Alaska Bears Photo Workshop

Get up close with brown bears in Alaska's Katmai National Park & Preserve

Join us for a small group Alaskan brown bear photography adventure in Katmai National Park & Preserve. We’ve timed this trip to coincide with the peak of the salmon run, when bears gorge on salmon as they prepare for winter. We’ll put on our waders daily and take a private seaplane to various photo locations along the rivers deep inside the park, where we’ll photograph bears fishing, eating, and interacting. We may encounter other wildlife, such as otters, eagles, foxes, or moose.

We’ll also visit the famous Brooks Falls, where many bears congregate to catch salmon leaping up the falls. Because we have a private seaplane and nearby accommodations, we can stay at the falls later in the day, after the day-trip crowds have returned home, giving you more photo opportunities and a better experience at the falls.

Visiting the interior rivers via seaplanes each day gives you more photo locations and far more time with the bears compared to ship-based trips along the Katmai coast. In addition, visiting the interior rivers means bright red sockeye salmon, which are more colorful and photogenic than the salmon species found at coastal inlets on ship-based trips.

We’ll stay in a comfortable remote backcountry lodge deep in the Katmai wilderness, overlooking a beautiful river scene. We’ll eat delicious gourmet meals for breakfast and dinner and pack a lunch for our daily photo excursions.

Read more about what it’s like to be up close with the brown bears.

Consider adding to your Alaskan photo adventure by joining us for our Southeast Alaska Wildlife trip, which precedes this trip.

Akari Photo Tours is an authorized permittee of the National Park Service.

Highlights

• Up-close access to brown bears at the height of the salmon run. Photograph these iconic giants in full action, with dramatic feeding scenes that only happen once a year in the wild.
• Daily private seaplane charters to remote, crowd-free locations. Leave the tourist hordes behind — each day brings new terrain, fresh light, and untapped photo opportunities.
• Local guides who live and breathe Alaska wildlife. Our field-tested guides know where the bears are before breakfast, so you spend less time searching and more time photographing.
• Personalized instruction to elevate every skill level. Whether you’re dialing in composition or mastering wildlife timing and focus, we’ll fine-tune your craft in real time.
• Delicious meals and cozy, wilderness-lodge comfort. Recharge between epic days behind the lens with great food and a lodge that feels like home in the heart of bear country.