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Choose A Bear Viewing Tour
Watch coastal brown bears in their natural environment. Your pilot is your guide and will fly you to the prime viewing spot in your time frame. Bear behavior varies – as does the distance from which we view bears. Each trip is unique to the day. Along with these magnificent bears you will have an opportunity to view other wildlife, neighbors of the bears that share the same remote habitat. Wolves, fox, bald eagles, occasionally moose, a wide variety of birdlife, and sea life are all species that make a home in the area.
See our tour options below:Â
Bear Viewing along the Alaska coast, Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park!
The unforgettable scenic flight ranges from one to 1.5 hours of tach time each way. After landing, it will be you, the pilot and the bears with your feet on the ground. These bears have never been hunted or tainted by humans with fear or food or hunting thus allowing exceptional opportunity to see these amazing creatures up close. They do not see us as predators. We are just another species to them – it is all about respect. An estimated 4,000+ Alaskan brown bear inhabits these immense national parks and are home to the largest undisturbed population of bears in the world.
On the flight, you will see some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. You will fly west from Homer, across Cook Inlet, past active volcanoes in the Alaska Range and the Aleautian Range, glaciers and snowcapped mountains leading you to the world’s largest concentrations of brown bears.
With a guide at your side you will walk along the beaches and meadows where brown bear are frequently observed living naturally in their secluded, wilderness habitat. Witness bear fishing, digging for clams, grubbing for roots and grasses, socializing and raising their young.
Selected not only for flying expertise, but also through understanding bear behavior, your pilot will also be your naturalist-guide. Early morning departures are scheduled according to the tide. Normally you will depart at around 8:30 AM and return at 5:00 PM. The all day safari is kept to a small group, usually four to ten people. Prime bear viewing begins in May and runs through September. Your photo safari could include a trip to Brooks river or the coast of Shelikof Strait depending on where the bears are feeding.
What you’ll find in Katmai National Park and the Alaska coast!
May 15 to July 1:
In the spring our trips find us on the coast of Katmai National Park and Shelikof Strait. This is the breeding season and large concentrations of bears can be found digging clams and feeding on the sedges and sea grasses. The breeding activity sometimes becomes intense and is truly a world class experience to see.
July:
Farther inland, the salmon start their migration from Bristol Bay. Within a couple of weeks every river and stream will be choked with millions of red salmon. At this time we can take you to Brooks River in Katmai Park, one of the world’s most famous places to observe bears. The Brooks River Falls acts as an impediment to the migration of red salmon and the bears have come to this feast for thousands of years. The Park Service maintains a visitor center, viewing platforms, well-groomed trails and a concession, where lunches are sold.
August:
With summer well underway, we return to the coast of Katmai and Shelikof Strait. The bears, by now, have grown accustomed to feeding together and often a large gathering of bears can be found shoulder-to-shoulder in the many salmon rich streams that braid the coast of Alaska.
September:
The colors are changing and the fragrance of fall is in the air. September is Coho salmon time – the floatplanes, like the silvers, are returning to Brooks Falls. The bears are “power feeding” in the urgency of this being the last run of the season. Moose may be spotted as they are gathering their harems and the caribou are starting their migration. We think this is the best time to see coastal Alaska in all its splendor.
Weight Limitation: We reserve the right to limit the amount of carry-on baggage per person. Ten to 12 pounds (a small backpack and camera equipment) is acceptable. We will also need each passenger’s weight before departure. To ensure passenger safety and comfort, passengers weighing over 300 pounds can not be accommodated on our Katmai trips.
*Scales are available at the office and loading dock.
*Maximum passenger weight on the helicopter is 275 pounds.