You’ve seen the viral videos.
You’ve seen my videos and pictures.
Massive brown bears standing in a rushing waterfall, casually plucking salmon out of the air like it’s no big deal. Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park is one of the most iconic wildlife viewing experiences in the world.

And it’s also one of the most complicated to get to.

Want to plan your own trip to see it? Buckle up (literally), because I’m breaking down what it really takes-from lottery hopes to floatplanes and the not-so-budget-friendly price tags.

Option 1: Win the Brooks Camp Lottery (AKA the Unicorn Route)

If you’re planning way in advance, you can try to win the golden ticket: a reservation at Brooks Camp. This is the only developed area inside Katmai where visitors can stay overnight near the falls.

• How to enter: The National Park Service opens the lottery each year through katmailand.com (December 1- December 30). The drawing is random and winners are contacted by early February with their dates to stay at the lodge for THE FOLLOWING YEAR. For example, December 2025 the lottery will open, early 2026 names will be drawn and contacted for a stay in summer of 2027. 50% payment is required within 7 days to secure your stay.
• Your odds: Slim. Tens of thousands of people sign up for this lottery.
• Cost: A stay at Brooks Lodge (if you do get a spot) runs $1,300+ per night. There is a 3–night maximum stay. this includes meals, but not flights. Cabins are 2 twin bunk beds
• Perks: You wake up with the bears. Literally. You can walk to the platforms during early and late times and don’t need to rush a day trip.

If you’re one of the lucky few, congrats. If not? Don’t worry. There are still ways to see the magic…

Option 2: Day Trip from Anchorage

If you’re starting in Anchorage, you’ll need to take two flights:

1. Anchorage → King Salmon
   • Commercial airlines like Alaska Airlines operate this leg.
   • Flight time: About 1 hour
   • Cost: ~$500 round trip depending on time of year
2. King Salmon → Brooks Falls (floatplane)
   • You’ll transfer to a floatplane with Katmai Air or another air taxi service
   • Flight time: ~20 minutes
   • Cost: $450 round trip per person

That means just getting to and from the falls can run $900–$1,000+ per person, and you’ll still need a place to stay in Anchorage before or after your trip.

The downside to this option is the amount of time spent flying to and from, limiting the available time to spend with the bears.

Option 3: Day Trip from Homer

Homer is a smaller, quirkier town on the Kenai Peninsula (and worth visiting even if you’re not heading to Katmai). There are a few companies that run full-day bear viewing excursions from Homer that include round-trip flights and guide services.

• Flight time: 1.5 hours each way
• Cost: Typically $1,000–$1,400 per person
• Perk: No need to coordinate separate flights. You book once and they handle everything.

This is a popular option for those wanting a once-in-a-lifetime guided experience without the hassle of logistics. The perk of using Homer as your base is access to Lake Clark National Park and other parts of Katmai National Park such as Halo Bay.

Option 4: Day Trip from King Salmon (the closest access point)

If you can get yourself to King Salmon, this is your shortest route into the park.

• Floatplane to Brooks Falls:
  • Flight time: ~20 minutes
  • Cost: $450 round trip per person

But-and this is important–getting to and around King Salmon is no small feat. It’s only accessible by plane. No roads. No Ubers. Limited rental cars unless your VRBO host also owns a vehicle (ask me how I know ).

There are very few places to stay, and the ones near the river with prime access are often luxury lodges charging thousands per night. You can find more budget-friendly rentals, but they go quickly and don’t come with many frills.

I chose this location purely for convenience on location to Brooks Falls. I wanted to go 2 days in a row to experience the environment as much as possible. After a lot of research, I found that flights are cancelled often due to weather, so getting as close as possible and setting myself up for 2 full days with the possibility of a 3rd day for rebooking if needed due to weather, was the most important factor.

So… Is It Worth It?

Let me be clear:
Getting to Brooks Falls is not easy, and it is not cheap. But it is one of the most awe-inspiring, humbling experiences you’ll ever have.

Watching an 800-pound brown bear snatch a salmon out of a waterfall just feet from where you’re standing is the kind of stuff that stays with you.

So whether you win the lottery or cobble together a floatplane-fueled adventure from King Salmon, it can be done if you’re willing to plan ahead and make it happen.

