Had such an amazing trip with Smokey Bay Air. The guides made it a great experience, and we will be back for sure! read more

Smokey Bay Air - Tours Near Me - Homer, Alaska

People come to Homer, Alaska, for a lot of reasons -- to hike, try their luck at fishing or just to explore the quaint town full of art galleries and gift shops. But Homer is also an excellent launching pad for bear viewing in nearby Katmai National Park. There is so much of Alaska to explore -- however, as soon as I saw it was prime bear viewing season (stretching roughly from June through the end of August), I knew that we had to make a stop in Homer. We ended up visiting the first weekend in September, which is technically towards the end of bear viewing season. But clearly, the bears didn't get the memo. In total, we saw more than 20 bears on the trip! When you're getting this close to wild animals (we're talking bears weighing over 1,000 pounds!), finding the right tour company is essential. I mean, we are adventurous but we're not crazy! After researching nearly every tour operator in Homer, there was no doubt in my mind that we'd go with Smokey Bay Air. And I'm so glad that we did -- they went above and beyond our expectations. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And well worth the journey. And best of all? The trip will get you back early enough to head back into Homer to explore the shops and grab a coffee. After all, we were exhausted! We're not used to waking up this early! read more

Smokey Bay Air - Look at those bear prints! - Tours Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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While I have not flown with them yet, I look very forward to doing so as they are friendly, reasonable and have a wonderful selection of tours. I needed some luggage transported from Seldovia to Homer and they did it for less then 30$ and I believe they said it was 70 lbs and it was quick as I needed it to get home... Thanks again! I'm a HUGE fan of Seldovia and usually take a bush plane from anchorage to seldovia and then ferry to Homer. I didn't realize that it's only about 30$ more to fly with Smokey bay (one way). Will definitely use again. read more

They'll get you to Seldovia quickly, but they seem to cancel pretty frequently. Your best bet is probably to take the ferry if you need reliable travel. If you're willing to roll the dice, Smokey Bay is a decent option. They seem to be most interested in their bear flights (which I didn't take) which seem to make them most of their money. BEWARE: It's a decent walk from here (1.5 miles) to the main airport, so be aware, you'll need to call a taxi. And it'll have to be a taxi because Homer doesn't believe in Uber/Lyft. It'll be about $10 for 1.5 miles...wow. I just walked. It would be nice if there were a shuttle. read more

We absolutely loved our bear viewing trip with Smokey Bay Air! From the amazing day along the shore of Lake Clark to the breathtaking flight home above Iliana Volcano, this trip could not have been better. We were fortunate to get clear skies and lots of bears on the same day. Mila was an excellent pilot, and Dan was so knowledgable and respectful of the many bears we were able to see as he led us around on the ground. Booking our trip with Tom was so easy, as he was responsive and helpful throughout the booking/planning process. When we return to Homer, we will undoubtedly be booking our excursions through Smokey Bay Air again. We could not have asked for better service and a better day. Thanks to all for helping make this trip so memorable! read more

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Great experience. Arriving 30min before flight, quick preparations, timely departure, experienced and friendly pilot, who is also the bear guide. Beautiful views, walking close to the bears. Amazing! read more

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The expectation they set: their website tells you that you'll have a 'once-in-a-lifetime adventure', their 'what to expect' document says "you will be walking and stopping amongst the bears", their photos show up close pictures of brown bears and the 'bear safety' talk at the beginning of the tour informs you what to do when we get up close to the bears. The reality: the closest we got to a bear was about a quarter of a mile, the other few bears we saw we dots on the horizon. Turns out there is a drought going on (which as a visitor, I wasn't aware of) and because of the drought the normally abundant food sources that bring lots and lots of bears to Lake Clark NP simply aren't there, limited food = limited bears = difficulty providing the experience they are selling. They know about the drought, their pilot guides must be informing them that they are not getting close experiences with the bears and they have chosen not to inform their customers about the real experience you will have. If you want to have a close experience with grizzly bears, save a bunch of money and go to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. You'll be with a bunch of other people, but at least you won't need binoculars to see the bears. Originally I was going to give this tour 3 stars because the views from the plane ride were really good, but after emailing Smokey Bay and informing them of my dismay at being misled to the experience I was expecting, they couldn't even be bothered to respond to me. Which tells me that once they have your money, they really just don't care. read more

Great professional outfit. Would definitely fly with these guys again! When deteriorating weather caused my first flight to be canceled, Smokey Bay expanded its flight schedule to accommodate us on the very next day. Tom provided me with a map of his 'favorite places' in Homer, which I gladly took for the rainy day. As with all wildlife tours, it's inherently a bit of hit-or-miss on what you see. Lucky for us, it was a hit. We got to be within 10-20 feet of bears digging for clams on the beach and saw a mother with three young cubs in the meadow, among many others. Appreciated that the guides were knowledgeable about the bear behavior/biology as well as how to view them safely without disrupting them. read more

We had an amazing time on our trip to see the bears! We highly recommend Smoky Bay Air to anyone considering a flight to see bears in their natural habitat, without hordes of people around. We'd definitely do this again on our next trip to Alaska! read more

We spent 2 weeks in Alaska and did a variety of different tours. We saved this for the last tor and it was hands down the absolute best tour of the trip, actually the best tour of my life! No joke! The pilot/guide was amazing and we felt 100% safe. We were so close to the bears! I was especially amazed at how much this company paid attention to keeping tge environment in pristine condition. read more

Professional, knowledgeable, attentive, guides that take you directly to see the bears and give you the perfect photos to take home. Highly recommend!!! read more

