Alaska Ocean Wilderness Expedition
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Ketchikan, USA
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
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.
- Marine wildlife-watching adventure aboard a Zodiac expedition craft
- Great opportunities to spot whales, eagles, sea lions and more
- Learn about marine wildlife habitat from your naturalist guide
- Small-group expedition (maximum twelve people): A personalized experience
What's Included
- Full Rain Gear, waterproof Overboots, and USCG approved Life Jackets
- Dry bags for personal items
- Coffee and/or Tea
- SnacksA light snack is provided
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 124 Thomas St, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
Our outfitting space is a 10-15 min walk from the cruise ship docks off of the waterfront promenade near Thomas Basin. Transportation from the downtown docks is available on request with 48 hrs notice. For guests arriving at Ward Cove, we have ship specific instructions sent via email after booking.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Out to Sea Expedition Company
1 minute • Admission Ticket Free
Tongass National Forest (Pass By)
2
Inside Passage
2 hours 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Ketchikan (Pass By)
3
Out to Sea Expedition Company
1 minute • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 175 reviews
wendy_d, May 2026
Eric and Jenny were our guides, and they were exceptional! The amount of knowledge and information they provided of the wildlife and the area was incredible! But the icing on the cake was seeing 4 humpbacks in their natural habitat! Once in a lifetime experience! My husband and I would recommend this excursion 100%! Thank you for a perfect ending to our Alaskan vacation!
Suzanne_L, Sept 2025
Wonderful opportunity to view whales and other sea creatures. Loved that it was a small group. The naturalist onboard provided enough information for us to understand the habitat of the sea creatures, but not overwhelming.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you! We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time on the water
Tracy_O, Sept 2025
Truly incredible experience! Jenny and Eric were remarkable guides! Very knowledgeable and very friendly! Jenny even had snacks and hot drinks for us on the boat!! They even let us stay longer than our scheduled time because we were seeing SO MUCH WHALE ACTIVITY! We also saw lots of seals and bald eagles, and sea life on the reef! It was my favorite Alaska excursion! We weren’t packed like sardines in those big tour boats- it was just my group of four and the two tour guides! Best experience ever!! 1000% recommend using them next time you are in Ketchikan!
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! It is always a great day when there is an abundance of activity on the water :)
ANTHONY_K, Aug 2025
It is an intimate experience with small groups and the people running it are very attentive and very informing and let you ask any questions and give you a good and concise answer. Even though it was raining and cold we had a wonderful experience and well worth it. They provide all the rain gear and we didn't really get wet.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you for taking the time to write a review! It was definitely a wet day on the water, but still so beautiful.
PS we were later able to confirm that the small shorebird we saw was a Pacific Golden Plover which is more rare for our area!
Tiffany_R, Aug 2025
This family run business knows so much about the marine and wildlife. We were lucky enough to see so much on our adventure, including an Orca pod. I cannot say enough positive comments about the whole experience!
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you! We certainly got lucky with that rare encounter
Debbie_W, Aug 2025
Delaney and Eric were exceptional guides on our tour. Very knowledgeable about the area. We saw abundant marine life, including a sea lion and hump back whale. It was a great experience.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
We appreciate you taking the time to write a review! Thanks again for joining us :)
Patricia_F, Aug 2025
It was was wonderful. It was nice to get away from the town on a small boat to learn about the local ecology. Loved being close to water and the peacefulness.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you! We are so glad you enjoyed your experience
jennifer_w, Aug 2025
Flexible with our delay shuttling over from our off shore anchored cruise ship. Offered refund/cancellation due to poor weather but we decided to continue. Very patient with my children. Great education and attitude. Even walked us into town to connect with our next excursion. Couldn't be a nicer group of folks. Wonderful experience! Had plenty of gear to keep us as dry as possible in the rain given the open boat. We saw lots of seals, bald eagles, a humpback, crabs and held a starfish. Very accommodating.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you for taking the time to write a review! We are glad your family enjoyed the experience, your kids did great with all of the “liquid sunshine” we had that day :)
Julie_K, Jul 2025
We took a zodiac boat out to see what we could find. And boy did Delaney and Eric find us some fun stuff! This is a small group excursion. It was us and one other couple. Very personal experience. Eric and Delaney were super nice! Our highlights were humpback whales bubble feeding and a bald eagle sitting over its nest with an eaglet looking out too. The day was beautiful, but had it been cooler or raining, Eric and Delaney had us all outfitted up for any weather. I would definitely recommend this excursion, and as a matter of fact, we are coming back next year and going to do it again.
