Compare Alaska: Birding the Top of America by Tropical Birding vs Alaska: The Great Exploration by Discover Corps

Day 1: Arrival in Anchorage.

After arriving in Alaska’s largest city, you will transfer to our hotel for the night.

Days 2: Anchorage to Nome.

We’ll take the first available morning flight to the outpost town of Nome, where we’ll spend four nights. A legendary birding location, and rightfully so, the mix of limited range Asiatic species that barely make it into the US, along with highly sought after arctic breeders gives Nome some truly spectacular birding!

Days 3-5: Nome area.

One of our days in the Nome area will be spent driving inland along the Kougarok Road. Famous as the most accessible place to search for nesting Bristle-thighed Curlews in the world, we will spend a good deal of time searching for this elusive bird. There are also a number of other mouth-watering possibilities to keep us occupied, including (if we are lucky) nesting Gyrfalcon, Rough-legged Hawk, the gorgeous Bluethroat, and Hoary Redpoll.

For the remainder of our time in Nome we’ll explore the other two roads out of town. With anything from breeding plumaged Red Knots and Rock Sandpipers singing practically at our feet to the hilarious antics of Rock and Willow Ptarmigans to large flocks of seaducks and loons, there is no shortage of superb birding to keep us occupied. You know something is going right when one of the most common birds is Long-tailed Jaegers, which soar delightfully close overhead. Species we’ll keep a special eye out for include Aleutian Tern, Arctic Loon (the Nome area being one of the best in the US to look for this species), royalty in the form of Emperor Goose and King Eider, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Aside from all the birdlife, Nome also doesn’t slack off in the mammal department. Nowhere else will we have as good a chance for the bizarre Muskox, looking like something out of the ice age, and herds of Caribou or the off chance of a Grizzly Bear will keep us on our toes. We’ll spend these three nights in Nome again.

Day 6: Nome to Anchorage

After a final morning in Nome, we’ll take an afternoon flight to Anchorage, where we’ll spend the next two nights.

Day 7: Around Anchorage.

The day will be spent around Anchorage surveying wetlands surrounding Alaska’s largest city for resplendent Red-necked Grebes and gorgeous Barrow’s Goldeneyes; while the tall boreal forests on the edge of the city play host to photogenic birds like Steller’s Jays and Wilson’s Warblers. A second night will be spent in Anchorage.

Day 8: Anchorage to Barrow.

An early morning flight will take us north from Anchorage – far to the north – to the last frontier of the Last Frontier. Barrow is famous not only as the northernmost point in the United States, but also as an excellent location to truly experience the arctic. We’ll have plenty of time to look for some of the most charismatic species on the continent. Headlining these will be Spectacled and Steller’s Eiders, and we’ve timed our visit here to give us the best opportunity of seeing these rare ducks in their full breeding regalia. Three nights will be spent in Barrow.

Days 9-10: Barrow.

There is a lot more besides, to birding in Barrow, and we could also see such sought-after species as nesting Snowy Owls, all three species of Jaegers, Yellow-billed Loon, and Hoary Redpoll. By virtue of its high-arctic location Barrow also gives us our best shot at a number of breeding shorebirds, from gaudy Red Phalaropes to more subtly patterned Pectoral and Baird’s Sandpipers and an outside shot at Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

Depending on the sea ice conditions we may also have a chance at seeing one of the most charismatic mammals in the world, the gigantic Polar Bear. And even if the conditions aren’t ideal for the bear we have a good shot at seeing Bearded and Ringed Seals, and maybe an Arctic Fox or some lemmings. These nights will be spent in Barrow.

Day 11: Barrow to Anchorage.

After a final morning in Barrow, we’ll take an afternoon flight to Anchorage, where we’ll overnight.

Day 12: Anchorage to Seward.

We’ll spend most of the day taking a leisurely drive along the scenic Turnagain Arm and Kenai Peninsula to the town of Seward, birding roadside marshes, waterfront, and coastal humid forest along the way. The northernmost extension of the Pacific Northwest rainforest, this habitat will be in stark contrast to most of the others on the tour. This translates into quite a few species that won’t be seen elsewhere, including colorful Townsend’s Warblers and Steller’s Jays, erratic Red Crossbills, “Sooty” Fox Sparrow, tiny Rufous Hummingbirds, and if we’re lucky the Beluga Whales that sometimes cruise the Turnagain Arm. The night will be spent in Seward.

Day 13: Kenai Fjords National Park to Anchorage.

Imagine a wall of ice 700 feet high, just off a boat bobbing in impossibly blue water. No, you aren’t in Antarctica, you’re sitting next to a monstrous glacier not far from Seward, Alaska! Glacier viewing won’t be the only highlight of the day’s foray into Kenai Fjords National Park, though – impressive seabird colonies that can include up to eight or more species of alcids, thousands of Black-legged Kittiwakes, the rare and local Kittlitz’s Murrelet, and potentially several species of whales are all on tap as well! Both the scenery and birding in the Fjords will be among the best of the entire tour. After returning to port we’ll head back to Anchorage for the final night.

Day 14: Departure.

