One of my favorite animals to view in the wild are bears. Since I was a kid, I loved touring the national parks across the United States for a chance to see a black bear or grizzly in the wild. A few years ago, I moved to Kodiak Island, known as the “Island of Bears”, where I get the immense pleasure of seeing brown bears in the wild all summer.
However, even a day on Kodiak doesn’t compare to the experience of taking a bear tour to Katmai National Park. In August 2023, I had the honor to take a day trip from Kodiak over to Katmai to experience the wonder of getting up close to these incredible creatures – and it is by far my favorite way to view bears in Alaska.
Read more: Best national parks to visit in Alaska
In this blog, I’ll describe my experience and explain how you can also book this incredible adventure for yourself.
History of Katmai National Park
Tucked away in southern Alaska, Katmai National Park stands as a testament to nature's unfathomable power and resilience. Incepted in 1918, initially as a national monument to protect the landscapes scarred by the 1912 Novarupta eruption, Katmai has gracefully transformed into a haven for wildlife aficionados. The landscapes that once bore the brunt of volcanic rage now teem with vibrant life, crowned by the regal brown bears.
Getting to Katmai National Park
The journey to Katmai is almost as spectacular as the destination itself. Located on a peninsula, Katmai is only accessible by plane or boat. Most tours departing from Kodiak will go via float plane, landing along the coastline at high tide in the park and departing from one of the two float plane docks in the town of Kodiak.
The ride is exhilarating, soaring over the pristine Alaskan wilderness and over the Shelikof Strait. On both the out and return journey, we spotted whales and large rafts of otters drifting along the current. As you touch down, the vast expanse of the park welcomes you, a promise of adventures to come.
Numerous flight operators offer bear tours from Kodiak, but you can also take a float plane or boat from Homer. I flew with Island Air, and my group included three bear viewers (like myself), our pilot, and our designated bear guide (the professional in charge to make sure we stayed safe). The flight from Kodiak to Katmai is about 45 minutes, and your departure time will be dependent on the tides.
Bear Viewing in Katmai
“Coastal brown bear” refers to the population of grizzlies that reside along the coastal regions of Alaska and British Columbia, and Katmai has some of the highest densities of coastal brown bears in the world. Here, bears gather in the summer to feast on salmon, clams, and grasses. From May to October, different areas of Katmai become packed with brown bears, making it a prime spot for bear viewers and photographers.
Your destination in Katmai will depend on the time of year you go. Bears move around the different areas of the park to optimize the various food sources in each area. The main bear viewing spots include Hallo Bay, Brooks Falls, and Geographic Harbor.
My trip was in August during a strong salmon year, so we traveled to Hallo Bay, a large open meadow along the coast with the backdrop of glaciers in the distance. We landed on the ocean and slowly motored to the beach.
Island Air provided waders and rubber boots for the day, which came in handy as we jumped from the pontoons into the surf and made our way ashore. We had already spotted numerous bears from the air during our landing, so we quickly headed out as a group to position ourselves near where the bears were headed. There were several other tour groups in the area, but the vastness of Hallo Bay gave us all plenty of room to spread out.
In the next four hours, we witnessed countless bears interacting around us. From mothers with young cubs to giant boars, the meadow was alive with activity. The bears noticed our group but didn’t seem to care, focusing more on chasing salmon in the river or clamming in the tidal flats than checking us out. Over the course of several hours, we had bears walk within several feet of our group, bears fight over territory in the river directly in front of us, watch a wolf stalk a mom with cubs, and watch a boar chase another boar out of the meadow.
Even living on Kodiak Island, I have never been as close to as many bears as I was on Katmai. When we do see bears, we often only see them in dense grasses or on a crowded river full of fishermen and other photographers. In Katmai, we had the bears all to ourselves – accompanied only by the serene silence only found in remote Alaska.
This serenity and pure wildness made the experience that much more magical. We got to witness bears interacting with each other, free of human activity, cars, or towns. We were guests in their home, and they gave a peek into their majestic world.
Things to Know
A bear tour from Kodiak is one of the best ways to experience brown bears in the world, but this tour may not be for everyone. Our tour was 5 hours long, and most of those hours were spent hiking in waders through dense grasses and across streams. It was incredibly cold in the morning then hot in the afternoon, requiring us to constantly be adjusting our layers and drinking water.
For those who are physically fit for moderate hiking, you will be perfectly equipped for this adventure, however if you have some mobility issues, Kodiak also has a bear viewing tour to Fraser Lake, which involves less hiking and has a level platform.
Bear tours also run around $800-$1000 per person from Kodiak. While this sounds pricey for only a few hours, it is definitely worth the expense. Tours include the flight to Katmai, your bear guide, and required gear.
