Exclusive Grizzly Bear Trip to deep inside the Arctic Circle
I wish to welcome naturalists, filmmakers, photographers, bear lovers, and all those looking for true peace of mind.
In 2019 I am offering you life-changing wilderness adventures "off the beaten trail" for only 3 people maximum.
For the 20 guests that are allowed to travel to the remote sub-arctic of the Northern Yukon, each experiences a very exclusive, engaging and surely unforgettable because only a maximum of 3 or 4 people are allowed into this pristine location at any one time.
Dates: October 6, 2019 to October 15, 2019
Dates: October 13, 2019 to October 22, 2019 is now SOLD OUT
Instructor: Kevin Pepper
Number of Attendees: 3
Tuition: $14,395USD*
Deposit and Payment Details: $4000 deposit and balance due 90 days prior to traveling
Viewing Highlights
Experience a once in a lifetime adventure "off the beaten trail" in the pristine wilderness of Northern Yukon, Canada
Discover for yourself that a peaceful and safe co-existence with grizzly bears is not only possible, but also entertaining and fun
Live in close proximity with grizzly bears during your entire stay
Take advantage of excellent filming and photographic opportunities
Experience an exclusive small group adventure led by one of my professional wilderness guides with longstanding experience and expert knowledge in grizzly bear behavior
Included:
Services of one of our professional wilderness guides
Helicopter transportation to remote wilderness camp
Accommodation at the camp
Flights to/from Whitehorse to Dawson City
Meals while at the Bear Cave Mountain Adventures camp, including all non-alcoholic beverages and wine/ beer at dinner
Not included:
Flights to/from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Overnights in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Tips, gratuities, personal expenses
Travel, medical or any other kind of insurance coverage
Conservation of fish and wildlife in areas of high ecological values, and meeting those as passionate about nature as we are, is what my partners in this adventure strive for.
The corner-stone of our philosophy is sharing these ecologies with guests from all around the world while helping to preserve the area with all of its unique flora and fauna.
On behalf of my partners for this trip, and the Vuntut Gwitchin people of Old Crow, I invite you to experience your own wilderness journey of a lifetime "off the beaten trail" deep inside teh Arctic Circle in norther Yukon.
"The camp is a place of peaceful tranquility but where one of the most unique and exciting natural history events plays out in harmony known only to true wilderness.
When your are face to face with an ice bear, you know right then and there that you are looking at something which cannot be found anywhere else in the world."
We are getting you as close to grizzly bears in the wild as possible in the safety of a highly trained, professional wilderness guide with longstanding experience and expert knowledge in grizzly bear behavior. Your safety and the safety of the grizzly bears is of the utmost importance for us. We ensure you an enjoyable and unforgettable experience viewing them in their natural habitat.
Due to the isolated location of the camp in the unscathed ecosystem of the river system we are visiting, and our long- standing experience with grizzly bears, we have developed an intimate relationship with many of these animals over the past decades. Seeing grizzly bears at close range, even while at the lodge, is common at our location.
... the viewing experience
"By September 15th the chum salmon have returned to their spawning grounds. By then the bears have arrived and are anxious to catch them".
Grizzly bear viewing is done "face to face" on the ground with a guide. Designated viewing sites offer you many opportunities to watch the grizzlies go about their business catching and eating chum salmon.
The viewing sites are within easy walking distance of camp and provide optimum light and weather conditions for observation, filming and photography.
Groups often spend two to four hours at a site depending on bear activity. One of the viewing sites is conveniently located close to the camp at the end of a 40-meterwooden walkway. During times of cold temperatures, you can therefore easily retreat to the camp to warm up between bear visits.
Due to the closeness of our viewing sites and the excellent viewing opportunities directly from camp, the physical fitness level required for your wildlife adventure is basic.
... the camp
When you arrive by helicopter at the camp you will know right away that you are in true untouched wilderness. Isolated from roads and development, the area is a valuable, zen-like ecological oasis. Here, grizzly bears and humans have long tread common pathways to share the bounty of the remarkable Fishing Branch River.
Blending well into the natural surroundings, the camp offers comfortable heated cabins of double occupancy. The main lodge consists of a kitchen and dining room where our chefs provide excellent cuisine three times a day. Dinner wine, beer and appetizers are complementary.
