All Ketchikan Tours &amp; Excursions in 2026

Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Rainforest Canopy Ropes and Zipline Adventure Park

Experience a 1.5-hour Misty Fjords flightseeing tour with Seawind Aviation aboard our classic DeHavilland Otter or Beaver seaplanes. Just a short flight from Ketchikan, you’ll soar above towering 3,000-foot granite walls, deep fjords carved by ancient glaciers, misty peaks, waterfalls, and lush forested slopes. We’ll touch down on a remote mountain lake or calm saltwater inlet for a 20-minute stop, giving you the chance to step out onto the floats and take in the stillness of this pristine wilderness up close. After returning to Ketchikan, we’ll bring you back to the downtown cruise ship docks in plenty of time to board. Norwegian Cruise Line guests who are docked at Ward Cove (20 min outside Ketchikan) will be dropped at the free shuttle stop for easy transport back to their ship.

Misty Fjords Flightseeing 1.5hr -includes 20 minute water landing

While your ship is docked in Ketchikan, kayak around Eagle Island, part of Tongass National Forest, on this shore excursion. Enter the protected waters of Clover Pass and increase your chances of spotting wildlife such as bald eagles, seals, salmon, and even whales as you explore in a quiet, eco-friendly vessel. The tranquil waters provide a perfect opportunity for beginning kayakers and the more experienced alike to enjoy the Alaskan wilderness.

Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Eagle Island Sea Kayaking

Experience the thrill of soaring through the Tongass National Forest without having to sort out logistics on a small-group zipline excursion from Ketchikan. Glide across eight zip lines, walk suspension bridges, and rappel in the forest, keeping an eye out for all sorts of wildlife along the way. As an added bonus, you'll stop by a totem park, a historic sawmill, and an old blacksmith shop.

Rainforest Canopy & Zipline Adventure in Ketchikan, AK

The Harbor Haus at Thomas Basin will be your destination to experience the most pristine Dungeness Crab feast. While looking out over the harbor filled with commercial fishing boats, watch as the daily catch is brought to the docks. Your meal includes salad with Asian style dressing, all-you-can-eat Dungeness Crab, baby red potatoes, and delicious carrot cake! After the meal, you are within downtown Ketchikan, surrounded by totem poles, Creek Street, jumping salmon and shopping.

1 hour 15 minutesFree Cancellation

Alaska Crab Feast

Lumberjack Show and Axe Throw Challenge

2 hours 15 minutesFree Cancellation

This trip is a departure from traditional fishing excursions in Alaska. You’ll ride in a comfortable, wide-open skiff, you’ll feel the wind in your hair, the spray on your skin, and no matter which way you turn, you’ll be immersed in an Alaskan sensory experience. We’ll outfit you in rubber raingear and place you next to a warm fire at the fish camp, but getting a little wet is part of the appeal! This trip is fast-paced, we’re not waiting around for the fish. You’ll drop in a spot and either start catching within a couple minutes or we’ll be off to the next location. When salmon are in, we rush to jig rockfish before switching over to troll

Ketchikan Alaska Fishing and Wilderness Dining

4 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Explore Ketchikan with a private tour designed for all ages, where your family and friends are the only guests in the van. Enjoy comfort, flexibility, and a relaxed pace. Giving you the freedom to focus on what interests you most. Every stop on our tour is chosen for its genuine connection to Ketchikan’s rainforest, coastline, wildlife, and history. You’ll explore places shaped by nature, not created for show, giving you a clear sense of what makes this place special. Our goal is to create an experience that is fun, friendly, authentic, and unscripted—like exploring Alaska with a friend. As a BBB‑accredited business, our company meets the Better Business Bureau’s established standards for integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct, providing guests with confidence in our professionalism and accountability. Please note: Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Our routes focus on naturally scenic areas that offer the best potential for viewing wildlife.

Emerald Forest Tours: Private Tours suitable for all ages...

3 hoursFree Cancellation

This small group hike offers a genuine Alaskan rainforest experience far from the crowded sightseeing stops. With a maximum of only 6 guests, you'll enjoy a personal and unhurried pace as you explore one of Ketchikan's most scenic hikes. Unlike large tour groups, this experience focuses on real hiking and meaningful connection. Your local guide will share insights about Tongass National Forest's plants, wildlife and history while leading you through old-growth forest and along the rushing waters of Lunch Creek. Perfect for travelers who want a deeper and more authentic experience in Ketchikan. >>This tour is best suited for travelers who: • Enjoy real hiking on forest trails • Are able to hike 3-6 miles • Want a small group experience • Prefer nature over crowded attractions • Are looking for an authentic outdoor adventure

