Top Ketchikan Air Tours

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.

Enjoy an experience most tourists miss and step off your cruise ship into a floatplane to admire the glassy blue lakes, waterfalls, and snowcapped peaks of Misty Fjords National Monument on this shore excursion from Ketchikan. Capture bird’s-eye views of varied landscapes and try your luck spotting eagles, bears, and plenty of other wildlife during the flight that includes a guaranteed window seat. It’s an ideal experience for nature-lovers.

Misty Fjords National Monument is a remote, road-less wilderness area that can only be reached by air and sea. This floatplane flightseeing tour takes you into the heart of the park where you can see untouched areas of Alaska far from the hoards of cruise ship passengers that flock to more accessible areas. The tour includes a water landing—a unique experience only a floatplane can provide.

If you’re a fan of the Discovery Channel’s hit TV show 'Deadliest Catch,' you saw the Aleutian Ballad, a commercial fishing boat, escape a rogue wave in the Bering Sea. On this fisherman’s tour from Ketchikan, hop aboard the Aleutian Ballad and navigate through the waterways of the Inside Passage with a seasoned fishing crew. Touch some of the catch, take photos, and listen to entertaining sea lore.

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.

Focus on the scenery of Tongass National Forest and Totem Park on this eco tour from Ketchikan. Traveling with a small group of just 11 people or fewer means you'll get personalized attention and plenty of time to ask questions of your guide. Follow your guide on a walk through the Alaskan rain forest and Totem Park, where you'll get views and photo ops of pristine creeks, ancient trees, and moss-covered ground. There's even a geo-caching scavenger hunt to keep kids interested and occupied.

Maximize your chances of seeing wildlife around Ketchikan by heading out onto the waters surrounding the Tongass National Forest. This small-group tour takes you searching for wildlife including humpbacks, orca, sea lions, seals and eagles aboard a quiet and unobtrusive Zodiac expedition craft with a naturalist as your guide. Feel like an explorer and adventurer as you navigate narrow channels, rocky coastlines, forested islands and black sandy beaches.

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.

Ride an electric bike to the end of Ketchikan's 'road to nowhere' and then hike thorough a wildlife-rich rain forest on this combo eco-tour. Pedal from the marina to the end of the island's paved road system on a battery-powered bike, and then dismount to trek through the wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, following a trail that passes an active salmon-spawning stream, a waterfall, beach views, and dense foliage that's home to an array of native Alaskan wildlife.

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.

Explore the bays and islands of Alaska on a whale- and wildlife-watching excursion off the coast of Ketchikan. Locally owned and family-run, this company prides itself on knowing the best up-to-date whale watching locations in the area. This ensures the greatest chances of spotting whales on your outing (though sightings are not always guaranteed), as well as other wildlife like bald eagles, harbor seals, and a wide variety of seabirds.

Make the most of your time in port in Ketchikan and discover Alaska’s natural wonders and cultural heritage on this half-day small-group tour. Enjoy a guided walk through the rainforest, stopping to admire a waterfall and native flora. And visit a Totem Park: learn about the ancient Alaskan tradition, the cultural heritage of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people, and explore a magnificently carved clan house.

Wilderness areas near Ketchikan are ideal locations to see the wildlife and old growth rain forests of south eastern Alaska. With this tour, take a short boat ride to the Orcas Cove launch point, get in a kayak, and spend a few hours exploring the shoreline and spotting wildlife—bears, whales, eagles, and more—waterside. Finish the tour with a snack of local smoked salmon.

Get off your cruise ship, and get your adrenaline going, on this half-day shore excursion to a Ketchikan zipline adventure park. Soar through the Alaskan rainforest on seven ziplines and eight canopy ropes. This natural jungle gym includes suspended logs, rope bridges, a climbing tower and staircase, meaning thrill seekers of all experience levels can share in the excitement. Round-trip port transport included.

Experience the remote Alaskan wilderness on an off-road adventure perfect for adrenaline junkies who are looking to escape the tourists in the more populated parts of the state. Driving—or riding passenger—in a Tomcar lets you reach places that are inaccessible by car. As you follow the unpaved mountain road there are ample opportunities to take photos in front of waterfalls, spot wildlife, and catch views of the Inside Passage.

Observe bears in their natural habitat on a half-day tour by air from Ketchikan. Your pilot shares commentary via radio headset during the 40-minute scenic flight as you go over the Inside Passage to Prince of Wales Island. Land at Polk Inlet and visit the United States Forest Service bear-viewing platform, where your guide helps you get a close look at wild bears as they hunt for salmon along the creek. Includes scenic flight, guide, and pickup and drop-off from central Ketchikan.

Upon arrival to the platform, you will be at a prime vantage point to see Alaska’s REAL fisherman! Watch the true champions of the tour – the 5 species of salmon battling in the last part of their life, to arrive upstream to spawn. They are fighting not just the swift current but also the bears. See the black bears fattening up for winter, plunge into the rushing water with jaws wide, to eat the wild salmon heading upstream to spawn. Besides bears feeding, you are also likely to see Bald Eagles feeding on salmon scraps left over by the bears. The Highlights - Visit a World Class bear viewing facility. - A round trip floatplane flight over the Tongass National Forest is included. - Listen to a personalized flight narration – no recorded tracks - There is a high likelihood of seeing black bears, eagles and salmon. - Enjoy a nature walk of approximately ¼ mile round trip. - Be accompanied by an experienced Alaska Bear Guide. -Tour length is 3 hours with up to 45 minutes of flightseeing.

The summer is the best time to see bears in the Alaskan wilderness and this excursion takes you to the best spots. Join a small group and fly from Ketchikan to Tongass National Forest, landing at Traitors Cove Bear Viewing Observatory. Then, hike through the forest to see bears feeding and living in their natural habitat, a great opportunity for budding wildlife photographers to capture amazing photos.