The tour ends this morning in Anchorage. The hotel provides a shuttle bus to the airport.

Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage

Meals: Dinner

Our Alaskan adventure begins in its charming city of Anchorage. Arrive into Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and meet your local Alaskan guide. We’ll get a brief introduction to the area before settling into our accommodations at a boutique inn in downtown Anchorage. Dine alongside locals at a brewhouse and get to know one another as we gear up for the week ahead.

Day 2: Learn about Alaska's History and Meet a Member of the Beluga Whale Alliance

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today's adventure takes us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. As Alaska’s largest living cultural center, we’ll get the unique opportunity to explore a village of authentic and traditional structures from Alaska’s many native cultures. We’ll also be treated to a range of performances including native dancing led by a community dance group, or athletes demonstrating World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games skills. In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch and guided hike into the snow capped mountains of the Chugach State Park. Stop along the way to discuss the stunning geography of the area while learning about Alaska history as you gaze over aerial views of Anchorage.

Before dinner, we’ll get a visit from a member of the Beluga Whale Alliance to discuss the declining Beluga Whale population of nearby Cook Inlet and their effort to sustain the species by volunteer driven data collection. Enjoy dinner with a view overlooking the Cook Inlet, named after Captain James Cook during his search for the Northwest Passage.

This hike is all abilities level and will be based on group pace with 3 different routes to choose between.

Day 3: Ride a Glass-Top Train to Seward & Explore Kenai Fjords National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Rise early for an adventure down the Alaskan coast. Hop aboard the Coastal Classic train and venture from Anchorage to Seward in style. Often ranked as the top ten train rides in North America, you’ll wind along Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range plunge directly to the sea before entering into the backcountry wilderness. Take in the panoramic vistas of Alaska’s beauty under the glass dome ceiling railcars. This 4.5 hour scenic ride will offer plenty of photo opportunities of wildflowers, rivers, and possible wildlife sightings so be sure to keep your camera handy! Arrive into the quaint, fishing town of Seward where you’ll go from train to boat for an afternoon of wildlife and glacier viewing in the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park. Keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, the stellar sea lion, and more as we cruise through Aialik Bay towards the mighty Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. We will spend time in front of the glacier to watch for calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. The tour is fully narrated by a National Park Ranger

Day 4: Join the Alaska Sealife Center for a Puffin Experience before a Dog Sled Tour Through the Wilderness

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Wake to the sounds of fishing boats departing for the day and views of towering Mt. Marathon and Mt. Alice outside your window. Today we will head to Alaska’s only marine rescue and research facility, The Alaska Sealife Center. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about how the center is protecting marine wildlife through rescue and rehabilitation. Go behind the scenes with researchers and learn about a range of animals from stellar sea lions, ringed & spotted seals as well as the giant pacific octopus. Join staff in a privately led deep dive into the characteristics and traits of a puffin. Learn first hand why their bright orange beaks change colors during the year and how they’ve earned their nickname, clowns of the sea!

In the afternoon, visit a local homestead kennel for a look into Alaska’s Iditarod dog sledding family, The Seaveys. Get to know their beloved team of huskies, a tether-free environment, and how mushing runs deep within the family line and their way of life. Your adventure begins with a 2-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of these amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to comfortable wheeled sleds on this hour and a half dog sled tour. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek.

Day 5: Head to Homer & Meet with the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies for "Belly Biology"

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, we will hit the road and head to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula stopping along the way in the old gold mining town of Cooper Landing. We’ll arrive in Homer and visit the Wynn Nature Center at the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies, whose mission is to protect the unique marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship. Get to know the 150 acre wildlife corridor with a habitat that includes spruce, black cottonwood, and alder trees and is the epicenter for a range of birds from the Black-capped Chickadee to the Orange-crowned warbler. The preserve is located on top of a bluff 1200 feet above Kachemak Bay. After touring the grounds, head down to the Homer Marina with a trained naturalist guide as you explore marine invertebrate life living on & around the Homer Harbor Docks in an activity called, belly biology.

Day 6: Visit a Local Oyster Farm

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Rise for a delicious breakfast followed by some free time to explore the small shops & cafes on the boardwalk along the Homer Spit. In the afternoon, we will board a boat for yet another engaging ocean experience. This time we will explore Kachemak Bay stopping at a local oyster farm to enjoy a tasting! Learn about ocean research by participating in a plankton tow, viewing them under a microscope and using an underwater remote operating vehicle to explore the ocean bed and all the creatures that call this place home! We’ll stop at the secluded Peterson Bay Field Station & visit Intertidal Creature Touch Tanks. Later in the evening, we’ll come together for a memorable Farewell Dinner to cap off our great Alaskan adventure!

Day 7: Explore the Homer Spit before Returning Home or Continuing to Denali

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a relaxing final morning in Homer. Head into town for souvenir shopping or beach combing along the oceanfront. In the afternoon, we’ll drive back to Anchorage for evening flights out. Those who opt for the Denali Extension will bid the rest of the group farewell and take a domestic flight from Homer to Anchorage then onwards to Denali National Park.