June Guided Bear Viewing-
Hiking Adventure in Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park
Adventure Details
Timeframe: When bear activity is optimal during the month of June 6-30, 2024 (exact dates vary season-to-season).
Tour Duration: 7-8 hours
Age Requirement: 11 years or older. For groups with children 8-10 years old, inquire about our private charter options.
Weight Restrictions: We have a weight limitation of 325 lbs. per person. We want everyone to enjoy bear viewing, so we do require that you wear a PFD and be able to safely enter/exit the aircraft.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Departure/Return: approx. 8:30-10am / approx. 3:30-5pm
Number of Guests: 5-6 per day
Walking Distance: 4-5 Miles over the 4 hour time on the ground. This is undeveloped, uneven wilderness terrain and you will be wearing hip waders the entire time. Physical agility is required for this trip since we will crossing creeks, getting up/ down river banks, walking in the mud and over slippery rocks, and crossing uneven tundra and meadows.
Price: $1,295.00 per seat. This includes taxes and park entrance fees; we do not add any other fees or fuel surcharges. We accept cash or check and credit cards (an additional 3.4% processing fee for this method of payment).
Our cancellation policy:
All payments are fully refundable up to 30 days prior to the trip. Within 30 days of your trip date, the deposit is non-refundable and no refunds will be given for cancellations made by the guest for any reason. If you are ill, please cancel in advance. To ensure the safety of our Pilot, employees, and businesses we work with in remote locations, anyone presenting any signs of illness at check in will not be allowed to board the flight and no refunds will be applicable.
What’s Included
Packing list of what to bring and what to wear at confirmation
Flight in our iconic De Havilland Beaver floatplane- take off and land on water
Flight safety presentation by Pilot Wes
Flight time of 1-1.5 hours each way
Guests will have headsets to listen to a narrated tour full of history and educational facts!
Great views from every seat in the plane
Bear safety presentation provided by staff & guide
Hip waders
Guided tour by a Naturalist Guide (not your Pilot)
4 hours on the ground for walking tour in a small group
This is a remote wilderness setting, and an immersive backcountry experience. There are no facilities, no restrooms, and no covered areas. Expect to be out in the elements all day viewing bears in their natural environment.
Finish the day taking photos with the plane & Pilot
A map and drawing of your flight path, as well as a Beluga Air sticker
Memories beyond compare!
Safety is our number one priority. We take immense pride in upholding rigorous standards and embrace the distinction of being the most cautious company on the lake. This commitment to safety may result in delays or trip cancellations if our pilot feels uncomfortable with the conditions. There is nothing we want more than to see you fulfill your dream of seeing the bears - that objective is only surpassed by our dedication to ensuring your safety above all else.
Visit our FAQ’s page for more information as well as Beluga Air policies and conditions of tours.
Alaska offers a multitude of wildlife viewing opportunities, but for many visitors the main attraction is the iconic Alaska coastal brown bear (the grizzly bear). Summer populations of brown bear thrive in coastal Alaska due to abundant food sources such as sedge grass, intertidal shellfish, and salmon returning to spawn.
Bear viewing from Homer, Alaska is an excellent addition to your Alaskan adventure. We offer guided hikes in Katmai National Park & Preserve during the months of June, late July, and August. We specialize in offering small-group, professional-naturalist guided tours and firmly believe this is the optimal way to experience the bears. Our pilot, while we love him dearly, is only there to fly the plane :)
We employ the services of a trained guide to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of bear biology and behavior for our guests. Our guides not only offer valuable insights and information but also ensure a safe and enriching experience, providing unparalleled up-close access to bears for optimal viewing and photography opportunities. Guests will appreciate the nuances of bear interactions, ecological roles, and conservation considerations while getting incredible up-close access to bears for viewing and photography.
Hallo Bay in June
In June, we head to the coastal meadows of Hallo Bay. This tour is led by a professional naturalist/photographer guide (NOT our pilot) in a small group setting of 4-6 guests. Guests are required to have the physical ability to walk 4-5 miles in hip wader boots (which we provide) on uneven wilderness terrain. If you have hip, knee, or ankle issues this may not be the tour for you. Hallo Bay provides a gorgeous backdrop of Hallo Glacier as the backdrop in this remote and wild area - there are no services or amenities. In this area you may see bears grazing on sedge grass, clamming, or mating. We will spend 4 hours on the ground and the flight time is just over 1 hour in each direction, so be prepared to enjoy a full day of adventure! We take off and land on floats, everyone has their own headset, and you will experience amazing views on your flightsee to and from this bear viewing location.
During flight, in our iconic De Havilland Beaver floatplane, each person will be given a headset to listen in on a great narrated tour! You will learn a lot about the Homer area, Kachemak Bay, the Cook Inlet, Katmai National Park and many more historical and geography facts about Alaska! By air you will get a better understanding of how vast and beautiful Katmai National Park truly is!
Meet Your Guide
Naturalist Guide Erica Hausfeld
Curious Nature Guided Adventures, LLC
Erica Hausfeld has had an impressive and adventurous career in outdoor adventure guiding, spanning over two decades. Erica's passion for travel ignited during high school when she became an international exchange student in New Zealand. This experience deeply influenced her adventurous spirit and led her to further study-abroad travels during her undergraduate studies.
Erica has cultivated outdoor skills and explored diverse landscapes throughout her extensive career. She is well-versed in hiking and backpacking, bicycling, and even paragliding. Her affinity for the outdoors is evident in her love of nature photography, spending time in the mountains and her sense of home in her mini camper van.
Over the years, Erica's expertise has taken her to numerous locations worldwide, guiding multi-day active outdoor trips in many parts of the US, South & Central America, New Zealand, SE Asia, and Europe. Her international guiding experience has primarily been in New Zealand, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Iceland, Spain, Greece, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Costa Rica. While in the United States, she has guided trips in Utah & Arizona (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Grand Canyon National Parks), Maine, Vermont, and Alaska!
Since her first trip to Alaska in 2007, she immediately fell in love! Alaska holds a special place in Erica's heart as she has developed a profound connection with this land. This fondness for nature and the Alaskan lifestyle led her to make Homer, AK, her full-time home, choosing to put down roots for the first time. Most recently, during the winters, she guides Aurora Borealis tours out of Fairbanks and enjoys sharing the beauty and intensity of Interior Alaska with her guests.
For the last several years, Erica has found particular joy in guiding brown bear-viewing adventures in Katmai National Park and Preserve, considering it the work she loves most among the many opportunities she has encountered throughout her career. She is now the proud owner of Curious Nature Guided Adventures, LLC. Her diverse experiences and genuine love for adventure make her a captivating guide eager to share Alaska's wonders with others. Her knowledge and respect for the bears make these trips great for viewing as well as a very educational experience learning about the bears and their behaviors and the ecosystem in which they thrive!
Erica Hausfeld's commitment to safety and well-being in the outdoors is evident through her training as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Highlighting her dedication to the health and safety of those she guides Erica is well-prepared to handle various situations and provide the necessary care in remote and challenging environments, enhancing the overall safety and enjoyment of the outdoor experiences she leads.
Experience Hallo Bay
Join us in June for a Katmai Coastline expedition! View bears as they wake up from hibernation and begin their summer on the beach clamming and in the sedge meadows grazing. Opportunities to see small spring cubs, the occasional wolf, and bear mating behaviors.
