Alaska Wildlife Viewing Tips
Alaska Cruises 2020
& Alaska Cruisetour Deals ...
Find Alaska Cruises and Discount Alaska Cruise Deals on all
major cruise lines to Alaska in 2020 and 2021
Get Inspired!
Our Guide To Alaska Wildlife
Viewing
Alaskan Adventure Awaits. Prepare for the Thrill!
Get ready to experience the Whales, Wonders and Wildlife of America's last frontier - Alaska.
People tend to think that coming to Alaska is a chance to
fulfill lifelong fantasies about wildlife and the great outdoors. Well, they are
absolutely right! Alaska has an unparalleled abundance of wild and woolly
critters, and plenty of finned and feathered ones as well. Large animals like
moose and bears, caribou and wolves, whales and sea lions are a big part of the
allure of the north. And all you need to find and enjoy them is a little time, a
little knowledge, and a spirit of adventure.
For starters, it helps to know where and when to look for animals. You can see
creatures great and small any time of year and anywhere in the state. Wildlife
viewing is often best in more remote areas of the state where there is less
human foot traffic. Fortunately for visitors however, there are areas near the
population centers and along the road system that offer plenty of potential for
animal watching.
Lesson one in your wildlife quest is to carry binoculars. Alaska isn't a zoo
where you can walk up to within a few feet of your quarry and observe them at
your leisure. Occasionally you'll get a chance to see animals at close quarters,
but unless you're on a guided tour or inside a vehicle, getting close isn't
often possible or recommended. Maintain a safe distance, and observe without
disturbing, both for the animal's sake and for your safety.
In Southeast Alaska and in other coastal areas you've got an excellent chance to
see marine mammals. Look for the spouts of whales and porpoises, clouds of mist
formed when the animals exhale upon surfacing. They're best seen when wind and
waves are calm. Scan the water with the naked eye, looking for a whitish streak
just above the water's surface. Once you see spouts, train your binoculars on
the area and wait-the animals will generally surface again in the same vicinity.
The most commonly sighted whales are humpbacks and orcas (killer whales), and
the most frequently seen porpoises are harbor and Dall's. Sea lions and harbor
seals can often be seen basking on rocky islands near the water's edge. Also
look for sea otters frolicking and bobbing in the waves, lying on their backs
and grooming their fur.
Along the shore in Southeast, look for Sitka blacktail deer grazing near the
water's edge, and scan the high peaks for mountain goats, often seen as white
dots near the craggy ridgeline. Also along the beaches, watch for brown and
black bears prowling near the tide line in their constant search for anything
edible.
Whenever you're near water, you can bet that bald eagles are nearby. They're
most commonly seen perched in the tops of spruce trees near shore, scanning the
area for their next meal. Look for their prominent white heads, they often look
like golf balls stuck in the green treetops.
One of Alaska's most noteworthy wildlife spectacles is the annual autumn
convergence of thousands of eagles on the Chilkat River flats near Haines. From
October through February, with nearly 3,000 eagles having been seen at a given
time, this is the greatest concentration of eagles in the world. They gather to
feed on a late salmon run, and the chance to see eagles in these numbers is not
to be missed.
For a truly "far out" birding and wildlife experience, you can visit St. Paul
Island in the Pribilof Islands. Visitors can view northern fur seals at their
rookeries, and some truly exotic bird species. Observation blinds are
constructed so visitors can watch without disturbing the animals. Local
naturalists lead guided tours, and travel and accommodation packages for
multi-day trips are available.
In Southcentral Alaska, including the Kenai Peninsula and the areas near
Anchorage, coastal areas harbor the marine mammals that are found in Southeast,
with the added attraction of white beluga whales. They follow the salmon up the
inlet and can be seen from the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm near Anchorage
and along the Cook Inlet coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Occasionally they can
even be seen from downtown Anchorage. They can be hard to spot when the wind is
whipping the waves into whitecaps, but if the tide is high and the water is
flat, keep your eyes peeled for white flashes as they surface.
Coastal communities from Southeast to Prince William Sound to Southcentral offer
boat excursions for fishing and for wildlife watching. Half-day and full-day
trips can be arranged, and knowledgeable skippers will take you to prime
locations for chances to see the local animal life. Wildlife viewing is also
excellent from the decks of the ferryboats of the Alaska Marine Highway System
that ply the coastal waters.
Also along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, watch for Dall sheep along the
cliffs next to the road. There's a spot called Windy Corner near milepost 107 of
the highway where sheep often come down off the mountainsides and graze next to
the road, making for some interesting traffic situations. If you see people out
of their vehicles and gazing skyward, chances are you've found Windy Corner.
