DARRAN LEAL
Alaska’s true wilds95% of the people who visit Alaska do so
on huge cruise ships that see great scenery, but not the
true wilds. It is not until you visit the small towns, or
cruise in a small ship, that you escape off the beaten
track. These locations have few people, but a wealth of
scenery, nature and creative subjects to shoot. Locals are
friendly and uncomplicated. It is rare to see any pollu-
tion and the diversity of shoot options is so vast.
DON’T MISS
The Wrangell region and Silver Salmon Creek.
Wrangell offers both land and water photo adven-
tures. You can jet boat up streams that have seen few
cameras, only to land and explore rugged mountains
and ancient forests. Silver Salmon Creek is as good as
Wrangell and even further off the beaten track. You
land by small plane on a beach. Stepping out you are
instantly hit by stunning landscapes and perhaps a bear
or two. After checking into rustic accommodation, you
are taken by an expert guide to “walk with bears”, one
of the most amazing life experiences!BEST TIME TO VISIT
June to September offer the most diversity and the best
nature and bear experiences. Winter offers extreme
weather where minus 20 degrees is not uncommon.
However, it also offers the Northern Lights. The fur-
ther north you explore, the better the show.TRAVEL SPECIAL: THE DESTINATIONS