sound
When it comes to fishing opportunities, Alaska is the undisputed king.
In this pristine land of 3,000 rivers, three million lakes and 6,640 miles of water-lapped coastline, an enthusiast’s greatest challenge is deciding where to start.
‘The thing to do on arrival is hire a local guide and a helicopter pilot to fly you to the best remote seasonal locations,’ says Patrick Ebbitt, yacht sales broker on the French Riviera. ‘The Prince William Sound, for example, offers world-class salmon runs, not to mention an abundance of halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and both cutthroat and Dolly Varden trout.’
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High-Octane Heli-Fishing
Tracy Arm Fjord
Alaska can feel like one’s own private wilderness, surrounded as it is on all sides by colossal, blue-streaked glaciers and majestic snow-capped mountains. Four per cent ice, the landscape is a frozen gem, just calling out for adventurous exploration.
Accompanied by expert guides, experience up-close encounters with natural wonders, such as the twin glaciers in Tracy Arm Fjord. Listen for the thunderous ‘crack’, like the reverberating echo of cannon fire, as house-sized blocks of ice split off and crash down, blasting freezing water 200ft into the air.
