Our Kongakut River Rafting Expedition is a combination of both hiking and rafting adventures. We'll paddle the river in inflatable rafts. Everyone participates to navigate our rafts down river. No prior paddle rafting experience is necessary.

The Kongakut River is fast and fun. There are several small rapids to negotiate and breathtaking mountain and valley scenery along the entire route. The rafts allow us to travel from mountains to coast and find the greatest places for hiking and watching wildlife. Our professional river guides will impart a love of the land that will be yours forever.

The Coastal Plain
The Brooks Range stretches for 600 miles across northern Alaska from east to west like a necklace across the breast of the Arctic. To the north of these mountains the Arctic Coastal Plain opens and slopes gently to the Beaufort Sea. It is a vast sweep of treeless tundra and rolling hills. It is an expanse so vast it redefines the concept of wilderness.

The Midnight Sun
When the Arctic comes out to play in the summer, it never goes to bed. The land of the midnight sun is another dimension. The sun does not set but plays along the horizon for hours, creating a quality of light that is uniquely clear and soft. Our June trips near summer solstice give us our best Arctic conditions and a chance to see the vast Porcupine Caribou migration in full splendor. Our schedule on the Kongakut will be leisurely since we'll have nearly continuous daylight.

World class hiking, fishing, and photography
River rafting is only part of the fun. This is some great hiking country and we will hike and explore every day. We will have many opportunities for both short walks and long hikes. Some days may be devoted exclusively to hiking. Or you can relax at camp or even fish for Artic Char. Bring your cameras and binoculars and keep them available as we can see wildlife 24 hours a day. While rafting or hiking, we will always be ready to photograph the Arctic's wildlife and scenery. You never know what wildlife has come to the river’s shore just around the bend, so keep your camera ready!

This trip begins and ends in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Day 1-2 The first day is your 'big travel day' from your hometown to Fairbanks, Alaska. We will meet at the Downtown Log Cabin Hideaway at 5:00 p.m. for a pre-trip orientation and to hand out river equipment.

The second day begins with a scenic 300-mile flight across the top of North America. From the air you begin to get a sense of the Arctic's vast wilderness as it stretches from horizon to horizon. From Fairbanks we fly across the Yukon River Flats to the Native community of Arctic Village. We switch to smaller bush planes and continue north over the Brooks Range to land on a small gravel bar along the Kongakut River. We have arrived. When the last plane leaves, the silence settles around us and the magic of wilderness fills the air.

Day 3-10 We will traverse the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the Brooks Range to the Coastal Plain just short of the Beaufort Sea. Each day, after a hearty breakfast, we will break camp and float downstream to new scenery and adventures. We will stop often for hiking, snacks, and lunch. Some river days will be longer than others, and at some camps we may stay over an extra night so we can hike all day. We will hold to no set schedule, because adventure is always at the hand of those who are open to exploring. Each evening, in camp, we will enjoy the outdoor life of laughter, and camaraderie. We will enjoy robust fresh meals prepared by the guides and sleep in our expedition tents.

Day 11 Return - We are deep in the wilderness close to the Arctic coast on the Beaufort Sea. But, it's time to return to civilization. On our last day at Caribou Pass, we'll break camp and await the arrival of the bush planes for our return flight to Fairbanks. We plan to arrive by 5:00 p.m. After showers and cleaning up, we gather for a no-host dinner on this final evening and enjoy our final night in Fairbanks.

Available Expeditions

Please see our Dates & Prices page for exact dates and current availability.

To Reserve Your Spot On This Trip:

 
Trip Includes:
10 river days
9 camping nights
2 hotel nights
Flights: from Fairbanks to the River and back to Fairbanks
All river meals
Shared tent
Sleeping pad
Life jacket
Rubber boots & gloves
Dry bags
 
Guests Are Responsible For: