Katmai National Park Travel Guide

Overview
Itineraries
Travel Companies

Broad river flats, looming mountains, and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes; the stunning, desolate remains of the 20th century's largest volcanic eruption.

That's what you'll find in Katmai National Park, alongside the park's famous brown bears gorging on floods of incoming salmon. Visitors also come here for the paddling, backcountry hiking and fly fishing, although some of the fishing is catch and release only.

Katmai National Park Tours

Basecamp bears at Katmai National Park

Alaska’s most unique bear viewing trip

5 daysFrom $3,995

	Anchorage, Katmai National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
	Small group tour
	Family, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Solo Travel

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Destinations	Anchorage, Katmai National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Activity	Family, Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Birdwatching, National Parks, Solo Travel
Tour Type	Small group tour
Physical Level	Moderate
Season	August - September

Alaska’s most unique bear viewing trip! This once-in-a-lifetime adventure is truly a multi-sensory experience for the adventurer looking to view, photograph and admire North America’s most magnificent big game animal. From your comfortable camp (one that we’ve made bear resistant by surrounding with an electric fence), we spend three full days watching the world famous bears of Katmai National Park in a true wilderness setting.

	Accommodation	3 nights camping. All equipment provided: expedition quality tents, group tarps, all cooking equipment & eating utensils, basecamp privy with toilet supplies. Lodging on the final night at the Farm Lodge on Lake Clark.
	Guided excursions	Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 guest to guide ratio.
	All meals	All meals from lunch on day 1 through lunch on the final day of the itinerary. Breakfasts include steel cut oats, scrambles, homemade granola and cereal, locally roasted coffee, assorted tea and cocoa. Lunches could include an Italian club torta sandwich, asiago bagels and Alaska lox, a curried tuna pita, crackers with genoa salami with a roasted red pepper goat cheese spread. Snack mixes and energy bars available throughout the day. Dinners could include pasta carbonara, Alaska reindeer rotini, chicken and chipotle enchiladas, and more. Vegetarian and special dietary requirements catered for on request.
	Ground transfers	Ground Transportation to Merrill Field on day 1.
	Internal flights	Roundtrip bush flight transportation from Anchorage to Port Alsworth. Roundtrip floatplane flights from Lake Clark to Katmai.

The Valley Experience

10 days exploring Katmai National Park

10 daysFrom $4,550

	Anchorage, Katmai National Park
	Small group tour
	Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Solo Travel

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Destinations	Anchorage, Katmai National Park
Activity	Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Solo Travel
Tour Type	Small group tour
Physical Level	Strenuous
Season	July - August

Brimming with adventurous possibility and inviting exploration, Katmai's Valley of 10,000 Smokes is a backpackers dream. Rimmed with active, glaciated volcanoes, and blanketed with a hiker-friendly surface of sand and ash from the massive 1912 eruption, the Valley is a must-see for anyone with a "peak" experience in mind. After flying from Anchorage to King Salmon, hop in a float plane for the bush flight from King Salmon to the world famous Brooks Camp. Here you’ll have the chance to witness the annual bear viewing spectacle, before heading out to the valley by bus on day three. From the Three Forks Visitor Center begin the circumnavigation of the valley floor, with stops along the way to attempt non-technical ascents of Broken Mountain, Fallen Mountain, Baked Mountain, Cerebrus, and maybe even Mt. Griggs.

	Accommodation	Most tours are camping-based, but may include some lodge accommodation. With literally thousands of nights camped in the Alaska wilderness in all seasons, Alaska Alpine Adventures have refined camp craft to a science. Expedition quality tents, included trekking poles, group-size tarp shelters, and only the best cooking equipment accompany each and every trip.
	Camping equipment	Tents and all necessary camping gear and equipment supplied. Kayaking equipment is also provided, including inflatable kayaks, life jackets, paddles plus spares, repair kits, throw bags, and dry bags.
	Internal flights	Domestic/internal scenic bush flights are included.
	Ground transfers	All airport transfers in private cars and comfortable minivans.
	Guided excursions	Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 guest to guide ratio.
	Some meals	Most meals included — see itinerary for more details. Breakfasts include steel cut oats, scrambles, homemade granola and cereal, locally roasted coffee, assorted tea and cocoa. Lunches could include an Italian club torta sandwich, asiago bagels and Alaska lox, a curried tuna pita, crackers with genoa salami with a roasted red pepper goat cheese spread. Snack mixes and energy bars available throughout the day. Dinners could include pasta carbonara, Alaska reindeer rotini, chicken and chipotle enchiladas, and more. Vegetarian and special dietary requirements catered for on request.

Parks of the Alaska Peninsula

Hike the volcanic landscape of Katmai and Aniakchak

12 daysFrom $6,295

	Anchorage, Katmai National Park, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
	Small group tour
	Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Solo Travel

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Destinations	Anchorage, Katmai National Park, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
Activity	Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Camping, Nature & Wildlife, National Parks, Solo Travel
Tour Type	Small group tour
Physical Level	Moderate
Season	June - August

Starting in the small fishing town of King Salmon, board a float plane to view Alaska's famous brown bears of the Brooks River. Then travel to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes to explore the lunar-like topography of ancient volcanoes and gaze into river canyons hundreds of feet deep where layers of pumice and ash have been eroded by rain and snow melt.

Over the next six days, explore this surreal wilderness on foot. Whether climbing to the caldera’s rim, hiking to the summit of Vent Mountain, or scanning for wildlife along the lake shore, you are sure to experience a wilderness like nowhere else on earth, before the skilled bush pilot flies you back to King Salmon.

	Accommodation	Most tours are camping-based, but may include some lodge accommodation. With literally thousands of nights camped in the Alaska wilderness in all seasons, Alaska Alpine Adventures have refined camp craft to a science. Expedition quality tents, included trekking poles, group-size tarp shelters, and only the best cooking equipment accompany each and every trip.
	Camping equipment	Tents and all necessary camping gear and equipment supplied. Kayaking equipment is also provided, including inflatable kayaks, life jackets, paddles plus spares, repair kits, throw bags, and dry bags.
	Internal flights	Domestic/internal scenic bush flights are included.
	Ground transfers	All airport transfers in private cars and comfortable minivans.
	Guided excursions	Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 guest to guide ratio.
	Some meals	Most meals included — see itinerary for more details. Breakfasts include steel cut oats, scrambles, homemade granola and cereal, locally roasted coffee, assorted tea and cocoa. Lunches could include an Italian club torta sandwich, asiago bagels and Alaska lox, a curried tuna pita, crackers with genoa salami with a roasted red pepper goat cheese spread. Snack mixes and energy bars available throughout the day. Dinners could include pasta carbonara, Alaska reindeer rotini, chicken and chipotle enchiladas, and more. Vegetarian and special dietary requirements catered for on request.