Ketchikan bear watch, or wait for Denali?

Hello everyone!

I'm booked on my first cruise, Diamond Princess NB 08/19/06 with 4 day land tour post cruise. I have been reading these threads and have gotten some wonderful advice (Thank you BQ!). I thought I was all set with my itinerary until someone asked about bear watching.... now I am wondering if I should switch. I am scheduled to bear watch at Traitors Cove on 08/21 with Seawind Aviation. I struggled as to whether Misty Fjords would be a better tour, but decided that I really wanted to see bears so chose the bear excursion instead. However, we are going to Denali Park for a day (we arrive mid morning one day, depart mid afternoon next day) and am trying to change my NHT to the Tundra Tour or at the very least a shuttle to Fish Creek.

IF I do the Tundra (or shuttle) instead of the NHT I face having to get back to the lodge myself at 10PM or so. BUT if I do the bear watch in Ketchikan, is going on the Tundra tour (or Fish Creek shuttle) sort of redundant? In other words, I see that I can work this 2 ways: Do the bear watch in Ketchikan (hope I see one), and the regular ole NHT, not having to worry about transportation, ---OR--- I can do the Misty Fjords in Ketchikan, and try to get the Tundra Tour in Denali (but then I face the transportation issue).

I'm worried that the folks I'm travelling with might not be happy to sit on a shuttle for 8 hours, and we wouldn't really be able to get off and walk around since we'd be taking the last shuttle of the day (because of our arrival time in Denali), so it's not like we could get off and catch the next one because there wouldn't be a next one.

I'm just wondering about the bear watch, does anyone have any input as to the value if we're going to Denali anyway?

The rest of the trip is planned, we are whale watching in Juneau with Captain Larry followed by glacier landing with Coastal helipcopter, then in Skagway doing the Yukon Expedition and White Pass RR. We are also going to see the Iditarod dogs with Jeff King in Denali.

Thanks Budget Queen you have been a TREMENDOUS help, I have learned so much from you. Keep up the good work!!

Thank you for the kind words. :) Sincerely appreciated.

You have two different kinds of bears here. Out of Ketchikan- they will be the blacks- salmon eaters. It's a big thrill to see this in my opinion and usually a priority for bear watchers to see the salmon.

In Denali Park- it will be brown bears, but the half size relatives of the coastal browns. There is NO salmon in Denali Park and these bears eat rodents, roots, berries. You are not likely to see any bears on the Natural History tour.

As only a suggestion- you might want to consider a car rental perhaps??

Denali Car Rental owned by third generation Alaskan family. Will pick-up at depot, drops in Anchorage and Fairbanks by arrangment. Contact us at http://www.alaskanchateau.com, call 907-683-1377, fax 907-683-1380..

Owner: Teresa Chepoda-Usibelli

P.O. Box 187

Healy, AK 99743

Phone: 1-907-683-1377

Fax: 1-907-683-1380

Email: Chepoda@mtaonline.net

Http:http://www.alaskanChateau.com

This would solve your transportation issues. You should be fully refunded on the Natural History tour, by princess, $40 value. The Fish Creek shuttle is about $25 (you would have already paid your park fee through Princess, so don't pay it again.) As for the 8 hours- I guess, I never tire of the beauty or the adventure of wildlife viewing. The time flys by, and I usually go to Wonder Lake. :) Or consider the Toklat shuttle, same distance as the Tundra Wilderness tour, mile 53, about $20

I just can never rationalize the Natural History tour- you miss so much.