Alaska Bear Viewing Tours
Strong, unbridled, and nomadic, bears are perhaps the ultimate symbol of the Alaskan wild. And seeing a Bear, if even for a fleeting moment, is a rare and magical experience. You may see bears in Denali National Park or elsewhere. But going bear viewing at Brooks River Falls, Wolverine Creek or Katmai National Park is an entirely different experience.
Go with one of our picks and you'll get a virtually guaranteed viewing of anywhere between 4 and 20 bears at once, much closer up than you would in Denali, and usually for hours at a time. And instead of just eating berries, bears on these trips will likely be fishing or splashing in the water. A fly-in trip is not cheap, but if seeing bears in Alaska is a must on your agenda, then one of these tours should be as well.
Skilled hunters and wild roamers, these creatures command our admiration, even as their
sheer size and strength also evoke and stir our primal fear. More than 50,000 black bears and 35,000 brown bears range the state's untamed wilderness, lumbering through berry-covered hillsides and slapping at salmon-choked rivers. Unlike moose, you probably won't casually encounter bears on the road - you really have to go searching. One option is to visit Denali National Park, where your chances of seeing them, at least from a distance, improve. To see throngs of bears up close - belly - flopping into rivers, jaw-sparring for the best fishing grounds, or just napping in the sun - air - taxi operators can fly you to places with excellent viewing odds.
A 5- to 10-hour bear-viewing tour offers a unique insight into the creatures' culture - in fact, you may end up witnessing behaviors that even bear-viewing experts have never seen. Many bears have become so accustomed to human presence they tend to ignore visitors and carry on with their normal routines. And usually, getting to a bear-viewing spot is an experience in itself. You'll fly over glassy backcountry lakes, cragged mountain peaks, massive ice fields, pebble beaches, golden tundra, and a wealth of rugged wilderness.
You could also consider staying in a bear-viewing lodge. You can watch them more spontaneously, and have quiet times when all of the day bear watchers are gone. Plus, you're getting to stay out in the wilderness overnight.
Price Range
$250 walk-in tours, - $900 for remote fly-in
Best Time to Go
Mid-June to mid-August
Where to Go
Most bear-viewing tours leave out of these places:
Anchorage View All
You'll fly into Brooks Falls or Wolverine Creek, depending on month
Viewing brown bears in their natural habitat is one of the most amazing things you can do in Alaska. If it’s high on your list, book a flight-seeing/ bear viewing trip with Trail Ridge Air, knowing that personable pilots will take you to where bears splash and fish, and where visitors run out of words to describe their amazement.
Alaska bear camp is magically hidden in a rare Critical Bear Habitat in the wilderness of Lake Clark National Park. Instead of hundreds, only 16 privileged guests observe the wonder of up to 50 brown Bears living out their daily drama. Due to the beauty of the location and the exceptional bear population, the deluxe camp, with en suite biffies, beds with mattresses and food flown in daily, was used as a base camp for the Disney movie Bears. ...more
Brooks Lodge offers their own bear viewing tours which are less expensive than most, and give you more time at Katmai National Park to watch bears feasting on sockeye salmon from several viewing platforms. A commercial flight from Anchorage takes you to King Salmon where you’ll switch to a small float plane for a quick 20-minute flight to Brooks Camp. After a brief safety orientation, you can watch bears from several viewing platforms, join the ...more
Take off on a spectacular flight, looking down on the vast Alaskan tundra as you make your way to one of three bear-viewing spots, depending on where you’ll see the most bears. Witness these iconic creatures playing or fishing as you take pictures and learn more about their habits and habitat.
Hop aboard one of Regal Air’s planes departing from Anchorage and after a short, scenic flight you can be watching enormous brown bears swat salmon from Alaska’s rushing waters. Tours visit one of two destinations: Lake Clark National Park or Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park.
Take off by seaplane for an all-day bear-viewing expedition. Fly past glaciers and volcanoes to the brown-bear country of southwest Alaska. Your Seaplane Bear Safari will take you to Brooks River Falls in Katmai National Park, home of the world ’ s largest salmon run. You can also fly 70 miles southwest of Anchorage to Lake Clark Wilderness Preserve for amazing bear viewing and luxurious accommodations at the Redoubt Bay Lodge. Rust’s, which has ...more
Kodiak View All
Bear viewing on Kodiak Island & the Katmai Coast
Whether you’re looking for world class bear-viewing or want to experience a breathtaking flightseeing tour, Kodiak-based Island Air Service can make it happen. Start your bear-viewing tour in Kodiak, and you’ll have a shorter flight time compared to leaving from Anchorage. Even if you’re just here for a day while your cruise ship is in port, it’s easy to fly out and witness the majesty of these impressive creatures.