Small-Group Rainforest Hiking Adventure- Ketchikan Excursion

4 hoursFree Cancellation

Surround yourself with the beauty of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest as you enjoy a memorable open-fire dining experience. Gather under covered pavilions, savor slow-smoked meats, rich salmon chowder, and fire-grilled entrées, then unwind beside the campfire while taking in sweeping wilderness views. Complete your evening with a classic fireside treat as you roast marshmallows and make your own s'mores in an unforgettable Alaskan setting. - Dine on a multi-course feast featuring authentic Alaskan flavors - Enjoy spectacular views from a scenic forest setting overlooking the Tongass Narrows - Watch chefs prepare select dishes over a live open-fire grill - Roast marshmallows and make your own s'mores around a cozy campfire

Ketchikan Fireside Feast: Open-Fire Salmon & Reindeer Dinner

1 hour 30 minutesFree Cancellation

A great pick for nature lovers, this Ketchikan Snorkeling Shore Excursion picks you right up at the cruise ship docks and takes you on an underwater Alaskan adventure. Get suited up in your snorkel equipment and listen to an instruction before you hit the water with a guide who knows the best spots to spot sea life. Hot beverages and water are also provided for convenience during your Ketchikan Snorkeling Shore Excursion.

Snorkel Alaska

3 hoursFree Cancellation

Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Park

2 hours 45 minutesFree Cancellation

Walk from Ketchikan’s downtown docks to historic Creek Street on a self-guided audio tour that plays automatically through a GPS app as you explore. Follow Ketchikan Creek to discover how this waterfront town was shaped by fishing, timber, and Tlingit culture. Along the way, you will pass salmon viewing areas, traditional totem poles, forested paths, and harbor views. Uncover the town's history as a Native fish camp, a multicultural working port, and the Salmon Capital of the World, alongside tales of the historic red-light district. Explore at your own pace—pause to watch the salmon runs or take in the harbor views. The audio resumes whenever you’re ready, so you can move freely without keeping up with a group. This is a self-guided experience (no in-person guide). Download the tour in advance and use it anytime. It works offline and follows your location along the route.

Ketchikan Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour of Creek Street

2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

5% savings

from

US$10US$9

Explore the breathtaking waters of Ketchikan on this intimate whale watching tour. With a small group led by knowledgeable locals, enjoy personalized service as you search for humpback whales, orcas, seals, and more. This 3 to 3 and a half-hour adventure aboard a stable catamaran features heated indoor seating and panoramic views, ensuring comfort in any weather. Savor a complimentary locally sourced lunch of your choosing between five different options, while taking in the stunning Alaskan scenery. If no marine mammals are spotted, a $100 cash guarantee awaits you at the end of the tour. - Small-group tours led by local experts for an authentic experience - 3-3.5-hour duration on a high-speed vessel reaching prime wildlife hotspots - Complimentary lunch included - Marine mammal sighting guarantee with cash refund if no sightings occur - On time for cruise ship departure guarantee

Whales and Lunch! Ketchikan's Premier Marine Mammal Viewing Tour

Whales and Lunch! Ketchikan's Premier Marine Mammal Viewing Tour

This trip puts a rod in every guest’s hand and gives you a crack at whatever species catch the scent trail your guide sets up on the bottom. This is an intimate fishing experience with 5 or 6 guests and a guide tucked into a hardtop aluminum cabin cruiser out on the halibut flats. Weather can be unpredictable, but a major advantage of fishing the Inside Passage is that there’s almost always a place we can hide behind an island, sheltering us from weather blowing in from the open sea. At our company, we don’t worry about fuel burn. We want our guides to go where guests have the best chance at the most active fishing. Compared to most half-day charters in Alaska, these trips will carry guests farther into more distant and productive waters. That means a better chance at the fish, more coastal scenery, and a better chance at spotting wildlife like whales, sea lions, and porpoises!

Alaskan Halibut Fishing

5 hoursFree Cancellation

On this tour you'll enjoy a rich history briefing of the historic fire station, the process of distilling our local spirits, tastings of our house spirits, followed by a hands-on class of how to blend your own custom infusion. All botanicals, herbs, and spices are included in this experience. Once your signature creation is complete, create a custom label and enjoy your bottle back home with friends and family!

Distillery Tour and Signature Bottle Infusion Experience

2 hoursFree Cancellation

Ketchikan Custom Tours does exactly what is says. You will be privately hiring a 4 Passenger SUV with private tour guide and driver. Each tour can be custom built prior to your arrival but as with all trip some times things change (The Weather) and we can change th tour itinerary even on the day. Doesn't matter what you want to se and do, We will make it happen. Things to see : Historical sights, Totem Poles, Black Bear viewing, Black Tail Sitka Deer, Wold, Mountain Lion, Hump Back Whales, Orca, Mountain Goats/Sheep, Bald Eagles, Salmon. Hike in Tongass National Forest. Beach Walks, Waterfalls and scenery second to none.

