Alaska Photo Adventures
Travel & Wildlife Newsletter
Spring 2025
From 40+ years of living and photographing in Alaska, our wildlife photography newsletters have given thousands of photographers and travelers useful tips and insights to get great images and enjoy safe, exciting travel in Alaska!
APA photo tours work with a handful of top-of-the-line lodges, boat and flight operators at PRIME bear and wildlife destinations to give you the BEST photo opps and wildlife encounters in Alaska. We get bulk discounts and you get MORE time at MORE PRIME places than any other tour — at GREAT prices.
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A rising tide lifts all boats.
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Wildlife composite © Ron LevyHere is a quick overview of the most popular animals that people come to see in Alaska. This summary is focused on southcentral Alaska — Katmai/Lake Clark National Parks, Anchorage area, and the Kenai Peninsula, with some info on Denali Nat’l Park. The vast majority of visitors to Alaska spend most of their time in these parts, looking to see and photograph these animals. After reading this section, be sure to check out the cautions in the next section for some practical perspectives.
Black Bears — In Anchorage, can be seen anywhere, but sometimes near the airport, Kincaid Park, on the hillside area above town, and sometimes in the Anchorage campgrounds. When salmon are running, they can sometimes be seen around Ship Creek in downtown, Bird and Indian Creeks along Turnagain Arm. Black bears also frequent the Kenai Peninsula along the Kenai and Russian rivers when salmon are in, Girdwood, Seward and anywhere south to Homer. They are active all summer.
Brown bears — Near Anchorage, though they live in the higher mountain areas, they are rarely seen closer to town. Brown bears are seen more when salmon are coming up the rivers mentioned above. They can be seen in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge occasionally near campgrounds and along Skilak and Tustumena lakes. The best spots for guaranteed brown bears are across the inlet in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks (Brooks Falls and other spots), and Denali National Park. In Denali, you will likely see them from a bus along the roads. In Katmai/Lake Clark, you will see them closer from boats or on foot with a ranger or guide; at Brooks falls you will be on a boardwalk with NPS rangers. If you are booking direct, flights are expensive for day trips across the inlet, but can be cheaper per day if you overnight at one of the wilderness lodges or include it in a longer guided tour such as ours.
Moose — can be anywhere, literally. There are about 200,000 moose in Alaska. Sometimes walking through Anchorage, they spend most of their time just outside of town along the roadways that have created their favorite browse — willows and alders — during construction. Sometimes seen in Potter Marsh and on both sides of the airport. Portage Valley, about 40 miles south of Anchorage has a lot of moose, though they may be hiding in the hillsides. Can be seen anywhere along the Kenai Peninsula between Seward and Homer. May – end of June is usually best, as the hotter days in July-early August keep them mostly in the shade and harder to spot. Cow moose are seen much more often than bulls, as the ratio is usually around 10-15 cows/bull on the Kenai Peninsula, but periodically large bulls do come down to the roadways. As rutting season approaches in August, they are again seen more often.
Caribou — often confused with moose, caribou are more deer-like in their body construction, and, unlike moose, both sexes have antlers. Totalling about 750,000 animals in Alaska, the most famous is the Porcupine herd of ~200,000 that wanders down from the Arctic ocean to their calving grounds northeast of Fairbanks. Other than that, caribou are not seen often around Anchorage. The easiest caribou to see are in Denali Nat’l Park, all summer. Second best is in the central Kenai Peninsula where there are 2 resident herds near Kenai and Soldotna. One lives mostly up in the mountains, but occasionally comes down to residential areas (we once had a herd of 23 caribou come down our driveway, walk around the house, and feed along the lake). The other caribou herd (10-20 animals) is sometimes seen near the Kenai airport and/or near the mouth of the Kenai river.
Wolves — Most of the wolves in Alaska are on the islands and mainland areas of Southeast Alaska, due to higher concentrations of their primary food source, Sitka black-tailed deer. On mainland Alaska, the best place you are likely to see one is in Denali National Park. Their protection there has given them a place to hunt, breed and survive. Even just outside the park boundaries, there is an unfortunate lack of protection to this dwindling but valuable species. it is unlikely you will see one in southcentral Alaska, unless you fly or hike across the inlet in Lake Clark or Katmai Nat’l Parks. They are elusive animals, generally solitary but sometimes in small packs, and wary of people. Their human interactions throughout history have unfortunately taught them that there is only danger and misconceptions associated with human interaction. Wolves do not attack people, and generally keep to themselves unless their food sources are disrupted by natural causes (possibly climate change in the future) or human poaching.
