TRIPS

Photography

If you're a photography enthusiast looking for adventure, look no further! With our luxurious Alaskan yacht as your mobile base and an experienced Alaska guide, we’ll journey on some of the world's most spectacular and pristine waterways. We'll enjoy unparalleled access to wildlife, including brown bears, eagles, orcas, and whales, and unbeatable views of fjords, glaciers, and icebergs. We'll explore these majestic landscapes from the 95' Glacier Bear, via a small motorized boat, and on hiking excursions!

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© John Schnell Photography. Alaska Wilderness Charters.

Trip Duration

8 days

Guests

up to eight

Distance

400 nautical miles

Price

$65,500

Photography

Join us on an eight-day Photography Workshop, and experience the scenic locations of Alaska's Inside Passage. The Glacier Bear offers an ideal platform to photograph the tidewater glaciers, coastal brown bears, and migrating humpback whales of Alaska. Photographers of all experience levels, especially those wishing to experience Alaska in comfort, will love exploring aboard this handsome boat.

Nothing matches the freedom and comfort of a photography expedition aboard a private Alaskan yacht. We'll cruise though pristine waterways, with unparalleled access to whales and wildlife—and the best locations for viewing fjords, icebergs, and glaciers. You'll enjoy the unique wildlife and breathtaking scenery of Southeast Alaska, home to eagles, black and brown bears, Humpback whales, orcas, Steller sea lions, Dall's porpoises, and harbor seals. Landscape photographers will enjoy wilderness hikes, as well as photography from our small motorized boat. There is no better way to capture the mesmerizing Alaskan wilderness.

Alaska’s natural beauty makes it a destination of extraordinary travel opportunities. Experience the best of Alaska aboard the Glacier Bear—including ancient rainforests, rugged mountains, tranquil harbors, and majestic fjords. A carefully crafted Alaska adventure awaits.

Trip route

Plan to arrive in Juneau or Sitka at least one day before your trip departure. We offer three trip routes. They are each fantastic, but differ slightly. Click one (or all) of the images below to view a custom Google trip map with a day-to-day schedule for each leg of travel.

© John Schnell Photography. Alaska Wilderness Charters. Route map.

Around Admiralty

Explore the beauty of Alaska on this eight-day adventure. We'll circumnavigate Admiralty Island, stopping to observe scenic locations along our route of travel. You'll see glaciers, wildlife, and more.

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Juneau to Sitka

On our eight-day adventure from Juneau to Sitka, you'll experience the best in Alaskan fishing, wildlife, and scenery. It's an unforgettable voyage you'll cherish.

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Sitka to Juneau

On this eight-day voyage from Sitka to Juneau, you'll view glaciers, icebergs, whales, and eagles—while enjoying the gourmet meals and comfort of Glacier Bear.

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What's included with your charter?

Each multi-day charter includes:

The Glacier Bear, our 95' yacht.
Operating costs of the Glacier Bear during your charter, including fuel, fees, and permits.
The For Reel (our 28' fishing tender), lets up to four people fish at a time and enables small groups to explore in locations that Glacier Bear can't reach.
Our 16' Lund skiff allows guests to set crab pots and shrimp pots. It also provides a convenient way for us to ferry guests ashore for hiking and sightseeing excursions.
An experienced crew, including Alaska-licensed captain, engineer, gourmet chef, and fishing guide.
Each trip also includes your choice of kayaks or paddleboards for active paddling adventures.
Chef-prepared meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), beverages, snacks, and appetizers.
Your catch of the day, superbly prepared by our chef.
A reasonable quantity of beer and wine.
Fishing tackle for guests who have purchased an Alaska fishing license.
Processing and freezing of fish you've caught for the flight back home.
A hot tub!

Trip deposit

We require a deposit of 50% of the total trip cost at time of booking. The full balance is due 90 days prior to the trip departure.

Trip cancellation

Please be sure to buy trip insurance when you book your charter. A good option is www.insuremytrip.com. Our trips are planned several months before departure. With the limited operating season in Alaska, we must strictly adhere to the following cancellation/refund policy:

Cancellation 151 days (or more) before departure. You will receive a refund of 70% of the deposit. Your loss is equivalent to 15% of the charter cost.
Cancellation 91-150 days before departure. You will receive a refund of 50% of the deposit. Your loss is equivalent to 25% of the charter cost.
Cancellation 31-89 days before departure. Forfeiture of the entire deposit. Your loss is equivalent to 50% of the charter cost.
Cancellation 1-30 days before departure. Forfeiture of the entire cost of the charter.

