Alaska's Grizzly Ship: Kodiak to Katmai

Explore Alaska’s wild frontiers on an immersive nature and wildlife tour—spot brown bears, whales and eagles, cruise glacier fjords, and hike tundra trails with expert naturalist guides in one of the planet’s most remote and biodiverse regions.

From the vast backcountry of Denali National Park to the rugged coasts of Kenai, Katmai and Lake Clark, Alaska is a premier destination for nature travel and wildlife adventure.

Summer and early fall offer the best Alaska wildlife viewing, with long daylight hours, active bears and whales and vibrant tundra colors in September.

Discover the "ebbs and flows" of grizzly bear migration patterns in Katmai National Park, gleaned from more than a decade of operating brown bear trips in Alaska.  

Find out about typical weather conditions in Katmai National Park in this month-by-month breakdown of average temperatures and precipitation.

Alaska is a top wildlife destination, where tundra and rainforest habitats host grizzlies, moose, whales, caribou, eagles, wolves and more for unforgettable encounters in the wild.

Alaska’s accommodations include secluded ecolodges, intimate wilderness camps and remote backcountry cabins, ranging from refined luxury to rustic simplicity, all set in spectacular natural settings.

Alaska’s vast size and limited roads make travel a mix of planes, boats, trains and guided vehicles, with many parks and coastal areas accessible only by bush plane, ferry or scenic rail.

Changes in Alaska’s climate are affecting its bears in some ways that are predictable, and some that have come as a surprise to the scientists who are studying them.

Whether you're an experienced photographer or just getting started, you'll want to read these essential photo tips from our Natural Photographer blog before your Alaska grizzly adventure.

Browse our helpful packing guidelines, which contain gear and clothing recommendations for an encounter with Katmai's coastal grizzlies during the months of June through September.

Take our Alaska wilderness quiz to put your knowledge to the test, then share it with friends to see who knows the most about the Last Frontier!

—By Nat Hab
Watch Nat Hab's short film, The Bear Coast: An Alaska Conservation Story, directed by Andrew Ackerman!

—By Megan Brief
Guided by our Expedition Leader into the wilds of Alaska’s Katmai National Park, Wes Tomer witnessed a tender moment shared between three grizzly cubs. He picked up his camera and took this photo, earning him a second place title and a lifetime of memories.

—By Kelley Ashford, Sr. Video Specialist, Development, WWF-US & Mónica Echeverría-Cota, Deputy Director, Media and Strategic Communications, WWF-US
We both have long anticipated traveling to Alaska. It is one of those places on every nature-lover’s bucket list. But while many dreams of encountering the broad mountains of the North, we never imagined it would be on a trip as special as this Alaska's Grizzly Ship.

—By Joel Centano
Good Nature Travel caught up with Nat Hab's Social Media Manager Dana Cama soon after she returned from her first adventure, our Alaska's Grizzly Ship: Kodiak to Katmai.

—By Cathy Brown
Discover five of our favorite ways to explore Alaska by land, air and sea! Our naturalist guides can’t wait to share lesser-known Alaska with you.

—By Candice Gaukel Andrews
Salmon carcasses play an important role in the functioning of healthy ecosystems. The remains provide food for many carrion-eating species and their nutrients also contribute to the growth of surrounding plants.

—By Michelle Peters
There’s a new “Big Five” in town. Well, in Alaska, that is. Go beyond the famous quintuplet of creatures found on an African safari and head north, instead, to the Great Land. There you’ll meet Alaska’s brown bears, moose, gray wolves, caribou and Dall sheep—the “other” Big Five.

—By Emily Goodheart
Few things are more powerful than witnessing the bond between mother and child—or in this case, cub! In the wilds of Alaska, travelers will observe and photograph fascinating bear behavior and will be treated to affectionate displays between protective mothers and playful cubs.

—By Emily Goodheart
Experience Alaska’s summer splendor as we survey a tapestry of mixed forest and the wildlife within, glacier-fed lakes and rivers, ice-crowned peaks and the wonderous wildflower meadows of this glorious state.

—By Nat Hab traveler, Barry Lazarus
Some of our best memories of our journey are of the new friends we made and, of course, our fantastic guide from Nat Hab. By the end of the two weeks, we felt that we had all been friends for years.

—By WWF
Walking past fresh bear tracks in Katmai is an exhilarating experience, with each footstep bringing us closer to that once-in-a-lifetime photograph of the bears at close range.

—By Bob & Norma Schafer
A mother grizzly bear and her two cubs were walking about 5 feet in front of our line of travelers in Katmai National Park, Alaska. There was a small...

—By Mary Glaser
I had so many fond memories from our trip to Katmai National Park, but one of my favorite stories was when we went...

—By Emily Goodheart Kautz
An excursion into Katmai National Park and Preserve varies widely from one month to the next due to...

—By Candice Gaukel Andrews
Having the opportunity to spend time with Alaska’s big brown bears is one of the most authentic wildlife experiences any...