Want more tips for planning your Alaska bucket list trip? Or need help piecing together your flights and accommodations? That’s literally what I do.
Send me a message if you want me to put a trip together for you!

Want to check out another amazing spot for wildlife viewing? Check out this blog for Yellowstone and Grand Teton!

The post Into the Wild: How To See Bears In Brooks Falls, Alaska appeared first on Boujee on Any Budget Travel.

It became very clear last year with two hikes that straight-up punched me in the soul: Oeschinensee in Switzerland and Delta Lake in the Tetons. I’ve always been a rewards-driven hiker (if there’s no jaw-dropping view at the top, why am I sweating like this?), but those two? They didn’t just deliver—they redefined what I chase.

It smacked me right in the face.

Everything I’ve ever thought was truly beautiful… comes from nature.

The way a mama bison leads her baby across the plains. The roar of a waterfall as it crashes into a hidden pool. The stillness of a glacier lake that looks Photoshopped in real life. The tail of a humpback whale flicking into the air like a final bow before disappearing into the sea.

I’ve been lucky to live in places like Montana and Malaysia. I’ve seen more wildlife than most people dream of. Living in locations where bears on your property or monkeys trying to get in your kitchen window are commonplace, didn’t stunt my love for animals, instead it has driven me to see more, to find more. Moose, bear, elk, humpback whales, blue whales, lions, elephants…  I need to see them. All of them. (Yes, I’m that tourist. The one who thinks surely one of these animals wants to come home with me.)

Here’s the thing: no resort, no luxury hotel, no cocktail with a little umbrella gives me the same feeling as watching the sky turn gold over a mountain ridge. Or hearing nothing but wind and waves. Or locking eyes with a creature that didn’t know I existed until that very moment and somehow feeling deeply connected anyway.

This is why I travel. The raw, the wild, the real. Nature doesn’t need filters. It is the magic.

So, I thought I’d show you a few moments that left me breathless—not just because of the view (though, hello, stunning), but because they reminded me just how wild and wonderful this world really is. These are the kinds of experiences I plan my trips around. And yes, if you’re anything like me—a sucker for a good view, a little adrenaline, or an up-close wildlife encounter—I’ll drop a few guided tours or hike recs along the way.

Oeschinensee, Switzerland– Bucket List Hike

This hike started with a cable car and ended with me audibly gasping…repeatedly. I’ve seen clear lakes before, but nothing—and I mean nothing—prepared me for this glacier-fed showstopper. The trail winds through alpine meadows, forest paths, and ends at a lake so vibrant it looks fake. 

Want to see this view for yourself?
This really is a DIY type hike. AllTrails app is sufficient for you to see the trail and distance. But even that is not needed as it’s pretty clearly marked. 

Tip: Bring a picnic and take the boat ride across the lake if it’s running (spring and summer months). And don’t forget to turn around on the hike—some of the best views are behind you.

Delta Lake, Wyoming– Epic Mountain Trail

This is one of those hikes that makes you question your life choices halfway through… and then makes you want to weep when you reach the top. Unmarked trail. Boulder fields. Zero signage. 1000% worth it.

Ready to test your hiking skills?
I am unaware of any guided hikes for this one. AllTrails has excellent information. Download the hike while you are in service and GPS will follow you. The trail DOES seem to disappear right before your very eyes a few times, but the marked trail on the app is accurate. 

Tip: Don’t start this late in the day. And don’t wear white shoes. Just… trust me.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia – Nature as Therapy

If you ever want to see what it looks like when the earth throws herself a going-out party, go to Shenandoah in the fall. Blazing reds, electric oranges, golden yellows—all piled on top of each other in a never-ending mountain cascade. Every overlook was a masterpiece. Every trail felt like walking through a living flame. The air was cool, the crunch underfoot was oddly therapeutic, and for a minute, I fully believed I was in a Hallmark movie. Minus the small-town drama and token pup.

Want to catch the color show yourself?
Plan your visit during peak foliage season in Shenandoah- use the GUIDEALONG app for fascinating information about the park and the best photo spots. AllTrails is perfect for choosing which hikes you’d like to do. My favorite hike was Rose River Trail. 

Tip: Weekdays are your friend—this place gets packed when the leaves do their thing. And bring layers—it may look warm, but autumn likes to keep you guessing.

