Katmai momma bear with cub. 
Photo taken by AlaskaTours.com client Timi Gustafson

A bear watching trip is one of the truly great wildlife viewing experiences on any Alaska visit. When you see these magnificent animals on their home turf  roaming freely along the coastline, catching salmon at Brooks Falls, eating berries in the mountains or against the extraordinary backdrop of Kodiak Island - it's a moment when you forget everything else and just soak in nature at its best. Alaska bear watching day trips can be added to many itineraries as  in several different locations are available.  Each option varies in quality, experience and cost. Like nature itself there are no guarantees. Yet there is nowhere better in North America to see and photograph the bears in their element. Perhaps it's as simple as how Alaska frames the picture - the rugged terrain, scenic grandeur and mystique are the icing on the cake.

We have the widest range of Alaska bear viewing trips found anywhere.  Alaska bear tours take you to the farthest corners of the Greatland. In fact, the journey the to get there is part of the experience!  Alaska bear watching tours include Katmai National Park with Brooks Falls and the Katmai Coast, Kodiak or Admiralty Islands. Alaska bear viewing can be a one day safari, or overnight lodge based adventures.

 

Alaska Bear Species

Brown / Grizzly bears are seen throughout Alaska except on the islands south of Frederick Sound in southeastern Alaska, the islands west of Unimak in the Aleutian Chain, and the islands of the Bering Sea. The term “brown bear” is the common term used by Alaskans for bears found in coastal areas. Their habitat include rich grassland and salmon filled streams offering a bountiful food source.  "Grizzly bears" are also brown bears, but as their habitat is on mountain slopes, tundra plains and inland forests they are typically smaller in size than coastal bears.  You will hear the term grizzly describing  inland bears as their food source is quite varied and less plentiful than along the coast.

Black bears are found over most of the forested areas of Alaska except the Seward Peninsula, on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, or north of the Brooks Range. Black is the most often encountered color, but brown or cinnamon bears are often seen in south-central Alaska and the southeastern mainland.

Polar bears and brown bears evolved from a common ancestor and are still closely related.  Their white color is a result of the remote arctic environment and they inhabit the northern hemisphere, nearly always in association with sea ice.  Due to their remote habitat, Polar bear are not frequently seen by visitors to Alaska.

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day tours and overnight bear watching adventures.