4hr Ketchikan Private custom tour (4 people) Wildlife + More

4 hoursFree Cancellation

Private Ketchikan City Totems & Wildlife Van Tour

3 hoursFree Cancellation

Ketchikan Jeep and Canoe Safari

2.5 Hr dedicated Black Bear tour (max 4 ppl)

Explore Ketchikan in our '67 Volkswagen van. You can enjoy learning about Ketchikan's colorful past, rich Native history, and the flora and fauna that make Southeast Alaska such a wonderful place. Our stops include but are not limited to a local Alaskan beach for intertidal exploration (tidal dependent), photo stops along Nichols Passage, a dazzling waterfall, and a stop at scenic Herring Cove for the possibility to spot wildlife (not guaranteed). Substituting the Saxman Totem Park or a short hike for any of the options above is also available. This tour can be completely customized to fit your itinerary. Just let our guide know; he will use his local knowledge to create an adventure you won't soon forget! This tour is an excellent option for all ages and guests who enjoy exploring with local guides! *Please keep in mind that each tour is different and tour stops may be changed by our guides due to tides, traffic, road construction, and weather.

Private Ketchikan Tour in '67 VW Van

2 hours 15 minutesFree Cancellation

Enjoy world-class sport fishing off the coast of Ketchikan during a fishing charter with an experienced captain. Drop your line in the deep waters offshore with the possibility of catching Pacific halibut and four different types of Alaskan salmon. Your captain can suggest stops and assist you with baiting the line or reeling in your catch. Plus, round-trip transport from the cruise ship dock or your hotel is included.

Private Ketchikan Halibut and Salmon Fishing Charter

6 hoursFree Cancellation

Price varies by group size

Navigate the waterways and islands of Clover Pass on a small-group kayak eco-tour from Ketchikan. Along the way, spot native Alaskan wildlife that inhabit this protected region where the thick foliage of the Tongass National Forest meets the sea, from sea lions and migratory humpback whales to eagles' nests and exposed starfish colonies. Paddle with two guides and a small group for a more personalized wildlife-watching journey.

Ketchikan Kayak Eco-Tour

4 hoursFree Cancellation

This combination trip gives your guide the freedom to pursue the best fishing opportunities available on the day you arrive. Whether it’s highly technical salmon trolling with downriggers, jigging pinnacles and kelp forests for rockfish and lingcod, or plumbing the depths for bottom fish, this trip highlights the diversity of species and fishing techniques Southeast Alaska is famous for! The guides who take these trips out are chosen for their versatile skill set, to run a trip like this you have to be rigged up with multiple sets of rods to facilitate completely different types of fishing rapidly within the course of a half-day trip. They’re ready to run far, pivot rapidly between locations and styles of fishing, and lean into the best seasonal opportunities on the day of your trip!

Ketchikan Authentic Alaska Fishing Adventure

5 hoursFree Cancellation

1 2 3

...

Must-Dos in Ketchikan

1 / 2

What are people saying about Ketchikan

Whales and Lunch! Ketchikan's Premier Marine Mammal Viewing Tour

Jose_A, Oct 2026

Up-close whales and drone footage from Captain Judah!

What an amazing experience! We got up close to the whales, and Captain Judah clearly knows these waters and where to find them. The small group made it easy to move around the boat and get great views. Judah flew a drone and filmed the whales from the air, which gave us a totally different perspective. He then shared the footage with everyone through AirDrop, so we left with a great footage. That kind of going above and beyond is what makes this tour special. Highly recommend this to anyone visiting Ketchikan. Five stars!

3-Hour Rainforest, Beach & Wildlife Walk

Anjali_R, Oct 2026

Great experience

What a great excursion. Operator communicated great for pickup from cruise port. He was so knowledgeable and the hike was easy and we learned so much. Great option if you want to save money from the cruise ship excursion and this tour takes you to areas you won't be offered from the cruise ship.

3hr Private Custom Excursion in Ketchikan for up to 14 people

Karlie_H, Oct 2026

Great Value

Shad was a great guide. He was personal and informative and waiting right outside our ship - so very easy to find. We saw bears, a waterfall, and learned about the salmon life cycle on a private tour. Made us want to come back to Ketchikan and stay for a week.

Ketchikans Best Wildlife, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Quest

Elizabeth_B, Sept 2026

Great excursion!

