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☰One particular love affair with Alaska began more than 30 years ago. Since then a venture that began as a fishing lodge has morphed into Great Alaska Adventures. Laurence John, Principal and Founder, son Kent John, and partner Kathy Haley, an Alaska native, have grown a sport fishing enterprise into opportunities for diverse adventure travel on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, just 20 minutes by plane from Anchorage. The company is recognized as an Industry leader by virtue of its world-class offerings of trips: sport fishing, bear viewing, family safaris, multi-sport adventures, eagle float trips, Kenai Fjords nature cruises, photo safaris and more.
This company’s commitment to a sustainable world began when they created a vacation lodge from an historic homestead dating back to Kathy’s father, legendary Kenai Peninsula pilot and pioneer, Walt Pederson. Great Alaska Adventure Lodge, with its 30+ year legacy, has maintained sustainable practices since its inception. Operating in harmony with the environment this company promotes minimal harvest for salmon and catch and release for all native species. Guide training is key to these efforts. All of its guides are licensed with the state of Alaska and all Kenai guides have completed course work through the Kenai River Guide Academy, the most extensive and thorough training program for freshwater salmon guides in the world. A sustainable ‘Leave No Trace Behind’ philosophy is embedded in all of this company’s practices.
The Lodges
Great Alaska Adventure Lodge (aka Kenai River Lodge) is the company’s first accommodation and was started with the intent of providing a comfortable home base for sport fishermen. Originally the lodge was a base camp for early homesteaders and the land on which it sits was the site of Kenai Peninsula’s first float plane service. Twenty-five acres offer full views of the massive Harding Ice Field at the confluence of two mighty rivers, the Kenai and the Moose, and panoramas of the snow-capped Chugach Range. All rooms have a breathtaking view of the surrounding river and Kenai Mountains. The lodge and seven detached cabins can accommodate business and family groups of all configurations and sizes, as well as couples and singles. Guests have a choice of guest accommodations in the main lodge or in separate cabins that have a choice of three, four or six rooms. The lodge sits at the confluence of the Moose and Kenai Rivers, the literal epicenter of the legendary Kenai Peninsula and bounded by the Kenai Wildlife Refuge on three sides. This is the center of one of the world’s most diverse and prolific sport fisheries. See: http://www.greatalaska.com/pages/alaska_lodge/44.php
Great Alaska BearCamp® is accessible only by Alaska bush plane or boat and is nestled right next to the entrance of Lake Clark National Park, below towering snow-capped mountains and the blue waters of Cook Inlet. This well-outfitted outpost, built originally by a homesteader and now with eternal grandfathered access to the back country, is a combination of a homestead time capsule, and high tech, wilderness retreat. BearCamp ® offers intimate, close-up viewing of Alaska Brown Bears (Ursos Arctos). This is a permanent camp that protects and insures the bears ability to live as they always have, by becoming habituated to the movements of humans (and vice versa) in a secure and comfortable environment. Visitors lodge, dine and socialize in Weatherport extreme weather cabin/tents placed on raised wooden deck platforms. The tents feature wooden floors, solid doors, propane heat and light, writing desks, clothes hooks with potties in the tents. A community bathhouse has composting toilets and eco showers. Chef-prepared meals are made from fresh ingredients that are flown in daily. http://www.greatalaska.com/pages/bear_viewing_/118.php
International Lodges also Owned and Operated by Great Alaska Adventures