*If you have any questions that aren't answered in this post, please leave them in the comments section where I do my best to answer all Alaska related questions directly!
My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are my favorite websites and resources to help plan an incredible trip to the 49th State. For flights, I recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska. Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars! I always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates. To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, I always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required). For fun things to do, I recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick. Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance. Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier. What to Expect on a Tour with Bald Mountain Air
Bald Mountain Air Service is a float plane company operating out of Homer, Alaska, which takes guests to Katmai National Park to see the infamous brown grizzly bears there. The brown bear season in Katmai National Park typically runs from the beginning of June to mid September, and the exact location you'll be taken to entirely depends on the month, the current salmon runs, and of course the bears behavior - but typically it'll follow the pattern below :
This epic adventures begins with an approximately 1 hour float plane ride from Homer to your designated area. The plane ride itself has a 300 pound maximum weight limit per passenger, and 12 pound weight limit per personal carry-on luggage - however I also think it's worth mentioning they never weighed our bags. Our check in began at 8:30 a.m. at their Homer Beluga Lake Office followed by a rundown of what to expect from our trip and all emergency procedures with the plane, with a final departure around 9 a.m. After this we were flown over some of the most beautiful views I've ever seen, and arrived at the Katmai National Park office where we had to undergo a 20 minute "Bear Safety School" before we could venture around the park ourselves. Overall, we ended up having about 4 hours with the bears before we had to jump on our flight back home.
The exact tour I recommend :
- Katmai National Park Bear Viewing My Complete and Honest Review
No doubt about it, this is a bucket list experience that I can only hope everyone experiences at least once. I'll be honest the price point is quite high per person, especially for a one day trip, but truthfully for what you're getting and comparing the price with other Alaska tours, I truly believe it is 100% worth it and will always recommend it to visitors. The flight itself is a little small and there's no bathroom, so if you get motion sickness I would take dramamine and try to get a seat near one of the windows. If you're extra lucky, you might even get to sit in the front of the plane for some extra special views!
My only complaint is that we wish we would have had more time with the bears. Of course, I feel like even spending a week there wouldn't be enough time for me. The safety briefings are quite long, especially when you're so excited to see the bears up close, but they're there for a reason and I 100% support that. The flight views were incredible, the bears were incredible, the photos we got were incredible, the whole experience was incredible - but to make it even better I've also included some of my best tips when visiting Katmai National Park via Bald Mountain Air :
Other Alaska blog posts you might be interested in :
-> 15 Easiest Alaska Glaciers to Visit -> Where to Rent Bear Spray in Alaska -> 7 Best Tours in Alaska
Pin this Bald Mountain Air Review for later!
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I'm Deborah👋🏼
In 2021 my husband Tyler convinced me to move to Alaska. After living there for a year (then leaving to take a year long world trip) we realized there was no place we loved more. So now we're back - and I'm here to share all my best tips and hidden gems to make Your Alaskan Adventures the best they can be. My favorite travel gear is available on Amazon! Use this link to shop all my favorite Alaska necessities! This blog and all content is free to you, however, when you purchase through referral or affiliate links on our site I may earn a small commission with no extra cost to you! Learn more here about our affiliates and privacy policy. Links look like this, and are tours and products I only personally recommend! Looking for adventures outside of Alaska? Check out our main blog Raarup Adventures for international vacation ideas or Deborah in Korea for adventures in Korea! |