Meet Mighty Brown Bears Up Close from Our Private Small Ship Base
Nature puts on few displays as arresting as Alaskan brown bears feeding on summer’s bounty. These bears—the largest coastal grizzlies in the world—gorge on clams, mussels, sedges and spawning salmon as the fish swim up the glacial-fed rivers that pour onto wild beaches. Our private chartered ship, the Natural Habitat Ursus, designed for exploring the Alaskan marine wilderness, offers an exclusive opportunity for just eight guests to follow and photograph bears as they fish, forage and amble along the shoreline. Ashore, we watch safely on foot with our Expedition Leader, an expert bear naturalist who knows these magnificent animals intimately. The grizzlies could not be more nonchalant about our presence! And you won't find a more remote and pristine setting in which to observe them. Here in Katmai National Park, experience this rarest of encounters with Ursus arctos in all its untamed majesty.
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Brad Josephs
Nat Hab guests and brown bears, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Corrin La Combe
Brown bear with two cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Corrin LaCombe
Natural Habitat's Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Corrin LaCombe
Nat Hab guests aboard Natural Habitat's Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Gray wolf and brown bears, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Nat Hab guest and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Floatplane, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Marion Owen
Humpback whale tail, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Sea otter, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Marion Owen
Nat Hab guests, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Marion Owen
Steller sea lions, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Natural Habitat's Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Holly Glessner
Nat Hab guest on Nootka lupine field, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Suzanne Kiser
Nat Hab Expedition Leader, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Trip Highlights
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- Extraordinary Close-Up Brown Bear EncountersGuided by expert bear naturalists with years of experience and an impeccable safety record, you won't believe how close you'll get to giant coastal grizzlies—safely on foot!
- A Private Chartered Ship for Exclusive AccessFollowing Katmai's roadless coast aboard our private ship, the Natural Habitat Ursus, just eight guests have unparalleled access for bear viewing and photography
- Explore Kodiak & Fly by Scenic Floatplane to KatmaiDiscover intriguing Kodiak Island, then fly across Shelikof Strait to reach the roadless wilderness where the bears live, backdropped by views of the glacier-crowned Aleutian Range
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WWF In Action
Photo Departures Available
Dedicated photography departures are guided by Expedition Leaders who are both expert bear naturalists and professional wildlife photographers, versed in helping you get memorable images of Katmai's mighty brown bears and striking landscapes. Photographers of all ability levels are welcome. Flexibility is inherent to adapt to changing light, weather and wildlife conditions in order to maximize photo opportunities. A small group assures an understated presence among the bears, with exceptional personal attention and coaching from our Expedition Leader.
View Photo Itinerary
The Bear Coast
An Alaska Conservation Story
The World's Most Intimate Grizzly Encounter!
You’ve seen pictures of Alaska’s enormous brown bears lumbering over tide flats, feasting on salmon, nurturing frisky cubs. Many travelers come to Alaska expecting to see and photograph them. But the fact is, very few will. These coastal grizzlies live in the roadless reaches of Katmai National Park, far from any cruise ship or tour bus route. Few visitors to Alaska get to the heart of brown bear country, and certainly not the way we do, on the ground in very small groups, as up close and personal as you'll ever safely get with wild bears. Click here to read about the "ebbs and flows" of a grizzly bear season—what sorts of behaviors and activities you can expect when. If you're looking for the ultimate Alaska bear experience, this is it!
- A Maximum of Just 8 Travelers
We charter a small ship for our Alaska adventure cruise, hosting just eight guests. A very small group is essential to approach the bears safely without disturbing them. You won't find a more intimate setting in which to observe and photograph bears, nor will you find a better guide-to-guest ratio on any Alaskan tour. - An Exclusive Itinerary into the Heart of Brown Bear Habitat
Our itinerary—offered solely by Natural Habitat Adventures—focuses exclusively on nature and bears—wasting no time in cruise ship ports and tourist towns. In fact, you can't get here by cruise ship or by road—we access this untouched wilderness by floatplane, then transfer to our private expedition vessel to explore the uninhabited coast. No standard Alaska tour package can provide these matchless bear observation and photography opportunities. - Our Privately Chartered Ship
We're based aboard our chartered vessel, the Natural Habitat Ursus, where we are the sole guests. This converted research ship, originally a crab fishing boat that has been retrofitted to comfortably accommodate guests, is ideal for exploring the scenic bays of Katmai National Park. With a shallow draft, Ursus cruises close to the coastline, offering views of bears foraging in the meadows and clamming on the tide flats—plus we travel ashore by skiff to view and photograph them on foot. And since we sleep aboard, our route can be flexible—we follow the bears! - Watch Bears on Foot—Often Just Feet Away!
It's hard to fathom that we can stand on the ground with Alaska's mighty brown bears at close range, getting thrilling photos from yards, or even feet, away. Yet that's exactly the amazing opportunity this rare adventure affords. When we step ashore among the bears, we are generally the only humans around—and the bears are completely nonchalant about our presence! They often wander past in such proximity that you won't even need your telephoto lens. - Explore Kodiak Island by Chartered Boat
Remote Kodiak Island isn't typically featured on Alaska tour itineraries. But its scenic shores offer rich photography opportunities, with abundant wildlife in rockbound coves and tidal pools. On a private boat tour, we're likely to see sea lions, otters, puffins and bald eagles, and we often see whales. Look, too, for less frequently seen moose, black bear or coyotes on shore. - The World's Finest Naturalist Guides
The Expedition Leaders on our grizzly adventures are professional naturalists and bear experts, with years of experience in the field. They know these bears and their behaviors intimately, and their depth of knowledge is integral to a successful bear safari. We take pride in employing Alaska's most qualified, dedicated and passionate natural history guides—our Expedition Leaders average more than 15 years’ experience each. They also receive additional training from WWF scientists. While our Expedition Leaders regale guests with their in-depth knowledge, they're also close at hand to ensure safety and comfort in every respect. See Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders. - Photo Departures are Guided by Photography Pros
When you choose a special photo departure, you'll travel with an Expedition Leader who is not only a bear expert but a photography expert, too, with extensive experience not only capturing images of Alaska's matchless wildlife and landscapes, but sharing tips and techniques for how you, too, can come home with outstanding photos. - A Commitment to Bears & Other Wildlife
In support of our commitment to the conservation of Alaska's brown bears and other wildlife, we've created a special website, Bears & Beyond, managed and edited by NHA Expedition Leader and bear expert Brad Josephs. The site is a showcase for photos and stories about bears and other wild animals, including wolves. Take a look, and share the link with your friends, too! - Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Outstanding Alaska Bear Encounter
Natural Habitat Adventures offers an exclusive guarantee, which clearly states that we will meet the lofty expectations established in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise. - Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007. - Natural Habitat is WWF's Travel Partner
Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our adventures. World Wildlife Fund—the planet's leading environmental conservation organization—has named Natural Habitat Adventures as its worldwide travel partner, a designation that makes us exceedingly proud!
