Alaska Wildlife Safaris & Highlights

Grizzly Bear

For many, grizzly bear viewing will be one of the key considerations when planning a safari. Katmai National Park is one of the best places in the world to witness them, and despite being such a vast and isolated environment, visitors tend to be situated in one area - Brooks Camp - which contains trails, lodges and boardwalks along the Brooks River, where bears can be seen catching salmon at Brooks Falls as the salmon make their way upstream. Much smaller than grizzlies, black bears are however much more commonly found in Alaska, with a population between 100-200,000 and varying in colour from black to brown and white.

The brown Kodiak bears found on the Emerland Isle of Kodiak here that are estimated at 3,500-strong are Alaska’s largest at up to 10ft tall and are known to congreagate around the mouths of streams during the mid to late summer months - the salmon spawning season. Kodiak’s hills are also punctuated with flowers over the tundra in the spring months and valleys are filled with tracts of dense, verdant rainforest, ideal for the other resident wildlife that includes elk, deer, mountain goats, wolves, sea lions, otters and whales. The best trip on which to see these huge grizzlies is our up close and personal Kodiak bear tour. Kodiak grizzlies, found only in Alaska, are the largest of the grizzly bears.

The Arctic region is where you will not only enjoy native heritage, minerals and rivers, with coastal plains that contrast heavily with mountain ranges, but also the infamous polar bear, whose population may become endangered but ranging over sea, ice and land, they can be seen in the North and North Western territories of the Arctic region.

Sea Otters

These charismatic marine mammals are commonly found along the coastline, particularly in the kelp forests of the Aleutian Islands.

Moose

The iconic moose has a thriving population in Alaska and can be found throughout the country, from the temperate rainforests of the southeast to the boreal forests of the interior and the tundra regions of the north. They are also known to frequent wetlands and areas near lakes and rivers. Moose are herbivores and primarily feed on a diet of woody vegetation, such as willow and birch leaves, aquatic plants, and grasses. During the winter, they may rely on stored fat reserves and feed on tree bark and twigs.

Birds

Alaska offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching, especially during the summer months when many species are actively breeding and nesting. Alaska serves as a crucial breeding ground for numerous migratory birds, including shorebirds, waterfowl, and songbirds. It is also home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the United States and you can often spot them near rivers and coastal areas. Known for their distinctive beaks, several species of puffins, including horned puffins and tufted puffins, nest on coastal cliffs and islands in Alaska. They are known for their distinctive beaks and colourful plumage.