Dall sheep — From May – September, a small population lives in the Chugach mountains 5 miles south of Anchorage. Driving along the east side of Turnagain Arm towards Seward, you can sometimes see them with or without lambs, as they move around the rocky ledges of the Chugach mountains. Rams and ewes are sometimes together, though they usually roam separately. In the months before June, they are often closer to the road as vegetation opens up in the lower elevations. You can also seem them regularly in Denali Nat’l Park, though they are often farther and higher from the road. Dall sheep are sometimes confused with mountain goats, which are more box-shaped and rarely seen at lower elevations. Mountain goats are tremendously agile along sheer, rocky cliffs, where they can evade predators more easily. Compared to dall sheep which often travel in groups, goats are solo travelers, with both sexes having the same thin, black, short, straight horns. Dall sheep rams have large, curved, constantly growing horns, which they use to bash into other males during dominance displays. The ewes have shorter brown horns similar in size to mountain goats.
Bald eagles — seen throughout coastal and interior areas of Alaska, there are an estimated 30,000 bald eagles in Alaska, the largest of any US state. They feed on salt and fresh water fish, as well smaller land mammals and carrion where they may come upon a dead animal. They can aggregate in larger groups when the salmon are running along the Kenai Peninsula and other coastal areas, and often hang around bears who tend to eat only a few large mouthfuls and leave the smaller bones, head and skin behind. Bald eagles can be seen all summer in the cities and towns, and in higher numbers along the Kenai river drainage, Cordova and Homer. In Anchorage, they can be seen along Ship Creek near downtown when salmon are running, and some nesting spots near Potter Marsh. One of the most famous spots to see hundreds of bald eagles is during the late run of silver and chum salmon on the Chilkat river in Haines, which can last through December under the ice.
Puffins — the “clowns” of Alaska, there are two main species in Southcentral Alaska. Horned Puffins have black and white faces and chests; Tufted puffins are almost completely black, with the slight tuft of hair on the foreheads. Both are pelagic species, seen only on rocky outcroppings and islands in salt water. Best places to see them are out of Seward (Kenai Fjords Nat’l Park) and Whittier (Prince William Sound), as well as the Inside passage towns near Juneau and north. There are numerous day tours available at reasonable cost that are some of the best deals in the state for the amount of wildlife, glaciers and whales you can see. Anytime between June through August is good.
Humpback Whales — The most popular whales in Alaska, humpbacks are seen on the same wildlife boat cruises out of Seward and Whittier. They surface regularly with loud exhales. Humpbacks are filter feeders (no teeth) meaning they do not prey on seals or large fish/seals, etc. They migrate up from Hawaii in the spring and stay around the larger bays in Kenai Fjords Nat’l Park and Prince William Sound, They are magnificent to watch when they breach, sometimes repeatedly close to the tour boats. They are also famous for bubble netting, where a group of whales form a circle around a group of fish, blow bubbles to apparently disorient them, and rapidly swim to the surface to trap the fish.
Gray whales — Also seen occasionally on the same boat cruises as humpbacks, gray whales migrate up from the Baja coast and reach Alaska earlier than humpbacks. They look similar but are quieter swimmers in that they don’t exhale as often or as loudly, and they are bottom feeders, scooping up massive amounts of sand to find crustaceans and smaller fish. Consequently, they take larger breaths, stay down longer, don’t breach as often, and do not bubble net. They are also usually solitary swimmers.
Orcas — sometimes called killer whales, they are not dangerous to humans. They eat seals, fish and other marine mammals. They are the largest of the dolphin family, and sometimes swim in pods of 40+ animals. There are two main pods in southcentral Alaska — residents and migrants — that can be seen in Kenai Fjords Nat’l Park in Seward, and Prince William Sound out of Whittier. The migrant pods tend to stay farther offshore, and are more aggressive hunters, eating sharks and larger fish. Instead of breaching like other whales, orcas can sometimes be seen jumping high out of the water in pairs — a magnificent site!
Sea otters — The clowns of the ocean, sea otters can be seen all summer on most of the marine mammal tours out of Seward, Homer and Prince William Sound. They are often seen in small groups playing and catching crustaceans to eat from the bellies while they float on their backs. Sea otters are part of the weasel family, not the seal family as they have thick fur, not blubber. Because of this, they are constantly preening themselves to maintain dry air spaces within their fur to insulate their body heat. (Blubber is fat beneath the waterproof skin of seals). Because of their fur, they were hunted extensively for hundreds of years after Russian captain Vitus Bering discovered them in 1742 in what is now Alaska. With protection from the Marine Mammals Act in the mid 1900s, they have since come back to self-sustaining populations in Alaska.
