Sitka Shore Excursion: Alaskan Wildlife by Land and Sea

Sitka, United States of America

Get an intimate knowledge of the beautiful scenery, amazing wildlife, and historic sites of Sitka on this combination land and sea tour. First you’ll set out on a catamaran boat with an expert local captain to watch whales and other marine wildlife in the waters off Sitka. After two hours on the water, you’ll return to land to take a comfortable van tour to see highlights that include totem poles, brown bears and historical treasures.

You’ll meet your tour at the 26-foot-long (8-meter) Glacier Bay Catamaran, a perfect vessel for navigating Sitka’s narrow passages and bays. Featuring a warm, comfortable cabin with large windows and a spacious deck, the boat is constructed specifically to ride smoothly in most conditions.

Your expert local captain will take you out to the best sites to spot humpback and gray whales as well as porpoises, sea otters, seals, and some of the almost 300 bird species that live in the region. Weather and sea conditions will influence the itinerary for the trip and the captain will try to customize the tour to your interests. You might see otters lounging in kelp, whales feeding, seals barking, or perhaps even a bear wandering the beach; you’re sure to get lots of close-up experiences of the marine wildlife of Sitka.

When you return to land, you’ll board a comfortable 14-passenger van for a 2-hour land tour. Head over O’Connell Bridge for a fantastic view of Sitka, then cross the bridge to Japonski Island where you’ll hear about Sitka’s role in World War II.

Then head to Sitka National Historical Park and marvel at the Tlingit and Haida totem poles that stud a trail surrounded by spruce and hemlock trees. After, join your guide on a beautiful walk overlooking the Indian River. In the middle of the season, witness salmon spawning while your knowledgeable guide teaches you about the amazing life cycle of the salmon.

After taking in the sights at the park, you’ll drive south on a scenic road skirting Silver Bay to arrive at Fortress of the Bear, the largest bear reserve in North America. The 1.5-acre habitat takes in orphaned bear cubs to live in a naturalized setting. You’ll be able to get within 25 feet (8m) of the magnificent brown bears to watch them at play, then meet the knowledgeable staff who take care of the bears.

Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your excursion ends with ample time for you to return to the Sitka Cruise Ship Dock for your ship’s departure. In the extremely unlikely event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   Debbie K,    September 2017
This excursion was outstanding from beginning to end! Our boat captain was extremely knowledgeable and in constant contact with other vessel captains in the area who were sharing information about whale sightings, eagle sightings, sea otter sightings, and more. He was very observant and slowed/stopped the boat on numerous occasions to be sure we saw what he was looking at. We encountered DOZENS of humpback whales, several sea otters and sea lions, several bald eagles and one active nest, a small black-tailed deer, and saw tons of bright orange jellyfish in the water. On our way back, he stopped so we could watch a fishing boat haul in a huge catch of salmon. Additionally, he motored us around to several spots that were simply fantastic photo opportunities. When we got back to port, we started our land portion of the tour and again, had a very knowledgeable and congenial guide reminded me of Amy Farrah Fowler on Big Bang! who took us to all the sights around Sitka. She also pointed out several bald eagles, one sea otter having a crab snack, and she also managed to take us to see a pod of whales breaching in the bay. We also saw several rescued bears, a totem pole area, and hiked into a forest. One of the best parts of our tour was her interaction with an excited, curious 9-year-old boy who talked the entire time. She was patient with him and her excitement about the things he was experiencing for the first time was apparent. She is a natural-born tour guide and absolutely made this trip for us! Outstanding tour and HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Review by:   focusedfp,    July 2017
THIS IS FOR SITKA TOUR, but the review also shows up under Juneau in error!!_br/_ The first part of this tour was fabulous! We were on a small boat with Sonny with another couple. It was a cloudy day but Sonny met the challenge and we saw about a dozen whales! It was spectacular! Sonny was friendly, welcomed questions... a great host._br/_ The second part was by bus. It was drizzly now and about 12 folks in the van can determine where you go as some don't want to get off in the drizzle inappropriate attire or have limited mobility. That was unfortunate. We did make it to the Fortress of the Bear and did a very small part of Totem Park. Wish we'd done the full Totem Park trail and the Raptor Center thankfully we were able to visit Raptor on our own another day. All in all, Aakatchaq did her best given the large diverse group -- and particularly since she was a last minute fill-in for the tour.

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