Alaska wildlife travel guide
It’s not simply that Alaska is packed with amazing wildlife, including its own version of the ‘Big Five’. It’s that America’s largest, northernmost state is also exceptional for viewing that wildlife. The bears, moose and caribou here are nowhere near as wary of humans as they are in the parks further south, and are unperturbed by you standing transfixed just a short distance away.
You have to take your time here, Alaska isn’t a zoo. Sure it can be frustrating if you don’t get the sightings you’re hoping for but when you do, it’s immensely gratifying.![]()
Small group tours ensure wildlife encounters are rewarding and safe, and encourage conservation of fragile habitats that are often threatened by industries hungry to plunder precious natural resources. Through a wide range of experiences, from small ship whale-watching cruises to backcountry hiking, kayaking and glacier climbing, tour operators share their unmistakable passion for Alaska and its wildlife.
Learn more in our Alaska wildlife travel guide.
Alaska wildlife holidays are…
a taste of wilderness packed with animal encounters, brought to you by expert guides whose passion for their work is obvious.
Alaska wildlife holidays are not…
really something to embark on alone. Travelling in a small group of like-minded adventurers is easier, safer, cheaper and fantastic fun.
Our Alaska wildlife Holidays
Denali National Park holiday in Alaska
Experience untouched wilderness off the beaten path
From
US $2340
12 days
ex flights
Alaskas Glacier Bay small ship cruise
Get close up to Alaska where the big ships can't go
From
£3999
8 days
ex flights
Inner Reaches Western Coves cruise in Alaska
Some of southern Alaska's iconic destinations by small ship
From
£3149
8 days
ex flights
Kenai Peninsula adventure holiday in Alaska
Orcas, Humpbacks and Glaciers: Experience Alaska's coastline
From
US $2240
9 days
ex flights
Brown bear photography holiday in Alaska
Photograph Alaskan brown bears in exclusive photo tour
From
US $6000
6 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday
Go deep into the wild on this active Alaskan adventure.
From
£1530 to £1590
9 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $3990
20 days
ex flights
Alaska wildlife holidays
An ultimate Alaskan adventure with wildlife and wilderness
From
£3399 to £3949
14 days
ex flights
Southeast Alaska cruise
Spectacular scenery and amazing wildlife in remote Alaska
From
£4265 to £6149
8 days
ex flights
Inside Passage, Seattle to Juneau cruise, Alaska
The classic Inside Passage cruise from Seattle to Juneau
From
£4600 to £9700
13 days
ex flights
Alaska's Islands cruise, whales & glaciers
Wild Alaska on one of the world's smallest cruise ships
From
£2845
6 days
ex flights
Alaska classic tour, glaciers and grizzly bears
See huge bears & drive/kayak/cruise/fly thru South Alaska.
From
US $6395 to US $7394
9 days
ex flights
Inner Reaches Eastern Coves cruise in Alaska
Awe-inspiring glaciers, wildlife, and rainforests in Alaska
From
£3689 to £4015
8 days
ex flights
Outdoor Alaska holiday
A wildlife trip to awaken the senses
From
£4381 to £4835
15 days
inc UK flights
Kodiak bear tracking tour in Alaska
Alaskan adventure looking for the large grizzlies
From
£7295
8 days
ex flights
Alaska Glacier Bay and wildlife cruise
Glaciers, Humpbacks, grizzlies and mountains - Get up close
From
£2999 to £3999
8 days
ex flights
What do Alaska wildlife holidays involve?
As you can gather from the name, these trips involve seeing wildlife, and usually a lot of it. Alaska has most of America’s grizzly bears, along with healthy populations of black and polar bears. Its coastal waters teem with marine life: humpback and orca whales, seals and sea lions, porpoises and sea birds. America’s northernmost state has its own version of the ‘Big Five’ – bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and wolves. Wolves!
You can embark on a small ship cruise through the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay National Park that is practically guaranteed to result in myriad whale sightings. Or a specialist bear photography holiday that will take you to remote wilderness lodges in national parks such as Katmai and Lake Clark during the salmon-spawning season. Or you can join an overlanding trip between spectacular locations such as Denali National Park and Wrangell St Elias National Park. You’ll sleep under canvas, hike backcountry, kayak around icebergs and walk across glaciers, then share stories about wildlife sightings around the campfire in the evenings. Go at the start or end of Alaska’s short tourism season and you might even see the Northern Lights.
The vast majority of Alaska wildlife tours involve travelling as part of a small group. They’re sociable, fun and ensure you always have someone to head out on an activity with every day. And whether you’re overlanding or cruising, you are accompanied throughout by passionate guides and tour leaders there to help you have safe and immensely rewarding encounters with the wildlife here.
Responsible tourism
Alaska’s whaling industry died out decades ago, but the wildlife here still faces threats, as it does across most American national parks. One of the most pressing is development of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, in northeast Alaska, which potentially puts at risk a major calving ground for caribou. Wildlife tourism in Alaska demonstrates the value of protecting the habitats that these animals depend on. Wildlife tourism with responsible operators, meanwhile, ensures that remote communities also benefit financially, such as through supplying accommodation, food or activities, encouraging them to conserve bears, whales and wolves rather than seeing them as a threat.Our top Alaska wildlife Holiday
Alaskas Glacier Bay small ship cruise
Get close up to Alaska where the big ships can't go
From
£3999
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2021: 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug
2021: 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Alaska wildlife or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Do go on an Alaska wildlife holiday if…
Don’t go on an Alaska wildlife holiday if…
More about Alaska wildlife
See grizzlies fishing for salmon, or great pods of humpback whales off the coast.
Our Alaska wildlife map and highlights explore some of North America’s most spectacular parks.
Learn the whys and hows of small group wildlife holidays in Alaska.
Bear watching in Alaska can be easy, given their sheer numbers and tolerance of humans.
Whale watching in Alaska is best around Glacier Bay National Park and the Inside Passage.
Wilderness holidays in Alaska take you a little bit out of your comfort zone.
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