Immerse yourself in a multi-day Alaskan adventure that promises incredible views and jaw-dropping bear viewing in Katmai National Park, along with a warm camaraderie that only a small group expedition can create. Explore from your home base on the Island C, a research vessel that gets you close to the action while providing comfortable lodging and delicious meals.
From Kodiak Island to the Katmai coast, Kingfisher Aviation will customize each trip, making for an intensely personal experience. Their most popular excursion includes a flight to a bear-viewing hotspot, where you can see 8 to 10 bears swiping at salmon swimming upstream. Kingfisher also offers shorter scenic flightseeing tours without the bear-viewing stop.
Juneau View All
Very short flight leads you right into bear country
Pack Creek Bear Tours offers fully guided adventures to Admiralty Island or Chichagof Island, each home to more than 1,500 brown bears! After a beautiful 20- or 25-minute floatplane ride, you’ll land on a remote beach. Take a short walk to the bear-viewing area, where you can watch these magnificent creatures for hours in their natural environment.
Kenai / Soldotna View All
Natron Air, out of Soldotna, also takes you to spots such as Brooks Falls and the Katmai Coast. The advantage here is that you're closer to those areas, so the prices are lower
Fly out of Soldotna with Natron’s owner and pilot, Tim. You’ll soar over the Cook Inlet towards Mt. Iliamna Volcano and land on a beach, right where the bears are. You’ll watch them playing and clamming and be close enough to take amazing photos.
Alaska bear camp is magically hidden in a rare Critical Bear Habitat in the wilderness of Lake Clark National Park. Instead of hundreds, only 16 privileged guests observe the wonder of up to 50 brown Bears living out their daily drama. Due to the beauty of the location and the exceptional bear population, the deluxe camp, with en suite biffies, beds with mattresses and food flown in daily, was used as a base camp for the Disney movie Bears. ...more
Ketchikan View All
Watch black bears fish for salmon
The lush green Tongass National Forest stretches out below as you take a classic Alaskan floatplane ride to Neets Bay, one of the best places in Southeast Alaska to see black bears fishing for salmon. This 3‑hour trip packs in spectacular flightseeing, a nature walk, and the chance to watch bears in their natural habitat.
Ketchikan is black bear country, and just outside town you can see them in their favorite summertime activity – fishing for protein-rich Alaska salmon. A walking tour through the lush foliage of the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary reveals prime salmon habitat, a certain attraction for hungry bears. Wait and watch for this apex species in action – pouncing on fish, teaching cubs, and chasing each other to the feasting grounds.
Fairbanks View All
View polar bears in the wild
Explore one of the last frontiers – the Arctic – by land, sea and air in a one-day expedition that offers an excellent chance of seeing polar bears playing, eating and snoozing in the wild.
Homer View All
You'll fly over beaches and past volcanoes to more remote spots for bear viewing, along the Katmai Coast
See Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears in the wild on a floatplane trip to Katmai National Park. Visit Brooks Falls or join a guided tour to other remote locations within the park. Both trips provide 5 hours on the ground with the bears. Founded in 1991, Emerald Air Service’s mission is to increase the understanding and appreciation of the unique ecosystem that supports bears.
Spend several hours or a full day watching bears in the wild on a quintessential Alaskan adventure with a family-run company. Start with a scenic flight out of Homer over Kachemak Bay and into Katmai or Lake Clark National Park. Once you land, your pilot/guide will take you to an optimal spot to watch and photograph these magnificent creatures in their natural environment, hunting, playing, and relaxing. Spend anywhere from 1.5 to 9 hours on the ...more
Watch bears digging for clams, wandering the sedge grass, or nursing their young – all in a short flight from Homer to Katmai or Lake Clark National Park. Smokey Bay’s bear tours last about five hours total — including flights and about three hours on the ground. On any given day there will always be a morning outing (leaving at 8 a.m. at the latest) and possibly one that leaves around 2 p.m.
For many Alaskan travelers, bears are the ultimate highlight. Pair a magnificent sighting with a gorgeous helicopter flightseeing ride and you’ll have an unforgettable experience. On this unique tour from Homer, you’ll take a helicopter ride out into one of Alaska’s gorgeous national parks to witness these spectacular creatures in the wild.