KENAI FJORDS MOUNTAIN EXPLORER

QUICK DETAILS

Ages: 14 years +
Duration: 5 Days
Begins / Ends: Kenai, AK
Location: Kenai Fjords National Park
Exertion: Strenuous to Extreme
Distance: 25+ Miles
Season: June – September
Price: Please call for pricing

*Minimum: 4 participants per trip required to guarantee

Ask us about custom dates for individuals, couples, families, and groups.

TRIP DETAILS & ITINERARY

KENAI FJORDS MOUNTAIN EXPLORER – BACKPACKING IN KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK

This is our hallmark trip in Kenai Fjords National Park, and we’re proud to say that we pioneered this trip! If you’re looking for a pure Alaskan Backpacking Adventure, this is it!

This is your chance to go where few have gone. You will be in the backcountry, far away from roads, busy campgrounds, and trampled trails. We camp near glaciers, hike along glacial fed rivers, explore canyons, bag some peaks, and check out a 900 foot waterfall that few lay eyes on.

We carry our backpacks several miles each day, then drop the packs for side trips to explore tundra, peaks, glaciers, moraine fields, photograph wildlife, see your guide’s favorite secret spots, and make your own discoveries. This allows you to find your right balance of challenge, rest, and free time. Your guide will keep you safe and comfortable, serve you wonderful meals, and help you to understand and appreciate the landscape and wildlife around you.

Peak bagging is an option on this trip as many of the prominent peaks are non-technical routes and may be a 1000 foot ascent. From the alpine country we descend to sea level which opens up a myriad of exploration opportunities.

Very rarely does anyone set foot in this part of the Kenai Fjords National Park due to its remoteness, difficult access, and the terrain encountered. Kenai Backcountry Adventures limits the number of trips we take in this area to help protect its beauty and grandeur, but this trip is definitely one for the bucket list!

This adventure trip books up very fast due to the high-demand and limited number of trips we offer per season. Book your adventure today!

DAY 1: ARRIVAL DAY > KENAI
Today you’ll arrive in Kenai by plane or car. Arrival can be anytime before 4:00pm. Your overnight group accommodations are located off the beaten track near our flight office in Kenai. Your KBA Guide will greet you at the Kenai Airport, if you’re flying, or at the accommodations, if driving. This evening we’ll have a group meeting to discuss safety items, gear check, and the overall trip plan, followed by a group welcome dinner hosted by KBA.
Meals Included: Welcome dinner
Accommodation: Private cabin – group accommodations

DAY 2: KENAI > LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK
Today your KBA Guides will cook a group breakfast at the cabin, then it’s time to weigh gear and load the floatplane. We fly 30-45 minutes from Kenai to a secluded alpine lake located in Lake Clark National Park, your backcountry starting point of your mountaineering expedition. Once we arrive in the backcountry, we’ll setup the first nights camp and enjoy a delicious backcountry meal. The afternoon and evening will consist of scouting our route for the next day.
All meals included (B, L, D)
Distance: 5+ miles
Accommodation: Under tent

DAY 3 to 5: LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK – GLACIER MOUNTAINEERING
These days will be spent glacier mountaineering and exploring our way through this massive glacier system. We’ll cross glaciers, ascend nunataks, and check out mountain peaks. Our route options are endless, but we’ll be covering some serious ground. Each day is extremely challenging, but we take our time and maintain the highest levels of safety. Camp is in a new location each night, unless contingency plans have been enacted.
All meals included (B, L, D)
Distance: Average is 10-15 miles (per day)
Accommodation: Under tent

DAY 6: LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK > KENAI
After a morning of more exploring and trekking, the group will eventually reach the last glacier lake of the trip. We’ll gather lakeside, awaiting our afternoon floatplane pick-up. The flight is exhilarating and you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the massive landscape which you’ve just trekked. This will really put your accomplishment into perspective. We generally arrive back to the mainland around late-afternoon, and upon arrival, we’ll exchange some high-fives and goodbyes. If you’re leaving Kenai this evening, we’ll transport you to the Kenai Airport. If you are returning home this evening, please be sure to schedule your Kenai flight for after 10:00pm.
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
Distance: 5-10+ miles

