Grizzly Bears Salmon Special

To come face to face with one of the most awe-inspiring predators on the planet is truly one of the greatest adrenalin packed photography experiences you can undertake. We have been running trips to Alaska for over 15 years now and after all that time it is a trip that we always look forward too. The National Parks gives you a true sense of the Alaskan wilderness and are one of the premier Alaskan brown bear viewing areas in the world.

The sockeye salmon start migrating back to their breeding grounds in early July and by early August they finally arrive back at their spawning grounds. We have timed this trip to coincide with this special event and of course it attracts the Bears to these shallow streams and creeks, our main target. This is a remote location and the only way to do this trip is to fly in by bush plane and then our outfitter will set-up base camp which will be our home for the week. We will go out looking for fishing bears each day under the expert guidance of our bear guides and the photographic opportunities will be endless. Our excursions into the field are long days to make the most of the light and can sometimes be weather related but over the course of the week we will be concentrating on fishing bears catching these blood red sockeye salmon, on some days there are long walks involved to get to the various favourite fishing spots of the bears but the adventure of being in such a remote area and witnessing this great spectacle, which in our opinion is one of the greatest subjects that you can photograph in the natural world. This is a very special trip and to photograph bears just doing what they do in their day to day lives in some of the most beautiful surroundings is one of the most rewarding experiences a wildlife photographer can possibly do.

Day 1: We are due to arrive in Anchorage Airport from our chosen connecting flights. We will then transfer to our accommodation which is a local hotel in Anchorage. We will be in touch with the flight recommendations.

Day 2: After breakfast we then make our way to Merril Airfield to catch our flight to Iliamna. Once in Iliamna we then transfer to catch our special small bush plane for our journey to our location. Once we have landed at our camp we are greeted by our hosts and guides. After lunch we will then head out into the field to look for bears for the afternoon/evening session.

Day 3: The whole trip is dedicated to photographing bears and because of the nature of this trip, we are a small group in a huge wilderness. This really is a special experience to be in the Alaskan wilderness to witness one of the greatest shows on earth. During the early part of July, the sockeye salmon start to undergo their long migration back to their spawning grounds and by the end of July they have reached their end point. The grizzly bear is waiting for this moment and as the fish try to swim through the shallow waters of the streams and creeks the bears start chasing them through the water. We will be trying to photograph this spectacle alongside the big males, mothers with young cubs, sub-adult bears. The location is stunning with vast landscapes which will be great at capturing the bears in their environment. We are in the wilds of Alaska so no boardwalks or big groups of people, it will be just us and the bears with the flexibility of moving positions so we can get the best possible angles. We have no time constraints whilst out in the field either and so we can work in the best possible lighting conditions.

Days 4 – 7: The whole trip will be of the same pattern of the first day. Walks will be over a long distance but split up over the course of the day, packed lunches will be out in the field or if the bears are fishing a creek near to the camp, we can go back and have a rest and some warm food. The bears are only here for the salmon and so are people neutral. The bears know we are there and don’t see us as a threat. Our guides have years of experience and know what distances we can approach certain individuals. They also have expert knowledge of the terrain and have an amazing ability to predict the bears next movements which is perfect for us as photographers. We will analyse each day and then decide which areas are producing the best opportunities and work around that so we can produce a varied portfolio.

Day 8: Unfortunately, it is time to leave and after breakfast we will pack up our gear and catch our bush plane back to Iliamna and then our domestic flight back to Anchorage where we will be based in the same hotel for our final night.

Day 9: After breakfast we will head back to Anchorage Airport to catch our return flights back to our chosen destination. Please note that for the UK this will involve an overnight flight, so you won’t return until the next day.