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BEAR GLACIER vs AIALIK GLACIER

Aialik Glacier offers more of a sea life and wildlife viewing opportunity

Trips provide the potential to see bears, goats, orcas, whales, and more!

BEAR GLACIER vs AIALIK GLACIER

Bear Glacier is the place to paddle if you're looking to encounter larger-than-life icebergs and dramatic scenery

Some of the most dynamic and remote kayaking environments available!

Priorities

Wildlife

The Kenai Fjords National Park offers world class kayaking in one of the most scenic and rugged areas of Alaska: Aialik Bay. There is abundant wildlife and sea life viewing opportunities with this trip. As you travel by water taxi and kayak through this wilderness you can spot puffins, loons, whales, porpoises, otters, eagles, bears, and enjoy grand scenery. If you want to see a glacier calving into the water, and experience the surprising release of energy that creates thunder-like sounds, Aialik Glacier is your answer!

Big Ice

Bear Glacier is the place to paddle if you are looking to encounter larger-than-life icebergs and dramatic scenery. Bear Glacier is a freshwater pro-glacial lagoon with a small strip of land, called a moraine, that separates marine life from getting in to the lagoon. It offers some of the most dynamic and remote kayaking environments available. The only constant here, is change. The icing on the cake is getting to see the place you’ve just paddled from above as we fly in and out via helicopter. This trip is truly an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

What Will We See?

Aialik Bay and trips provide the potential to see bears, goats, orcas, humpbacks (along with other types of whales), porpoises, puffins, eagles, and a lot of spectacular coastline ending at a tidewater glacier (tidewater glaciers are actively calving glaciers that flow all the way down to the ocean).

Bear Glacier Lagoon trips provide access via scenic helicopter flight into Bear Glacier’s pro-glacial, freshwater lagoon (A pro-glacial lagoon forms behind a moraine in a valley, left by a retreating glacier. Glacial ice can also create a dam to block the flow of water from a melting glacier forming a pro-glacial lagoon. When the dam breaks flooding occurs and carves areas of land downstream). Bear Glacier totes huge icebergs, spectacular scenery, mountain goats, seals, and also is proud to be the largest glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park!

Is One Easier To Paddle?

Bear Glacier Lagoon will most often provide flatter/calmer waters than Aialik Bay.

Bear Glacier Lagoon tends to be less strenuous due to the amount of icebergs & easy viewing of the glacier from our drop off. A lot of time is spent viewing the strange but beautiful iceberg’s shapes and colors.

On the flip side – Ailaik Bay will involve more paddling to reach the glacial destination, and can be more physically exerting dependent on the sea conditions.

Summary

  • Fewer people = Bear Glacier

  • Arriving on the train = Bear Glacier

  • Half Day = Bear Glacier

  • Big Icebergs = Bear Glacier Lagoon

  • Ride in a helicopter = Bear Glacier

  • Wildlife like whales, orcas, puffins, and other wildlife = Aialik Glacier

  • Boat transportation = Aialik Glacier

  • Full Day = Aialik Bay

  • Calving Glacier = Aialik Glacier