DAY 1: ARRIVAL > KENAI > THE ALASKA RANGE

Today you’ll arrive in Kenai by plane or car. Arrival can be anytime before 10:00am. Your KBA guide will greet you at the Kenai Airport (if flying), or at our Kenai flight office (if driving). At 11:00am we begin with a group orientation meeting, gear check, weights & measures, safety briefing, and discussion of our overall trip plan – lunch will be hosted by KBA during the meeting. Between 3:30-4:00pm we begin staging our gear to be loaded on the floatplane, and when ready we’ll load all of our gear for the trip, and fly out around 4:30pm. Arrival in the backcountry is welcomed with a sense of awe and wonder as you gaze upon the magnificent mountains towering above, and surrounding you. Our first objective will be to get camp set up and squared away, and following this we’ll head out for an evening hike and give you a glimpse of your backcountry playground for the next few days.
Meals Included: Welcome lunch, and backcountry dinner
Accommodation: Under tent

DAY 2 to 3: KENAI > ALASKA RANGE – BASE CAMP

Each day your KBA Guide(s) will cook a group breakfast at the base camp, then it’s time to pack your gear for the day, and head out for a full day of exploration! Lunch will be in the mountains, somewhere with an amazing view. After a full day of adventure, we’ll return to base camp and prep hot drinks and a delicious backcountry dinner. With ample daylight throughout the summer, this affords us the opportunity for an evening hike to catch the alpenglow, or simply unwind while being one with the mountains.
All meals included (B, L, D)
Distance: Daily mileage varies, based on the group
Accommodation: Under tent

DAY 4: ALASKA RANGE BASE CAMP > KENAI

After a morning and afternoon of exploring the group will pack up camp, and gather lakeside for our afternoon floatplane pick-up. The flight is exhilarating and you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the massive landscape which you’ve just trekked. This will really put your accomplishment into perspective. We generally arrive back to the mainland around mid-afternoon, to early evening (~before 6pm). Once we arrive back to the floatplane base, we’ll exchange some high-fives and goodbyes and transport you to the Kenai Airport. If you are returning home this evening, please be sure to schedule your Kenai flight for after 8:00pm.
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
Distance: Varies

*The accompanying itinerary is the schedule we intend to follow. However, this is Alaska, and our trips may deviate as written on this page or in any documentation we publish. This can be as a result of weather conditions, group preference, safety considerations, or unforeseeable circumstances. Therefore expect the unexpected, and prepare to be flexible.

This is an all-inclusive adventure, meaning everything is included in your price apart from your flights to and from Alaska, personal gear, gratuities for guides, and voluntary expenditures. You trip package includes:

Accommodations: 1 night private cabin, 4 nights tent camping
Round-trip ground transportation (Kenai Airport<>Flight Office)
Round-trip floatplane flights during the trip (Kenai<>Backcountry)
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Professional guide service
Expedition tents
Glacier trekking equipment: helmet, harness, crampons
Satellite phone, GPS, maps, location tracker
Medical kits, and repair gear
Trekking poles
Gathering/cook tent
Cooking equipment, eating utensils, bowl/plate, and hot drink mug
Water filtration equipment
Bear resistant canisters
Guides prepare and cook all meals
Guides setup and take down entire camp (option to assist)

Accommodations: 3 nights tent camping
Round-trip ground transportation (Kenai Airport<>Flight Office)
Round-trip floatplane flights during the trip (Kenai<>Backcountry)
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Professional guide service
Expedition tents
Sleeping bag with liner, sleeping pad, and pillow
Satellite phone, GPS, maps, location tracker
Medical kits, and repair gear
Trekking poles
Large gathering/cook tent
Cooking equipment, eating utensils, bowl/plate, and hot drink mug
Water filtration equipment
Bear resistant canisters
Guides prepare and cook all meals
Guides setup and take down entire camp (option to assist)