The most commonly seen big game animal in Alaska is the moose. These large,
ungainly looking beasts are often seen in Anchorage and nearly everywhere along
the road system. The Kenai Peninsula has some of the best moose habitat in the
world, and the observant traveler can usually spot some of these big deer,
especially in the mornings and evenings when they are most active. Good
moose-watching areas near Fairbanks are along Chena Hot Springs Road, just
outside of town, and Donnelly Dome, just south of town.
Perhaps the most charismatic of the mega fauna is the bear, and everyone who
comes to Alaska wants to see one. Of course, implicit in this desire is the
ability to view bears under controlled and safe conditions. Your best bet is to
take a shuttle into Denali National Park. Grizzly bear sightings are a common
occurrence from these convenient and affordable excursions. Katmai National Park
on the Alaska Peninsula near the town of King Salmon and the Pack Creek bear
viewing area on Admiralty Island in Southeast offer excellent brown bear viewing
as well. It's also common to see bears along the Denali Highway between Paxson
and Cantwell and the Dalton highway north of Fairbanks. Stop and scan the open
tundra frequently.
One of the most enduring images of Alaska wildlife featured by nature
photographers is huge herds of barren ground caribou streaming over the tundra.
Unfortunately for the casual wildlife watcher these herds of animals, numbering
in the hundreds of thousands, migrate over areas far removed from the road
system. However, even if your travels are confined to less remote areas, you can
still spot caribou if you're observant and lucky. Here again, the best chance
for seeing them is at Denali National Park. Large herds are rare, but there's
always an excellent chance of a good close-up view from one of the park
shuttles. Other good places include the Dalton and Denali highways-pull off the
road whenever you've got an unobstructed view of a large parcel of open ground
and scan methodically with your binoculars. Look for shapes and colors that
don't exactly match the local vegetation, and zero in on any moving objects.
Bears and wolves, caribou and moose, foxes and golden eagles and many species of
birds all make their homes on the tundra, and the patient and the observant
traveler will be rewarded with glimpses into their lives.
Accessible wildlife is nearly everywhere in Alaska, and if you take the time to
learn a bit about the land and its inhabitants, your trip and your experience
will be all the richer.
Source: State of Alaska
Need Help Planning Your Alaska Cruise Vacation?
Call 800.365.1445
"The rugged
grandeur of
the last
frontier
greets you
with its
jagged
peaks,
verdant
valleys and
icy blue
glacial
waters.
It welcomes you with curious wildlife that frolics in its seas, roams in its valleys and soars in its cobalt blue sky.
It shares with you its genuine people and fresh Alaska seafood.
Say hello to Alaska and find out the many ways it can inspire you."
CLIA is the world's largest cruise association. Comprised of the twenty-five major cruise lines that serve North America. Cruises Direct Online is a proud member of CLIA.
In addition, our travel advisors are certified cruise travel experts, recognized with certification, from Princess Cruises, Viking Cruises and others.
Copyright (c) 2019 - Cruise Direct Online : A Travel Direct Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-31254 | Terms of Use - Privacy Policy
About The Prices
Save as much as
10-70% off brochure
rates for off peak
departures ( select
May and September
dates ). Other
savings available
for peak season
departures ( June,
July August ) Not
every ship, not
every sailing is
discounted. Call us
to find out about
your cruise
selection.
800.365.1445. The
prices and
descriptions of
cruises and tours
shown, are
suggestions to give
you an idea of how
much you can do on
land and on the sea
in Alaska within
your budget. The
prices shown are
just a guide, as
there are over 90
combinations of land
and/or sea tours to
choose from and the
cost varies
depending upon what
cruise line, cruise
ship, destination,
sailing or departure
date you choose.
They are meant to
serve as a starting
point for trip
planning, with a
variety of options
to fit your needs.
For example, you can
easily combine Gulf
of Alaska/Inside
Passage 7-day cruise
itineraries with a 3
to 7 day land tour
to make a 14-day
itinerary, from
Vancouver to
Fairbanks, or
reverse the route
for most trips.
*Princess Cruises Captain's Circle Launch Savings of up to $200 per person discount is applicable in all categories and combinable only with Launch Fares and Group Fares. Specific discount amounts vary by itinerary and cruise length. Regional and other past guest promotions or "new booking only" promotions are not combinable with the discount. Princess Cruises Captain's Circle Launch Savings is not applicable to third and fourth berth guests.
Related Links - Search Terms
Alaska Cruises
Direct Answer Desk
We are here for you
with one-on-one
support and
personalized cruise
vacation planning
help. Whether you
need help finding
the right cruise
line, cruise ship,
destination, ports
of call or shore
excursions or want
to learn more about
us, a professional
Certified Cruise
Vacation Expert is
just a toll-free
phone call away.
Call us today at
800.365.1445. The
call is free. The
advice is free. And
there is never an
obligation to book.
