Off the Beaten Path: Into the Wild of Katmai

Some adventures feel like they belong on the glossy pages of National Geographic. My day in Katmai National Park with Off the Beaten Path was one of those. It started with a floatplane. The kind of transport that already makes you feel like you’ve stepped out of routine and into something rare. We lifted off and skimmed over Alaska’s endless wilderness, no roads in sight, only blue water and then rugged terrain. As we began our descent, I caught my first glimpse of bears in the streams below. Seeing them from the sky—huge, moving effortlessly through the water—took my breath away.

When the plane touched down, we weren’t landing at an airport or even on a dock—we landed in the water in the middle of nowhere. And that was the point. Remote. Wild. Untouched.

Getting out of the plane felt like stepping through a portal. One moment, you’re a traveler with a backpack. The next, you’re part of an expedition. Our guides set the tone—calm, experienced, and carrying the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from spending a lot of time out here. We scanned the horizon. A few bears were visible at a distance, already making it clear whose home we had entered. But that was just the beginning.

First Encounter: Bears on the Bluff in Katmai

Soon after, we reached the bluffs—and everything changed. The bears weren’t far-off shapes anymore. They were close. Close enough that I kept questioning if it was real. Watching them in their world was like watching a nature documentary play out right in front of us.

The mama bear caught a salmon with quick precision, then carried it to her cubs. They ate some. Then the gulls swooped in to finish the rest. And then it repeated. It wasn’t just a meal—it was a cycle. A reminder that everything in nature has its part to play. And for a few minutes, sitting there on that bluff, I felt small in the best way possible.

Walking Their World

As we continued on foot through the park, the encounters didn’t stop. Bears fishing. Bears resting. Bears teaching their cubs how to move through the world. Bears playing. Bears wrestling. Every turn felt surreal—like the curtain had been pulled back on a secret, and we were allowed to witness it.

Katmai wasn’t just beautiful. It was humbling. There’s something about being that close to raw nature that strips away the noise. The emails, the deadlines, the what’s-next mindset—all of it seemed irrelevant compared to the rhythm of the bears and the river.

Why Off the Beaten Path

This experience almost didn’t happen. Our original partners had canceled, and for a moment, it looked like the entire expedition might unravel. But the Off the Beaten Path team stepped in—seamlessly—making sure we didn’t just salvage the trip, but actually ended up with Alaska Ultimate Safari who gave us an experience that felt elevated, thoughtful, and unforgettable. 

They didn’t just drop us into the wild; they made sure the wild unfolded in a way that was safe, coordinated, and deeply immersive.

The Perspective That Stays With Me

Ever since that day, I’ve found myself returning to Katmai in my mind. When life or business gets stressful, when the noise creeps in, I close my eyes and I’m back on the bluffs. I can still see the bears moving through the water, feel how small I felt in their presence—and yet how clear I became about what really matters.

This wasn’t just a trip. It was a perspective shift. And it’s one I’ve been carrying with me long after the floatplane lifted us back to civilization.