The Original Bear Viewing Day Trip
Emerald Air Service is the oldest guided bear viewing company based in Homer. We have had the pleasure of sharing respect, understanding, and love for Alaska’s Coastal Brown Bears with many thousands of guests while maintaining a perfect safety record in over 30 years of operation.
Bear Viewing Paradise
Katmai National Park
Boasting a massive 3.6 million acres, Katmai ranks among the world’s premiere bear viewing areas, home to over 2,200 brown bears.
Time-Tested Aircraft
De Havilland Aircraft
The quintessential bush plane, fly in one of our turbine Otter's equipped with floats and enjoy the scenic flight across 100+ miles of breathtaking country.
The Most Complete Trip in the Industry
5 hours on the ground
Offering one of the most robust bear viewing experiences available, we take advantage of long summer days in Katmai National Park.
Safety is our Top Priority
30 Years of Safety
Underlying everything we do is a commitment to excellence, safety, and sound judgment of Alaska's unique, powerful combination of natural forces.
Dedicated Expertise
naturalist guides
Expert naturalist guides are at the heart of what we do, providing not only a safe bear viewing experience, but insight into brown bears and the places they call home.
Learn to Share Their World
Education-Focused
We hope to bring awareness, dispel myths, engage explorers of all kinds, inspire environmental guardians, and instill a love for all things that grow.
Guided EXPEDITION
Katmai National Park
June 1st — Sept 10th
1,195 / person
WORLD-FAMOUS
Brooks Falls
June 20th — Aug 10th
1,095 / person
This is Emerald Air Service's signature trip. Spend an unforgettable day in remote Katmai National Park and Preserve, far away from crowds, developed trails, and viewing platforms. Enjoy a scenic flight into the true Alaskan bush. You and the other members of your small group are led on a day hike by a naturalist guide who acquaints you with Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears and the amazing country that is their home. Depending on the time of summer, locations vary according to the bears' food sources.
See the iconic moment of salmon fighting their way upstream, leaping up water falls only to be caught in the jaws of Coastal Brown Bears. After a short safety briefing by Park Rangers, you can enjoy the park at your own pace. The falls where the bears congregate most densely for fishing are an easy 1 mile walk away from the Visitor's Center. In addition to watching the bears fish at the falls, you can attend one of the ranger-led programs, walk along the beach, and even enjoy a hot meal or cup of coffee at Brooks Lodge.
See What It's Like
to join a guided expedition.
See What It's Like
to venture to Brooks Falls.
Christi R
Amazing Flight to See Bears!
We picked Emerald Air based on their website and reviews and we were so happy! Our family of four flew with Emerald over to Katmai and had the most amazing day. Our pilot Dave was experienced and made us feel comfortable right away. And he was a great whale spotter. Our guide Lance also was a wealth of knowledge and we trusted him completely while watching the bears. We kept our distance but some of them walked near us and we always felt Lance was giving us the right instructions. We saw two sets of triplet cubs, whale carcass, and tons of beautiful bears. Do yourself a favor and go on a trip with them. It was a magical day.
cnieszel
Once in a Lifetime Experience!
What an incredible day! We were a bit anxious when booking, but Melissa did a fabulous job answering all of our questions and putting our fears to rest. Our guide Lance was amazing and made us feel extremely safe during the entire trip. We saw over 30 bears and at NO TIME did we feel uncomfortable or threatened. We've traveled the world and this was one of the most amazing experiences we've ever had. Do not hesitate to book this trip, you won't be sorry. Thank you Emerald Air for such an incredible day!
smudgepot
Amazing Trip!
Our bear viewing trip with Emerald Air Service was absolutely the highlight of our family trip to Alaska! They took great care of us! We went to Hallo Bay. The flight out was very scenic. Then we landed and saw the bears! It was amazing! We never were afraid. It was just Great!
Yes, this is not inexpensive, but it is an experience like nothing else we have done. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Do it if you can and Emerald Air is the best.
See What Our Guests Have to Say
More Than Just a Trip
Education for Life
Learn to Share their World
Education-Focused Approach
More than just a sensationalized bear viewing trip, we always strive to provide an educational experience that dispels Hollywood-encouraged myths that surround bears. Whether through the written word or personal experience, we hope to instill a knowledge, confidence, and love for things that grow.
Exploring the Unknown
Exploration through Knowledge
Knowledge compliments experience to fully equip the explorer for adventure. We believe our articles continue the work of exploration by helping others to understand unknown wildernesses before they set foot into them. We have articles on aviation, Katmai National Park, bear viewing safety, weather, and many other topics to cover hiking and adventure in Alaska.
