What an amazing experience Bear Mountain was! We flew in on a 1953 Otter Pontoon Plane, which was a first for my husband and me. The cabins were clean, cozy, and warm. It is hard to describe just how exhilarating being out in nature with wild animals and seeing them in their day to day activities was. I felt so privileged to be able to encounter such majestic animals in their habitats. Our bear guide, Mac, was extremely knowledgeable and we felt very safe with his guidance. Our group had several very close encounters with bears and foxes and never once did we feel in danger. The photos and videos we were able to get were amazing. I would say that this was an experience of a lifetime.
The cruise (with Major Marine Tours) at Kenai Fjords National Park was another highlight. So much water wildlife and gorgeous scenery. We actually got to see Hump Back Whales Bubble-net feeding. The ship was very comfortable and the crew was very accommodating.
We really enjoyed the White Water Rafting with Wilderness Wave Rafting Co. as one of our excursions in Denali. We took the easy ride since it was our first time and had a great experience.
Denali’s bus trip into the interior was probably our least favorite activity. We understood that the best part is the area of the park that we could not access because of the bridge being out and a landslide. But there just wasn’t a lot to see in the 5 hour trip. Also, if our guide, Cade, had not been looking for animals we would not have seen anything. The bus driver tried to entertain us with stories – but so many reviews talked about the wildlife in Denali – it was disappointing and LONG.
Our Brush Buck guide, Cade was a sweetheart. He was extremely knowledgeable of the animals and the land and the flora. He could spot animals long distances away. He was a super talented photographer which meshed well with my husband who also loves photography. He did a great job seeing to our every need during the trip. He was a quiet spoken young man, so those of us that sat in the back of the van had a hard time hearing all his words of wisdom as we drove from place to place. Maybe he could wear a microphone????
All in all, this was an incredible trip. We had a blast, saw so many animals and beautiful scenery, and learned so much about Alaska.
This is our 2nd Brush Buck Adventure tour and we would definitely recommend this company.