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you! We are so glad your family enjoyed the trip and look forward to seeing you next year :)
Steven_A, Jul 2025
Delaney and Eric are local business owners. They captain the ship, and from the beginning, you could see they were focused on safety and also care for the environment, including the animals. The trip was part educational, and part experience. Both Delaney and Eric are extremely knowledgeable about the waters And about the wildlife around it. We saw humpback whales, Eagles, sea lions, and sea otters, and also crabs and fish as part of a volunteer project they are doing for a national environmental organization. The boat was clean., And Well maintained. We were provided with plenty of waterproof gear.. we had a wonderful afternoon and would recommend this tour Highly to other groups. Thank you Delaney and Eric!
Response from Host, Sept 2025
We appreciate you taking the time to write a review! Happy to hear you enjoyed your time on the water :)
Barbara_B, Jul 2025
Eric and Daphne (the owners) were very friendly and accommodating. With only a dozen of us including Eric and Jenny, the marine biologist, on board,, they had time to give everyone special attention and we’re able to answer all of our questions. Daphne‘s father who lives on the water related to us that there were 4 orcas sighted and their location and we were able to see them within minutes of leaving land. We saw Harbor Seals, starfish, moon jellyfish, a father eagle feeding fish to twoyoung eagles in the nest and even held and tasted this huge strange sea kelp which is used in making pickles! The highlight for me was seeing several groups of fisherman with their nets and watching the process of net salmon fishing. They literally had hundreds if not more, in their nets. It was quite a process. As they were drawing in the nets, hundreds, literally hundreds of moon jellyfish were falling off the nets back into the water. My friend and I felt totally safe and were comfortably warm with the outer gear.that was provided to put over our clothing. They also included a cup of hot beverage of your choice and a fig type snack bar. It was a delightful excursion and both the owners and Jenny made it very special and informative! We do it again in a heartbeat!
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share about your experience, we are so glad you enjoyed your trip!
Danielle_A, Jul 2025
Absolutely Incredible Experience!
We had the best time with Out to Sea Expedition Company! Delaney and Eric were fantastic—knowledgeable, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. We saw whales, eagles, seals, sea stars, and so much incredible plant and wildlife. The guide gave thoughtful and fascinating details throughout the trip, making it feel like more than just sightseeing—it was truly educational and inspiring.
And the Kodiak boat? So fun! Smooth, comfortable, and just the right size for an up-close adventure without feeling crowded. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area. It was the highlight of our trip!
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you for taking the time to write a review, we are so glad you enjoyed your time on the water!
Theresa_F, Jul 2025
It was a great experience! Jenny, Eric and Delaney were amazing from start to finish. Very organized, everything was new and clean. They provide you with everything you need to be warm. We saw whales, harbor seals, and eagles as we took an amazing cruise on the water. Even snacks and warm beverages were provided. Small group tour which was a blast!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for joining us and taking the time to leave a review! It was a pleasure meeting you both and we wish you the very best on your upcoming travels :)
Laura_H, Jul 2025
We loved our tour guides and felt very well equipped and prepared for the tour. Our guides were knowledgeable and patient. We learned a lot about the environment and wildlife.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you! We are glad to hear you enjoyed the tour. We only get to see Orcas on about 15% of our trips, so it is special every time!
Wayne_M, Jun 2025
A great family experience from locals who know the area very well. Always felt safe and love how they always cared about the comfort and experience of the 2.5 hr experience out on the water. We lucked out with great weather but always plan and pack well for the conditions to change as there is no control of that. Boat always felt safe and very personal. Would love to do this again if the possibility of being in the area again in the future.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We’d love to welcome y’all back if you make it up to Ketchikan again in the future! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review :)
Rhonda_S, Jun 2025
This company is an extremely professional and well maintained company! They have all new equipment, overalls, and boat.
They were ultra safe, very knowledgeable, and very well educated about the biology, ecology, area, and sea animals.
They were also extremely nice, well-prepared, and professional. (They live here locally, and are both photographers and bird watchers.)
