9 day safari

Prices from

£6200

Excluding international flights

Tour Highlights

  • Chance to walk with the grizzly bears of Katmai
  • Small group boat and walking safaris with expert guide
  • Maximum number of guests at the lodge is 12
  • Stunning floatplane journey from Kodiak to Katmai

Walking with the Grizzly Bears of Katmai National Park

After connecting with a flight from Anchorage to Kodiak you will stay two nights in this frontier town and take a half-day floatplane bear viewing tour at Frazer Lake on Kodiak Island – known as an excellent place to see female brown bears and their cubs. You will then head west on a spectacular floatplane journey to Katmai national park (sometimes Fin Whales are visible from the air!), where you will stay at the amazing Katmai Wilderness Lodge for 4 nights. As well as enjoying superb hospitality and great food you will spend ‘full days’ out in the field with packed lunches, as you search for the brown bears – giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity to ‘walk with the brown bears of Katmai’. Extend your time in Alaska with a relaxing self-drive along the beautiful Kenai Peninsula, with the chance to see bears fishing at Brooks Falls, Sea Otters, Orcas and stunning glaciers!

Katmai national park in Alaska has the highest density of brown bears in the world and Katmai Wilderness Lodge is the only permanent tourist lodge permitted to run inside the park. The real jewel in Alaska’s wildlife is Katmai National Park which lies across Shelikof Strait from Kodiak, at the base of the Alaska Peninsula. Katmai is home to the largest protected population of Brown Bears in the world, and for the past 2 decades it has been the subject of a hugely successful and innovative approach to organised bear viewing involving small groups of bear watchers (maximum 6 people) encountering the bears on foot in the company of an expert guide. This has produced a unique situation whereby something akin to a mutually observed, inter-species truce exists between humans and bears.

As well as a 4 night stay at Katmai Wilderness Lodge in August – absolutely peak time for bear viewing – we also include a spectacular fly-in tour to Kodiak Island. A legendary bear destination in its own right, genetically isolated for at least 10,000 years Kodiak’s Brown Bears have evolved into the largest subspecies of the Great Northern Bear found anywhere on the planet. Much coveted by trophy hunters for more than two centuries, the Kodiak bears are understandably more wary of humans than their mainland cousins, but the chance to come face to face with this near mythical creature is a powerful draw. we visit Fraser Lake, which is often a good location to see mothers and cubs.

Client Feedback

‘So we did make it out to Katmai on time and I can only tell you that it was the most fantastic, amazing experience which we will treasure to our dying day. Perry and Angela were great hosts and gave us some wonderful days bear watching, but they also gave us the ultimate experience with bears! We went kayaking to the waterfalls in Kaflia bay. He only goes there if conditions are right, about twice a year, and some years he doesn’t go at all. He can only take five people. So, we felt very honoured to be chosen to go and not only that we went twice! The bears were everywhere all around us! Feeding on the salmon, sows with cubs, bears swimming, snorkelling and we sat right next to them, Perry kept us safe and it was awesome. I can’t believe what we saw, it really is a once in a lifetime experience. I feel very privileged and humbled by it all.

When to Go:
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

Best time to visit -

AUG

Safari Style -

Bespoke Wildlife

Day 1

ARRIVE INTO ANCHORAGE AND OVERNIGHT AT A GOOD AIRPORT HOTEL

If you are coming from Europe, most international flights arrive into Anchorage late, so it is easier to arrive and take the free shuttle bus to the Comfort Suites

Accommodation : Comfort Suites Anchorage airport

Day 2

FLY FROM ANCHORAGE TO KODIAK

Connect with a morning flight from Anchorage to Kodiak and take the free airport shuttle to the ‘Best Western Kodiak’ for your overnight accommodation. The two night stop in Kodiak has been planned to allow for flight cancellations/delays due to weather and to make sure you do not miss the flight to Katmai wilderness lodge. There are some amazing wildlife activities possible from Kodiak itself.

