<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThis is an experience in a completely different league. The village of Kaktovik on Barter Island lies far above the Arctic Circle and has become world-famous for autumn polar bear viewing. The local I\u00f1upiat community has permission to conduct traditional whale hunts, and the remains attract dozens of hungry polar bears, which tourists then photograph from small boats. So yes \u2014 there are polar bears in Alaska, and Kaktovik has long been the place to see them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPolar bear in Kaktovik, Alaska (Photo: USFWSAlaska \/ Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor a long time, it was the mecca of Arctic photography, but there’s a major development you need to be aware of. For the 2026 season, commercial tourism to Kaktovik has been completely suspended. The village was struggling under the weight of tourist numbers and is now working to establish a new, more sustainable model \u2014 premium operators are planning a return no earlier than 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re planning a trip in the near future, cross this one off your itinerary straight away and invest the (considerable) savings into a grizzly trip further south instead. Polar bears simply require enormous planning with several years’ lead time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>5. Alaska Brown Bear vs Grizzly: How to Tell Them Apart<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA lot of people get confused by the terminology, but biologically, we’re talking about the exact same species (Ursus arctos). The difference is purely about where they live and what they eat. The coastal brown bear has access to unlimited supplies of fatty salmon, which is why it grows to enormous proportions \u2014 typically weighing between 350 and 450 kilograms. The inland grizzly is its leaner cousin, surviving mainly on roots, berries, and small mammals, and usually weighing “only” 200 to 350 kg.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBrown bear by the roadside in Alaska<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat really matters, though, is being able to tell a grizzly from a smaller black bear, because the way you should react in an attack depends entirely on which one you’re facing. The single most important identifying feature is the massive muscular hump between the shoulders, which grizzlies use for digging. Black bears simply don’t have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grizzlies also have a distinctly concave facial profile \u2014 almost dish-shaped \u2014 while black bears have a straighter profile. And if you come across tracks in the mud, just look at the claws. Grizzly claws are astonishingly long, easily five to ten centimetres, leaving deep imprints well in front of the pad itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>6. Black Bear: The Smaller, More Agile One<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe black bear (Ursus americanus) is a far more adaptable creature, and it’s the one you’re most likely to encounter near the edges of towns or at campsites. Don’t be fooled by the name, though \u2014 in Alaska, their fur colour varies wildly, and you can easily come across a “black” bear that’s a bright brown or even cinnamon.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBlack bear by the roadside in Alaska<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs I mentioned, they lack that distinctive shoulder hump, and their nose runs in a straight line from the forehead when viewed in profile. What’s really important for your safety, though, are their claws. They’re only about three centimetres long, curved, and perfectly designed for climbing. Thanks to these claws and their lighter weight, a black bear can scramble up a tree with astonishing speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s a huge difference compared to a heavy adult grizzly, which generally doesn’t climb trees (though exceptions do exist, so don’t bank on it as your only escape plan). A black bear might seem slightly cuter than a one-tonne giant from Katmai, but it’s still a wild and dangerous predator that deserves your utmost respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>7. Bear Spray Is an Absolute Must<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nHeading into the Alaskan wilderness without bear spray is gambling with your life, plain and simple. If you’re tempted to save a few dollars on this, you’re risking far more than it’s worth. Bear spray is essentially an oversized pepper spray \u2014 a highly concentrated capsaicin aerosol that fires an orange cloud under extreme pressure, reaching seven to nine metres. It costs between $50 and $60 (\u00a340\u2013\u00a348) and is sold everywhere; we picked ours up at an REI store.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBear-resistant food container for the wilderness (Photo: Grantbackpacker \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe biggest trap for tourists is that bear spray is classified as a pressurised weapon. In practice, this means you cannot take it on a plane \u2014 not in hand luggage, not in checked luggage. You simply have to buy it when you arrive and leave it at your hotel for the next traveller before you fly home, or hand it in at the airport’s dedicated disposal point.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor the spray to be of any use whatsoever, you must carry it on your chest in a dedicated holster or on your belt. If you’ve cleverly buried it at the bottom of your rucksack under a rain jacket and your packed lunch, it’s completely useless during a bear charge \u2014 which unfolds in seconds. Experts also recommend practising your draw regularly, because under stress, people often forget to flick the safety catch with their thumb. If the worst happens, fire short one-second bursts aimed slightly downward in front of the animal, so the bear runs into the stinging cloud itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>8. Encounter Rules: What to Do When Things Get Serious<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI’ll be completely honest with you \u2014 bear attacks in Alaska are not just horror stories designed to scare city tourists. Between 2023 and 2026, there were several very serious and, sadly, fatal incidents, including people who were simply out for an early morning jog on their own driveway near Kenai. You need to keep a cool head at all times and know exactly what to do depending on the type of bear and the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCamper with a bear-resistant container at a campsite (Photo: NPS Photo \/ Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you spot a bear from a distance (more than 100 metres) and it hasn’t noticed you yet, simply back away quietly the way you came. There is one absolutely paramount rule: never, under any circumstances, run<\/strong>. Running instantly triggers a predator’s chase instinct, and since a bear can match the speed of a racehorse, you haven’t got a chance of outrunning it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSometimes a bear will perform what’s known as a bluff charge \u2014 an intimidation rush. It will sprint at full speed directly towards you and slam on the brakes just before reaching you. In that moment, you have to overcome the greatest fear of your life, stand your ground, speak in a calm, deep voice, and have your spray unsafetied and ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a grizzly<\/strong>, the attack is usually defensive (it’s been startled or is protecting cubs), so curl into a ball, hands behind your neck, legs spread so it can’t flip you, and play dead<\/strong>. Keep your backpack on \u2014 it acts as excellent spine protection. Conversely, if a black bear<\/strong> attacks, or if any bear is silently stalking you (known as predatory behaviour), never play dead. In that situation, you must fight for your life with absolutely everything you have, aiming for the nose or eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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