New for 2024!
National Parks Bear Viewing
"Grand Slam"
Do you have a passion for Alaska Brown Bears and the incredible scenery found in our National Parks? Destination Alaska has created a unique 7 day 6 night package that will quench your thirst and fill your camera cards to their last byte. Join us on the adventure of a lifetime as we fly and sail deep into Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks to watch Brown Bears feeding, playing, breeding, and occassionally fighting in their natural habitat. Through years of planning and investing in the right equipment, we have gained the ability to offer one of the most unique multiday bear viewing trips in the industry. Our base package includes 3 nights lodging in one of our genuine Alaskan Log chalets and 3 days of bear viewing by floatplane and wheeled bush plane from our Homer locations. Our rugged de Havilland Turbo Beavers are supported by 35" Bushwheel Tundra Tires allowing us to land on soft sandy beaches in the heart of bear country. Our mighty de Havilland Otter on floats is also available to take you and nine of your closest friends to several freshwater lakes where bears are feeding along the shoreline on spawning salmon. On day 4, fasten your seabelts! We'll fly south to the incredible Katmai National Park coastline, west of Kodiak Island, where the 90' M/V Peregrine and our crew will be waiting to take you on a three day bear viewing extraviganza! After a good nights sleep, wake up and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee on the front deck of this overnight adventure vessel. Each morning, we'll serve a hearty breakfast prepared by our crew, then you'll climb aboard our skiff with your bear guide and head to shore for several hours of front row viewing at a local brown bear theatre! At the end of each day, enjoy a homecooked meal and relax in the onboard hot tub. Yes.... that is correct.... we have a hot tub on the front deck waiting for you to relax and enjoy! On day three, we'll fly in and pick you up for a scenic ride back to Homer. Looking for a VIP upgrade? We offer flights from Anchorage to Homer and SUV rental cars as addtional options to streamline your vacation planning. Here are some of the locations that we have selected to get you up close and personal with Ursus Arctos:
Chinitna Bay - Silver Salmon Creek -Tuxedni Bay - Crescent Lake - Hallo Bay - Brooks Falls - Crosswind Lake - Morraine Creek - Geographic Harbor - Kukak Bay and more!
Final locations are selected by our pilots and bear guides based on the time of year and best bear activity.
Base Price - $10,850 per person (includes taxes, park fees, fuel surcharge)
V.I.P. air transport from Anchorage to Homer and rental car - call for price and availabilty
Packages are offered on predefined date blocks - please call our office
Limited to 10 guests per block
50% deposit is required at the time of booking - remaining balance to be paid within 30 days of the trip
No refunds within 60 days of the trip unless the dates can be filled with other guests
Trip insurance is STRONGLY recommended due to the potential for weather cancellations or other issues beyond our control
Ages limits are 12 and up. Weight restriction - cannot exceed 300# per passenger - Must be physically able to hike 2-3 miles per day across uneven or soft ground
Meals are included while onboard the M/V Peregrine
Not included - meals while in Homer and gratuities
Turbo Bear Viewing
Chinitna and Hallo Bay
- Wheel-Based Bear Viewing
- Small group led by pilot/guide
- Coastal brown bears
- Digging clams, eating sedge grass and berries
- Up close and personalized experience
- Turbo Airplane = more time with the bears!
- Faster, Safer, and Quieter Planes
- Trip Length: 5-6 Hours
- Capacity: Up to 16 Seats
- Cost: $995 pp
PLEASE NOTE: AS OF JUNE 13, 2023 A FUEL SURCHARGE OF 7.85% IS APPLIED TO ALL FLIGHTS
More Info Below! (scroll past Brooks Falls)
Brooks Falls Bear Viewing
- World Famous Brooks Falls Bear Viewing
- Group moves through the park freely after safety briefing
- Coastal Brown Bears
- Chasing salmon in the river, Fighting over fishing spots
- Boardwalk and trails experience
- Turbo Planes = beating the crowds to the viewing platform!