LOGISTICS & FAQ

What is the best way to get to Kenai?
Plan to fly into the Anchorage International Airport (ANC), and then take a 25 minute flight from ANC to Kenai Airport (ENA). Or you can rent a car in Anchorage and then drive to Kenai (~3 hours). Either way you will need to be in Kenai by 4:00pm on Day 1. Kenai Airport also has rental cars should you decide to turn your car in before your trip, or rent a car after your trip. KBA will provide transportation between the Kenai Airport and our flight office.

What are the accommodations like?
Accommodations on day 1 is a private cabin that will house the group plus your guides. Day 2 thru 6 is double occupancy tent camping in the backcountry.

Can solo travelers get their own tent? Is there an optional or forced supplement, and how much is it?
As a solo traveler, a single supplement of $400 per person that applies to the private cabin accommodations on day 1, and tent camping Day 2 to 6.

What is the food like?
Proper nutrition in the backcountry is paramount for stamina and recovery. We create gourmet masterpieces from scratch that are healthy, filling, and delicious leaving your palate (and belly!) satisfied. Everything from cinnamon rolls and vanilla pancakes for breakfast, to spaghetti with meatballs for dinner, finished off with cheesecake for dessert.

How much extra money should people budget?
Kenai Backcountry Adventures recommends that you bring $500 cash for gratuities, in-town spending money, souvenirs, additional meals, etc.

What should people bring? Do you have a packing list?
A detailed backpacking gear list will be provided with your booking confirmation. Or you can view the GEAR LIST now (select “Base Camp Trips”).

Is travel insurance required?
Travel insurance is required for this trip. Review our Travel Insurance page for more info.

Additional frequently asked questions and answers:

Are bears and other wildlife going to be a problem?
Bears are virtually everywhere in Alaska, and therefore one should anticipate and be prepared for a possible encounter or sighting of a bear. Moose are a common sighting on the Kenai Peninsula but generally they keep their distance. Kenai Backcountry Adventures takes wildlife safety very seriously and therefore take precautions to keep you safe in the wilderness. In addition, you will learn the necessary safety procedures regarding Alaska wildlife in your pre-backcountry safety orientation.

Will there be bugs?
The most common nuisance bugs are mosquitoes and no-see-ums. However, based on the time of year and current weather conditions insects may or may not present an issue. Generally, there are only a few areas we tend to encounter mosquitoes along our route. Come prepared with insect repellant and a high quality head net.

What will the weather be like?
Weather in this part of Alaska is highly variable and unpredictable. It could be in the 70s or 80s one day and in the 50s and raining the next (or in the same day!). We may encounter snow at higher elevations. High winds can be frequent and may impede travel at times.

Contingency
It’s best to plan a buffer day at the end of the trip in the event of a weather delay departing the backcountry on the last day, however if you must make flight arrangements to depart Kenai on the last day of the itinerary, please make your flight departure for after 10:00 pm.

LOGISTICS & FAQ

What is the best way to get to Kenai?
Plan to fly into the Anchorage International Airport (ANC), and then take a 25 minute flight from ANC to Kenai Airport (ENA). Or you can rent a car in Anchorage and then drive to Kenai (~3 hours). Either way you will need to be in Kenai on the morning of Day 1. Kenai Airport also has rental cars should you decide to turn your car in before your trip, or rent a car after your trip. KBA will provide transportation between the Kenai Airport and our flight office.

What are the accommodations like?
Accommodations are double occupancy tent camping in the backcountry for day 1 to day 4.

Can solo travelers get their own tent? Is there an optional or forced supplement, and how much is it?
As a solo traveler, a single supplement of $150 per person that applies to the private cabin accommodations on day 1, and tent camping day 1 to 4.

