From Seward, enjoy a beautiful driving tour out to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge followed by boating on Skilak Lake, one of the largest glacial-carved lakes on the Kenai Peninsula, combined with magnificent hiking opportunities in a true backcountry environment. A trip of a lifetime!

A beautiful and scenic ride to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge kicks off this tour. Guests will be transported to Skilak Lake, an immense and crystal blue shimmering lake carved by glaciers. After a brief safety orientation, guests will board a boat for the scenic tour where they will be on the lookout for nearby wildlife and breathtaking views around Skilak Lake.

An experienced and skilled captain will be guiding guests on this boat tour, also providing their knowledge of the surrounding wilderness throughout the adventure. Guests will be able to experience a genuine Alaskan backcountry setting, abundant with wildlife like bald eagles and even bears!

The return trip to Seward will include some beautiful stops along the journey for photo opportunities and to stretch your legs. Along the way, wildlife spotting is typical for the “keen eye” as well as views of the Chugach and Kenai Mountains. Guests looking to experience plenty of the regions beauty in a natural setting, with expert guides to heighten the trip, will not be disappointed!

Duration: 11 hours (including round-trip ground transportation from Seward)

There are 3 options available for this trip

Select your preferred option when making your reservation. If there are already guests booked for the date you’re interested in, the trip option is based on what the first guests chose. All options include a picnic-style lunch in a really beautiful location.

1) Sightseeing Session (Easy – physical exertion)

This option includes a lot of cruising around the lake in the boat looking for wildlife, and checking out the amazing scenery. We do get off the boat from time to time to stretch our legs, and check things out, but we stay close to the shore.

2) Mix-It-Up Moderate (Moderate – physical exertion)

This option is a mix of the Easy option, with more hiking involved in. The hiking is easy to moderate, and is mostly on trails. We may hike a loop trail, and/or stop at several locations and hike to the top of vantage points for views that stretch for miles. There may be some slight inclines, uneven terrain, or slippery surfaces.

3) Alpine Hike (Strenuous – physical exertion)

This is the strenuous option that entails hiking on a trail to the top of a mountain on the other side of Skilak Lake from where we begin the boating portion of the trip. The majority of the time is spent hiking up the mountain, and then exploring the alpine tundra area up above the tree-line. We take our time going up, and coming down the mountain to allow for ample rest periods. This makes for an exciting, and vigorous hiking experience!