I've had the pleasure of flying with Nic Cunningham on two separate excursions, and couldn't be more satisfied with his skill and suitability as an aviator and wilderness guide. I came away with lifelong memories. Nic is prudent, he knows what he is doing when it comes to taking people out into wild and remote places. He brings a wealth of experience to risk management, trip logistics and aircraft operation. He is approachable, easy to warm up to, and easy to get along with. His enthusiasm may rub off on you. Alaska is a tremendous place, the gorgeous landscapes, the rugged wildlife, and whether you're a longtime resident, or a first time visitor, Nic has the right stuff to offer you an unforgettable trip.

I am terrified of planes. I am terrified of heights. I have no idea why I actually agreed to climb into a six-seater prop plane and let someone fly me across the Cook Inlet knowing full well that we were looking for bears, and that we’d beach hop, by plane, until we did. But I boarded the plane, put on my headset, buckled my seatbelt and took some deep breaths.          I have never been more comfortable on a plane. I will remember forever the view of Alaska from the sky.                Nic was a knowledgeable and thorough guide. He brought extra boots for those of us who forgot waterproof boots. He brought bear spray and lunch (he even drove us to a nearby restaurant while we waited for our Uber). As we navigated down the shoreline and along and around mountains, he answered our questions about moose tracks, duck shacks, oil rigs, land ownership rights, national parks, and bears. He played music through our headsets. He took us to see bears! Though it took a few stops, each short flight was another opportunity to see the Aleutian Range, glaciers, a sulfur-gas spewing active volcano— awe-inspiring Alaskan wilderness. When we finally landed, not two hundred yards from a bear I was nervous. We got out of the plane and approached slowly — Nic staying in between us and the bear, talking us through our wild encounter. I am amazed at how close we got — close enough for some amazing photos and bragging rights (& close enough to draw some inquisitive bear glances), and will forever be grateful I got to check this off my bucket list! I also can’t say enough about Nic, and highly recommend him not just as a guide, but also as a pilot!

I had the opportunity last month to finally travel to Alaska. In checking this last frontier off the life bucket list, I knew I wanted to see some bears while I was there. Nic’s Alaska Bear Expedition was the highlight of my trip by far. Nic was an excellent guide from tarmac to beach front. While in the air he pointed out different wildlife that we could see from the plane. Beluga whales, seals and moose were all spotted on the way out to our destination before we even landed. Nic also took the time to point out different parts of the ever changing topography and made sure we did not miss the active volcano as we flew by. Our group spotted a few brown bears on the beaches that Nic took us to. Pictures attached. It was unbelievable to be that close (not too close) to these bears in their element clam hunting. Nic was very accommodating in trying to get us to the best spots and making sure we got as much time with them as possible. I know there are a lot of bear spotting trips available but Nic’s expertise and guide experience really made this memorable experience that much better. I was nervous and excited to take this day trip and it blew my expectations out of the water. Definitely a must do on your Alaska adventure. If you do get the opportunity to have Nic as your guide, don’t forget to ask about the lunch log!

I had extremely high hopes for this trip and they were all exceeded. I have traveled to 16 countries in the last four years and the trip was Nic easily takes the cake. Watching the bears hunt for clams and interact was amazing. Planet Earth twenty feet away from you! We came for the bears but left debating if that amazing experience was better than the plane ride itself. The trip started out with us flying over coastal woodlands where we saw beluga whales and moose. We then flew through mountains and around an active volcano! We could actually see the smoke coming out of the summit! After seeing around ten bears, we sat down for the lunch Nic had prepared. We were expecting a simple sandwich but were given a great lunch. After the day we had, it was perfect. I couldn’t recommend the trip with Nic and be sure to ask to see the volcano

If you're planning a trip to Alaska, you need to add this once in a life time experience to your itinerary. Nic was an amazing pilot and guide, and even provided us with some gourmet, homemade sandwiches on the lunch log. The flight in itself would have been an amazing experience, and when you add an exhilarating, up-close experience with brown bears it was truly one day I will never forget.