Mark was very friendly and knowledgeable. He spent a lot of time explaining things and was very accessible. Loved the small boat with only a few people on it. We saw a humpback come up several times!! Captain Morgan did a great job getting us near the whale but at a respectful distance.

Alaskan Bear Encounter by Land & Sea

Diane_P, Sept 2026

An Unforgettable Day

This excursion was the highlight of our holiday. We were lucky enough to see sea lions, bald eagles and lots of bears! The two guides that we had were clearly passionate about wildlife and very enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge with us. We had the most amazing day and would not hesitate to book this tour again, if we are ever able to re-visit this beautiful part of the world.

Misty Fjords Flightseeing 1.5hr -includes 20 minute water landing

Tamara_D, Sept 2026

Once in a lifetime

This flight is a once in a lifetime experience if you’re traveling to Alaska. The weather was questionable and this company went out of their way to wait until the weather cleared up to take us up and not disappoint us with a cancellation. The pilot gave us not just one, but two water landings, and we were able to get out and enjoy the scenery. Absolute must! Thank you so much for giving us this lifetime memory that we will not forget! Cheers from Chris, Christina, Tamara & Omer from Phoenix Arizona.

Emerald Forest Tours: Private Tours suitable for all ages...

ashley_p, Sept 2026

We booked this as the...

We booked this as the last excursion of our cruise. Our group included 2 kids (1 and 4) and 4 adults ages 30s-60s. Bianca was AMAZING! She interacted so well with our 4 year old, even pulling him away from the boring (in his mind) blacksmith presentation to show him a banana slug she found. She showed us everything we wanted and more, we got to do everything we wanted without feeling rushed and made the most out of a short port day. She also took amazing photos and videos she airdropped to us at the end. Thanks Bianca!!

Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan

David_F, Sept 2026

A life-altering experience

This was an absolutely outstanding experience. The Deadliest Catch Crab Fishing Tour is far more than just a sightseeing excursion; it is a raw, authentic look into the reality of the Bering Sea. Captain Ron and Big D: These two veterans made the tour unforgettable. They didn’t just demonstrate the mechanics of crab fishing; they opened up and shared their entire life stories. Hearing them talk about heading out into the unforgiving Bering Sea at just 19 years old made the entire experience incredibly real and grounded. The Unfiltered Reality: They were completely transparent about the brutal lifestyle of the industry. They openly discussed battling treacherous weather, navigating the sudden influx of crab money at a young age, and the hard life lessons they had to learn along the way. Seeing how they have transformed their lives and now dedicate themselves to sharing that journey every day is genuinely inspiring. A Mission That Matters: The most impactful part of the tour is the cause behind their work. They are out there to support the survivors and families of those who have lost their lives in this highly dangerous industry. A Profound Perspective: Their storytelling is a powerful mechanism for giving back and creating awareness. It completely shifts your perspective, leaving you with the sobering realization that real human lives are risked…and sometimes lost…just to put the seafood we eat onto our plates. If you are looking for an excursion with genuine depth, grit, and purpose, I cannot recommend Captain Ron, Big D, and this entire crew highly enough.

Ketchikan Zodiac Boat Adventure

Ashley_Q, Sept 2026

This was a true Alaskan...

This was a true Alaskan experience and excursion. We were the only group on the tour so it felt like a private showing of Ketchikan from the local guide, Austin. Being in the zodiac boat instead of a larger boat with a group of people really sets this excursion away from the rest. I highly recommend this excursion and it was the highlight of our trip.

Misty Fjords Floatplane Flightseeing Tour

Paul_B, Sept 2026

We had never experienced...

We had never experienced a float plane before and the takeoff and landing were much smoother than expected. The flight through the Misty Fjords was great. The scenery was spectacular and our pilot, Jake, was fantastic. We contacted Taquan Air several times with questions and they were always quick to respond. We would highly recommend this experience.

Ketchikan salmon and halibut fishing charter

Erin_C, Aug 2026

Great fishing experience!

We had a really nice time during this trip! We only caught a few fish but happened to be there on an incredibly sunny and warm day which made the fish swim lower so we couldn’t complain. Captain Moses and his son were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful on board. We also saw three orcas which also explained the disappearance of the fish. Overall it was incredibly cool!

Lumberjack Show and Harbor Haus Crab Feast

Albert_L, Jul 2026

Good show and the crab...

Good show and the crab was excellent!! Be aware of where your ship will dock because if it docks at the docks outside of the city there will be a long line to board the bus to get to the closer ports then you still have a 10 min walk to the lumberjack show. Much cheaper than booking it on the ship and I would book it again just for the crab!!