Accommodation : Best Western Kodiak

Day 3

FULL DAY FREE IN KODIAK FOR YOUR OWN ACTIVITIES

We have some great contacts with local whale watching and bear viewing tours out of Kodiak (cost not included). So, you could choose to go kayaking with Orcas and other marine wildlife in two person kayaks, or take an exciting bush plane flight to the world famous Kodiak Island. You will land need Frazer Lake and walk with your expert guide to a river with spawning salmon which attracts Kodiak bears from all around.

Accommodation : Best Western Kodiak

Day 4

FLOATPLANE TRANSFER FROM KODIAK TO KATMAI WILDERNESS LODGE

You will be picked up from your hotel mid-morning and then transferred by floatplane to Katmai Wilderness Lodge. After settling into your cabin and enjoying lunch you will embark on an afternoon bear viewing excursion. A covered skiff will be used to access the various bays in the area where Coastal Brown Bears gather to graze on estuarine sedge grasses; or catch salmon as they enter the spawning streams.

Accommodation : Katmai wilderness lodge

Days 5-7

INCREDIBLE BEAR VIEWING BY SKIFF AND ON FOOT IN SMALL GROUPS

Expect long, adrenaline filled days away from the lodge, as groups are kept to a size of 6 and accompanied by an expert bear guide head out in small skiffs looking for bears and other marine and terrestrial wildlife. Depending on tides and terrain, viewing will be conducted from the skiff or the group will put ashore and view bears on foot. Most days the groups will take a packed lunch with them and be out in the field all day.

Accommodation : Katmai wilderness lodge

Day 8

FLY BACK FROM THE LODGE TO KODIAK. THEN FLY BACK TO ANCHORAGE

Weather can often disrupt travel plans in Alaska especially when your itinerary includes flights. So it makes a lot of sense to include 2 nights in Anchorage at the end of your Alaska bear viewing tour to allow for weather delays and cancellations. So today you fly back from Katmai wilderness lodge to Anchorage (via Kodiak) and take a taxi to the Arctic Fox Inn in downtown Anchorage.

Accommodation : Arctic Fox Inn

Day 9

FULL DAY FREE FOR YOUR OWN ACTIVITIES IN ANCHORAGE

Free day for your own activities in Anchorage. We recommend renting a bicycle and cycling the 10 mile Tony Knowles Coastal Trail from downtown Anchorage from which offers the possibility to see Beluga Whales in Cook Inlet if the tide is in, and encounter moose and other wildlife along the trail. An alternative is to take a leisurely walk from your B&B to the Anchorage Museum and explore the wonderful ‘The First peoples of Alaska’ exhibition – which is on permanent display in this eye catching modern building

Accommodation : Arctic Fox Inn

Day 10

CONNECT WITH YOUR ONWARD FLIGHT FROM ANCHORAGE AIRPORT

Sadly your Alaska wildlife holiday has come to an end and you will take a taxi to the airport to connect with your flight home

Pricing Info & Dates

Costs £6200 based on two people sharing and not including flights. Valid for travel from July 23 to September 23

Includes:

  • £100 donation for the Raincoast conservation foundation
  • Return flights between Kodiak and the Lodge
  • All meals at Katmai Wilderness Lodge
  • The services of an expert bear guide

Excludes:

  • The cost of international and domestic flights
  • Fees associated with applicable Visas
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals in Anchorage and Kodiak
  • Gratuities for your wildlife guides

Tour Route Map

What

Our Clients Say About Us

★★★★★
Brilliant!

