Juneau Whale Watching Adventure and Mendenhall Glacier Tour

Juneau, United States of America

Escape to the Alaskan Wilderness on a small group Whale Watching Adventure from Juneau. This is your chance to see humpback whales, bald eagles, seals and sea lions on an amazing 3 hour cruise on Auke Bay. 

The captain and naturalists will take you on a search for whales in Favorite Channel, Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal or Saginaw Channel. Binoculars are provided for your added viewing pleasure.

However the highlight of this Whale Watching Adventure is seeing the humpback whales which are feeding in the nutrient rich Alaskan waters. Once a whale is spotted your captain will slow down to allow you outside on the viewing decks for excellent picture opportunities and an up close experience. In addition, hydrophones may be lowered into the water to allow you to hear the whales communicate with each other.

Each boat is fully enclosed and heated with a marine restroom on board and capacity is kept to under 50 passengers per boat. The small groups create a great environment for wildlife viewing in the great Alaskan outdoorsYour captain is specifically trained to follow federal viewing guidelines from a safe distance..

After, you can experience the amazing Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier is located in the center of the Mendenhall Valley, which is located between Downtown Juneau and Auke Bay. You will have approximately 45 to 60 minutes near Mendenhall Glacier where you may enjoy the scenery or take a stroll on one of the numerous trails. While you visit the glacier you may take photos and searching for different types of wildlife.

Whale Sightings guaranteed! If no whale is sighted on the tour, you will be given a refund of $100.00 per adult/$50.00 per child.

Please note: You will not physically stand on the glacier. You will be approximately 1 mile (1.6km) away.

USD $130.99

Review by: Mark P	September 2011
we loved this we saw only one humpback but quit a few Orcas inlcuding a mom and baby.The naturalsit on board was very informative. She was just as excited to see the whales as us. Highly recommend this excursion.

Review by: Jill R	September 2011
very bumpy ride, wave came over front end and we got soaked (ruined binoculars). we did see several whales, but none jumping. just fins and mist and backs. guide was nice and driver of boat was also.

Review by: keith r	August 2011
Excellent tour

Review by: Ronald P Z	July 2011
OUR RATING WOULD BE 5 STARS._br/_ WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND SAW LOTS OF_br/_ WHALES.

Review by: Lynn C	July 2011
We had a great day and a great guide._br/_ We did see whale tails, and bubble fishing._br/_ The views were fantastic.

Review by: Jonell S	June 2011
We loved the Juneau whale watching and Mendenall Glacier tour. Everyone was so personal and we were treated so well. Glad we took this Whale watching as it was small and we were able to go front and back of the boat. Much better tha a larger boat. Thank you, have recomented you to others.

Review by: Lewis D	September 2010
The weather was bad. We were transported on an old bus from the dock to the whale watching boat. There was so much condensation and humidity on the bus that it was hard to breathe. The whale watching part was a little disappointing since we saw them at a far distance. Couldn't get a good picture even with my 300 mm lens. The tour guide was knowledgeable. The Mendenhall Glacier tour was kept short to 15 minutes for some reason.

Review by: Maria R	September 2010
The Whale Watching Expedition was highly enjoyable. The naturalist and captain were both extremely knowledgeable about the whales and their habits. I would highly recommend the tour to future visitors in the Juneau area.

Review by: Joronda C	September 2010
we did not see whales at first. They then took us to another spot and we saw several whales. It was a great experience!!

Review by: Joronda C	September 2010
we did not see whales at first. They then took us to another spot and we saw several whales. It was a great experience!!

Review by: Toni G	August 2010
The excursion itself was awesome.We didn't expect to see Orca's around that time yet we did so that was a bonus.We got some real good pics.These tours really get you up close and personal with these whales.They really know where to go to see them. The BEST !!

Review by: Jennifer A	August 2010
The staff on the boat were extremely rude and harsh. I would never have imagined I could have been treated so poorly.

Review by: Fred P	August 2010
Everything went smoothly, we saw a number of whales, although we were further away than most of the other whale watching boats. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. We especially enjoyed going to the Mendenhall Glacier, and everything was done in a timely manner.

Review by: Robert F	June 2010
Excellent tour, but could have been longer on the water.

Review by: Maria B, Puerto Rico	May 2010
Wonderful! Words cannot describe the awesome experience we had whale-watching during our recent trip to Alaska. Our guide was exceptional, both with knowledge and hospitality! I will highly recommend Dolphin Tours to all of my friends for sure. Thank you once again for making my trip a memorable one sorry I could not include a picture at this time, but believe me, we got some GREAT pics!! Bravo Dolphin Tours!!

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	September 2009
The tour vendor was very good despite the drenching that nature gave us. I hope to do this tour next time I visit Alaska, hopefully the weather will cooperate. We did see whales even with the inclement weather.

Review by: Michael J, United Kingdom	September 2009
Brilliant trip. The bus drivers taking us to and from the trip were friendly & informative and the girl on the boat was very good - she made you feel like you were a group of friends and she wanted you to be there. Boat was clean, smart and well designed to see the whales. We were lucky and got to see quite a few. The glacier was amazing - my favourite - but we could have very easily spent another 2 hours or so here! Perhaps the guys could extend the excursion or have a couple of return bus times.

