Fat Bear Photo Expedition

Our brown bear photography adventure begins in Anchorage. Located at the head of Cook Inlet, Alaska's largest city is home to half the state’s residents plus some 1,500 moose, while the ocean at its doorstep is the domain of all five species of Pacific salmon and an endangered population of endemic beluga whales. Wedged between wilderness areas and within sight of the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna mountain ranges, Anchorage enjoys both urban culture and access to outdoor adventure. You're met on arrival at the airport and transferred to our hotel, with time to relax before meeting your Expedition Leader and fellow photographers at a welcome dinner this evening.

Fly southwest from Anchorage to King Salmon, an isolated hamlet at the head of the Alaska Peninsula that is the gateway to Bristol Bay and Katmai National Park. We make the short transfer to King Salmon Lodge to get fitted with our waders before returning to the airport for the 20-minute flight by private floatplane to the Brooks River area, where the famous Brooks Lodge is closed for season, significantly lessening crowds at this iconic location. Once we touch down, we stop for a safety talk with local rangers who share the proper protocol for behavior in close proximity to brown bears. Bears are usually abundant in the area this time of year, spending the fall fattening up on salmon that remain along the Brooks and Naknek rivers. While they won't be fishing in famous Brooks Falls this time of year, they linger for the end-of-the-season feast where the rivers meet Naknek Lake.

Alaska's autumn light is dramatic with the sun hanging low in the southern sky. A golden glow may linger on the landscape as cottonwood and birch leaves turn yellow before succumbing to frost.  It’s an irresistible setting for photographing these enormous coastal grizzlies. By late September, bears have consumed so much salmon that their weight is up as much as 40% since August, and they sport thick, lustrous coats in preparation for winter.

Photographing bears in the field is a rustic backcountry experience during a season of changing weather, with spare facilities that include only off-season outhouses at Brooks Camp—but the rewards outweigh any discomfort! After an afternoon of tracking bears in the elements, return by floatplane to our exclusive wilderness lodge retreat on the Naknek River, a tidal estuary with legendary salmon runs and trophy rainbow trout. A small family-managed outpost in the bush, King Salmon Lodge is our luxury base camp for daily bear photography expeditions. We settle in to deluxe rooms, then enjoy a gourmet meal featuring local Alaskan specialties. Once darkness descends, keep an eye out for a possible sighting of the northern lights and the chance for some stunning aurora photography.

Prepared for unpredictable fall weather that can often be chilly and wet, we follow the bears during full days along the Brooks and Naknek rivers. Their food supply is prolific, with fish still plentiful following summer's salmon runs that moved from Bristol Bay, the world’s largest fishery, into the Naknek River, Naknek Lake and beyond. Chance encounters with snow or one last silver salmon run are possible at this time of year—both of which optimize opportunities for extraordinary photographs.

A highlight of our visit is a chance to see the famous ursine competitors who will be the stars of the Katmai Conservancy's annual Fat Bear Week contest. This popular mid-October event offers the public a chance to "weigh in" by voting online for which brown bear best exemplifies the heft that sets it apart from the rest. As the bears bulk up for their long winter hibernation, they pack on the pounds during a final salmon fling in the Brooks River (which we are witness to), and our Expedition Leaders are typically familiar with "who's who." Once you get home, you can vote for some of the very bears you've likely had a chance to see in person during our photo expedition.

Since we taxi in and out of the Brooks River area in our chartered floatplane, we have flexibility to go to where the bears are! On foot and by raft, we navigate the winding river system to capture close ups of these massive bears. Via aerial flightseeing, we survey different natural areas each day, getting a dramatic vista from on high of the vast Katmai wilderness. Each evening, return to our well-appointed haven of comfort at King Salmon Lodge, surrounded by forest that's home to bald eagles, moose, bears and other wildlife. Relax on leather sofas in front of the river rock fireplace to ward off fall's chill, and enjoy time after dinner for photo editing and photography lessons, bear lectures, ecology talks and more.

After a last round of photographing bears in Katmai National Park and some elevated exploration via our private air taxi this morning, we fly back to King Salmon, then on to Anchorage. Tonight, our Expedition Leader hosts a farewell dinner to celebrate our grand autumn adventure among the bears.

Our Alaska bear expedition comes to a close today as we transfer to the airport for onward flights.

Click here to view the seasonal variations of grizzly bear activity.