- Faster, Safer, and Comfier Planes
- Trip Length: 7-8 Hours
- Capacity: Up to 15 Seats
- Cost: $1295 pp
PLEASE NOTE: AS OF JUNE 13, 2023 A FUEL SURCHARGE OF 7.85% IS APPLIED TO ALL FLIGHTS
More Info Below!
Brooks Falls Bear Viewing
aBout Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park and Preserve is located across from Kodiak Island and encompasses over 4 million acres. Home to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, this park provides an unparalleled experience for its visitors to observe the aftermath of volcanic eruptions. Katmai is also home to Hallo Bay. This oceanside area is best described as a sanctuary within a park. A few of the signature attributes of Hallo Bay are meadows filled with wildflowers, snowcapped mountains, glacier-fed creeks, and lots of bears!
Within Katmai Park lies the world-famous Brooks Falls. Fly via floatplane to Naknek Lake where you’ll meet your skilled bear guide and begin an extraordinary tour of Brooks Falls. During the height of salmon season, it is possible to see 50 or more brown bears feeding in the river only a few feet from the observation platforms.
Brooks Falls Bears
Brooks Falls is a world-renowned bear sanctuary nestled in the middle of Katmai National park. The Brooks River is home to one of the best natural runs of red and silver salmon in the state! This draws bears from all over the area to the river for a viewing experience like no other. Take a spectacular floatplane ride from Homer to the Park Ranger Station located on the edge of Naknek Lake. Explore the boardwalks and trails fully immersed in the bear's natural habitat. Walk right up to the falls where, at most times, there are more than half a dozen bears actively feeding! Check out the below link for a live feed video of the Bears!
Chinitna and Hallo Bay Bear Viewing
About Lake Clark National Park
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is an American national park in southwest Alaska, about 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Anchorage. The park was first proclaimed a national monument in 1978, then established as a national park and preserve in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park includes many streams and lakes vital to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, including its namesake Lake Clark. A wide variety of recreational activities may be pursued in the park and preserve year-round. The park protects rainforests along the coastline of Cook Inlet, alpine tundra, glaciers, glacial lakes, major salmon-bearing rivers, and two volcanoes, Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna. Mount Redoubt is active, erupting in 1989 and 2009. The wide variety of ecosystems in the park mean that virtually all major Alaskan animals, terrestrial and marine, may be seen in and around the park. Salmon, particularly sockeye salmon, play a major role in the ecosystem and the local economy. The Kvichak River is the world's most productive watershed for sockeye salmon. Large populations of brown bears are attracted to feed on the spawning salmon in the Kijik River and at Silver Salmon Creek. Bear watching is a common activity in the park.
Chinitna and Hallo Bay Bears
Alaska is world-renowned for giving visitors an up-close and personal experience with majestic Coastal Brown Bears. 98% of our country’s brown bears live in Alaska and hundreds of these incredible animals live right across from Homer on the West side of Cook Inlet. We are proud to offer our guests the opportunity to fly by wheeled bush plane into the heart of Katmai and/or Lake Clark National Parks to spend the day watching these great animals. Each of these locations offers incredible opportunities to observe bears ranging from 800 to 1200 lbs. in their natural environment. After a short safety briefing, you’ll put on a pair of waterproof hip boots and climb aboard one of our bush planes. Many customers have commented that the flight alone from Homer into bear country was worth the price of admission. Your route will take you over and around several volcanoes, glaciers, and rivers where you’ll land on long sandy beaches or one of many floatplane lakes or rivers. From there, you and your trained guide will hike into the backcountry for a photo safari where the incredible scenery and wildlife are around every corner. It will take your breath away. Watch as they dig for clams, graze on sedge grasses, establish dominance, and teach new cubs how to catch salmon in the river. Spend the day with us in the heart of bear country and make Alaska size memories that will last a lifetime!
