About this Tour

The wild and lonely Walrus Islands, and the nearby wilderness coast of the Togiak Refuge, are summer residence for a range of animals and birds, including walrus, the endangered Steller sea lion, giant Alaska brown (grizzly) bears, two species of puffins, and other seabirds and raptors. You’ll cruise to Round Island (Walrus Island) on a classic Grady White Voyager offshore sportfishing boat, a safe, swift and capable vessel for open ocean passages. The vessel can carry up to six passengers but your trip probably will include only two to four. Your personal guide will be with you around Round Island, providing natural history, local lore, and access to the best points for viewing and photographing wildlife.

During your visit to Round Island you will have a chance to see:

• Endangered Steller Sea Lions
• Horned and Tufted Puffins
• Murres
• Kittiwakes
• Auklets and other amazing seabirds
• Terrestrial and marine wildlife, including foxes, whales and seals.

About the Pacific Walrus

Pacific Walrus are found only in Northern and Western Alaska and extremely remote regions of far eastern Russia. They spend most of their lives at sea in Arctic waters and are seen by few people. Most accessible location is Round Island in the Walrus Islands of northern Bristol Bay, Alaska. Bull Walruses are the size of a small car, with thick hides and massive tusks. After days of swimming many miles offshore and repeatedly diving to feed at the sea bottom, they return to rest and commune with their kind on the island’s boulder beaches. A few dozen to as many as several thousand haul out there on a given day. A changing climate is reducing walrus habitat and there are signs that haul-out behaviors are changing, and the population may be decreasing. Round Island is the last best place to see them.

About the Vessel & Guide

The service to Round Island will be operated by Terry Johnson, known internationally for providing quality boat service and natural history interpretation in northern Bristol Bay, Alaska. Terry started leading educational trips to the islands in 1993 and began providing commercial service in 1996, and has guided hundreds of photographers and wildlife enthusiasts, as well as crews from some of the world’s premier wildlife film companies. He took 2009 through 2011 summers off to do projects on the Gulf of Alaska and in the Russian Far East, but due to continuing requests he is returning to Round Island in 2012.

What you will do on a Walrus Island Tour Each Walrus Islands excursion is a custom trip, and what you do depends on your own interests, as allowed by weather and animal behavior at the time. You can spend three (or more, by prior arrangement) peaceful days on Round Island, walking the trails, watching the foxes and birds, and sitting for hours on end admiring the amazing walruses hauled out on the island’s beaches. You may opt for a more ambitious plan which could include a visit to remote seabird colonies, a hike up a salmon stream in search of feasting brown bears, walking on the tundra to admire the prolific wildflowers, beachcombing wilderness shores, and cruising among other islands and along the wild and lonely coast of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. What you need to know Round Islands trips are offered only from mid-June through mid-July. This time period affords the best chance for good weather as well as marine mammal and seabird viewing and wildflowers. Lodge-based trips operate out of the Airport Inn at the village of Togiak. Comfortable rooms and home style meals are included, as well as a chance to experience life in a Yupik Eskimo village. The lodge- based trips involved about 70 roundtrip miles of ocean travel by small boat each day. Visitors normally arrive at Togiak on the evening of the first day, spend one full day at Round Island, and a second day back at the island or at a mainland location for other wildlife viewing, and depart afternoon of the third day. Arrivals and departures are determined by flight schedules and tides. Two nights guided camping trips on Round Island include a small tent on a solid platform in the designated camping area, near the fully enclosed cook tent with tables and chairs, and a modern composting toilet, plus simple and nutritious meals.  Guided campers are on their own from 9pm to 9am  daily. Trips normally begin on the morning of the first day and end afternoon of third day with the entire time spent on the island. Access can be via either Togiak (35 miles each way) or a remote beach on the wilderness coast of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (12 miles each way). Day trips begin and end at either Togiak or at a remote beach on the wilderness coast of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors can overnight at the lodge in Togiak or in Dillingham A day trip normally includes about eight hours on Round Island.

Getting to Togiak

All trips require flight from Anchorage to Dillingham. Trips operating out of Togiak require a flight on local commuter airline (approx $250 per person round trip) from Dillingham.  Trips originating at the remote beach require a chartered floatplane or wheeled bush plane flight from Dillingham.  Charter rates vary by type of airplane and number of persons in the group but range from about $450 to over $650 per person, round trip.

Round Island is remote, accessible only by small boat and subject to severe weather even during summer. Viewing is done from overlooks reached by primitive but well maintained trails.  Participants must be in good health, capable of walking at least a mile on rolling terrain, and capable of ascending 60’ on a solid stairway and trail.  They must bring their own warm clothing, raingear, boots, and rucksack, and must be able to carry all of their clothing and equipment.  It is mandatory that they report any health issues that may keep them from making the entire trip.

Weather and other Information

Occasionally weather and sea conditions prevent access to the island. This is unavoidable and unpredictable.  Chances of that happening on any given trip are quite low but visitors should understand that it is a possibility and be prepared to go with an alternative activity for the day.  If a storm is predicted we will attempt to alert you ahead of time to save you the cost of your flights, and we will refund all payment made for the Round Island portion of your tour.

While we’ve had 100% success in finding walrus for visitors who made it to the island, changing animal behaviors make it impossible to guarantee walrus sightings.

Guests need to bring only their optics, personal items, and field gear including weatherproof clothing, boots, and rucksack. A detailed clothing and equipment list is provided in advance.

The Walrus Islands are extremely remote.  The nearest village is 30 miles by boat, the nearest rescue helicopter is 300 air miles.  There are no visitor services. Round Island has a seasonal crew and their cabin has radio and satellite phone, which are available for emergency use only.  These are for emergency use only.  The vessel has VHF and HF radio and satellite phone, plus the full complement of safety and survival gear.