How much extra money should people budget?
Kenai Backcountry Adventures recommends that you bring $500 cash for gratuities, in-town spending money, souvenirs, additional meals, etc.

Is travel insurance required?
Travel insurance is required for this trip. Review our Travel Insurance page for more info.

Additional frequently asked questions and answers:

Will there be bugs?
The most common nuisance bugs are mosquitoes and no-see-ums. However, based on the time of year and current weather conditions insects may or may not present an issue. Come prepared with insect repellant and a high quality head net.

Airfare/Travel to and from Kenai, AK, before and after your trip
Meals not indicated in the itinerary
Personal gear (rain gear, clothing, backpack, etc.)
Some technical gear (gear list is provided)
Travel Insurance (required)
Single supplement ($400)
Additional lodging nights due to weather delays (in town)
Additional meals due to weather delays (in town)
Alcoholic beverages
Gratuities for your guides (recommended)

Airfare/Travel to and from Kenai, AK, before and after your trip
Meals not indicated in the itinerary
Personal gear (rain gear, clothing, backpack, etc.)
Travel Insurance (required)
Single supplement ($150)
Additional lodging nights due to weather delays (in town)
Additional meals due to weather delays (in town)
Alcoholic beverages
Gratuities for your guides (recommended)

**There is a pre-trip meeting the afternoon prior to departure in Homer, AK. You will be given the meeting location info upon booking your reservation. The pre-trip meeting is a meet-and-greet, orientation, safety-brief, and Q&A session all rolled into one. Following this we’ll have a group dinner featuring local craft brews, wine, and gourmet pizza! Dinner and beverages included.

DAY 1

Our trip begins in Homer, AK at 8:00am. We’ll board the float plane and take off into the skies for a spectacular flight into the Kenai Fjords National Park. We’ll then set off on our first leg hiking along a glacial fed creek until we reach the location of our first camp tucked in by a glacier. We’ll set up camp and take in the magical wilderness that surrounds us. A gourmet backcountry dinner will be served, and we’ll spend the evening exploring the glacier, relaxing, and hiking around. Lunch & dinner included.

DAY 2

We’ll break camp and move on to the next leg of the trip. We will hike along a glacial fed river that flows through a mountain pass. This is a great hike, but at times we may have to do some bushwhacking, zig-zagging, and river fording. There are great opportunities for pictures on this route as the terrain slowly changes from river vegetation to alpine tundra giving way to views of rarely seen hanging glaciers. The end of this route, and what becomes camp 2 is pure Alaska! All meals included.

DAY 3

This day brings much excitement and anticipation to get a glimpse of the crown jewel feature of this trip; a majestic 900 foot high waterfall! We will descend about 1,700 feet from alpine tundra, through boreal forest, all the way to sea level. We may even have the option to do a little peak bagging along the way. Once we reach sea level we’ll hike to the location of our next camp. After setting up camp we’ll explore the adjacent area and check out tide pools and other cool features in the area. This will be our base camp for the next 2 nights. All meals included.

DAY 4

Exploration day! We have the entire day just for exploring the area, and hiking to get a view of the waterfall. There are a lot of really cool areas to explore and cool things to see around this area so make sure you have extra memory cards for your camera! After a full day of adventuring and exploring, we’ll have a gourmet backcountry dinner, and share our experiences from the day, tell a few jokes, and take in the beauty of Alaska that surrounds us. We’ll be camping in the same place as day 3. All meals included.

DAY 5

Departure day back to the front country, but we won’t be leaving the area until mid-afternoon (weather & tides permitting). This will be a good opportunity for some last minute exploration or photography, beach combing and tide pooling. Our float plane will pick us up on the shore near our camp and fly us back to Homer for an amazing flight opening up vistas to dozens of glaciers and mountains. We plan to arrive back in Homer around 4pm. Due to variable and unpredictable weather conditions that can occur in this part of Alaska, we highly recommend making your travel arrangements from Homer at least 2 days following the scheduled trip end date. Breakfast & lunch included.