World Wildlife Fund

Grizzlies: From Kodiak to Katmai

Aboard the Grizzly Ship

$6,695 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $385.

Trip Overview

In a flash, a salmon leaps from a foaming cascade. An Alaskan brown bear captures it in its jaws in mid air. The water burbbles as several Alaska brown bears, the largest in the world, perch on the water's banks to gorge on the river’s bounty during this annual summer feast. 

On our small-group adventure – limited to just six travelers – get closer to giant Alaska's brown bears, in a wilder setting, than anywhere else on Earth. Coastal cruising in a small ship along Katmai National Park allows unparalleled access for bear watching. Explore Kodiak Island’s prolific marine life by boat, hoping for a glimpse of bears foraging for clams and loping along the beach.

Trip Itinerary

Please note that the dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. We suggest consulting our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss the best flight options for your travels.

Monday, July 25: Kodiak, Alaska
For those who choose to arrive early, a representative will accompany you to explore Kodiak’s native and Russian heritage. Destinations may include the National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, St. Paul Harbor, Pillar Mountain Overlook, Baranov Museum, Alutiiq Museum, Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church and Fort Abercrombie State Park, where guns were readied to defend against an invasion during WWII. Meet your fellow travelers this evening at an informal orientation dinner. Kodiak Inn (D)

Tuesday, July 26: Kodiak Island
Explore Kodiak’s coastal waters and rocky shorelines on a private boat trip. Journey to Kodiak’s protected inner island, past tidal pools and offshore kittiwake rookeries, amid sea lions, otters, puffins, bald eagles and oftentimes whales. Kodiak is remote, not often visited by travelers to Alaska, and the sense of an encounter with nature is palpable as you glide through the rockbound coves. Enjoy a picnic lunch ashore and spend some time on a coastal trail lined with wildflowers and Sitka spruce trees. This evening have a gourmet home-cooked dinner aboard the boat. Kodiak Inn (B,L,D)

Wednesday, July 27: Kodiak / Hallo Bay
Weather permitting, take an early morning floatplane from Kodiak to Kukak Bay to meet the ship. The plane pulls up right alongside, and you disembark to board the vessel that will be your floating home for the next several days. The "Grizzly Ship" is a converted tug boat/research vessel that perfect for this type of unique exploration. It is simple in design and appointments but offers ample space for all of the activities planned. 

Cruise slowly along the shore toward Hallo Bay, where it’s common to find coastal grizzlies – known as brown bears – foraging for food. The boat can cruise to wherever the bears are, following them from bay to bay. Aboard the Grizzly Ship (B,L,D)

Thursday & Friday July 28 & 29: Coastal Katmai
While you’ve probably seen footage in nature documentaries of Alaskan brown bears in the wild, nothing prepares you for the drama of an actual encounter with these magnificent beasts, just yards away. They are North America’s largest land predators, and an adult male can weigh 900 pounds. 

As the boat cruises just off the coast, bears often dot the shoreline. Go ashore by Zodiac for an even closer view, exploring the beaches on foot. Far from dozing lethargically, these bears put on quite a show in their efforts to fill up on enough protein-rich food to prepare them for a long winter in hibernation. They fight to capture salmon in their jaws, swiping at a slippery fish with talons as long as a man’s fingers. They dig for clams in the sand and browse on sedge grass. You may even see them mating or gallivanting on the shore with cubs. Aboard the Grizzly Ship (B,L,D daily)

Saturday, July 30: Coastal Katmai / Kodiak
Continue exploring coastal Katmai on foot, carefully wandering the area in a small group under the cautious guidance of our expedition leader. Look for that last wildlife encounter that will thrill you beyond expectation before returning to Kodiak by floatplane. Kodiak Inn (B,L,D)

Sunday, July 31: Kodiak / Depart
Depart Kodiak in the afternoon. (B)