DH and I are this close to booking our flight to Alaska for the week of May 16 through 23, 2009. This is a week we have off work, with little flexibility. Will this be impossibly early to see a bear or two? We want to see Alaska, this is when our vacation week is during early summer, and we're just wanting to know if there's any chance at all the wildlife will be out and about?

Should we wait and see Alaska another time? Anyone know what we could reasonably expect that time of year? Many thanks!

Bears should be out and about, but that doesn't mean you'll see any. I would not recommend a bear sight-seeing tour as the cost just doesn't warrant the possibility of seeing only one or two bears. And, yes, other wildlife will be around, but there is no guarantee of how much or what you'll see. However that can be true any time.

It's a good idea to check the archives of the newspapers in the cities you'll be visiting for "black bears" or "brown bears." In Juneau, for example, May is a great time to see lots of black bears. There are trails around the Mendenhall Glacier where people literally run into them. These trails are free to the public, but be careful when hiking! May is usually a sunny month in Juneau, too.

Where are you going??? You would have bear viewing at Denali park, - IF you go there the last part of your timeframe. Spend two days there and go in each day as far as the cheap shuttle bus will take you.

If you do bear viewing along the Katmai coast, they'll probably be around by mid-May. And their coats will be big and fluffy from the winter.

It's not cheap to get there and you need to allocate some time.

From Homer:
http://www.hallobay.com/
You'll see they start their trips Mid-May. I stayed for a week at their lodge, but you can do day-trips.

Emerald Air flies there too, but it looks like they may not start until June.
http://www.emeraldairservice.com/

From Kodiak Andrews Airway flies to Katmai
http://www.andrewairways.com/4%20hou...ew%20tour.html

These are bear immersion trips where you may see many and will almost certainly see a couple. Denali trips may or may not come across bears and they can be at a great distance. You never know. But the Denali bus trip has the potential for a lot more variety of wildlife than the Katmai bear viewing trips.

I've only been to Alaska in late June or July, but if you think your vacation could be later in the summer in a year or two, I'd wait on a once in a lifetime Alaska trip. If you go in late June or July, you could go to Brooks Falls, with convenient daily flights from Anchorage, and see many bears fishing for salmon. Go for a day trip or for several days.

Good luck planning your summer vacation.

Thank you, everyone! We took the good advice, Atravelynn, and booked our trip from July 4 thru 12. May as well see the bears at the best time possible. We're based at the Embassy Suites, Anchorage. Any suggestions on flightseeing tours to see bears as a day trip? Also, might sound like a silly question, but do those small planes generally fly pretty smooth? They must not be too bad, or they wouldn't be so popular!

I once flew a six-seater from Boulder City, Nevada, out over Grand canyon, and it was totally smooth.

That should be a great time to go.

Emerald Air is very popular and gets good reviews. The only reason I have not used them is they only do day trips and I'd like to stay longer. If they did an overnight or two, I'd be interested. Book your day trip well before leaving home to be sure there is availablity.

I've never had a problem with AK flights being rough, but I do keep some Pepto tablets handy just in case. I've used them on small planes elsewhere. If you are really concerned, check out how a 1/2 a Bonine, or even a whole one, affects you in advance. You might want to take it in advance so you don't have to worry. I find a whole one makes me sleepy. Even a 1/2 one can make me sleepy if I am sedentary, but not if I am moving around.