Review by: Gary F, United States of America	September 2009
It was a great tour! Very knowledgable and personable staff!

Review by: Michael M, United States of America	September 2009
It took us right out to 6 whales and got us close to some of them. An awesome trip!

Review by: Cheryl C	September 2009
Too Crowded & too many people on the boat for adequate viewing. We were very Disappointed in the whale watching portion. The tour people were nice, but the boat did not have adequate viewing for the number of people crammed on board.

Review by: Cheryl C	September 2009
Overall, very disappointed. We almost missed the pickup at the designated location. We were there 15 minutes EARLY, but there was no signage and it was only because we saw another passenger carrying a boarding pass like ours on their way to the bus, that we knew we had almost missed the departure. There are far too many people on the small boat! We couldn't see anything most of the time. The boat only served coffee and Juice and they ran out. The weather was terrible, obviously not the tour's fault but the front seats got soaked and they didn't have anything to dry them with and the windows were completely fogged in. The glacier portion was OK, but we could probably have used a little more time there.

Review by: MICHAEL M	September 2009
It took us right out to 6 whales and got us close to some of them. An awesome trip!

Review by: Amit M, United Kingdom	August 2009
Knowledgeable and friendly crew. Saw lots of humpback whales from a close distance and one whale even obliged with a spectacular leap!

Review by: Carla P, Italy	August 2009
I loved the whale watching, but not so much the Mendenhall Glacier, too little time, just one hour! Anyway I''ll come again to Alaska!

Review by: Richard H, United States of America	August 2009
We saw a group of 5 whales that came together to feed for over an hour. The glacier was exceptional, and we saw a mother black bear and two cubs catching and eating salmon, climbing trees, and nursing. Outstanding!

Review by: David R, United States of America	July 2009
Both the glacier and whale watching were spectacular and well organized. We saw humpback whales bubble feeding for a good 45 minutes. At the glacier, we saw a mother bear and 2 cubs, an eagle, and a porcupine.

Review by: Tom F, United States of America	July 2009
Excellent whale watch excursion with knowledgeable guides.

Review by: Michael P, United States of America	July 2009
A great boat trip! We saw lots of whales. The personnel were knowledgeable and friendly. I would recommend this to anyone!

Review by: Timothy S, United States of America	July 2009
The trip was hassle free, and the tour guides, naturalist, and captain were awesome. The trip could not have been better.

Review by: Leslie B, United States of America	July 2009
The tour was very organized, but the weather was bad, cold and rainy. We got to see both orcas and humpbacks.

Review by: MARK B	July 2009
The tour was very organized, but the weather was bad, cold and rainy. We got to see both orcas and humpbacks.

Review by: Barbara E	July 2009
Boat was too crowded, and it was hard to see the whales. We paid for Glacier tour but did not get to go on this, so we wasted our money. The website was confusing - the whale watching was actually 3 hours and the glacier tour was an additional hour, but from the website it looked like both would take place in the 3 hours. Need to be more clear.

Review by: Irina K	July 2009
The trip was great, but the people who meet us at Juneau told us that they never heard about your company.

Review by: Bob H, United States of America	June 2009
Our tour guides were great! In spite of the stick getting stuck in the jets, they came through and found us the whale. Thankfully there was one person on the boat that had a faster camera than mine, and he sent me the four pictures that he took to go along with my one whale tail. We really, really enjoyed the whale watching. Mendenhall Glaciers was nice, but there was not enough time to walk the paths and see things. What we did was still amazing. Thanks for the great day!

Review by: Anonymous	June 2009
This was probably the best whale watching tour I could have taken. I am just not sure whale watching itself is worth the money. Mendenhall Glacier was absolutely gorgeous!

Review by: Jeffrey T	June 2009
For the price, we expected a bit more professionalism. The shuttle driver on the tour was OK. Young, a bit unprofessional, coughing and sniffling, not as knowledgeable about the area as one would like. But the sights were wonderful and we had several whale sightings. Boat driver was fun and knowledgeable.

Review by: JoLeta R	June 2009
The captain was entertaining. The naturalist was OK, but the speaker equipment didn't allow us to hear most of what she said. we did see some whales, which was better than some on other cruise tour did.

Review by: Judy T	June 2009
Disappointed. You guarantee seeing a whale, but the few minute glimpse we got didn't seem worth the cost of the trip. Two boats go out at the same time in different directions. Captains keep in touch, a great idea. We were the unlucky boat that didn't see a whale, but just before we had to head back, the other captain called to say there was a whale where they were located. Arrived at spot, other boat left, we had just a few minutes to watch the whale, then a quick trip back to the pier. Driver and guide were great, but I did feel like I had been cheated.

Review by: Andrea P	May 2009
We found the trip well organised. The bus driver was a real character whom we warmed to. We didn't get to see any whales on the whale watching tour, which is just the luck of the draw, but it was exciting going out on the boat anyway. We learnt a lot about the terrain and the area. The Mendenhall Glacier was fantastic.

Review by: Raymond P, United Kingdom	October 2008
Very exciting and informative we saw orcas, humpbacks also seals and it was a really lovely day,

Review by: Vicki R	July 2008
The trip was very informative and we got to see a family of orcas.

Review by: Kenneth H	July 2008
Very knowledgeable crew and staff. Great job!!