We saw whales feeding, thousands of mussels, many types of sea birds, a few eagles and sea lions, along with lots of jelly fish, starfish, etc.
The snack is a packet of fignutens, as well as the choice of either bottled water, a hot cup of coffee/hot chocolate, or tea. We hadn’t eaten lunch, and we suggest for you to either eat beforehand, or maybe bring an extra snack.
It is typically pretty cold out there, so do wear an extra layer of wool underwear if you can. [They provide nice waterproof clothing, but I’d have worn more layers in order to be comfortably warm!
All in all they were the most prepared, educated, professional, and thoughtful guides I’ve ever had, and I’ve had hundreds of excursions in my lifetime.
You cannot go wrong with them, but, do call them directly and book with them directly, if possible, as a third party got our times pretty confused repeatedly, and they almost made us miss this excursion, which would have ruined our entire Alaskan experience. Thank goodness for Delaney reaching out to me directly!!
These are some of the very best guides in the world, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. {Something I have never said before, and probably will never say again}.
Rhonda Scott
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for taking the time to write a review and share about your experience! We really appreciate your kinds words and tips for other travelers on how to enjoy our trips aboard an open Zodiac. We are so glad everything worked out and you were both able to join us for such a beautiful evening on the water! Wishing you all the best on your future adventures :)
Amy_T, May 2025
This was a wonderful experience for our family! We like a more intimate, personal experience and this fit the bill. I love how the host is not set on a destination but allows the wildlife and setting to dictate where we go and what we see. They clearly love their town and its beauty and now we do too! We saw eagles, whales, seals, so many birds, looked for a bear, and just had a peaceful family morning. We left having learned so much!
Response from Host, May 2025
Thank you! We’re so glad your family enjoyed the time on the water and that the weather was so nice. Hopefully those orcas will be a little more cooperative on your next Alaska trip ;)
Keitaro_M, Sept 2024
We had such an incredible time on this tour! Delaney and Eric are so knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife and the area and it's infectious. We learned about many new (to us) bird and marine species - I never thought I'd be a birdwatcher but that might change now! We saw humpback whales, a river otter, sea otters, kingfishers, pelagic cormorants, bald eagles (incl. fledglings), mussels, many varieties of sea stars, common murres, a steller sea lion, harbor seals, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, salmon, a blue heron, nudibranchs (sea slugs), Canada geese, and other bird varieties. It was a very different experience to be on the Zodiac and to get so close to the shoreline and truly be in the open--highly recommend! We learned about some of the giveback activities that Out to Sea does as well--picking up debris during our tour, beach cleanup days, counting birds and wildlife sightings and sharing with Cornell and other organizations for research. It's obvious that Delaney and Eric care very much about the environment, waters and wildlife. We also heard some great history of the area and got to see the Saxman totem village from the shoreline as we headed back in to dock. We will do this tour again the next time we are in Ketchikan and can't wait to bring our friends with us. Thank you, Out to Sea, for a truly fantastic experience!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review, we are really glad you had a great experience and look forward to seeing you again soon!
PS happy to hear we may have inspired a new birdwatcher, it’s a lot of fun, though it can be addictive :)
Lindsey_W, Aug 2024
Such an amazing excursion. Delaney and Eric were so knowledgeable and found tons of wildlife for us to see. We saw humpbacks, orcas, sea stars, seals, anemones, and bald eagles. It was a small boat, with only 6 people (including the crew), loved having a small group vs a large boat. We got right up to the shore line, and were able to see so much! They even explained the kelp and we got to touch it. I will never forget this amazing experience!!!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
We certainly got lucky with the wildlife sightings :) We are so glad you enjoyed the experience, thank you for taking the time to write a review!
Deeia_B, Jul 2024
Science mom Jenny was an excellent guide and teacher. They all went to great lengths to make sure we saw all of the animals and sea life there. Would not hesitate to book again. Very safe and professional organization.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you! We’re so glad you could join us!
Cassandra_W, Jul 2024
Amazing adventure with wonderful guides! We saw 30+ eagles, seals, variety of birds, star fish, sea urchin, jumping salmon, and beautiful sights! Highly recommend it!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you!
Brian_F, Jun 2024
If you’re looking for something a little different to the normal cruise ship shore excursion offering or perhaps you would like to try a bit more adventurous, this may be the perfect tour for you.
