Limited to 14 Travelers
A Total Immersion with Brown Bears from Our Private Fly-In Wilderness Base
A genuine encounter with the Alaskan wilderness often starts with a bush plane. And this adventure begins with a private flight across Cook Inlet, passing active volcanoes and glaciers before landing on a pristine beach. The stretch of sand is empty, except for the brown bears that live here—we often see them ambling along the shore before we even land. Our sustainable bush camp provides a base for exploration in the bears' midst, fronting the bay on the site of an old homestead in a largely untouched setting. It's a peerless location: Bear Camp occupies an enclave of private land surrounded by Lake Clark National Park, one of the world’s most renowned bear-viewing destinations. Against the backdrop of the ice-clad Aleutian Range, Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp offers rustic luxury and total solitude—with enough bear thrills for a lifetime and then some!
This trip will be hosted by a SDZWA Wildlife & Conservation Expert.
The host for this trip will be a SDZWA expert on wildlife specific to the region. They will be with you every step of the way to educate and inspire you, and to share their passion for nature! Check back for more details.
Trip Highlights
Alongside expert naturalist guides, watch bears from our private inholding within Lake Clark National Park, where they roam, fish and forage in view of camp
Reach our isolated Bear Camp on Cook Inlet via a scenic chartered bush plane flight from Homer, passing dramatic mountain ranges and glacier-iced volcanoes
Deluxe tent cabins ensure your comfort in the most remote of settings, while chef-prepared gourmet meals and enclosed gazebos with fire pits enhance your stay
What Makes Bear Camp Stand Out?
If you're coming to Alaska to see bears, you have options. Numerous outfitters offer bear viewing experiences, from a one-day excursion lasting a few hours to multi-day backcountry adventures like ours. Yet they aren't all alike. If seeing bears in the wilds of Alaska is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp offers some compelling advantages. Take a look:
- Stay in the Very Midst of Premier Brown Bear Habitat
Lake Clark National Park is renowned for its brown bear encounters. Our fly-in camp is surrounded by some of Alaska's best bear habitat, and bears are often on view directly from camp as well on the shoreline and in the surrounding meadows. You won't find a better setting for bear watching!
- Unparalleled Privacy & Seclusion from Our Fly-In Wilderness Camp
Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp sits on a private 15-acre inholding within Lake Clark National Park, which we access via chartered small plane from Homer. Because we're on private land, and the camp is ours alone, you'll enjoy secluded accommodations away from other travelers in the national park.
- Exceptional Comfort in a Truly Remote Setting
Bear Camp is out there—way out there. But our isolated wilderness setting doesn't mean you'll lack for creature comforts. Heavy-duty weatherproof tent cabins are spacious, heated and furnished with real beds, a desk and a nighttime en suite potty, while the shared bathhouse has ecological composting toilets and hot showers. Meals are a highlight, created by our resident chef who makes the most of fresh local seafood and other regional fare.
- A Scenic Roundtrip Flight is a Special Bonus
Many visitors to Alaska add a flightseeing trip to their itinerary, since there's nothing that tops an aerial view when it comes to appreciating the scale and grandeur of the Alaskan landscape. Such an adventure is part of getting to Bear Camp! We charter small planes out of Homer, crossing Cook Inlet and passing the snow-covered volcanoes of Redoubt and Iliamna, where the Aleutian Range meets the glaciated Alaska Range, before landing on the beach in front of camp.
- Varied Bear Viewing Modes & Locations
From our base at camp, we watch bears from a private two-story viewing platform. And we often see bears on the beach right in front of camp! We also observe on foot with our naturalist guides, and from our private Bear Mobile, a rugged vehicle that takes us farther afield in search of bears. Its open sides and rear offer unimpeded viewing, and it is also equipped with weatherproof flaps that we can drop in case of inclement weather. While we enjoy total privacy at our Bear Camp location, we also have direct access into Lake Clark National Park for additional bear-viewing excursions.
- Expert Bear Naturalist Guides Add Immeasurably to Your Experience
Our Bear Camp Expedition Leaders are not only professional naturalists, they're bear experts. They have spent years observing and learning about Ursus arctos, and their wealth of knowledge adds immeasurably to your experience. They are also seasoned guides when it comes to understanding bear behavior and your safety, coaching us in proper etiquette for respectful viewing.
Itinerary
Day 1–6: A secluded immersion with brown bears in the wilderness of Lake Clark National Park. Enjoy total privacy and comfort at our deluxe, fly-in wilderness camp accessed via chartered bush plane from Homer.
Accommodations
Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp
Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
Nat Hab's private Alaska Bear Camp on Cook Inlet is a sustainable base for exploring Alaska's most pristine brown bear habitat, providing wilderness accommodations that are low on impact yet high on comfort. Built on a historic homestead on the ancestral land of the Dena'ina people, the remote parcel on roadless land was grandfathered in to remain private when Lake Clark National Park was established in 1980. It's the only such property within the park with this exclusive status. Surrounded entirely by the park today, Bear Camp offers a premier location for immersive encounters with brown bears—the world's largest "coastal grizzlies"—exclusively for Nat Hab guests.
