Kodiak Island Expeditions - Kodiak, Alaska

Bekki Abernethy

I had an experience of a lifetime flying into Katmai from Kodiak with Jen from Kodiak Island Expeditions.

Jen’s expertise, respect and knowledge of the bears was apparent and I knew that I would have a very safe and enjoyable experience through following her directions - and most importantly that I would not cause any harassment or distress to the majestic bears.

Our group were lucky enough to witness 3 cubs riding on their mum, some wolves slinking around checking out the bears, a lot of bear coupling, and other animals like elk and wolverines.

Willy the pilot did a scenic flight over the glacier for us, and landed in a secluded cove that had a waterfall backdrop for lunch, all whilst providing some epic stories!

Jaspreet Hira

It has taken me awhile to write this review, but I will never forget the incredible day I spent with Jennifer and Willy in August 2020! I cannot say enough good things about this experience. My boyfriend and I knew we wanted to go on a bear viewing tour during our summer Alaska trip. I extensively researched the ideal location to depart from, how many hours are spent on the viewing itself, and of course the price. Kodiak Island Expeditions made this research process extremely easy with their great website. It was also great that Jennifer was readily available to chat with on the phone, discuss the different viewing options, and answer any questions I had. She assured prompt pick-up from the airport, full-day excursion, and drop-off at our hotel. All of this did not disappoint! Everything was exactly as she had said it would be, which is so great when you're traveling.

Now onto the actual day itself. Jennifer and Willy are both so good at what they do! I am low-key afraid of flying, but Willy is such an experienced pilot - all of the takeoffs and landings were extremely smooth and he puts you at ease. Jennifer is so knowledgable about the bears, wilderness, and National Park System (not just Alaska!). I felt completely safe when I was with them. After departing from Kodiak Island, we had an AMAZING bear viewing in Geographic Harbor. You get VERY close to the bears, which was awesome! Jennifer is guiding you throughout and promptly moved us aside if she sensed any unease with the bears passing through. Truly this experience completely blew me away. The bears are such majestic creatures and the opportunity to view their natural habitat in this way is priceless.

After the first bear viewing, we hopped back on the plane and went to a beautiful lake on top of a volcanic mountain for a scenic lunch - definitely a once in a lifetime experience! Jennifer had packed these delicious wraps with many snacks and water. This was truly so relaxing I could've spent hours just sunbathing on this tiny beach by the lake. I will say that Jennifer and Willy are both so down-to-earth and it was incredibly easy to have an interesting conversation with them, and both my boyfriend and I are fairly reserved people. It was so nice and kind of surreal to just hang out and relax with two strangers in the middle of a pandemic next to a volcanic lake.

Following lunch, we took off for another bear viewing. Bears were a little sparse and we opted to touch down on an isolated beach next to a giant glacier. Here we hiked along bear trails for a little while and stumbled upon a bald eagle nest with three baby eagles perched up there! This is pretty much where I realized the true beauty of this whole experience. Katmai is one of the most preserved places on our Earth. It's possible that no one has ever stepped foot on the ground we walked. Although I was tired at this point in the day, the revelation gave me energy. We departed the beach and made our way back to Kodiak where Jennifer dropped us off at our hotel.

In summary, this was one of the best experiences of my life thanks to Jennifer and Willy. I HANDS DOWN 100% RECOMMEND and hope to go back someday!

Jaime Hammond

I have had the pleasure of going on three bear view trips with Jen and Willy, and plan on exploring with them exclusively in future. The most memorable days of my life have been spent with them; with Jen leading the way to safely view coastal brown bears and Willy flying above the most incredible raw landscape. Jen is incredibly knowledgeable about the Alaskan environment and wildlife, and is always happy to answer any questions. She is an expert on bear behavior and is eager to keep learning more about them. I have learned so much from her, and admire how confident and prepared she is on each expedition. She is an allstar of a guide, who happens to be a pretty remarkable human being as well. Look forward to a yummy homemade lunch with healthy snacks and fantastic company! Check out my 5 star review for her husband and pilot Willy at Kodiak Air Service.

Kelsey

We went out to Katmai in June with Jennifer and her husband Willy. They were amazing and got us unbelievably close to some brown bears. Willy is an amazing pilot and Jennifer is extremely knowledgeable as a prior park ranger. Their plane had great windows for aerial photos and such a cool history behind it.
I’ve had an encounter with a brown bear before and was terrified, but Jennifer made everyone super comfortable and put us at ease when a curious bear approached the group. They brought us straight over to a beached whale that attracted LOTS of bears and flew us over the beautiful Hallo Bay glacier. It was a bucket list item and I’m glad I chose Kodiak Air Service/Kodiak Island Expeditions. They were super nice and even when I left my insoles in their wading boots, Jennifer was more than accommodating to get it back to me. 10/10 would recommend!

Caroline Mooney

I would not travel to Kodiak or Katmai without Jennifer or Willie. In fact, I wish they would offer a three, four, or five day trip. Jennifer and Willie are so knowledgeable, and we were able to get very close to the bears. I know that people claim to have fabulous bear encounters, but Jennifer and Willie Culbertson/Fulton prove it. You will not be disappointed with them.

Heidi Lancaster

Cannot recommend highly enough! Jen and Willy were very accommodating for our group whose luggage was lost and did not have the layers we packed! We saw many cubs, including a momma nursing! Would absolutely recommend this once in a lifetime bucket list experience!

Michael Fox

My wife, son, and I had the wonderful experience of being guided by Jennifer and her friend (and awesome photographer Jen Smith) to Katmai for an amazing day of bear viewing and scenery. Jennifer is extremely knowledgeable and calm - less than 10 minutes into our hike we encountered a young and very curious female who slowly ambled her way up to as close as 5 feet! Jennifer was calm and in control the whole time, talking to the bear and ultimately getting her to turn around. It was amazing and we'd have been freaking out without such an experienced guide. This turned out to be just the beginning and over the course of the day we saw well over a dozen bears in an incredible setting!

Jennifer's husband, Willy, was the pilot and he is also amazing! He was able to get us some great shots of the glaciers and the ride was so much fun! I jokingly told him that the last time I was in a plane that small, I jumped out of it! That's actually the truth, but there was no need to jump out of his ride!

We plan to return to Kodiak and will definitely use Jennifer's and Willy's services again!

Allison Wheeler

We had the most incredible day with Kodiak Island Expeditions! Jennifer is an amazing guide and made us feel very comfortable and safe throughout the day. We went to two different locations and saw tons of bears - with no one else around. We will definitely be booking with them again on our next trip out - very highly recommended! We even saw moose, elk, mountain goats and a whale on our flight back to Kodiak. Such an amazing day that we will never forget.