enjoy riverside camps and settle into the pace and flow of the river with a rod in hand

KISARALIK RIVER

2026 TRIP DATES & COST:

Kisaralik Lake to Kuskokwim River

Looking for different trip dates? Let us know what dates work for you and we’ll see what we can do! Alternate timing is sometimes possible depending on the season.

Trip Snapshot

Notice: Rates are per person, based on double occupancy. Please inquire about single bookings.

TRIP DETAILS:

Kisaralik River Float Trips

The Kisaralik is a classic western Alaska float trip. While some rivers stand out for singular reasons—whitewater, fishing, or scenery—few combine fishing, wilderness travel, and day-to-day river living as completely and consistently as the Kisaralik. On a scale of one to ten, it’s an eight in every individual category, yet somehow that balance adds up to a ten-out-of-ten experience.

This is a trip where the days are shaped as much by moving through country, enjoying riverside camps, and settling into the pace and flow of the river as they are by time spent with a rod in hand.

This trip breaks free from the predictability of a lodge experience and embraces the variety that each bend in the river reveals.

Days are spent moving with the current, making camp, dealing with weather as it comes, and living fully immersed in the landscape for the duration of the float.

The rewards extend beyond the fishing to include memorable camps, striking scenery, wildlife encounters, and the sense of settling into life on the river.

Because of its balance and variety, the Kisaralik works equally well as a first remote float trip and as a deeply rewarding experience for guests with significant backcountry or outdoor travel experience.

This Trip Is For You If:

What The Float Is Like:

Logistics and Travel

Kisaralik River float trips are based out of Bethel, Alaska. Guests arrive the day before the trip begins to organize gear, review final details, and be ready for an early departure the following morning.

On the first day, a floatplane flight transports the group from Bethel to Kisaralik Lake, the headwaters of the river. From there, the trip proceeds entirely by raft. Flights are weather-dependent, and flexibility is part of traveling in remote western Alaska.

All guiding, rafting equipment, and camp logistics are provided. Guests are responsible for personal gear, fishing equipment, licenses, and travel to and from Bethel. Detailed packing lists and pre-trip information are provided well in advance.

Upper River -Kisaralik Lake to the Falls

A trip down the Kisaralik begins with a floatplane flight into Kisaralik Lake, set among the peaks on the western edge of the Kuskokwim Mountains. The flight marks a clear transition from the flat tundra of the Kuskokwim lowlands into a landscape of rocky ridges, broad uplands, and mountain valleys.

It’s not uncommon to spot moose, bears, or caribou from the air, and below, a narrow ribbon of willow and alder marks the course of the river ahead.

Below the outlet of the lake, the upper Kisaralik is a relatively small river—often an easy cast across—flowing through a wide upland valley with expansive views. Fishing begins immediately, with strong populations of Grayling and Dolly Varden providing consistent opportunities from the start of the trip.

This stretch is also among the most scenic sections of the river, setting the tone for the days that follow.

Middle River: Below the Falls

Kisaralik Falls mark the beginning of the middle river. An impressive double-drop waterfall, it’s a significant river feature that requires care to navigate, but it’s handled methodically and without fanfare. Once past it, the focus returns quickly to the river ahead.

Below the Falls, the valley widens, the river gains volume, and downstream progress becomes more efficient. This opens up time to prospect braids and side channels for fish and to explore gravel bars and islands for wildlife and campsites.

This section is where the river starts to feel more expansive. Salmon are present in larger numbers here, and fishing opportunities broaden to include Rainbow trout, ready to pounce on a well-presented fly.

Days often strike a comfortable balance between fishing good water, covering ground, and choosing camps with views, shelter, and easy river access.

Lower River: Toward the Kuskokwim

As the Kisaralik approaches the Kuskokwim River, the landscape opens further, and the river takes on a broader, slower character. The valley flattens into low tundra, with long sweeping bends, expansive gravel bars, and cottonwood-lined banks.

Travel becomes less about threading channels and more about reading big water, with days that feel unhurried and spacious.

Wildlife encounters often highlight this stretch. Moose, bears, and waterfowl are commonly seen along the corridor, and side channels provide opportunities to cast for pike. The pace naturally softens, with time for longer camps and relaxed evenings as the trip begins to wind down.

Trips conclude with a takeout on a gravel bar and a water taxi ride back to Bethel.

Fishing Opportunities & Seasonality

Early Season: July 5 – July 20

Early-season trips often coincide with higher water and the arrival of the first salmon.

Chinook and Chum salmon begin moving through the middle and lower river, creating opportunities for salmon fishing and early-season feeding behavior from resident Rainbow trout.

Grayling and Dolly Varden are present throughout much of the river, and fishing can be productive from the outset.

Mid Season: July 20 – August 15

Mid-season marks a transitional period, with increasing salmon presence and generally stable conditions.

Chum salmon continue moving into the system, and Rainbows and Char become more active as they shift focus from aquatic insects to salmon eggs.

This is often a balanced time of year, when fishing conditions and camp life align particularly well.

Late Season: August 15 – September 10

By mid-August, Coho salmon begin entering the river, and fishing opportunities shift again.

Coho provide aggressive, visual fishing, while Rainbows and Char feed heavily behind spawning salmon.

Cooler temperatures and shorter days shape life on the river, and fishing often remains strong through the end of the season.

What's Included:

What's Not Included:

The Kisaralik is where I cut my teeth floating rivers. It was the first time I sat at the oars of a raft, the first time I floated a truly remote, fly-in Alaskan river, and the first place I learned—sometimes the hard way—what it means to live on a river for days at a time. One morning, after a long night of heavy winds and a chaotic camp breakdown, I pushed off expecting an easy start downstream, only to have a stiff wind blow the boat back upriver into the lake. We clawed our way a few hard-earned miles that day and learned an early lesson about preparation, conditions, and adapting plans to the river in front of me. I returned to the Kisaralik a few years later to guide my first float trip, carrying more experience and a clearer sense of what makes a good river journey. That early education still shapes how I think about river travel, camp life, and day-to-day decision-making, and it remains a touchstone for how I approach guiding today.

Greg H

Remote Waters Owner and Guide

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Remote Waters is a small operation, and that provides us with the opportunity to tailor our trips to suit your group. Please contact us for more details about trips, to book a trip, or just to talk fishing! Email us or call (907) 717-6073.