Brown Bears of Katmai National Park
Join Wildlife Pro’ Chris Weston on this amazing adventure among Alaska’s magnificent brown bears
24th August to 1st September 2014
Operated by Magic Is Photo Safaris
“In the past nine years I have made eight trips to the Katmai Peninsula to photograph brown bears. It’s the location I’ve been to the most and the place I most look forward to going to.” Chris Weston
There is no better place to learn the skills and attributes of wildlife photography than amongst the magnificent brown bears of Katmai National Park. And few better photographers to learn from than one of Britain’s best wildlife pro’s, Chris Weston, whose dedication to wildlife and fresh approach to photography have been an inspiration to many. On this spectacular journey, you will have 7 days to immerse yourself in a land few people ever visit and connect with bears in a way most can only imagine. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, with the breath of clean Alaskan air on your face and the sound of tumbling waterfalls and fast flowing rivers in your ears, you will marvel at just how welcome the bears make you feel while you visit their home – and how keen they seem for you to photograph them. In Chris’s words, “This is the last best place on Earth!”
Tour Highlights
- Wild and remote – this is the last best place on Earth
- Exclusivity – alone in the wilderness
- Will you see bears? Yes, you are guaranteed. Lots of them
- What else? Bald eagles, sea otters, red fox and a chance of wolves
- Variety – the itinerary takes you to many different locations
- Expensive gear? No! At times, the bears are too close for your telephoto lens
- Learn what you didn’t know you didn’t know – you will be taught more than just the technical side of photography
- £300 discount for Nikon Owner Gold subscribers
Tour Description
Chris Weston says: “Our journey begins from the staging point of Kodiak Island, from where we take a short flight in a small floatplane to our floating hotel. For the next seven days we’ll explore the Katmai coastline, on foot and amongst bears, from the lush grassy shoreline of the sheltered Geographic Harbour to the open beaches and mountain backdrops of Missak and Hallo bays, and the hidden, secret inlets (some of my favourite spaces) in between.
“Bears are solitary by nature but once a year, in Katmai, they gather for a few weeks to feast on the abundant salmon that overflow the rivers, inlets and waterfalls. Each destination we visit provides a different aspect on their behaviour and during the course of the adventure you will see bears of all shapes and sizes: mothers with cubs-of-the-year, frolicking yearlings, mischievous adolescents and huge dominant males. The action is constant.
“The photographic opportunities during this time are unparalleled, as the bears adopt various “fishing” techniques to catch the salmon. Scuffles and disputes can break out, often while the bears jostle for the prime positions and the richest pickings. And, as they gather in large numbers, they’ll get closer to you than you imagine possible. You will be humbled in their presence and feel a connection to bears that is indescribable – moments that can only truly be captured by the heart. Join us and be a part of the action.
For the full tour itinerary, visit Chris Weston’s website at www.magicis.net/project/brown-bears-of-katmai
BOOK NOW and get up to £300 discount*
The price of this safari is £5,995 per person, which includes a £300 Nikon Owner Gold subscriber discount (Normal price £6,295. A £100 discount applies to non-Gold Nikon Owner subscribers)
To book, please contact Gillian Greenwood at Nikon Owner: gillian.greenwood@nikonownermagazine.com.
What’s included: Twin-share B&B accommodation on Kodiak Island, return air transfer between Kodiak Island and Katmai National Park, full-board boat-based accommodation (twin or triple share), all shore landings and excursions in Katmai National Park, use of wading boots, services of a qualified bear guide, services of a professional photographer, photographic training and hands-on tuition. *£300 discount for Nikon Owner Gold subscribers. £100 discount for non-Gold Nikon Owner subscribers.
What’s excluded: Travel to/from Kodiak Island, meals (excluding breakfast) in Kodiak Island, alcoholic beverages on board the boat, any additional excursions and activities on Kodiak Island, items of a personal nature, Visa fees and ESTA fees (if applicable), personal travel insurance.
Registration
To register, please email your full name, postal address and postcode, as well as your daytime mobile and landline to Gillian Greenwood as above. If you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber, please add your user-name/subscription number to the email.
If you are not currently a Nikon Owner subscriber, would you be kind enough to make a note of this in your email – in order to receive the discount, you will be able to join or re-join Nikon Owner when we call you to acknowledge your booking registration or upgrade your subscription to Gold.
Please note that it is essential that you book by email rather than by telephone.
About Nikon Owner
Standard Annual subscription – normal price: £69; special price: £59 while registering for this safari
- 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner + 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
- All back issues are now available on line as PDFs
- Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Discounts on events and training sessions
Gold subscription – special price: £231 when registering for this safari
- 3-year subscription to Nikon Owner
- 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
- A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
- A signed copy of Heather Angel’s Wild Kew while stocks last or a Simon Stafford Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
- Nikon Owner magazine as above
- Private user-name and password to the subscribers-only website which includes a forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events page and use of a photo gallery
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 15% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses