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee– Raw Natural Beauty

I’ve seen photos. I’ve scrolled past the postcards. But nothing compares to standing on a ridge in the Smokies and seeing that soft, layered blue stretch out in every direction. It’s like the mountains are stacking themselves toward infinity—each one fading a little more into the mist. The air smelled like pine and old earth, and the trail was just quiet enough to let me hear my own heartbeat. Gatlinburg might be the gateway, but once you’re deep in it? You feel like you’ve stepped into a living watercolor.

Want to hike into the heart of the Smokies?
Try the Alum Cave Trail or Clingmans Dome for sweeping views and that iconic Blue Ridge haze you just have to see to believe. Again. AllTrails is your BFF here.

Tip: Hike early to beat the crowds and catch the light hitting those blue layers just right. And don’t rush—these are the kind of views you sit with.

Divide,Colorado– Close-up Animal Experience

We didn’t just see wolves—we sat with them. At a sanctuary tucked into the Colorado wilderness, I had the chance to spend real, sacred time with animals that most people only see in storybooks or documentaries. They’re bigger than you think. Quieter, too. And when one locks eyes with you? It’s like they’re looking straight through the noise and into your soul. It wasn’t scary. It was grounding. Humbling. Like nature reminding me, you’re part of this too.

Want to feel the presence of the wild up close?
Check out the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center for a chance to interact with wolves in a protected, ethical setting. You’ll learn, you’ll feel, and you’ll leave forever changed.

Tip: Don’t wear perfume or scented lotion and no natural fibers like wool—the wolves are curious (and their noses are no joke). Come with an open heart—this is not your average tourist stop. It’s an experience you’ll carry with you.

Fairbanks, Alaska– Travel for Peace, not Places

I’d seen photos. I’d read the blogs. But actually witnessing the sky above Fairbanks explode into color was jaw-dropping. The aurora swirled and shimmered like it had a soul—green, purple, even hints of pink, dancing overhead in complete silence. It didn’t feel real. It felt like a dream layered on top of the night sky. I just stood there, half frozen (lies, I was mostly frozen), fully speechless, wondering how we ever look at screens when this exists.

Want to chase the aurora without the guesswork?
Try these Fairbanks Northern Lights tours with pros who track the conditions and know all the best viewing spots—plus, they’ll keep you warm and caffeinated while you wait for the show.

Northern Lights Viewing at Murphy Dome

Best Northern Lights Aurora Adventure FREE Portraits

Tip: Dress like your life depends on it—because it kinda does. Layers, hand warmers, and a thermos of something hot will be your best friends.

South Lake Tahoe, California– Hiking for the View

You know those stock photos of impossibly clear water, massive boulders, and someone floating like they don’t have a single worry in the world? Yeah—this was that. Paddleboarding in South Lake Tahoe felt like skimming across glass. The water was so clear I could see straight to the bottom, and the boulders? Literal car-sized giants resting under the surface. But my favorite part of this trip was the hike to a very secluded beach. Not another soul was with us. Check out the Rubicon Point Lighthouse Trail! 

Want to paddle like a pro in paradise?
This guided paddleboard tour on Lake Tahoe will get you out on the water, no guesswork required—and they’ll even point out the best hidden coves and photo spots.

Tip: Get out early to beat the crowds and wind. And wear a strap on your sunglasses unless you want to gift them to the lake gods.

I’ve stayed in stunning hotels. I’ve checked off bucket list cities. But the moments that have truly moved me—the ones that still take up space in my chest—didn’t come with room service or five-star ratings. They came from the wild. From golden sunrises on mountaintops and the hush of snow-white dunes. From locking eyes with a wolf, paddling over glacier-fed lakes, crying under an eclipse, and standing completely still while the world lit itself on fire in fall.

Nature doesn’t ask for attention. She just demands it. And once you start noticing her—really noticing her—nothing else ever shines quite the same. This is why I travel. This is why I hike, paddle, fly, float, and stand in the silence. Because everything I find beautiful… comes from her.

What’s the wildest or most beautiful moment you’ve experienced in nature? I’d love to hear what took your breath away.

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The post Why I Travel; How Nature Became My Travel Itinerary appeared first on Boujee on Any Budget Travel.