Crew gratuity

What is an appropriate crew gratuity? We advise clients to plan for a 15 to 20 percent gratuity (given to the Captain and shared with the crew) for any Alaska charter. This is of course at the clients' discretion. If they don’t feel the crew has earned the high end of the range, then they are justified in leaving less. On the flip side, we have had clients leave a 25 percent gratuity. The service was that good.

It’s important to note that the industry standard 15–20% gratuity applies whether it’s an owner-operated boat, or a large charter boat company with a hired crew. For some reason, people occasionally don’t realize that they need to leave a gratuity for the crew of an owner-operator boat. They mistakenly feel the crew is making enough money on the charter. But in reality, the owner-operators (and crew) are probably making less. There are far more expenses (per charter) for small owner-operators than there are for large charter boat companies.

Activities

Relax and Observe

On your voyage we'll see charming fishing villages and the breathtaking scenery of the Inside Passage. Our crew has the experience and training to provide you with a safe, enjoyable wilderness adventure. They will pamper you while the captain maneuvers the Glacier Bear to tantalizing places that cruise ships can't reach.

© John Schnell Photography. Alaska Wilderness Charters—Activities

Brown Bears

Alaska brown bears are an iconic wildlife species. These animals have adapted to live in the rugged terrain of Alaska's northwestern interior and coastlines.

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Cuisine

We offer an unforgettable culinary experience, with gourmet meals unlike anything else—whether organic food or fresh Alaskan seafood.

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Whales

One of Alaska's most spectacular and sought-after experiences is whale watching! You'll have a great opportunity to observe humpback whales.

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Fjords

Fjords are breathtaking reminders of Earth's icy past. They are captivating marvels of Mother Nature, carved by mighty glaciers during the last Ice Age.

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Endicott Arm

Endicott Arm is a narrow 27-mile-long inlet with Dawes Glacier at its head. Endicott Arm's crystal-clear waters are teeming with icebergs and wildlife.

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Harbors

Alaska harbors are places of stunning beauty that serve a valuable working purpose. The harbor facilities offer safe havens for a variety of watercraft.

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Testimonials

"I had a wonderful experience on the Glacier Bear, with breathtaking scenery and close-up views of whales, bears, and other wildlife. It was an exciting journey, complete with tasty food and great companionship. We fished for our dinners, and I was thrilled to catch my first halibut. A highlight was learning to kayak and getting up close for photographs of wildlife and waterfalls. We spent an afternoon taking photos of a commercial crab boat in Pybus Bay, and it was pure joy. I would go again in a heartbeat—and I’ve been on this trip three times!"

Gwen Haferkamp
Miles City, Montana

Photography

"Cruising through fjords and witnessing the wildlife, glaciers, and mountains, you get a sense of the beauty of untouched wilderness. Daily excursions meant hiking to magnificent hidden waterfalls, kayaking through beautiful waters, and catching fish and crab for dinner. The food was excellent, and the photography fantastic! Whales, eagles, sea lions, puffins, dolphins, glaciers, and fields of beautiful wildflowers made the trip perfect. My favorite was orcas!"

Manuel Johnson
Tampa, Florida

Photography

"Alaska Wilderness Charters offers the perfect combination of luxury and wilderness! Photo opportunities included eagles, whales, otters, sea lions, plus black and brown bears. We enjoyed fresh-caught Dungeness Crab Benedict, baked halibut, and king salmon with fresh veggies at the end of the day. The hiking trails complemented kayaking the shoreline in search of grizzlies. What a life. It does not get any better than this for a hungry nature lover."

John Fielder
Denver, Colorado

Photography

"Exploring Alaska by kayak and aboard the Glacier Bear was a fantastic adventure! The flora, fauna, migratory birds, wilderness, fjords, crew, and guests all contributed to the experience. I learned about the many unique ecosystems from Neil, Josh, Katie, and John. Everyone was generous with their time and knowledge. This is a tremendous opportunity to be immersed in nature, complete with modern-day amenities."

Max Castillo
Miami, Florida

Photography

"The trip was the best experience of my life. It was so impressive to be so close to nature and the whales. Just drifting through the water, all you could hear were the blows of about twenty humpbacks. I'll never forget that."

Mona Becherer
Kiel, Germany

Photography

Photography

Photography

Trip route

Around Admiralty

Juneau to Sitka

Sitka to Juneau

What's included with your charter?

Trip deposit

Trip cancellation

Crew gratuity

Trip features

Relax and Observe

Brown Bears

Cuisine

Whales

Fjords

Endicott Arm

Harbors

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