Region
Southwest Alaska

Katmai brown bears, volcanoes, and the Aleutian Islands

Southwestern Alaska includes the Alaska Peninsula, the Kodiak Archipelago, and the Aleutian Islands, a volcanic chain stretching toward Asia. This remote region, accessible mainly by plane or seaplane, is home to Katmai National Park, famous for its large populations of brown bears. At Brooks Falls, grizzly bears gather in the summer to catch salmon as they run upstream. Kodiak Island is home to one of the world’s largest bear subspecies. The maritime climate, often foggy and windy, shapes landscapes of tundra, active volcanoes, and rugged coastlines.

Must-See Attractions in Southwest Alaska

Katmai National Park: Brown Bears at Brooks Falls
Kodiak Island: Brown Bear Sightings
Aleutian Islands: Volcanoes and Wild Coasts
Fishing and Marine Life in the Waters of the Southwest

Learn more about Southwest Alaska

<b>Lake Clark National Park: </b>Brown <b>Bears </b>and Volcanoes in Alaska

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The Aleutian Islands: Volcanoes, Dutch Harbor, and World War II

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Kodiak Island: Home to the World’s Largest Brown Bears in Alaska

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Katmai National Park: Watching the Bears at Brooks Falls

Katmai National Park, in southwestern Alaska, protects approximately 4...

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Wild Adventures in Katmai and Kodiak

Bear Watching in Katmai

At Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, brown bears gather every summer to catch salmon swimming upstream. From secure observation platforms, visitors witness this fishing spectacle as grizzly bears compete to show off their skills. Access is by seaplane from King Salmon, one of Alaska’s most renowned wildlife viewing destinations.

Katmai National Park
Wildlife

Plus d'infos

Encounter with the Kodiak Bears

Kodiak Island is home to one of the world’s largest subspecies of brown bears, which has been genetically isolated for millennia. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge protects these giants across a vast expanse of tundra and forest. Guided tours, often in small groups, allow visitors to observe them in their natural habitat—among salmon-filled rivers and coastal meadows—far from the usual tourist trails.