We flew on one of their bear viewing tours. We had a great experience. We walked probably 2 - 3 miles through a bay at low tide in waders. We were able to see about 8 bear including a mother and two cubs. The mother actually laid on her back and we watched the two cubs nurse. The pilot/guide did a great job of making us feel comfortable with the flight and the bears. He was knowledgeable and made it an enjoyable time. We recommend this activity. read more

From the owner, to the pilots and the guide, everyone was exceptional. First trip with Smokey Bay Air, and this will not be my last. We had one day get canceled on us, only after we had flown all the way to the landing site and were not able to land because of fog. After our return to Homer, the owner immediately refunded our money, even though they had flown us through amazing scenery and we'd been burning the nav-gas for two hours. We told the owner, "we're in town a couple more days, call us if you think you can get us in". He found us a spot, and what an incredible day. It could not have been better! If you're interested in this kind of trip. This is who you need to go with! read more

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The crew was fantastic and friendly and made us feel safe and happy. We had beautiful clear day so we were lucky, your mileage may vary there because.... Alaska, but WOW. We saw 20 bears. My family never felt unsafe for a moment, including my 9 year old daughter. Several bears came to about 10 feet away from our group. They have several levels of safety and only ever had to use level 1, which was talking calmly to the bear almost like it is a dog. "Good bear". Again, never felt unsafe or threatened for a moment. And if that weren't enough, the plane ride, takeoffs and landings, were smooth as silk and this was gorgeous flight seeing, as (given the near perfect weather) we took a lap around an active volcano and watched it billow smoke into the air at eye level. Magnificent nature experience with a crew that is on par with the scenery. Once in lifetime experience. But I'm gonna try to make it more actually. True professionals here. Look no further. Daniel was a great guide and bear whisperer. Brittney was a great pilot and Barrett flew the other plane and was great to have in the pod as well. They were all happy to be there and were enjoying it with us, while educating us and keeping us safe. read more

Pilot is the guide that take us through the ture, flight was smooth and easy, my kids really loved it, the service in the office and by the guide was great, educating us and patient with our kids - educate them as well. we felt safe in the flight and during the ture. read more

On time. Pilot/guide was knowledgeable and wanting us to have the best experience possible. If there is a bear to be found he will find it. read more

As a professional photographer I cannot recommend Smokey Bay enough for photographers or nature enthusiasts of all ages. Their communication, flexibility and follow-through were a refreshing change compared to other tour companies in the area. Tom was very helpful in helping to set up a custom, extended viewing tour for our group to allow us more time to photograph bears in the pristine parks. Our guide/pilot Ben was absolutely top notch and the entire tour he was giving us information about the area, the bears, behavioral insights and had a great sense of humor too. Being knowledgeable about photography himself he was always conscious of positioning us with good light and anticipating the bears path so we'd be able to capture the best shot possible. This particular trip was the highlight of our time in Homer and we can't wait to go back next year to take additional tours with Smokey Bay. Many thanks for your ethics and professionalism across the board (on top of outstanding bear viewing!) read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our bear tour with Smokey Bay Air. To start with they were outstanding to do business with. Tom made sure we were fully informed as to what to expect and what to bring. Due to wild fires in the area Sterling Highway was closed the day before our trip unbeknownst to us. Tom called us to ensure we knew the road was closed. We set out hoping for the best and as it turns out Sterling Highway did open that afternoon and we were able to pass through. However it has had a number of additional closures during our 4 day stay in Homer. As far as the tour, our pilot Brittney was excellent. Our guide Chris was very knowledgeable of the bear habits and where to find them. We found our first pair of bears after a short walk to the river. They were extremely entertaining. 2 males playfully sparing for well over 30 minutes before they each went their own way. We followed one bear at a safe distance for a while, until he picked up his pace. Throughout the trip Chis suggested some camera shots that turned out great and we would not have thought to take. read more

It was an amazing trip - from the area briefing before we loaded up, to the history lesson flying into Katmai to the guided hike where we managed to spot over 25 bears!!! I highly recommend Smokey Bay Air! read more

I've lived in Alaska for a very long time and seen LOTS of bears through the years; some of them closer than I'd like. But this bear viewing trip across Cook Inlet was exceptional. I'm also a pilot and some of the smaller air taxi outfits I've flown with here in Alaska can be pretty sketchy. Not so with Smokey Bay Air. Clearly, they take their work and safety seriously. Oh, and the bears...ya. Wow....literally we were surrounded by bears who weren't in the least bit alarmed or bothered by us being there. Take the trip, you'll never ever regret it. read more

We loved our bear viewing tour. Our pilots, Brittany and Andrew were great and Daniel our naturalist was informative and helpful throughout the trip. Well worth every cent, we'll remember this forever. read more

Excellent customer service and friendly pilots who know what they are doing! You will not regret flying with them!

Excellent all around. Easy check in process along with friendly and thorough instructions on what to expect. The morning of our trip, the winds were strong and there was rain in the forecast. However the flight was extremely smooth and we never experienced rain at the viewing area. In addition to seeing bears, the who trip was a thrill. From landing on a beach, flying over incredible sites, to hiking through water and marshes, it was an adventure. read more

Overall it was a very good experience. The prep before the flight was quick and well organized. The pilots were friendly and seemed very competent. The bear viewing was excellent as expected. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in great Alaskan adventure. read more

Great service, no time wasted, great views and good bear viewing! Ian was great and very knowledgeable and can tell he loves his job.

We had an amazing experience! Everyone is super nice and helpful. We saw a ton of bears and not only are the pilots flying the very small planes but they are excellent bear guides. We had our 14 year old daughter and never worried about her safety. The one thing I would recommend for the wader boots that you have to wear, bring long socks as short socks do not feel so great on your feet. Had an amazing time, the cost is high but well worth it. read more