Alaska Bear Quest: A Photo Pro Expedition

Limited to 8 Guests

Because this intimate photo safari is best experienced in a very small group, our Bear Quest Photo Pro Expedition is limited to eight travelers per Expedition Leader. In the roadless wilderness of Katmai National Park, your group of eight photographers will have exclusive use of the Natural Habitat Ursus. When you arrive at Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp, you will join one other Photo Pro departure traveling in the opposite direction but overlapping for this portion of the itinerary. Bear Camp accommodates up to 16 guests at a time, but each group of eight will remain with their own Expedition Leader during this four-day portion of the trip, engaging in separate bear photography activities.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), boat crew, camp staff, and local staff in Homer and Kodiak; all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on the final day; beer and wine on board the Ursus and at Bear Camp, some gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, gear including chest waders and boots for shore excursions, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
  
• Internal air cost includes: All float planes and bush plane flights used within the itinerary (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.

Difficult
This brown bear adventure requires a high level of physical prowess and mobility in terrain and conditions that can be difficult to navigate. Travelers must be able to step up into and out of floatplanes, and step into and out of small open boats in potentially unstable conditions. We may need to walk up to two miles to reach our daily bear-viewing location, depending on where the bears currently are, in varied and challenging conditions that may include rough, uneven terrain, mucky sand, thick marsh grass, shallow creek beds, and walking through water and mud while wearing chest waders (which can feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable)—while carrying all of your own gear including camera equipment. In order to maximize bear-viewing opportunities, we spend long days ashore, sometimes returning late to the ship for dinner. Once at the bear-viewing site, physical activity is limited. We may spend several hours in essentially one spot with little movement, sitting on low buckets. At times, we may sit for several hours in chilly temperatures, rain and/or wind.

For safety reasons, it is not possible to split the group, for individuals to return to the ship early, or to stay in one place while the rest of the group moves. Transfers between the Natural Habitat Ursus (our small ship) and the float plane, and to the smaller skiff we use to access our bear viewing locations, require the ability to make a large step up or down onto an unstable surface. It is generally not possible to view bears from the Ursus. Travelers must be of sound health and able to maintain a positive attitude in a wild and remote setting.

Medical Form
Due to the extremely remote nature of this adventure, we require that all travelers submit a medical form before departure. This form must be completed and signed by your primary care physician.  Good health and overall fitness are a must, as we are far from medical facilities in this roadless region—it may take several hours or potentially a full day or more to evacuate to a medical facility should health problems arise.

Since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may or may not be assisted by a local guide, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited.

Please be aware that the timing of our photo expedition coincides with bear mating season and the time of year when we may start to see mothers with cubs wandering the beaches and meadows. While we are likely to see bears digging clams and browsing on sedges, we will not see bears fishing for salmon. Salmon runs happen later in the summer. 

This trip departs from either Kodiak or Homer.

For trips beginning in Kodiak
Arrive in Kodiak in time for a 6:30 pm welcome dinner and orientation on Day 1. You are free to depart from Homer anytime on Day 13, but we strongly recommended choosing a flight in the afternoon in the unlikely event that poor weather prevents us from returning from Bear Camp as scheduled on the itinerary. Should travelers be required to remain in Homer or Kodiak longer than anticipated due to inclement weather, either before, after or during the trip, they will be responsible for their own expenses.

For trips beginning in Homer
Arrive in Homer in time for a 6:30 pm welcome dinner and orientation on Day 1. You are free to depart from Kodiak anytime on Day 13, but we strongly recommended choosing a flight in the afternoon in the unlikely event that poor weather prevents us from returning by float plane as scheduled on the itinerary. Should travelers be required to remain in Kodiak or Homer longer than anticipated due to inclement weather, either before, after or during the trip, they will be responsible for their own expenses.