Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ANWR
Kongakut River – 10-day ANWR Rafting Trip
2-4 hour Denali Park Rafting • 4-day Chulitna River • 7-day Lake Creek
Join Backcountry Safaris as we explore Alaska's remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) by raft on the "river of caribou." We'll travel about 50 miles down the Kongakut River through America's last true frontier. Our trip coincides with the annual migration of the 130,000-strong Porcupine caribou herd and passes through some of the world's most pristine wilderness.
The 19.8-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is unique in North America, offering a full range of arctic and subarctic ecosystems. These lands are largely free from human manipulation and control and have remained undisturbed for centuries.
"This wilderness is big enough and wild enough to make you feel like one of the old-time explorers." - Lowell Sumner, refuge founder
Visitors have many opportunities to view and photograph a diverse display of animal and plant life within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Almost 180 species of birds, 45 species of mammals and 36 species of fish have been seen there. Golden eagles, peregrine falcons, loons, tundra swans, caribou, polar and brown bears, muskoxen, wolves, lynx, arctic char and grayling are some of the many animals one may see in the refuge.
You'll see the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during its seasonal splendor. Summer days with 24 hours of sunlight bring the tundra's wildflowers to life, and like the stroke of an artist's brush the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge bursts out in color.
"This is the place for man turned scientist and explorer, poet and artist. Here he can experience a new reverence for life that is outside his own and yet a vital and joyous part of It." - William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court Justice 1939-75.
Our Arctic National Wildlife Refuge river raft adventure trip begins in a glacial valley of the Brooks Range and descends down the Kongakut River through several small rapids and braided channels. We traverse the tundra-covered Arctic Coastal Plain then conclude our trip within view of the Beaufort Sea's pack ice.
We travel only by small groups of less than 10 and guide our trips to minimize impact on this fragile world.
Today, the use of these pristine lands has become a point of controversy and debate among groups wanting to preserve the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and groups wanting to develop its oil and gas resources. In 1980, a provision in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act gave special legal status to 1.5 million acres in the northern part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because of its oil and gas potential. Debate regarding this special status has raged among development and environmental groups in recent years. Oil and gas development within the refuge remains precarious and is subject to change by Congress
Regulations limit our group size to 10 including guides on our Kongakut River rafting trips, and fewer than 1,000 people visit the refuge each year. Because space is limited, we advise guests to secure reservations several months in advance.
"Here there are no man-made trails... parking lots, visitor centers... that we've all seen within other public parks and refuges... Within the Arctic Refuge expect to meet nature on her wildest terms." - Debbie Miller, author
RELATED ANWR LINKS
ITINERARY
Arrival — Fly in to Fairbanks International Airport. Plan to arrive at least a day before your Kongakut River trip's departure date. Fairbanks offers many fine hotels and bed and breakfast lodging options. We can provide you a list of recommended lodging options or arrange lodging for you. Let us know if you would like us to add a hotel stay to your reservation. After unpacking and catching your breath, our guides will meet you for dinner and pre-trip planning. After dinner, we can take you to pick up any last minute personal items and to tour downtown Fairbanks.
Day 1 — Catch an early morning flight from Fairbanks to Arctic Village - a Gwich'in village bordering the refuge. We transfer to a chartered bush plane and fly to a remote airstrip at the headwaters of the Kongakut River.
Days 2 — Set up rafts and prepare gear. Day hikes into the Brooks Range.
Days 3 — Our river raft trip begins. We'll travel about 5 miles and occasionally pass through walls of overflow ice.
Days 4 — We paddle downriver through the canyon keeping watch for wildlife and photo opportunities.
Day 5 — Continue downriver and establish camp above the Kongakut's first major rapids.
Day 6 — Run rapids and paddle our rafts through another river section with walls of overflow ice. After travelling 5 miles, we set up camp near an excellent vantage point for watching migrating caribou.
Day 7 — Paddle about 15 miles through several small rapids. Look for Dall sheep in the Whale Mountain region and scope out photo opportunities.
Day 8 — Paddle to Caribou Pass - a main caribou migration route. We'll look for moose and muskoxen which are common here. Set up last camp.
Day 9 — Hike to ridge overlooking the Arctic Coastal Plain and the Beaufort Sea.
Day 10 — Return by bush plane to Arctic Village and Fairbanks. Transfer to lodging. End-of-trip celebration and supper.
Form your own group for a group discount and choose any departure date or choose from one of our scheduled tour dates.
Kongakut 10-day Alaska rafting adventure – Cost $3895
Prices are subject to change without notice.
Please contact us if you need more information
We urge you to make your reservations well in advance. Many of our scheduled tours fill up as much as a year in advance.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO GO! Fill out the secure on-line reservation form or call our office at (907) 222-1632 or toll-free (877) 812-2159. Reservation requires a 50% deposit. We accept payment by VISA/MasterCard. You will receive a pre-trip packet detailing the itinerary of the tour you have chosen and an equipment list. Reservation and Payment Terms)
Last minute reservations may be available so don't hesitate to contact us. If a trip has space, we can get you on it.
Limitations of liability:
Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, our adventure trips involve inherent risks and dangers which are beyond our control and Backcountry Safaris shall assume no responsibility for personal injuries or deaths and loss of personal property. Due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will read and sign the acknowledgment and Release of Liability before the tour begins.
We highly recommend that you consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance coverage can help with expenses for the unforeseeable such as lost baggage trip delays, emergency evacuation, and cancellation due to illness.
We use independent contractors to supply Backcountry Safaris with various services on many of our adventures. Some trips require us to use independent tour guides, drivers, lodges and hotels, air and water taxis, and other suppliers. Because we do not own, operate, manage, control, or supervise these suppliers, we cannot be liable for any acts or omissions on their part, including any negligence, gross negligence, or reckless or willful acts. Backcountry Safaris assumes no responsibility for any injury, loss, damage, delay, or death to person or property arising from the negligent or willful act or failure to act of any person who is to or does provide goods or services for this trip or for the action or inaction of any other third party. Without limitation, Backcountry Safaris is not responsible for acts of God, equipment failures, vehicle or vessel accidents, illness from food or otherwise, annoyance, delays, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, and changes in transit or hotel and lodge services over which it has no control. We make occasional changes in trip itineraries for the comfort and well being of our guests. We will keep you informed of any necessary changes in a timely fashion.
On payment of your deposit to Backcountry Safaris, you agree to be bound by the above terms and conditions.
