Know Before You Go | Alaska
Whether you're preparing for your upcoming trip to Alaska or just want to learn more about the last frontier, we've got you covered. We've rounded up an array of useful resources, from wildlife guides and packing tips, to nature quizzes and travel stories to inspire your wanderlust.
Travel Tips
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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about Alaska? We've got answers! We've compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions about brown bears, Alaskan wildlife, lodges, transportation, weather and more.
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Wildlife Guide
Wildlife Guide
There is an astounding array of wildlife you can encounter on a trip to Alaska, including coastal brown bears, whales, eagles and so much more!
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A Closer Look at Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp
A Closer Look at Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp
Learn more about Nat Hab's Bear Camp, a sustainable base for exploring Alaska's most pristine coastal grizzly bear habitat, surrounded entirely by Lake Clark National Park.
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A Closer Look at the Natural
Habitat Ursus
Habitat Ursus
A Closer Look at the Natural
Habitat Ursus
Learn more about the M/V Natural Habitat Ursus—the ideal vessel for exploring the Katmai coast and viewing Alaska’s giant brown bears at exceptionally close range.
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Alaskan Wilderness Trivia
Alaskan Wilderness Trivia
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!
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When to Go—The Ebbs and Flows of Grizzly Bear Season
When to Go—The Ebbs and Flows of Grizzly Bear Season
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.
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Alaska's Bears and Climate Change
Alaska's Bears and Climate Change
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.
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The Bears of Lake Clark National Park
The Bears of Lake Clark National Park
Learn more about Lake Clark National Park and the bears that travelers will encounter during their stay at Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp.
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Weather & Climate
Weather & Climate
Find out the typical weather conditions in Alaska in this month by month breakdown of average temperatures and rainfall.
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Packing Lists
Packing Lists
Wondering what to bring to Alaska in the summer or fall? Check out our detailed packing lists for tips from our Alaska experts!
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Travel Stories & Articles
Nat Hab Short Film Offers Mesmerizing Portrait of Alaska’s Brown Bears
Nat Hab Short Film Offers Mesmerizing Portrait of Alaska’s Brown Bears
—By Nat Hab
Watch Nat Hab's short film, The Bear Coast: An Alaska Conservation Story, directed by Andrew Ackerman!
Watch Nat Hab's short film, The Bear Coast: An Alaska Conservation Story, directed by Andrew Ackerman!
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The EPA Blocks Pebble Mine: Bristol Bay and Its Bears Are Saved!
The EPA Blocks Pebble Mine: Bristol Bay and Its Bears Are Saved!
—By Megan Brief
The 13-year battle for Bristol Bay reached a triumphant culmination on January 30, 2023. The EPA invoked its Clean Water Act 404(c) authority and vetoed the Pebble Mine project, securing a future for the lands and waters of Bristol Bay and the wildlife and people they sustain.
The 13-year battle for Bristol Bay reached a triumphant culmination on January 30, 2023. The EPA invoked its Clean Water Act 404(c) authority and vetoed the Pebble Mine project, securing a future for the lands and waters of Bristol Bay and the wildlife and people they sustain.
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Bunk With a Brown Bear: Nat Hab’s New Alaska Bear Camp
Bunk With a Brown Bear: Nat Hab’s New Alaska Bear Camp
—By Michelle Peters
Alaska Bear Camp is set on an empty stretch of sand, where tented cabins blend seamlessly into the natural backdrop of forest and mountains. Your closest neighbors are the incredible brown bears that live here.
Alaska Bear Camp is set on an empty stretch of sand, where tented cabins blend seamlessly into the natural backdrop of forest and mountains. Your closest neighbors are the incredible brown bears that live here.
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See Alaska’s Big Five: Brown Bear, Moose, Gray Wolf, Caribou & Dall Sheep
See Alaska’s Big Five: Brown Bear, Moose, Gray Wolf, Caribou & Dall Sheep
—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.
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.
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5 Memorable Ways to Explore Alaska by Air, Land and Sea
5 Memorable Ways to Explore Alaska by Air, Land and Sea
—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.
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.
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Mothers & Cubs: Grizzly Photo Roundup
Mothers & Cubs: Grizzly Photo Roundup
—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.
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.
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Wildflower Season in Alaska
Wildflower Season in Alaska
—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.
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.
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What’s the Difference Between Grizzly Bears and Brown Bears?
What’s the Difference Between Grizzly Bears and Brown Bears?
—By Emily Goodheart
Brown bears, commonly called grizzlies, have long evoked fascination. These intelligent mammals display dynamic behaviors...
Brown bears, commonly called grizzlies, have long evoked fascination. These intelligent mammals display dynamic behaviors...
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When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska to See Grizzly Bears?
When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska to See Grizzly Bears?
—By Emily Goodheart
An excursion into Katmai National Park and Preserve varies widely from one month to the next due to...
An excursion into Katmai National Park and Preserve varies widely from one month to the next due to...
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Protecting Alaska: Ecosystem, Economy, and Bear Tourism
Protecting Alaska: Ecosystem, Economy, and Bear Tourism
—By Madison Mitchell
Alaska is home to the world’s largest wild sockeye salmon run, all three species of American wild bears, and some of...
Alaska is home to the world’s largest wild sockeye salmon run, all three species of American wild bears, and some of...
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Traveler Story: Finding a Personal Connection With Brown Bears
Traveler Story: Finding a Personal Connection With Brown Bears
—By Nat Hab Traveler Valerie Van Griethuysen
I experienced countless memorable moments during my Ultimate Alaska...
I experienced countless memorable moments during my Ultimate Alaska...
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Nat Hab’s Bear Adventures Around the Globe
Nat Hab’s Bear Adventures Around the Globe
—By Michelle Peters
We soar by bush plane into the deep Alaska wilderness of Cook Inlet, the ice-clad Aleutian Range and Lake Clark National Park...
We soar by bush plane into the deep Alaska wilderness of Cook Inlet, the ice-clad Aleutian Range and Lake Clark National Park...
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13 Facts About Brown Bears (Ursus arctos)
13 Facts About Brown Bears (Ursus arctos)
—By Natural Habitat Adventures
Brown bears have long captured our imaginations in ways that few other wild animals have—they can stand on its two...
Brown bears have long captured our imaginations in ways that few other wild animals have—they can stand on its two...
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Know Before You Go
