Ketchikan Zodiac Boat Adventure
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Ketchikan, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Hop into a military-grade inflatable boat for the ride of your life and take the wheel if you dare. You’ll follow a lead boat captained by a guide who’ll take you to some of the best places in the water for wildlife spotting, from seals and sea lions to bald eagle nests and humpback whales. Speed along island coastlines on a 3-hour excursion you’ll never forget.
- Be in with a chance to spot a range of incredible Alaskan wildlife
- Drive your own boat or just hang on for the ride
- Tour leader will take you off the beaten track, so to speak
- Great for adventure-seekers
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Rain Bibs, Jackets, Gloves & Boots Provided
- Coffee and/or TeaHot Chocolate, Coffee or Tea upon return.
- Bring a Warm Hat & Sunglasses
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Sockeye Sam's425 Water St, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
We meet all guests at the Visitor Information/Restrooms building on the pier next to Sockeye Sam's store at cruise berth 3. 425 Water Street Ketchikan, AK 99901. We are there with a Yellow sign "Ketchikan Zodiac Boat Adventure" 15 minutes before departure time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Creek Street
2
Saxman Tribal House
3
Inside Passage
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- 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
Featured review
James_P
This excursion was so memorable. Even though we didn’t see any wildlife other than a couple of bald eagles, just riding around in these breathtaking waters was amazing. Our boat guide Danielle was full of information about the area, and Teddy, who drove us to and from Ward’s Cove to the resort where the Zodiacs launched from, was so amazingly friendly and upbeat that we were immediately put at ease for the whole experience. We highly recommend this tour!
Reviews
4.9
based on 79 reviews
James_P, Sep 2025
This excursion was so memorable. Even though we didn’t see any wildlife other than a couple of bald eagles, just riding around in these breathtaking waters was amazing. Our boat guide Danielle was full of information about the area, and Teddy, who drove us to and from Ward’s Cove to the resort where the Zodiacs launched from, was so amazingly friendly and upbeat that we were immediately put at ease for the whole experience. We highly recommend this tour!
Gareth_H, Sep 2025
For this experience do not look at the price as the reason to give this a miss. This rated as by far our best trip of our recent Canada / Alaska Holiday. The team was very friendly and our van driver was polite and being that he was a local to Ketchikan gave us excellent advise on places to visit and see after our tour. So back to the tour, we were picked up at the cruise terminal and taken by van 30 minutes to Salmon Falls Lodge, the staging point for our boat trip. We were kitted out with Rubber Gumboots and Waders to keep us dry. However the day we were there it was mirror flat seas and no wind. We did dress warm for the wind chill from the boats when travelling. The boats are RHIBS with 40HP 4 stroke engines and in very good condition. And you are given good instruction on how to operate them as this is a self drive - guided tour. there was three boats in total on our trip - total of 3 paying guests. The guide and two following. The trip it self we were on the water for close to the 2.5 hours, with a very experienced guide Danyel . She showed us the seals, Bald Eagles and gave us a very good commentary when we moored up together. The trip ended back at Salmon Falls lodge with a "Feast" and I call it this as we had three large platters of dips for a variety crackers, vegetables. The dips were crab, salmon and humas. Along with a cold drink. This is included in the price. This trip no matter what the weather would be worth it. Just dress correctly and enjoy getting up close to the area in your own boat. The photo shows the approximate trip route.
Edward_D, Sep 2025
Teddy and Danielle were excellent and very friendly. Nice way to get out on the water and experience a little bit of Alaska up close.
Gregory_N, Sep 2025
What a fun experience! The boat was easy to maneuver. The sites were amazing, although whales were not observed. Danielle did such an excellent job as the guide, very knowledgeable and friendly. Great snacks at the end at the lodge and Teddy did a great job getting us there and back from the ship.
Cathy_M, Aug 2025
Great experience! Driver to facility, sorry forget his name was amazing had a ton of knowledge of Ketchikan & so friendly. Danielle was awesome & showed exactly how to run the boat & stayed with us & gave us a ton of information.