We went to Alaska, which Wildlife Trails sorted out for us. I chose Wildlife Trails because Allan was more knowledgeable than others I emailed, and more helpful. We went to Anchorage, Seward, er, Nikiski, Kodiak and Katmai. At Nikiski we stayed at Daniels Lake Lodge B&B in a log cabin by the lake. It was an amazing place and was the wildest and most remote of our journey. We saw a black bear and 3 coyote on the road. Had a great day out with Alaska West Air near there. We had bears right beside our boat at Big River Lakes near Wolverine Creek, saw bald eagles and plenty of salmon in the river. They gave us a scenic flight on the way back flying right over double glacier and its ice field - so close we almost landed on it. Really breath-taking. We booked up Juneau Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour ourselves through Alaska Shore Excursions - local tour operator was Liquid Alaska Tours. This was excellent. We did canoeing, went in an ice cave under the glacier and used crampons to climb on top of it. A fantastic day out. Would recommend these. Also had a great day out at Brooks Falls watching the bears catching the salmon that were jumping up the waterfall. Well worth the trip. Wouldn't recommend Jayleen's Alaska whale watching trip. We didn't see anything but a lighthouse for most of the morning. Cost us a fortune for 6 hours when we saw more on the 2 hour cruise with Alaska Tales for a fraction of the cost. These are a new company. We didn't have many on the boat so didn't have to fight the crowds to see the whales and they took us straight to them so didn't waste any of our time. To see black bears close up we went to AnAn Bear observatory. A mother and cub came very close to where we were standing on a platform. At the other places we saw brown bears. A great trip all in all. As I stated above Wildlife Trails are very knowledgeable and helpful. They always replied quickly to any emails I sent asking them a lot of questions (some I should have been able to work out myself). When we had problems they were always contactable to help us sort them out. The ferry they booked for us went on strike but Wildlife Trails had sorted us out a flight in its place before we even knew there was a problem, so the holiday ran very smoothly. I would recommend Wildlife Trails to anyone and I have already booked another trip with them next year.

ByDawn and Steve
★★★★★
Walking with Bears

A 7 night stay at Katmai Wilderness Lodge which was amazing both for accommodation, food, very friendly and helpful staff and of course seeing bears in their natural habitat. A 4 night stay in eau which included a visit to Pack Creek where we had good sighting of bears and 2 Whale Watching tours where we saw Humpbacks and seals and Stellar Sealions. Wildlife Trails a small family concern run by Allan and Kirsty Blanchard. Very efficient and helpful. Listened to what we wanted and put together a good itinerary.

ByJanet and Audrey
★★★★★
Thoroughly bearable

Great itinerary Jeaunau, a good start to be introduced to the quirkiness of Alaska We self-added Barrow and glad we did as it was culturally exotic as well as seeing the ice of the Artic Ocean The iak area had ups and downs due to weather; Alaska needs a weather disclaimer! Highlights were Frazer Lake and Katmai Wildnerness Lodge (when the weather was good) Homer was a great last stop as loved the hippie vibe and the trip to brooks from there was fantastic The overall theme was bears and each bear experience grew on the previous Brooks was the icing on the cake. A last morning in Anchorage sealed the oddidity of this amazing sate. (really feels like a seperate country) Excellent for planning and knowing the best spots as had done the trip himself. He had booked out the katmai wilderness lodge for his clients which was great as we fall a small party for 4 days. The wether disruption caused a lot of stress and Kodiak should katmai Wilderness shpul;d be marked with a high risk stamp We particularly hadn't realised with Katmai Wilderness the limited transpot links and lack of flexibilty to try and pre-empt detriorating weather

ByJonathan and David
★★★★★
An action packed wildlife tour of Alaska

We travelled in dependently using a car, flights and the Alaska Marine Highway. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Car hire and all accommodation were excellent. The itinerary worked l considering it was so packed - but we did have some independent down time. Some outstanding bear viewing at Brooks Falls, Pack Creek and AnAn. Loved it. Can't wait to go back Allan and Wildlife Trails offer a really personal service. Never ending patience as we nailed down all the details with numerous emails and calls He knew the area and offered good advice. The price was also competitive and allowed us to do so much.

ByElaine
★★★★★
Wonderful time in Alaska and Canada

Had a great time on our Wildlife Trails-organised trip to Alaska and W Canada. It was our first trip to that part of the world and our itinerary was great. Saw whales breaching and bears fishing well as fabulous scenery and some great little towns. Wildlife Trails put together a customised itinerary to meet our objectives. It was excellent. They deliver a very helpful and personalised service, which we really appreciated.

ByChris and Tricia