Delaney and Eric, owners of Out To Sea Expeditions gave us the most delightful tour of the waters around Ketchikan. We were outfitted with rain gear which were well maintained and very clean. You could tell by the organization of the gear room and the shop how every detail is considered by the owners. For anyone worried about whether the gear will fit. They accommodated my 6’7” tall big guy husband without any problem and larger sizes yet were available. We were given a safety briefing, donned lifejackets, boarded the zodiac, and were off on our adventure.
On our tour, we were lucky, experiencing no rain, just clouds. As we are bird watchers and so were they, our time was enhanced by getting several life birds that they eagerly scouted out the best locations to find. We were happy to see seals hauled out on the rocks, bald eagles on their nest, starfish and anemones up close, a couple of deer who had managed to swim out to a small island (later found out they had to be rescued and taken back to shore). We did see a couple of whale blows at a distance. The whole of the tour was so informative and both Delaney and Eric answered any questions we had and told us so many interesting facts and details. Warm drinks and water were also offered.
A glimpse into the type of business these two wonderful folks are running came when we found out upon arrival that the 6 other people who had booked the tour had cancelled last minute. The decision could have been made to cancel our tour since it left only the two of us, but they said it wasn’t our fault and they wouldn’t never cancel even if only taking two people. A true class act.
Give Out to Sea Expeditions a try! Wonderful guides, fun boating experience, lots of wildlife. It’s what you’re looking for!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you so much for your thoughtful & detailed review, we really appreciate you taking the time to share about your experience!
KurtC, Jun 2024
It was fascinating learning about the starfish and seeing the humpback whale feeding near the shoreline was great.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you!
Isabella_T, May 2024
We had a wonderful excursion with Delaney and Eric! The rainy weather didn't stop us from enjoying the breathtaking scenery and the pleasant company of our guides. Their passion and knowledge of the local species and where to find them were remarkable.
We got to see many marine and coastal species including seals, porpoises and even a whale!
Would 100% choose this tour again!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you! We’re so glad you embraced the Ketchikan weather and enjoyed your time on the water :)
Andrew_G, Sept 2023
A fantastic trip with very informative staff that loved what they do, a must for anyone young and old
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thank you again for taking the time to write a review, we are so glad you could join us!
Thomas_Z, Sept 2023
Fun ride. Very educational. Traveled with my siblings & spouses. We all enjoyed it. We learned about sea stars, kelp, saw eagles and much more. Great travel guides.
Response from Host, Sept 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Mona_H, Aug 2023
This excursion was the highlight of our trip. The excursion team was very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. They made sure we saw lots of wildlife- both ocean and land.
Response from Host, Sept 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We are so glad this was a highlight. It was a pleasure meeting you both!
Sandra_L, Aug 2023
A nice time out on the water.
We were a bit disappointed thinking this was a river expedition. We did see a whale and some sea lions but we were expecting something different.
Response from Host, Sept 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! As the name suggests, the Alaska Ocean Wilderness Expedition is an ocean based experience. Had we known there was any confusion about the type of activity, we certainly would have clarified ahead of time. We are glad you were still able to enjoy the beautiful weather & marine wildlife with your travel companions!
JAMES_R, Aug 2023
Nice people very safe. Lots of whales and sealiife. Recommend this trip for almost any age. Rain gear and snacks provided.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you James, we appreciate you taking the time to write a review!
Heather_N, Aug 2023
This was the best tour on our Alaska Cruise. Jenny and Eric were amazing guides. I would highly recommend you go on this tour. You won’t be disappointed.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you Heather! We are so glad your group had a good time!
Likely to Sell Out
From $209.95
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Attractions in Ketchikan, USA
- Dolly's House Museum Tours & Tickets
- Creek Street Tours & Tickets
- Totem Heritage Center Tours & Tickets
- Ward Cove Tours & Tickets
- Inside Passage Tours & Tickets
- Port of Ketchikan Tours & Tickets
- Misty Fjords National Monument Tours & Tickets
- Southeast Alaska Discovery Center Tours & Tickets
- Totem Bight State Historical Park Tours & Tickets
- Guard Island Lighthouse Tours & Tickets
- Tongass Historical Museum Tours & Tickets
- Saxman Native Village Tours & Tickets
- Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary Tours & Tickets
- Tongass National Forest Tours & Tickets