Alaska Grizzly Encounter: Kodiak to Katmai

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.
Brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Natural Habitat
Ron Todd
Natural Habitat's M/V Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Floatplane, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Floatplane, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Brad Josephs
Brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Atlantic puffin, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Ron Funk
Atlantic puffin, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Brown bear and Nat Hab
Ron Todd
Brown bear and Nat Hab's M/V Ursus, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Nat Hab guests, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ronn Todd
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guest and brown bears, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Kit Longnecker
Nat Hab guest and brown bears, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Sea otter, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Sea otter, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guest and Expedition Leader, Nat Hab
Brad Josephs
Nat Hab guest and Expedition Leader, Nat Hab'S M/V Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Arthur Leforestier
Brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests aboard Nat Hab
Corrin LaCombe
Nat Hab guests aboard Nat Hab's M/V Ursus, Katmai coast, Alaska.
Nat Hab guest and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Andrea Rogers
Nat Hab guest and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
 Nat Hab guests aboard Nat Hab
Suzanne Spencer
Nat Hab guests aboard Nat Hab's M/V Ursus, Katmai Coast, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ralph Lee Hopkins
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Bald eagle, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Bald eagle, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Nat Hab guests and brown bear, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Nat Hab guests, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Nat Hab guests and brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Ron Todd
Nat Hab guests and brown bear with cubs, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Floatplane, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.
Floatplane, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska.

Trip Highlights

Extraordinary Close-Up Brown Bear Encounters

Guided 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 Access

Following 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 Private Floatplane to Katmai

Discover intriguing Kodiak Island, then fly across Shelikof Strait to the Katmai wilderness where the bears live, backdropped by the glacier-crowned Aleutian Range

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
ypc9bzmopw
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!

  1. 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.
  2. An Exclusive Itinerary into the Heart of Brown Bear Habitat
    Our itinerary—offered solely by Nat Hab—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 private floatplane, then transfer to our chartered expedition vessel to explore the uninhabited coast. No standard Alaska tour package can provide these matchless bear observation and photography opportunities. 
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. Gain Exclusive Access with Help from Our Guides
    You may think a trip like this is outside your physical capacity, given the remote nature of our destination and the way we reach bear territory (in open skiffs to the shore, then on foot in wild terrain wearing waders)...but your Expedition Leader and the Ursus crew are by your side to lend a hand. Mobility is important, but you don't need a big degree of physical fitness to participate in this mostly sedentary adventure.  
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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. 
  9. 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!
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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!

Read what travelers are saying about Alaska Grizzly Encounter: Kodiak to Katmai

Questions?
We've Got Answers!
Talk with an Adventure Specialist
Call Our Boulder Office at 800-543-8917 or contact your travel advisor.
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Outside
Voted "World's Best Travel
Company"
by Outside Magazine
Outside
Natural Habitat Adventures Ranked
“Best Outfitter”
NatGeo
Voted Best Winter Trip: Natural Habitat Adventures' Monarch Butterfly Migration, Mexico
VIEW MORE AWARDS
Physical Requirements
WWF Logo

Learn More

Customize Your African Safari

Let our in-house safari experts create your perfect African adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on this safari or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Learn More
Thank you for your interest!
We'll be in touch soon to help with your custom African safari!

Learn More

Customize Your Trip

Let our in-house trip experts create your perfect adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on our ${tripName} or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Alaska Grizzly Encounter: Kodiak to Katmai
Learn More
Thank you for your interest!
We'll be in touch soon to help with your private trip!

Download Trip Details

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Get our downloadable trip details in PDF format, a handy resource for your travel planning. Inside, you'll find all the info from our website—highlights of the trip, itinerary, accommodations, and full details on dates, prices and logistics—plus a few extras!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Download Trip Details
Your download awaits…

Thank you for your request! Click here to see your trip details PDF now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Ask a Question

Ask a Question

Fill out our form to receive additional information about our ${tripName}, or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Alaska Grizzly Encounter: Kodiak to Katmai
Ask a Question
Thank you for your note!

We’ll be in touch soon with more details.

Request Your 2023 Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly a hundred nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Request Your 2024/2025 Catalog
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2023 Digital Catalog

View Our 2024/2025

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Photography Adventures

Photography Adventures

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/alaska-northern-adventures/alaska-grizzly-adventure/