Photographers & bears, Alaska, ©Ron Levy
Now that you know where and when to see wildlife in Southcentral Alaska, here are a few “reality checks” to consider. They are not meant to discourage you from visiting the incredible beauty and animals here. But Alaska’s overwhelming space and wildlife opportunities demand a lot of not-so-obvious space, time and patience in your planning.
First, though it is possible to simply rent a car and drive to many of the spots mentioned above, or go with a guide on day/overnight tours, there are some hidden costs to consider. Rental cars are not cheap during summer in Alaska. With gas and other fees, costs can set you back a few hundred dollars for 1-3 days in each area. The decision would have to include whether you want to drive hundreds of miles to each area, e.g. Kenai Peninsula, Denali Nat’l Park, etc., or down to Homer on the Kenai Peninsula to catch a cheaper flight to bear spots in Lake Clark or Katmai NPs. Typically our tours cover over a thousand road miles in a week, driving to/from Anchorage and around the Kenai Peninsula. If you are considering Fairbanks and/or Denali Nat’l Park, add another 1000-1500 miles.
Second, many hotspots for animals are across Cook inlet in Lake Clark and Katmai Nat’l Parks (brown bears & others) which cost roughly $1200-2500/day, depending on your style choices and whether you overnight or return same day. Other special animal hotspots are either north of Fairbanks (polar bears, massive caribou migrations) or in far western Alaska mainland and islands (walrus, musk ox,, fur seals, huge sea and land bird migrations to/from Russia. This means a rental car would either be sitting unused for a few days, or you would pay a dropoff fee. And you would have to consider transport back to Anchorage from wherever you leave the paved road system.
Third, and perhaps the biggest consideration, is time. Even though these guidelines below discuss the best places to see great wildlife, local fluctuations in populations and locations may or may not work in your favor on the day(s) you devote to them (or the few minutes you pass by their spots on the highway). Animals may just be over the “next” ridge or on a different connecting road that you didn’t know about. Sometimes it’s the hardest thing in the world to wait at a spot where you see no animals and “trust the wind” for them to return if you know they are nearby. Time often rewards patience if/when they return, sometimes at a lower elevation or much closer!
Fourth, some places are just better with a guide. Examples are wilderness areas like Katmai, Lake Clark and other remote spots that require fly-ins. Theoretically you can go to places like Brooks Falls and follow the crowds to the bears without a guide (or sometimes with your pilot), but there are considerations, tips and ways of getting to bear hotspots like Brooks and Lake Clark that can give you more time, less crowds, more photo opps with the bear, and sometimes at significantly less cost than you might think.
That is how guides earn their keep, and it is often a win-win for both. Serious wildlife photographers and guides know this. We are usually in touch with other guides, photographers and locals within days or hours of when you arrive, throughout the summer. Or a few hours earlier, we have just seen the animals that you came to see . That means we can sometimes get you right to the hot spots. Or it means we know where patience in one spot is worth the wait.
Fifth — the last paragraph notwithstanding, not all guides are experienced or even Alaskans. Unfortunately, there are individuals and companies who are either relatively new to Alaska, or hire folks who have lived out of state.most of their lives. This is a touchy subject, as these companies and folks might be great people, and know about what they are doing, but they simply won’t have the experience that comes from others who have spent decades or their whole lives in Alaska.
I have seen this numerous times, especially with younger pilots or summer “tour guides”. They may bring you to a bear or animal they’ve seen before that just sleeps the whole time (admittedly not their fault if it’s sleeping), but more experience usually comes with more options or locations when animals aren’t active or “cooperating”. Young or recent Alaskan guides may be able to answer most questions that tourists ask, but they won’t have the depth or breadth of knowledge to offer more enlightening wildlife, behavioral, geographical or historical information outside the “normal” questions most folks ask. They also may not have the experience to recognize subtle cues that an animal may be getting edgy or feel trapped by photographers too close. As well, they may not have the temperament to enforce distance, food or behavior rules around sensitive animals and/or strong human personalities. Respect, tolerance and safety should be guiding principles in the field.
