Bear viewing trips??

[chrob]

We want to do a bear viewing trip from either Anchorage or Homer in August 2005.

 

There are so many tour companies...........Can anyone recommend a good one in each place please?

 

We will be there between 5th-12th August 2005.

 

Thanks

[JohnQ]

Attached, I hope is an earlier thread re same subject and a link to some pictues to our trip with Hallo Bay Bear Veiwing at Katmai NP, flying there from Homer. There are three or four companies in Homer if you check their visitor guide. Hallo Bay has a wilderness camp on Katmai that offers day trips to 7 night trips.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=83551

[swdke]

I know what you mean with there being so many choices. In July 2000, we went with Bald Mountan Air out of Homer. The web site is http://www.baldmountainair.com

 

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Ocean House Bed and Breakfast, their web site is http://www.homeroceanhouse.com

 

Both Bald Mountain Air and the Ocean House Bed and Breakfast were fantastic. The view from the sea plane with Bald Mountain was so beautiful. On the way back to Homer from our bear viewing experience we flew over mountains and glaciers. They were so close it seemed like I could touch them. And bears, yes we saw bears, I recall counting 17 grizzlies, or Brown Bears as they are called along the coastal areas. One came upon us and was as close as 10 yards. That was breath taking.

 

Bald Mountain Air is out of Homer and flies into Katmai National Park. I suppose there may be some outfitters out of Anchorage, but when I did my research, I didn't find anything as interesting as what was offered out of Homer. But, maybe I missed some.

 

For me, these are the only two choices for bear viewing and lodging. In fact, I have returned last November at Thanksgiving time to Homer and stayed at the Ocean House B & B. I can't wait for the day when I can go on the bear safari again. Check out the web sites and decide for yourself. Also, just give Bald Mountain a call to answer all your questions.

 

Good luck with your planning and have fun.

[JohnQ]

Swdke

We had Bald Mtn's brochure from our 2002 trip, but decided on Hallo Bay. Does Bald Mtn have a camp or people at Katmai? Or does the plane land on beach or water and the pilot is also your guide? Do you stay on plane or walk on beach? How long do you stay at Katmai? We would love to do again next time, and wondering what their competition does? Thanks.

[swdke]

JohnQ

Bald Mountain offered day trips only. Overnighting at a camp would be a wonderful experience, but for our trip in 2000, we only had a day. We flew early morning on a sea plane and landed on what appeared to be a small river in Katmai near the ocean. After landing, we were provided waders and walked in the river from the plane to the river's shore. Our guide was the pilot and owner of Bald Mountain air. We walked along the beach of the river, not the ocean. We walked less than a mile along the river and spent about 5 hours on a small hill by the river where we viewed bears, and bears with cubs feeding along the river. The view was fantastic with the mountians in the background, and flowers blooming all around on a sunny day. For a day trip, it was a fantastic experience to see so many bears, and some up very close walking around us. If I had only a day for such a trip again, I'd go with Bald Mountain as the trip exceeded all my expectations.

[JohnQ]

Swdke, Thanks, I just wondered how they operated. So once you waded to shore rather than land on the beach, it sounded similar to our day. We walked up and down this braided river or stream and found several viewing spots as we watched for more bears or waited for the female we had been watching to head our way. Guide seemed to know which way she way going even though he said he had never seen her before. We're ready to go back again too. My wife is stil talking about it, especially when we see our video.