Our deluxe backcountry camp is designed for an unobtrusive presence among the bears, with tent cabins erected on a raised deck in front of the forest, facing the Chinitna Bay shoreline. These custom heavy-duty WeatherPort tents offer sturdy protection against the elements. Each has a solid door and hard floor and is warmed with a propane space heater and illuminated with battery-powered lights. Solar energy provides a portion of the camp's electricity needs, including the electrified fence that surrounds the camp for protection against bears and other wildlife. Each tent cabin is furnished with two twin beds. Charging stations for cameras and phones are available in the dining tent. The bathhouse has hot showers and state-of-the-art composting toilets, and each tent also has a nighttime porta-potty for essential needs. Biodegradable toiletries in refillable bottles are provided. Meals are served in the communal dining tent, which also serves as a space for socializing, guide presentations and topping up your camera batteries. A small library is available in the shared tent, featuring bear-centric titles. Food is a highlight at Bear Camp (and not just for the bears!), with our resident chef creating impressive dishes that draw extensively on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including fish and seafood straight out of regional waters.
Land's End Resort
Homer, Alaska
Land's End Resort enjoys a choice location on the beach at the very tip of the famous Homer Spit, the western terminus of the U.S. highway system known locally as "The End of the Road." It's the only hotel on the spit, and it's within walking distance of the lively small boat harbor where fishermen are constantly unloading the day's catch. Rooms feature views of Kachemak Bay with one king-size or two double beds, a full bath, desk with chair, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, coffee maker and private deck. Specializing in freshly caught local seafood, the casual Chart Room restaurant enjoys one of the finest locations for dining in Alaska, surveying the broad expanse of Kachemak Bay with marine life often in view outside the picture windows or from the large outdoor deck. Wheel House Espresso offers coffee pick-me-ups, and a gift shop is also on site. If time permits, take a sauna, swim in the heated pool, or soak in the outdoor hot tub in view of the Kenai Mountains.
Weather and Climate
Alaska's weather can vary widely across the state. Summers are often mild and cool, with warmer temperatures in the interior. From spring to early fall, coastal Alaska experiences more days of rain, and the weather in the mountains is often unpredictable. While in this rugged land, it is best to come prepared for anything!
Trip Pricing
Trip Price: $6,995 (+internal air).
Internal Air Cost: $1,636 per person (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).
Single Occupancy: For a single room, add $975. Contact us to learn how you can avoid the single supplement.
Deposit: $500 per person (non-refundable)
Group Size
Limited to 14 Travelers
A very important feature of our Bear Camp adventure is the limited group size, as nature expeditions and wildlife encounters are best experienced in a quiet, intimate context.
Included
Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides and camp staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, private wildlife cruise on Kachemak Bay, camp gear (rain jackets, rubber boots, mosquito nets, Swarovski binoculars, scopes and tripods), some gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
Internal Air cost includes: Chartered flights from Anchorage to Homer as well as chartered bush flights between Homer and Bear Camp (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).
Not Included
Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.
Physical Requirements: Easy to Moderate
Nat Hab's Alaska Bear Camp adventure is a remote wilderness experience in the heart of wild brown bear habitat. Our deluxe safari-style camp is accessed exclusively via privately chartered small planes, which make beach landings as weather and tides permit. Good health and overall fitness are a must, as we are far from medical facilities in this roadless region—it may take several hours or potentially a full day or more to evacuate to a medical facility should health problems arise.
General mobility, including the ability to climb into and out of small planes, is essential. Trip participants must be able to walk at least 1 mile without assistance to join this adventure. Most of our time is spent standing out in the elements viewing bears for hours at a time, both from viewing platforms and on guided walks. Once we reach our bear-viewing site for each outing, we may spend several hours in essentially one spot with little movement. The closest bear viewing platform is 300 feet from camp, while the farthest is a 1.5 mile walk one way, but we do have vehicle support to facilitate getting to the more distant platforms if necessary. Bear viewing can also be done right from camp, but to get the full experience, guests must be able to walk at least 1 mile unassisted. While it isn't possible to take longer walks or hikes during our time at camp, our bear-viewing location may vary each day, and we access the sites by walking on wooden boardwalks, dirt paths or uneven natural terrain, which may include sections of shallow water. You must be able to carry all your own gear, including daypacks and camera equipment. We stress that travelers are not required to participate in every activity, but all guests must be in general good health. Guests must also come prepared with a positive attitude and the ability to be flexible in a wild and remote setting where weather conditions are highly changeable.
Important Information About This Trip
Our Bear Camp adventure offers a rare opportunity for an immersive encounter with one of the world's bear viewing locations, while luxury camping allows guests to stay in complete comfort. Since this trip takes place way off the grid and a 45-minute flight from the nearest town, guests must be prepared for all the vagaries that come with travel to such an isolated destination. These include inclement weather and limited operational materials, all of which makes a journey to our exclusive Alaska Bear Camp an adventure in the truest sense. At times, flights may be canceled or delayed due to poor weather, and some amenities may become unavailable until a new shipment arrives. But the adventure is part of the excitement, and we will use our decades of operating experience in Alaska to make the best of even substantial itinerary changes, should they occur.
Please understand that the hearty and tasty meals at camp are specially planned and prepared for well in advance. Dietary requirements due to serious medical conditions or strict personal restrictions can be met, with ample notice, but must be adhered to during the trip. If you have a very restricted diet, we recommend bringing some of your preferred snacks along, with the appreciation that certain foods are limited in this remote part of the world and there might not be many options.
Getting There and Getting Home
Arrive into Anchorage, Alaska by 1 pm on Day 1 of the trip to check in at 2pm for our group charter flight to Homer, departing at 3 pm.
Depart from Homer, Alaska at any time on the final day.