Sixth — Depending on how far from the paved roads and civilization you want to go, this last consideration is a general one about safety. How secure are you with your independent skills (whether you are traveling alone or as a couple) in terms of first aid, dealing with flat tires or car issues, being flexible if weather or other logistics change/cancel your plans, etc.? Do you have alternate plans or locations established if you find yourself suddenly stranded in an unfamiliar town or on the highway? Did you bring enough bug dope, cash for an unplanned motel night, charged batteries?
These are just a few caveats to consider based on your own time and money when deciding whether to handle logistics yourself or join a reputable tour. It is a tricky situation to navigate when booking independent flights or activities for a day or multi-day tour. But often, for the same cost or less, being with a guide that has decades of experience in Alaska (not gleaned from just reading brochures or ads) will give you a huge edge and many more terrific experiences.
Brown Bear and salmon, Brooks Falls, Alaska ©Ron Levy
Brown Bear and salmon, Brooks Falls, Alaska ©Ron LevyAnyone who travels a lot or photographs wildlife, realizes that, like all of life, there are relatively fixed and fluid considerations in both. The fixed factors are how much time and money you have, your physical condition, and your risk tolerance. i realize that even these too can change, but that usually requires a conscious commitment over time to either improve your health, make more money, make tradeoffs in other financial decisions, take shorter trips, or expand your risk tolerance. It takes time to learn more skills, trust more people, research more till you are satisfied/comfortable with your decisions, locations or people you are going with or relying on for logistics. All of these require more of a conscious decision, as well as introspection, physical work and a personality change in small or large steps, depending on your motivation.
The fluid variables are generally those things that you can’t change once you leave — weather, wildlife behavior, accidents, road closures, flight delays, other people, etc. They can bring good luck or bad luck, depending on your time frame, patience and attitude. But they are the “moving targets” in wildlife photo tours (pun intended).
So the challenge is how to incorporate both fixed and fluid factors in deciding where, when, how long and who to go with.
The first and most important recommendation is: give yourself more time. Let’s face it, you’ll never have enough of it. But in terms of wildlife, the more time you spend watching and shooting, the better shots you will inevitably get. You’ll see more interactions in more situations with more “lucky” combinations of light, expressions, color, interactions and juxtapositions the longer you are there. Any serious photographer can attest to how many photos they have thrown away or deleted years later after revisiting a favorite location or animal and gotten way better photos. Then you wonder why you ever clicked the shutter on your first trip to the same place. It’s a humbling experience. (I am still in the midst of a multi-year project tossing thousands of physical slides away from my collection of >125,000, not including several thousand of the best at photo agencies).
So time is your best friend in wildlife and travel photography. Spend as much of it as you can on location, and you’ll be rewarded, often on your “last” day, whenever that is. It’s uncanny how often the “last few minutes” of a photo opportunity gets the best shots. I often think there must be a photo god that monitors when we’ve put in enough frustration and effort to warrant a final reward, a monumental predator-prey fight or burst of color on a colorful bird face that makes all the pain of the last 9 hours worth it. It makes you happy to be alive on this planet, over all the others…
Second on the list of priorities is mindset. Otherwise known as patience. Not just with wildlife, but with delays, people, setbacks. This is where time gives you a sigh of relief when Murphy takes over. No amount of planning or money spent can guarantee that the car ahead of you doesn’t get in an accident, or the rain doesn’t let up for 2 days, or a bear doesn’t eat your camera (relax, it’s never happened or even come close…cameras don’t smell). Having a patient, go-with-the-flow mindset is a terrific complement to having more time on your tour. You will be rewarded with not only better images but a longer, healthier life.
Third, and this is a bit more obvious, do your research on who to go with and where to go. Satisfy yourself that the people you are contacting or touring with know their subjects, their locations, and alternative ways of “making things happen”. There are myriad possible delays. complications and choices to be made, often hidden to outside travelers, that come with wild places like Alaska or foreign locations that may have invisible or obscure politics, costs or logistics.
Generally you’ll want to go with companies and/or guides who have been in your location year-round for many years — the more the better. There are short and long “cycles” in everything — weather, wildlife fluctuations, economic cycles, permissive vs restrictive governments, etc. Take the time to satisfy yourself that the person(s) or company you are trusting with your valuable time, money and life have been through some of the longer cycles that may offer perspectives that younger, newer folks won’t have. You want someone with the experience, confidence and personality to make things as seamless, safe and rewarding as possible.
