Alaska-Katmai National Park “Bear Creek”

General tour description

During this trip we head to a place we call "Bear Creek". Bear Creek is located along the coast in the southern part of Katmai National Park, the location is a great place to photograph and view the salmon fishing grizzly bears. The scenery is spectacular with a valley surrounded by high mountains. We have our tent camp next to a small lake close to the area where the bears catch salmon in the shallows of the river mouth. From the camp one have a good overview of the river mouth and therefore we never miss any action. As a matter of fact sometime you don't even have to leave the tent camp to photograph bears or even wolves. In this area, the bears, as in many other places along the coast, are not dependent on the tides to access the salmon, the bears therefore fish for salmon almost around the clock.

Travel information

Date: 2026
26 Aug- 2 September

Cost $5500 excl. international flight ticket and local flight to Kodiak Island.

Special requirements: As a participant one need to have average good condition. We can hike from about 5-20 km each day, however, it is in terrain that is easy to hike that goes along trails and on beach.

What is included in the cost of the trip: All guiding, air charter, special equipment, all meals in the field..

General information: The weather on Alaska's southwestern coast can sometimes be challenging with wind and rain. The itinerary is therefore dependent on the weather condition, so in severe weather conditions the itinerary might have to be changed. Sometimes the weather can prevent us from flying out on the planned day, any extra hotel nights or or meals due to bad weather, participants pay for themselves.

Personal equipment needed: Fully rainproof and windproof shell garments. It can sometimes rain hard, which is why it is especially important to have proper shell clothing. Sleeping bag and sleeping mat. Further information will be given when booking the trip

Booking of the trip: If you are interested of booking the trip you fill in the booking form below and you will then be contacted with information on how to proceed. A deposit is made to reserve a spot.

Brown bear splashing in a river while fishing, surrounded by green foliage in the background.

During our time in field you will get a chance to photograph bears fishing for salmon in many different ways. In one place along the river where it is a little bit deeper with clear water, some bears fish for salmon by diving under the surface. With the right equipment, there is a chance, with a little bit of luck, to get to photograph salmon fishing bears underneath the surface! At another location, bears can sneak from the river's edge on land and then jump free-flying straight into the river to catch salmon! Overall, there is very good opportunities for action pictures at Bear Creek, the bears run back and forth in the shallow river to catch salmon; the water splashes and the bears eagerly toss back and forth in the water after the salmon. In addition to bears, there is also sometimes wolves in the area and if you are really lucky you could get the possibility to photograph salmon fishing wolves.

  • Day 1. Participants are meet on Kodiak Island. Information is provided before the flight out to Katmai National Park the following day. One night stay at a hotel on Kodiak Island.
    Day 2-7: Today participants are picked up to flown by chartered seaplanes to Katmai National Park and the tent camp at Bear Creek. The time of departure is weather dependent, the weather can sometimes be too tough to fly and you have to be prepared to sometimes having to wait. Once up in the air, the flight takes about 1 hour. If you are lucky, the weather is clear during the flight and you then get a fantastic view of the mountains peaks of the Katmai coast. At arrival, everyone makes themselves at home in the tent camp that will be our base camp throughout the trip. After everyone has settled in we head quickly out in field to photograph the salmon fishing bears already the first day. From the tent camp it is not more than about 1 km to the river where the bears catch most of the salmon. During good salmon years there can be as many as 10 -15 bears gathered in a limited area. We continue to see and photograph the bears in the area during the following days.
    Day 8: This day we are scheduled to be picked up by seaplane for our return to Kodiak Island. Again, one have to be prepared to stay a day extra or perhaps fly home one day earlier due to weather situation. You should therefore always have at least one buffer day at Kodiak before heading back for flight back home. All participants stay one night at hotel at Kodiak which is included in the tour. Day 9. The tour ends. It is recommended to have at least one extra day on Kodiak as a buffer before a flying from Kodiak and continue back home to insure against delays due to bad weather

 
Brown bear wading through a river surrounded by foliage.
Brown bear catching salmon in its mouth with water droplets visible in the air.
Grizzly bear catching salmon in river
A large coastal brown bear with three small cubs on a sandy riverbank in Katmai National Park.
A group of wildlife photographers taking pictures of a coastal brown bear near a river with lush green grass and a mountainous background.
People observing bears at close distance in Katmai National Park near a river with mountains in the background.
Bears standing in a shallow river with seagulls around, surrounded by green hills and mountains.
A brown bear catching a fish in a river.
A wolf running through a river carrying a fish in its mouth, with a group of bears on the riverbank in the background.
Bears wading through a river with a mountain range in the background at sunrise or sunset.
A brown bear wades through a shallow river with splashing water, with seagulls and trees in the background.
A family of five brown bears resting on a riverbank with a blurred green background.
A mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks, green rolling hills, and a body of water reflecting the scenery under a blue sky.
Two brown bears standing in tall grass near a river, with a forest in the background.
A brown bear swimming in a body of water, splashing water around it, with a blurred natural background.
A silhouette of a bear standing in water with water droplets dripping from its mouth, backlit by sunlight.
A large brown bear running through a shallow body of water with splashes around it, surrounded by green and yellow foliage.

 

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