Activities & Adventure

Alaska's Wild Kingdom

Val Mallinson -- Jan. 2005

In Alaska, wilderness is king. You never know exactly what wildlife you're going to see, but your chances of catching caribou, horned Dall sheep, moose, and bears in the Alaska Interior is greater than nearly anywhere else in the world.

The wonders begin with marine life and every imaginable species of sea birds along miles of dramatic coastline. To get the full picture, however, you must journey inside, far from the coast, to reveal Alaska's true wild heart. A cruisetour- where you combine a cruise with days on land, nights in a luxury lodge, and travel by railcar-is the best way to see and do it all.

The Best of Both Worlds

Cruising is the only way to experience the marine life tucked in the glacier-carved fjords where the roads don't go. It's possible to encounter more than a dozen species of whales, including the dramatic orca, beluga, and humpback whales. You can hardly miss the pinnipeds, the thousands upon thousands of Stellar sea lions, Pacific walrus, and harbor, fur, and elephant seals. Every imaginable species of sea bird flocks here to dine on their share of the aquatic life.

Beyond the reach of the cruise ship lie 586,000 square vast and unspoiled miles, where wild creatures outnumber the human population in many places. Alaska supports nearly a million caribou in 30 distinct herds. Black and grizzly bears number close to 50,000-and that's only those people can get close enough to count.

Where to See the Wild Things

Princess Tours has five grand lodges, located within steps of the state's largest national parks, showcasing hundreds of rare and endangered species in their natural habitats. Staying in one of these magnificent lodges, you indulge yourself with luxury in the wilderness. With trained naturalists and organized expeditions, you avoid the riskier complications of getting up close and personal with nature.

For instance, there's no worry that you'll end up, as a recent solo adventurer did, with a tale of trying to find a safe campground, only to see a black bear sitting on the road munching berries, a half-mile from her destination. When she arrived, she warned the existing campers, a woman with five boys ages 8 through 13. "We're not scared," said the woman, "my boys have their .22 rifles!" Our friend hightailed it out of there as quick as she could and slept in her car, knowing that not only would a bullet from a .22 merely annoy a black bear enough to maul everyone in sight, but an eight-year-old with a rifle was as likely to shoot her in the middle of the night as the bear!

Wildlife in Natural Parks

Princess has Denali National Park covered, with the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge on the south side of the park and the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge only minutes from the park entrance.

Only 90 miles of main road traverse the six million acres of Denali National Park, leaving the moose, caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears, gray wolves, and red fox free to roam forests, tundra, glaciers, and mountains uninhibited. Meet the park's resident animals on a horseback ride along the northern face of the Alaska Range, while river rafting down the Nenana River, or on a journey 32-miles into Denali to study the wolves with a researcher from the Denali Institute.

The Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge sits at the entrance to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, America's largest national park. Nature hikes and river walks along the mighty Copper and Klutina Rivers offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. At each step of the way, you'll learn from experienced backcountry guides and naturalists of the flora, fauna, and native species.

Set on the jagged southern end of the ice-sculpted Kenai Peninsula, Kenai Fjords National Park begs to be explored. The Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge is a gateway to what the locals call "Alaska's Playground." Filled with rugged capes, sea arches, and ice caves, the park is home to more than 100 species of birds, from bald eagles to a colony of 40,000 puffins on Chiswell Island Marine Wildlife Refuge.

From the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, you can take a Fairbanks Fossils and Fur tour at the Animal Research Station, where you practically rub noses with Musk Oxen-shaggy survivors of the last ice age- and view reindeer and caribou while learning about their ecology and natural history.

You can whale watch and glide past seal colonies and bird rookeries on a wildlife cruise, or in a kayak or a canoe. You can capture the bigger picture from a distance on a flight seeing expedition. It's all up to you.

Almost as prevalent as the wildlife, friendly Princess Alaskan Outfitters(sm) will quickly become another familiar sight. Wherever you are, these local experts are the perfect people to get you off the beaten track to find the best wildlife adventure, most scenic hiking trail, inspiring viewpoint, or plentiful fishing locale.

About Val Mallinson

The travel bug bit Val early, in the back of a 1972 Mercury Station Wagon on family road trips. Her adventures have led her to all 50 states and a dozen European countries. She's cruised the Caribbean, hiked the Swiss Alps, snorkeled in Hawaii, bungee jumped in British Columbia, and spent timeless summer nights in Alaska. Val is a contributing author to the travel guide Moon Metro Seattle, and the author of The Dog Lover's Companion to the Pacific Northwest, due in bookstores April 2005.

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