trip specifics

price

2013 

It’s hard to describe the unique natural world of Alaska in words. The Within the Wild luxury lodge adventure is designed to bring travelers into intimate contact with Alaska’s backcountry. Enjoy spectacular flightseeing from Anchorage to Redoubt Bay and the Alaska Range, home to North America’s tallest peak, Mt McKinley. Your wilderness home is the Winterlake Lodge, owned and operated by hosts Carl and Kirsten Dixon.

Nestled in the Alaska Range along Alaska’s historic Iditarod Trail, Winterlake Lodge offers remarkable floatplane- and helicopter-assisted adventures, hiking, sportfishing, nesting swans and loons, and a wellness program that includes massage and yoga. Redoubt Bay Lodge, on the west side of Cook Inlet, is home all summer to a resident grizzly bear population, and the lodge serves as a gateway to Lake Clark National Park adventures.

Expert naturalist guides and expedition leaders accompany travelers on daily excursions from the lodge. Experience award-winning cuisine, enjoy daily wine and cheese tastings, and participate in culinary sessions. As part of a commitment to a healthful and restorative lifestyle, complimentary wellness programs including massage and yoga are available. Within the Wild luxury lodge adventures are perfect for Alaska travelers seeking an upscale and intimate experience surrounded by nature and wildlife. Custom trips are available; please call our Alaska travel experts.

Day 1 - Anchorage to Winterlake Lodge

You will be met at your hotel for complimentary transfer service to our air carrier at Lake Hood. Depart Anchorage at 8:00 a.m. (departure time is flexible) for a scenic float-plane flight to Winterlake Lodge. Depart from Lake Hood, the world’s largest floatplane lake and land on Finger Lake, the location of an Iditarod checkpoint. Winterlake Lodge is situated approximately one hour by air northwest of Anchorage.

Catch a glimpse of Mt McKinley en route to the lodge. McKinley is the highest peak in North America. Check in to your cabin and join your hosts Kirsten and Carl Dixon at the main lodge for a brief orientation to the activities and facilities, then plan your days with your guides. Options include: hike the Iditarod Trail, canoe or kayak around Winterlake, extended hike to Red Lake, receive a massage, take a hot tub soak, join in the stretch and yoga classes and take a cooking class in the kitchen.

Luncheon is served at 1:00 p.m. in the main room. After lunch, join your hosts for a stretch class, dog-lot tour, garden tour or leisurely walk along the Iditarod Trail. In the late afternoon, take a cooking class in the kitchen with Kirsten, then enjoy wine tasting in the main lodge bar and dinner at 7:00 p.m. After dinner, there is an evening education program on Alaska in the wellness room or fly-casting lessons on the lake.

Accommodations: Winterlake Lodge
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 - Helicopter Wilderness Exploration

Early morning gentle yoga class at 6:30 a.m. (optional of course). Breakfast is served at 8:00 a.m. After breakfast, meet your helicopter pilot and guide for a day-long adventure outing via a Robinson R-44 helicopter. In the afternoon, you may enjoy lunch on the river or back at the lodge – your choice. Activity options include: Glacier trekking or ice climbing, whitewater rafting on the Happy River, sport fish for Alaska salmon and/or trout in season, hike the ridge for spectacular view of Mount McKinley, and fly the Iditarod Trail by helicopter to the next checkpoint. End your day of adventure with a nice soak in the hot tub and a dip in the lake!

Accommodations: Winterlake Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - Winterlake Lodge Hike & Kayak

If you are an earlier riser you can take advantage of the early morning serenity by observing Winterlake's resident swans and loons by kayak. Breakfast is served at 8:00 a.m. At 9:00 a.m., join your guide for a hike to the ridge behind the lodge for a spectacular view of Mt. McKinley. In the afternoon, kayak or canoe around the lake.

Accommodations: Winterlake Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Redoubt Bay, Return to Anchorage

After breakfast, board a floatplane to travel to Redoubt Bay Lodge. It’s a scenic 50-minute flight through glaciers and views of Lake Clark National Park. Take a tour of this new lake to photograph and view bears in their natural habitat. Spend as long or as little as you like watching Redoubt Bay resident bears from the comfort of your covered pontoon boat. At 6:00 p.m. board another floatplane for a flight up the coast to Anchorage.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast and lunch



Extend Your Trip: Extensions to this Within the Wild adventure are available. An example of an extended day is an additional 8 hours, from after breakfast to p.m. departure, costing $700 per person (2013 rate). Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining trips to Denali National Park and other locations.

Itinerary Notes: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be spontaneous makes our style of adventure travel unique.

Included: Prices include air transportation to and from Within the Wild destinations, lodging, meals, guide service, one complimentary massage, daily wellness and cooking classes and use of lodge amenities and equipment.

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Alaska, fishing license (available for purchase at the lodge), taxes $15, some alcoholic beverages, gratuities. Deep-sea fishing excursions, helicopter adventures, flightseeing trips and other excursions are additional.

Room Configurations: The Winterlake Lodge is part of a series of three lodges including Redoubt Bay Lodge and Tutka Bay Lodge. Redoubt Bay Lodge, located at the entrance to Lake Clark Pass, is a small, rustic lodge that sits on a small hill. It overlooks Big River Lakes, a chain of lakes that teems with fish, bears and other wildlife, and whose waters lead to the Big River and on to Cook Inlet. Tutka Bay Lodge sits at the head of a splendidly rugged seven-mile fjord at the southern end of Kachemak Bay. The Tutka Bay area offers rugged coastlines, deep fjords, dramatic mountains, quiet beaches, old growth Sitka spruce forests, and amazing tidal fluctuations. Our Alaska travel experts are happy to help you craft a custom vacation to one or all of the Within the Wild lodges.

Families & Children: Children 12 years old and under are 2/3 the adult rate.

Arrival & Departure: Typical lodge departure times are 8:00 a.m. or 5:00 p.m., but alternate departure times can be arranged. This trip may require additional overnights in Anchorage. Our experts can assist with any additional hotels or transfers.

Payment & Cancellation: A 50% deposit is required to confirm your reservation. A Reservation Form, which includes a release of liability, must be completed and signed by all travelers. Balance is due 60 days prior to your arrival at the lodge. A full refund is available prior to 60 days of arrival, less a $100.00 administrative fee. Cancellations less than 60 days before arrival are non-refundable regardless of the reason. Published rates represent a 3% discount for payment by cash, check or bank wire transfer.

Terms & Conditions: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list and extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with travel insurance. Please note that you must purchase your travel insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions. Click the link below for a selection of policies from our partners at Travelex.



Qualifications: This Alaska trip will be enjoyed by anyone with a sense of adventure seeking to explore Alaska in style.


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