I booked this trip to see bears, but what I got was so much more.
Christine F.
The Best Guide on the planet!
Jessica T.
Through his years of experience in Alaska, he found expert pilots to fly us into the remote locations of Katmai and Lake Clark.
Robert H.
Fat Bears of Katmai Photography Workshop
The bears of Brooks Falls have become genuine internet celebrities — and for good reason. Every September, just before winter, they reach peak mass, packing on pounds with single-minded efficiency at one of the most remarkable wildlife spectacles in North America. Katmai National Park even runs a popular Fat Bear tournament so the public can vote on the year’s most impressively rotund competitor.
Mid-September is the moment. The bears are at their heaviest, the summer crowds are gone, and Brooks Falls is as close to yours as it ever gets. Three days at Brooks, then south down the Kenai Peninsula to Homer — eagles, marine wildlife, a boat tour on Kachemak Bay, and some of the most jaw-dropping sunsets in Alaska. Fall in Alaska is genuinely my favorite time of year, and this trip is why.
Oh — and one day we fly into Lake Clark National Park to photograph bears fishing for the last of the spawning sockeye. Because three days of fat bears apparently isn’t enough.
Small group, maximum 8 participants.
2026 – FULL!
13-20 September, 2027 – Space Available!
$8350/double occupancy ($500 single supplement)
Download the Brochure HERE!
Trip Overview
We meet in Anchorage on the first evening for a group dinner — a chance to get acquainted and talk through the days ahead before an early departure the following morning.
From Anchorage we fly to King Salmon, our base for the next two nights. That afternoon we get our cameras out and start exploring the area as we settle in.
The next three days belong to the bears. Each morning we board a bush plane for the short flight to Brooks Camp, spending full days at Brooks Falls in the heart of one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. Close enough to hear the river, close enough to watch a 700-pound bear snatch a 10-pound salmon out of the air like it’s nothing. The bears are at peak mass in mid-September, the summer crowds are gone, and the falls are as close to ours as they ever get.
On day five we fly into Lake Clark National Park for a day photographing bears fishing for the last of the spawning sockeye on a remote river — then continue on to Homer for the evening.
Homer gives us two full days on the southern Kenai Peninsula. A boat tour on Kachemak Bay puts us among otters, whales, porpoises, seals, and seabirds. Eagles are everywhere. The autumn color is at its peak. And the sunsets over Cook Inlet are extraordinary.
On our final morning we make the return drive to Anchorage, wrapping up mid-afternoon with full cards and a lot of good memories.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Afternoon flight for King Salmon, dinner, night in King Salmon.
Day 2-3 – Early morning flight from King Salmon to Brooks Falls. All day at Brooks. Night in King Salmon.
Day 4 – Early morning flight to Brooks Falls. Return to King Salmon in the early afternoon, transfer on to Anchorage. Night in Anchorage.
Day 5 – Morning departure for Soldotna, where we will catch a float plane to Lake Clark National Park for day photographing bears as they fish for the last of the spawning sockeye salmon (weather permitting). Return to Soldotna and transfer on to Homer. Night in Homer.
Day 6-7 – With two full days in Homer we’ll have the chance to take a boat tour on Kachemak Bay, spend some time photographing eagles, and take a hike across the bay in the beautiful Kachemak Bay State Park.
Day 8- Return to Anchorage. Trip ends mid-afternoon. (Optional flight from Homer to Anchorage).
- All lodging and transportation
- Multiple bush plane flights
- Kachemak Bay boat tour
- Meals and Snacks
- Guide Services
- Photography Instruction
- Assistance with other reservations
- Airfare to and from Anchorage, Alaska
- Hotels in Anchorage before or after the trip
- Optional Valley of 10,000 Smokes Tour
- Alcoholic or specialty drinks
- Tips for Guide (optional)
Cost
2027 Cost – 8 day/7 Night Photo Tour: $8350/person (double occupancy, $500 single supplement will apply)
While physical demands are not high on this trip, you do need to be able to walk a couple of miles over mostly smooth trails to access the Brooks Falls viewing platforms. While you don’t need to be an athlete, good physical condition will greatly improve your enjoyment of the trip.
Some bush flights may impose body weight limits, or additional costs may apply. Contact me if you have questions about this.
Long days too, are the norm, and we may be away from the hotels for up to 12 hours or even more if the day’s photography is excellent.
Have questions? Then send me an email using the form below:
Are there weight limits for the bush planes?
Some of the flights on this trip — particularly into Brooks Camp and Lake Clark — do have body weight considerations, and gear weight is sometimes limited as well. This varies by aircraft and operator. If you have questions about whether this affects you, reach out before booking and I’ll walk you through the specifics.
What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate?
Bush plane flying in Alaska is weather-dependent, and a day at Brooks Falls or Lake Clark can occasionally be delayed or rescheduled if conditions don’t allow safe flying. I build a bit of flexibility into the itinerary for exactly this reason, and in the rare case a flight gets scrubbed entirely, we make the most of King Salmon or Homer instead. This is the nature of remote Alaska travel — flexibility is part of the deal.
What camera gear should I bring?
Check out the complete gear list for everything you need.
Will we actually see fat bears?
Mid-September is timed specifically around peak bear weight at Brooks Falls, and it’s so consistent that Katmai runs its own public Fat Bear tournament every fall. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but this is about as reliable a window as exists anywhere for the spectacle this trip is built around.
How physically demanding is this trip?
Not extremely. You’ll need to walk a couple of miles over mostly smooth trails to reach the Brooks Falls viewing platforms, and some days run long — we may be out for 10 to 12 hours if the photography is excellent. You don’t need to be an athlete, but reasonable fitness will make for a more enjoyable week.
What’s included with the Kachemak Bay boat tour?
The boat tour is part of the trip and included in your cost — it’s where we spend time photographing otters, whales, seals, and seabirds during the Homer portion of the itinerary.
When do I need to arrive and depart?
It’s best to arrive a day early. We usually depart in the early afternoon on Day 1 for King Salmon, but flight times vary from year to year. The trip wraps up in Anchorage in the mid-afternoon of the final day, leaving time for evening flights home.
Katmai and the Kenai - The Perfect Autumn Combination
