Flow of the Day: The itinerary is designed to maximize our experience with the region's great diversity of wildlife and ecosystems. We won’t, however, be rushing from place to place to chase the largest species list possible. Our goal is to spend time appreciating the species we encounter at an enjoyable pace. Our days typically begin very early in the early morning. This trip involves longer periods of van travel to access different regions of Alaska.

Afternoon plans sometimes allow for some rest time at the lodges, though this is not always feasible when we are transferring between lodges or exploring far from the lodge on a given day.

Clothing: We will provide a packing list as the trip approaches, but plan to pack for a range of weather conditions, including potential cold, snow, and rain. Pack light field clothing of neutral colors. Bring several pairs of long pants and comfortable, light, airy shirts. Long-sleeved (relaxed fit) shirts are useful for protection from the sun, as is a light hat or cap. Be sure to have a pair of comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots, plus a second pair of tennis shoes or sandals. A sweater, a hat, and gloves are important.

Equipment: Bring a pair of binoculars, a field guide and a camera with extra batteries. Your guide will carry spotting scopes. Pack sunglasses and sunscreen, a small flashlight or headlamp, a small alarm clock (a smartphone will work), insect repellent, and a small daypack.

Physical Expectations: Much of the birding and wildlife viewing on this trip will be along roadsides or easily walked trails, but do expect some hilly and uneven conditions. Participants should be able to hike on moderate terrain up to 3-4 miles per day, and be ready to expect conditions that may be hot, cold, dry, wet, or anything in-between.

Transportation: We will be travelling in a 15-passenger van. Trip capacity is limited for traveling comfortably in our vehicle.

Accommodations: All of the lodges where we’ll be staying are situated in or near wildlife watching destinations. They are chosen for strategic access to great birding and wildlife watching, rather than for the bells and whistles that come with more luxury resorts. That said, all lodges are clean and comfortable.

Meals: We'll have a hot meal each night for dinner at the lodge or in town. Breakfasts and lunches will be a combination of sit-down meals and picnics, depending on where we are. Like our accommodations, our dining arrangements are selected to have filling, tasty meals without spending our peak wildlife viewing times sitting inside restaurants.

Chip Darmstadt, Birding Ambassador and "emeritus" executive director of North Branch Nature Center, is an avid neotropical birder and naturalist. Chip has guided birding trips around the US (including Alaska) and around the world for 25 years, observing over 2,300 bird species along the way. 

What’s included:

• All lodging and meals starting in Anchorage.
• All ground transportation throughout the trip.
• Full-day boat trip in Seward.
• Expert naturalist guide.
• Any entrance fees and park admissions.
• Use of high-quality shared spotting scopes.
• Pre-departure orientation session before the trip.

What is not included:

• Airfare to/from Anchorage.
• gratuities.
• pre-trip expenses.
• incidentals such as alcohol and souveniers.

NBNC is proud to announce that all of our trips from 2025 onward are 100% carbon-neutral. This includes each traveler's flights to and from this destination, as well as carbon emitted during the trip.

How it Works: The voluntary carbon market has come under intense scrutiny in recent years as the legitimacy and effectiveness of many carbon offsetting projects have been called into question. That's why we're proud to be working directly with the Northeast Wilderness Trust's Wild Carbon program. The carbon credits we purchase to offset our carbon emissions are used to permanently conserve forestland as wilderness. Why wilderness offsets?

• It's Permanent: Unlike most contracts in the voluntary carbon market that have a lifespan of just 10-20 years, wilderness conservation is forever. 
• It's Additive: Acreage purchased and conserved through wild carbon offsets would not be protected anyway through another mechanism later.
• It's "Leakproof:" Forest protection often just shifts and concentrates timber harvest elsewhere. But wilderness conservation is different–wilderness protection here doesn't just move carbon emission over there. That's because old forests function very differently than young ones. Big trees and old soils capture and store vastly more carbon than a young forest of the same acreage. Growing an old forest is like building a natural carbon sequestration factory!
• It's More than Carbon: With wilderness protection comes additional co-benefits like biodiversity conservation, flood resilience, and habitat connectivity. This way, going carbon-neutral isn't just negating our carbon footprint, it's also actively helping conservation in other ways.

Want to learn more?: 

• Read The Ecotourism Dilemma our article on how we think about carbon emissions in the context of nature travel.
• Check out this FAQ for NBNC travelers about Northeast Wilderness Trust's Wild Carbon Program.
• To learn more about forest carbon storage, please watch Understanding Forest Carbon by climate forester Dr. Ali Kosiba.

• Please see our COVID-19 page for NBNC's full policies surrounding COVID and other illnesses.
• All participants and instructors will be required to affirm negative test results from a self-administered Covid-19 rapid antigen test taken prior to arrival on the first day of the program.
• Participants on NBNC’s Adventures Afar and multi-night overnight trips must be comfortable with the possibility that someone on the trip may contract Covid-19 (or other contagious illnesses) during the trip, even if they test negative on the first day as required. NBNC will attempt to limit exposure and isolate any such participant, which could include that participant incurring additional expenses such as hotel rooms, meals, or transportation, and missing out on group activities. However, isolation may not be possible at all times on all trips, so all participants should be aware that circumstances may require that a participant with Covid-19 continue to travel with the group.
• Participants experiencing respiratory symptoms will be required to wear a mask at all times when around other travelers.
• Failure to comply with the health and safety instructions of the trip guides will result in dismissal from the trip.
• NBNC encourages all Adventures Afar participants to be honest and transparent about their symptoms, for the sake of their health and the health of those they are traveling with.
• NBNC encourages all Adventures Afar participants to secure individual travel insurance.

Ready to go to Alaska?
Email [email protected] to get signed up.

Payment Schedule

• A $500 deposit is required to reserve your space on the trip.
• 50% of the trip balance will be due 6 months before the departure date.
• The remaining trip balance will be due 3 months before the departure date.

All payments can be made via ACH withdrawal, or by check. Credit card payments will incur a 3% surcharge.

Cancellation Policies

We understand that incidents and emergencies arise that may force you to cancel your trip. However, NBNC invests considerable time and, in many cases, non-refundable payments to lodges and local contractors to secure our rooms and programming. NBNC aims to be as flexible as possible in our refund policy, but a full refund of your payments may not be possible after the dates indicated. All cancellations must be made via email to NBNC.

• Cancellation more than 180 days before the trip: Full refund of all payments.

• Cancellation 90-180 days before the trip: Refund of any payments minus the $500 deposit. If your space is filled by another traveler, we will also refund your deposit.

• Cancellation 30-90 days before the trip: No refund guaranteed. If your space is filled by another traveler, we will provide a full refund minus the $500 deposit.

• Cancellation less than 30 days before the trip: No refunds guaranteed.

We highly recommend purchasing private travel insurance to cover expenses that are outside of NBNC's cancellation and refund policies.