Once you’ve tipped these important odds in your favor, you will be more prepared and relaxed that you’ve taken care of the biggest priorities. The unpredictable cards can now fall where they may and you will navigate through them. Detours will turn into opportunities, animals will pop up unexpectedly, and the beauty of life will unfold before you.
Happy Travels.
Photo © Ron Levy
Photo © Ron LevyWhen it comes to wildlife and wild places on the planet, most of us enjoy being in gorgeous places with exciting animals. But when the reality of politics enters into debates of protection care for these places and animals, we have become a divided nation within our geographical and political boundaries. Though most people enjoy seeing wildlife, the opinions and decisions involved in protecting them often polarize us in our communities. This is especially true with issues such as wildlife conservation, resource management, and climate change.
When opinions and values differ, most of us are naturally more comfortable socializing with those whose interests are more aligned with our own. Photographers and animal lovers naturally prefer socializing with other photographers, even though within this broad category there can be wide disagreement on political policies. In general, though, it’s easier to relate, commiserate and “preach to the choir” than to disagree or try to change someone’s rightful opinion.
Well, as Hamlet made famous, “there’s the rub”: Do we avoid controversy and keep our opinions to ourselves, or do we speak up, voice an opinion, and risk debate? The choices are admittedly not always discrete, not always an either/or proposition. But is there a way to discuss major issues, or inject a contrary opinion, without inflaming a defensive response?
Perhaps we need to refrain from preaching and find more and deeper ways to connect with our “non choir” members. If we want to express opinions about protecting wild animals and beautiful places like Alaska, how do we get past arguments like budgets and “other priorities” in the world like famine, wars, climate change, drugs, etc.
Maybe it could start by identifying the acceptance we feel when we are among wild animals, and connecting that to the universal need for respect and “space” that all people need to feel of value in their life.. Whether one lives in inner cities or open country, works for oil companies, large corporations or 1 person businesses, we all have an inner voice that needs to be expressed. And we want a tolerant, comfortable place to have “safe” interactions.
Similarly, a bear or other wild animal — predator or prey — just wants to feel safe and secure. It doesn’t care if someone is a third world dictator, a greedy billionaire or a conservationist, or even if they have an abrasive personality. It If they can sense a relaxed trust in the company of humans, they will return the favor. And you will see some great interactions and get great photos.
And here’s another bonus: If you can recognize and nurture that type of trust in other interactions, with people or animals, without preaching or force, it will become the foundation for many memorable experiences and deeper connections in your life.
The kernels of desire for beauty and a better life are in all humans. The challenge of inclusion and widening the boundaries of time and geography to include people and animals is intimidating but not impossible. The secret is to clarify what it is about certain animals or wild places that touches your heart enough to “reset” and widen your circle enough to care for beings and places you may never see.
Clarifying that moment, or moments, in your life is the first step toward a happier future. To extend the humility and gratitude you feel in the presence of a wild animal or predator that accepts you in their circle can become a source of strength to accept others you may have previously feared or disagreed with personally or professionally.
Broadening our boundaries of inclusion as “family” members to those we may disagree with or can’t talk to in English or your native language is a lifelong challenge. But it’s a major step towards peace and better health in the world. (By the way, if English isn’t your “native language”, consider that humans and animals all have the same “native language”…).
It’s also not easy when humans have a “10 second attention span” these days, and, like animals, first impressions are paramount. It’s also not easy for people to give their time, money or efforts to working on long term solutions when conditions are deteriorating in their own lives, and/or on the planet. The simple reality is that families, humans, politics and societies are often dysfunctional.
But attitudes and politics can change. The motivation to improve one’s life can be the unifying seed that just needs a dose of holy water inspiration – a good listener, a “safe” interaction, or perhaps a great photo that strikes a chord. Any of these can spark a change. I am grateful to those who have done it for me, even though they or I may not have been aware of the longer term effect they had on me at the time.
You can be that person for someone you care about, or for hundreds you may never meet, if you blog or write. Plant those seeds through your interaction, patience and images. They will find fertile soil in ways you can’t completely predict. Don’t expect immediate breakthroughs. Just commit for the long term,
And perhaps a caveat at this point: Sometimes the less you push, the more effective your efforts may be. (See the quote about advice at the top). Along these lines, here is a short poem from one of my favorite poets in the last century:
The rising hills, the slopes
of statistics
lie before us.
The steep climb
of everything going up
up, as well all
go down.
In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures
we can meet there in peace
if we can make it.
To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:
stay together.
learn the flowers
go light.
— Gary Snyder, “For the Children”
