Brown Bears in Katmai, Alaska - up CLOSE and on FOOT!

In 2009, I was fortunately able to see the Polar Bears in Churchill, Canada. In late July 2017, I was lucky to be able to travel to Kodiak, Alaska to see the Brown Bears in Katmai. My wonderful wife Wendy works for Natural Habitat Adventures and they have an incredible small ship experience with just 8 travelers - full details here. Our two teenage sons were able to join us along with 4 charming & adventuresome travelers ... all led by super bear guide Drew Hamilton.

Here's some closeups of "North American's most feared predator" ;-)

katmai brown bears a1

Katmai Brown Bears Sequence YYY01

katmai brown bears f7

katmai brown bears f9

My wife Wendy smiles for the camera as Kyle takes pictures of a Katmai Brown Bear
walking in front of an Alaska Glacier at close to Midnight

katmai brown bears a4

Everyone just chilling (including the bear) on a misty evening

katmai brown bears a5

We started our trip by flying into Kodiak Island where we then had a day trip aboard the Island-C

katmai brown bears a6
katmai brown bears a7

Sarah, (guest) Linda, (naturalist) Linda, Wendy, Dirk, Kyle, Robert and (standing) John

katmai brown bears a8

A common sight - looking at wildlife with our binoculars

katmai brown bears a9

These Puffins were incredibly hard to photograph - nice captures by John

katmai brown bears a0

katmai brown bears b1

We went ashore on a remote island - they get a LOT of rain here!

katmai brown bears b4

Leftover buildings from WW2

katmai brown bears b2

katmai brown bears b3

WW2 underground concrete bunker - pretty wild walking around these historical places

katmai brown bears b5

Island-C Captain Andy shuttles us back to his ship

katmai brown bears b6

The next morning (and after waiting for the fog to lift), we took these floatplanes out to Katmai

katmai brown bears b7

John (my (excellent) roommate), Sarah, Linda, and Robert

katmai brown bears b8

After a scenic 45 minute flight (we saw whales on the way back), we land ... on the water!

Katmai Brown Bears Sequence YYY02

katmai brown bears c3

The Ursus would be our floating home for the next several days
This ship was built in 1984 for crab fishing and was the original Time Bandit on the "Deadliest Catch." It's been refitted/customized and is quite comfy - more info/pics here.

katmai brown bears c5

katmai brown bears c5

Here's the view from the floatplane after landing

katmai brown bears c3

The skiff transfers you from the floatplane to the main ship

katmai brown bears b0

Motoring over to the other floatplane

katmai brown bears c4

After a quick bite to eat, we took the skiff onshore to ... BEAR COUNTRY! ;-)

katmai brown bears f1

We had a nice "sit-down" with this bear on a misty evening

katmai brown bears c6

katmai brown bears c7

katmai brown bears c8

Because of the gently sloping shore and 25' tidal swing, the water can move a mile (you could actually see it come in/out) and we often had to wade to/from the skiff - added to the adventure!

katmai brown bears f3

Sunnier the next day ... and we have found one of several bear families ... or have they found us?!? ;-)

katmai brown bears c9

katmai brown bears c0

katmai brown bears d1

One of the few times we saw other people on our multi-hour walks ashore

katmai brown bears d2

It's pretty wild how casual you become around the bears
As Drew says: "we try to be indifferent to them so they are indifferent to us"

katmai brown bears d3

Momma Bear is always on the lookout!

katmai brown bears d4

katmai brown bears d5

We saw a few wolves, but at quite a distance

katmai brown bears d7

katmai brown bears d6

A number of eagles were around but you had to look for 'em when they were't flying

katmai brown bears d8

katmai brown bears d0

katmai brown bears e1

katmai brown bears e2

A picture with an Eagle and Bear!

katmai brown bears d9

The bugs really weren't that bad - I actually didn't know my hat was covered with 'em

katmai brown bears e3

After walking for several miles, we took a siesta!

katmai brown bears e4

Robert getting down low for the shot ... or taking a nap! ;-)

Katmai Brown Bears Sequence YYY03

But then it was time to get back up - MORE BEARS!!!!

katmai brown bears e7

Sarah doesn't need a big camera to get pictures of the bears - her iPhone works just fine!

katmai brown bears e8

Kyle, Wendy, and John at close to Midnight in the Alaskan summer

katmai brown bears e9

katmai brown bears e0

It never gets really dark - just kinda dim. At low tide, bears feeding on Salmon

katmai brown bears f1

A smorgasbord of bear pictures from various days

katmai brown bears f4

katmai brown bears f5

katmai brown bears f6

katmai brown bears f7

katmai brown bears f8

katmai brown bears f0

katmai brown bears f9

Katmai Brown Bears Sequence YYY04

katmai brown bears g3 katmai brown bears g4

katmai brown bears g5

katmai brown bears g6

We saw a couple of collared bear which are for research purposes

katmai brown bears g7

John got this very symmetric (and wide!) picture of the back end of a bear!

katmai brown bears g8

A Human Foot next to some Bear and Wolf tracks in the receding tide

katmai brown bears g9

katmai brown bears g0

Our great guide Drew always keep a close eye on the bears and made sure we stayed safe

katmai brown bears h1

katmai brown bears i1

Sarah and Robert were always smiling

katmai brown bears h2

Robert & Linda took these pictures of me - too bad the bear didn't "smile" for the camera

katmai brown bears h5

katmai brown bears h3

Just hanging out as bears walk by ... as Alek is looking for ... METAL PIPES! ;-)

katmai brown bears h4

So with the 25' tides, there was lots of stuff that would be uncovered at low tide, so while scanning for bears, I saw what appears to be metal pipes wayyyyy off in the distance

pipes in katmai 1

pipes in katmai 3

John had the longest lens on the trip, so graciously allowed me to take some pics (while my family said "no way is that a pipe!") and turns out the first one was just a piece of rotted out wood ... but HEY, at least there's a bear behind it!

pipes in katmai 2

But the second one is definitely a metal pipe! ;-)

pipes in katmai 4

In between going ashore to see the bears, Kyle & Dirk did some fishing from the Ursus

katmai brown bears h6

katmai brown bears h7

Kyle caught a large skate ... which we did release

katmai brown bears h8

Our last few days in Alaska Bear Country

katmai brown bears h9

katmai brown bears h0

Gorgeous Alaskan Scenery the last morning

katmai brown bears i2

Sarah lounging in a bear pit ... really!

katmai brown bears i3

katmai brown bears i4

Wendy was also pretty comfortable in the bear pit ... but it was time to head back home

katmai brown bears i5

Skiff picks us up, takes us to the Ursus, transfer to the floatplane, scenic 45 minute flight back to Kodiak Island, farewell dinner, and then fly out the next morning back to the Republic of Boulder

katmai brown bears f2


A GREAT trip - who would have thought you could just "hang out" with the bears in the wild on foot! A big thanks to Drew for being a super guide and my fellow travelers who were great to travel with and contributed their pictures for this trip report.