Each cabin, equipped with lighting, contains two single beds with duvet bedding as well as a wood heater to ensure your comfort. There is also a hot shower facility at your disposition.
Itinerary and Details
Day 1 - October 6, 2019- You arrive in Dawson City on a commercial airline flight that I will book for you and will get picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Dawson City. We will meet at the Aurora Inn and I will prepare you for your bear adventure deep inside the Arctic Circle.
If the skies are clear we will go out and photograph the aurora around Dawson City and the river.
Single accommodation
Dinner Included
Day 2 - October 7, 2019 - we will get picked up at the hotel and taken to the airport where we will meet our chartered helicopter pilot who will be taking us two hours north by helicopter this morning.
By noon we will be in-front of the bears near our camp.
Shared accommodation in cabins
All meals included
Day 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and Day 8 - Oct 8 until Oct 13, 2017 - by day we will have bear viewing from before sunrise into the night.
At night we even have a viewing platform designed for aurora photography.
During the days I am available for editing help if you want to edit some of your photos while on location.
Shared accommodation in cabins
All meals included
Day 9 - October 14, 2019 - After an early morning photo shoot with the bears and a hearty breakfast we will be picked up by helicopter and taken back to Dawson City on a two hour flight that takes you over some of Canada's incredible northern terrain.
If the skies are clear we will go out and photograph the aurora around Dawson City and the river
Tonight we will stay at the Aurora Inn in Dawson City.
Dinner Included
Day 10 - October 15, 2019 - You start your journey home when you board your flight home that I will have booked for you.
Bear Information: Every fall, in the shadow of craggy mountains, as many as 40 grizzly bears shamble along the river’s banks, foraging their limit of chum salmon that have traveled thousands of miles from the Bering Sea to spawn and die. The grizzly excels at fishing.
By mid-October, winter settles in at Bear Cave Mountain; the elements of an arriving winter transform the grizzlies into the ‘ice bears' we all want to photograph.
Some of the females will be pregnant when entering a cave and may produce up to three tiny, blind and hairless offspring. These cubs travel with their mother for two to three years.
The grizzly bear's fur ranges from a cream or silver color to almost black, as shown in our Bear Galleries. Light-colored tips over darker fur render the bears a grizzled look, hence the name, grizzly. A humpy shoulder and low-slung neck further distinguish these bears. Adults weigh between 250-600 pounds.
Travel Information: The season in this location begins in mid-September where it is late Fall on the Arctic Circle. The leaves are almost gone from the willow and other deciduous trees. At the end of the season, the beginning of November, it is winter and temperatures can be very cold. Approximately 40 percent of the weather is clear and 60 percent overcast. Typically there are several days of overcast pushed out by a high pressure system of clear blue skies coming south from the arctic. Our warm weather comes from the south, colder but clearer weather from the north.
October 01 through October 15 It can transition to winter during this time with snow staying on the ground. Daytime temperatures range between plus 8 and minus 10 Celsius or 46 and 14 degrees Fahrenheit. October 16 through November 01 Winter is in motion and staying warm at the viewing sites can be a challenge. Daytime temperatures can be as cold as minus 10 to minus 20 degrees Celsius or plus 14 and minus 2 Fahrenheit. Night time temperatures can drop to minus 30. We are never far away from the cabins and we can go back and get warm frequently
Items to Bring: Warm and compact sleeping bag - Head lamp & spare batteries - Toilet items - Fleece and synthetic clothing: – it is lightweight and dries quickly - No GIANT duffel bags or suitcases. - winter boots - winter jacket and pants - winter hat to cover your ears - winter gloves and liner gloves - You will be flying in a helicopter and cargo space is limited. - Limit gear to 45 kilograms or 80 pounds - 400mm lens - tripod with ball head for night photography - gimball head for wildlife photograph - 70-200mm lens - wide angle lens with 2.8 aperture - remote shutter release - spare batteries and memory cards - battery charger - laptop for editing -
Note on pricing... the cost of the trip is actually $18950CAD... The USD price above will fluctuate to reflect what the actual cost is...
If visiting one of the most remote areas on earth to photograph one of natures apex predators appeals to you, click on the button below to contact me.