Ketchikan Wildlife Tour: Alaska's Natural Wonders

Explore Ketchikan’s wildlife, from bears to whales, and immerse in Tlingit culture. Book your unforgettable Alaska adventure now.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Salmon Ladder - Explore the renowned Salmon Ladder in Ketchikan, Alaska, where salmon valiantly swim upstream against powerful currents to spawn and complete their life cycle. Experience the natural marvels that Ketchikan, Alaska has to offer.
  • Herring Cove - A premier spot for wildlife observation, celebrated for its seasonal bear sightings…
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • On-board WiFi
  • Snacks
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information

Embark on the ultimate wildlife adventure in Ketchikan, Alaska! Explore top attractions such as the captivating salmon ladder, exhilarating bear sightings at Herring Cove, and intriguing marine life at Rotary Beach, featuring whales and intertidal creatures.
Immerse yourself in Alaska’s rich cultural heritage by visiting the iconic totem poles at Saxman…

Location
131 Front St
Front Street
Our guide will be holding a neon sign with the company name on it. Please meet at the Ketchikan visitors center located 131 Front Street at Berth 2 at the downtown cruise ship docks by 'The Rock' statue. Norwegian passengers take the free shuttle to downtown to the meeting point at Berth 2.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(121 Ratings)
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Paolo
Aug 11, 2025
Great tour with an awesome local guide! - We had an awesome time and Lauren was a delightful guide: knowledgeable, approachable, and as a local clued into many nuances of Ketchikan. She shared personal anecdotes about living in the town, while also taking us to great viewing spots. We saw a bear, cool birds, and a ton of salmon. She was well versed in native culture, pointing out important highlights during the totem park tour. Extra bonus that she provided some local snacks during the tour! Overall, a really great tour hosted by someone who clearly cared about her guests and giving them a good time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maya_h
Aug 11, 2025
Wonderful - Lauren was a fantastic tour guide! This relatively short tour did a great job of combining wildlife searches, gorgeous scenery, and cultural learning - we got lucky enough to see a bear, but this tour had enough variety (and Lauren provided fantastic commentary throughout) that it would have been totally worthwhile even without any bear sightings. I highly recommend booking this tour if you’re in Ketchikan!
Review provided by Viator
William
Aug 10, 2025
Had an amazing, adventurous time with Lauren! - Seeing wildlife with a local, dropped us off where she knew a perfect gluten free pizza could be found! That she was adventurous enough to lead us, a married couple in their 70’s, scrambling over rocks to the base of a beautiful waterfall Will be a cherished memory of our visit to Ketchikan. Thanks again Lauren! Karen and Bill❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gene_o
Aug 9, 2025
Short, sweet and excellent! - Easy meet up at "The Rock" sculpture near pier 2. Local Lauren is SO informative! Comfortable van. Stops: Bear viewing (AWESOME!). Two black bears prowling along a creek. GREAT PHOTO OP! Especially with a long lens. Saw four eagles soaring overhead. Brief stop at a cascading waterfall. Next, a beach shore park for snacks (smoked salmon was delicious!) and tide pools filled with colorful star fish. Fortunate to visit during low tide. Saxman ceremonial village with many totem poles, ongoing totem pole carving. Then to the salmon fish ladders adjacent to Creek Street as fished leaped about. Option to return to dock or walk back through Creek Street. Walk was 15-20 min through the shopping district. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Review provided by Viator
Joyce_o
Aug 8, 2025
Great Tour! - We were very pleased with the tour that Lauren gave us. She took us two places where we definitely saw some bears and enjoyed the salmon ladder. I was especially pleased to learn that she operates her own business and we were very happy to support her.
Review provided by Viator
Alyssa_m
Aug 7, 2025
Great day for all! - We had a lovely day exploring with Lauren! We saw bears, a harbor seal, an eagle’s nest, totem poles, star fish, and salmon swim upstream. Each stop was just enough time to enjoy the sights, before we moved on to the next. She shared interesting facts at each stop and during the drive. Great tour!
Review provided by Viator
Taylorfernando18
Aug 6, 2025
Awesome excursion! - We had a great time on this experience! Lauren was a great guide- very kind and knowledgeable. You ride in her van through Ketchikan and see beautiful stretches of the landscape, some wildlife (we saw a black bear!) but the highlight for me was the Saxman Native Village and the Salmon run! Overall a great excursion!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susanf3111
Aug 6, 2025
Fabulous! - Lauren was a fabulous, very patient and knowledgeable tour guide. I highly recommend her! We saw black bears, totem poles, salmon ladder, and gorgeous scenery.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anney253
Aug 5, 2025
So special to view Bears in their natural habitat. - Lauren was a wonderful guide and we saw what we hoped we would. A group of bears walking along the waters edge hunting for Salmon. We were given plenty of time to take photos and to enjoy this spectacular site of viewing bears in their natural habitat. We were also shown the Ketchikan Ladder where the Salmon spawn, they were plentiful in numbers showing us the effort they make to return to their birth place at the end of their life. The indigenous Totem Poles were also an interesting place to view with the stories that Lauren shared. We would recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diane_l
Aug 5, 2025
Join Lauren on a great overview of Ketchikan! - Lauren did a great job! She took us to four different points of interest in a comfortable van. We saw a bear, Eagles, salmon, fish ladder, and the totem pole park. She gave us some background on it. Alain did a lovely job.
Review provided by Viator
From $137
up to 11 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).