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If you’ve dreamed of seeing brown bears in the wild — in one of Alaska’s best spots for brown bear viewing — as well as experiencing flightseeing and kayaking, this trip is for you. You’ll fly from Juneau to a remote wilderness location, then kayak to Pack Creek Bear Sanctuary on Admiralty Island, home to more than 1,600 brown bears.
About 30 miles southeast of Wrangell on the Alaska mainland lies an Alaska wildlife anomaly, a place where brown and black bears mix for the feast of pink salmon that occurs there each summer. Only 60 permits are issued per day and are required July 5‑Aug 25.
If you miss seeing a brown bear outdoors in Southeast Alaska, you can see several here, a non-profit park and learning center. Offering aerial and ground-floor viewing opportunities, this wildlife education and viewing facility was launched as part of an effort to rescue two, orphaned bear cubs.
Pack Creek is only 30 minutes by air from Juneau. The creek is on Admiralty Island, which has been protected for 80 years and has over 1,500 bears — more than all of the contiguous US combined. That’s what makes this area such a hotspot for bear viewing. At times, 6 – 10 bears can be spotted in close proximity in the estuary. It’s possible to go on your own or take a fully guided tour.
Island Wings Air Service takes passengers flightseeing, bear viewing, on guided hikes, self-guided hikes, to forest service cabins, fly-out fishing trips and more.
