Alaskan brown bear, ecology and wilderness adventure: US
9 August 2026 – 6 days for $6,995* per person (*based on 2025 prices, subject to increase).
An extraordinary opportunity to observe Alaskan brown bears in their natural habitat in Alaska. Based at an exclusive fly-in camp offering unparalleled access to bear behaviour, from foraging on sedge meadows to fishing for salmon in tidal streams. Guided by expert naturalists, gain insight into bear ecology, social dynamics and the intricate relationships between these apex predators and their environment.
This journey begins with a private flight over Cook Inlet, traversing a rugged expanse where active volcanoes and ancient glaciers define the terrain. Upon arrival, the aircraft touches down on an unspoiled coastal beach—an expanse of sand shared only with the resident Alaskan brown bears, often visible strolling the shoreline even before landing.
You will be based at a bush camp nestled within this untamed environment. This serves as a research-friendly base for observing these apex predators in their natural habitat. Situated on the site of a historic homestead, the camp is positioned within a rare enclave of private land, entirely surrounded by Lake Clark National Park — one of the world’s premier bear-viewing ecosystems. The setting is framed by the glaciated peaks of the Aleutian range, offering a rare intersection of scientific inquiry, wilderness solitude and the thrill of close-range bear encounters.
For those looking for the ultimate Alaska wildlife adventure, the dates of this tour can be combined with our Science of glaciers and whales: Alaska’s Inside Passage cruise for a two-week Alaska experience, offering the change to view wildlife on land and at sea.
Experience rustic comfort alongside an unparalleled opportunity to witness the intricate behaviours of Alaskan brown bears in an environment that remains largely unchanged by time.
In partnership with Natural Habitat Adventures.
DAY 1: ARRIVE IN ANCHORAGE AND FLY TO HOMER
Arrive in Anchorage where you will meet your expedition leader and travelling companions at the airport to board your chartered group flight to Homer, where your Alaska Bear Camp adventure begins.
Homer is a charming scenic fishing town on Kachemak Bay located near the bottom of the Kenai peninsula. Known as "the end of the road" as it is the most southerly point on Alaska’s contiguous highway system. Surrounded by 280 acres of protected state land, this critical wildlife habitat sustains more than 100 bird species and a large local moose population. Homer’s key geographic feature is the Homer Spit, a 6-kilometre-long gravel bar that extends into the bay. Homer is also heralded as the halibut fishing capital of the world.
This evening, you will gather for a welcome dinner where your expedition leader will deliver an orientation session on the incredible bear adventures that lie ahead.
DAY 2: KACHEMAK BAY PRIVATE CRUISE AND PRIVATE FLIGHT TO BEAR CAMP
You will head out on a private boat cruise this morning to explore the abundant waters and magnificent scenery of Kachemak Bay. The bay is transformed daily by some of the largest tidal fluctuations in the world. It is home not only to coveted sport fish, but other plentiful marine life too, with sea otters, seals and sea lions commonly sighted. A highlight of the cruise is the Gull Island seabird rookery, home to 10,000 nesting seabirds with a chance to view puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, murres and more.
After lunch, transfer to a private airport to fly by private chartered bush plane across Cook Inlet to your accommodation, Alaska Bear Camp. Weather in this region is often fickle and unpredictable; your expedition leader will communicate with your pilot to choose the best window of opportunity.
Once you are in the air, the view is staggering, as you pass snow-clad volcanoes and jagged glaciers winding down from ice fields on high. Your destination, where the Aleutian and Alaska ranges meet, is Lake Clark National Park, home to some of the world's most critical brown bear habitat. Look for bears along the shoreline as you come in for landing, taxiing down the beach.
You will then transfer to your accommodation, Bear Camp, which is on an historic homestead, a rare private inholding of coastal land surrounded by the roadless wilderness of Lake Clark National Park. These 4 million protected acres are the ancestral homelands of the Dena'ina people, preserving an intact ecosystem at the headwaters of the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. Once you reach Bear Camp, gather for an orientation and safety talk with coaching on bear etiquette, before heading out with your naturalist expedition leaders to meet the bears!
The Alaskan brown bear is one of the largest terrestrial carnivores, thriving in the rich coastal ecosystems of Alaska. These bears are a keystone species, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. Bear Camp is known for having some of the best, most consistent viewing anywhere in Alaska due to the season-long availability of food. In the spring, sedge grass awaits the bears as they emerge from their dens, protein-rich food that supports rapid growth. Bears also dig for clams from the beach as they await their late summer feast. By late July or early August, the region's salmon runs help provide the fat that enables the bears to survive the long winters. All season long, nature serves a steady bounty to these omnivores. And since the bears are sated by this abundance, they see humans merely as part of the scenery, allowing you to move safely in their midst on guided outings, at times observing them from just a few metres away.
There are two viewing platforms at the camp, one of which is elevated for a territorial view to enable you to see bears nearby and at a distance. You will often have a chance to watch them right from the camp, which is surrounded by electrified wires, ensuring your safety on site.
After an exhilarating day, settle into your weatherproof tent cabin before gathering in the dining tent for dinner.
DAYS 3 AND 4: ALASKAN BROWN BEAR VIEWING IN LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK
There is nothing that comes close to this immersive experience, being among these bears in their wild home against a backdrop of sheer-sided peaks rising above the green valley floor. The bears are sometimes near enough that you can hear them chewing their food and communicating with one another in woofs, purrs and growls.
Alaska's mighty brown bears — the coastal version of the interior grizzly bear (which is part of the same species, Ursus arctos) — are the largest land predators in North America. Adult males can weigh up to 680 kilograms. Bear activity will vary according to the season, weather conditions and timing of the salmon runs, and can never be exactly predicted.
While bears are usually plentiful in the vicinity of camp, you will also go into adjacent Lake Clark National Park for added variety. Every step of your journey is guided by expert expedition leaders who are seasoned bear naturalists and will provide essential coaching information regarding "bear etiquette" to ensure both safety and harmony in the wild. With a low-impact approach, you will seamlessly blend into the landscape, allowing the bears to remain undisturbed in their natural routines. In return, they grant you an intimate window into their world — fishing, foraging, and interacting just as they have for generations, offering a rare and unforgettable wildlife experience.
DAY 5: ALASKAN BROWN BEAR VIEWING AND CAMP DEPARTURE, PRIVATE FLIGHT TO HOMER
Enjoy one last morning to marvel at the bears in Lake Clark National Park, admiring their majesty and whimsy alike. Few travellers have such an encounter with solitude and wilderness on the scale that surrounds you here. The size of the landscape, the raw beauty, the profound silence — these things alone would make for a life-transforming experience. But the chance to watch Alaskan brown bears, these incomparable icons of the wild, on their turf, their terms... it is a wonder to have bears welcome us into their world. And one thing is certain: no one leaves here unmoved by the bears' plight, intensely aware of the threats from mining, climate change and other potential impacts to the health of this vital ecosystem on which the bears rely. You depart as ambassadors for the bears, your time among them leaving an indelible mark, inspiring all to do what you can to protect them.
If the weather cooperates, departure from Bear Camp for Homer will be after lunch. Boarding a bush plane, taxi down the beach, looking for a last glimpse of bears on the shoreline as you go. Back in Homer, transfer to the hotel at the very end of the Homer Spit, edging the beach with broad views of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai mountains beyond. There may be time to wander around the spit, lined with shops and galleries featuring Alaskan art and handicrafts. Later this evening, celebrate our adventures at a farewell dinner.
DAY 6: DEPART HOMER
After breakfast your bear camp adventure comes to a close today, as you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flights.