Amit_B, Jul 2025
Highly recommend this experience! Crew was very nice and accommodating! They offered pick up at ward cove and downtown Ketchikan. After pickup we went by car to Salmon Falls and then on to the zodiac for an excellent ride on the zodiac. Our tour guide Teddy was phenomenal. The zodiac boats were in great condition and easy to drive/maneuver. After the experience we got treated to beer and snacks. Everyone was very cognizant of our ship departure time to ensure we made it back to the ship on time. We were then dropped off directly at our ship dock. Would highly recommend again!
Keith_J, Jul 2025
We had a great time loved having our own boat and Danielle was an awesome guide definitely worth it and highly recommended. Would do it again in a minute.
John_H, Jun 2025
The meeting point, pickup location can be more specific, rather than just cruise ship docks, adding “Berth 3” to the location would have been helpful. A quick message on the app and we received that clarification, as our ship arrived at berth 1. The zodiac boat ride experience was fantastic in a very beautiful portion of the ocean in Ketchikan. We saw bald eagles, seals, sea lions, and whales, all while zipping around the islands in our fast boats. The group size was just right, and Andy was a great tour leader. The refreshments at the end were a nice finishing touch. We had a blast.
Dana_D, May 2025
Small group experience, get to drive an operate your own zodiac if desire, staff very knowledgeable and friendly. The wet weather gear provided was in excellent condition and kept us warm. Great opportunity to explore the water and surrounding areas for wildlife.
Erika_W, Sep 2024
We had a great time with Stan. Each boat had a max of 4 people but we lucked out and got our own boat with just the 2 of us (just based on how many people had booked that day). My husband loved driving the boat and they let us zoom around as long as we stayed near the group. We also saw seals and eagles while we were boating around!
tania_o, Sep 2024
We got to drive our own boat to explore the waterways and wildlife of Ketchikan. It was a sense of freedom to follow Ben in our boat to see sites you would not see from land. We saw bald eagles and harbour seals. Ben and Chris are very knowledgeable,caring and gave us a memorable experience
SHILA_S, Aug 2024
My family and I had an amazing experience on this excursion. Ben was a great tour guide- extremely knowledgeable with a great demeanor! He made it a lot of fun! We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful water body to boat in and surroundings that were surreal. Thank you!
Corinne_G, Aug 2024
Barry out guide was fantastic! We very much enjoyed driving the boat ourselves and seeing much of the unspoiled islands of the area.
Rebecca_H, Aug 2024
I enjoyed being out on the water away from the crowd and controlling my own boat. Our guide Ben was great showing us some eagles and the beautiful area.
Helen_W, Aug 2024
Stan was the most incredible Tour Operator & took some incredible photos of us out on the water. We felt like we made a friend yesterday.! Such a glorious Tour. Devon, the Company Owner went above and beyond to organise the most magical Seaplane Flight over the Misty Fjords for us as an additional service. He is so well connected in Ketchikan, has loads of integrity & really does everything to MAKE IT HAPPEN. We cannot recommend this Tour highly enough. Lock it in. Do yourself a favour! Helen & Mark. Sydney, Australia
Steven_R, Jul 2024
My family had the best time with Stan
This excursion exceeded our wildest expectations. Would highly recommend.
Farrell_M, Jun 2024
Had a great time, for the experience and time on the water is quite good value for money. Get to see a lot, and we managed some great wildlife viewings.
Sonya_S, Jun 2024
We had a fantastic time on the zodiac adventure! We spotted many bald eagles and a seal. Unfortunately we did not encounter any whales, but we do know that the group before us did spot some that morning. Ben, our guide, was very knowledgeable and talked about the wildlife as well as the history of the area. If you like being out on the water and being adventurous this tour is for you! We would definitely do it again!
Kasey_J, Jun 2024
This adventure was so much fun! Ben and Justin were friendly and very knowledgeable. It was cool to drive your own boat. Saw eagles and seals. Highly recommend!
Kaitlyn_C, Sep 2023
What an incredible experience. Zach was so knowledgeable about the wildlife and the history of the area. He made the whole time relaxing and fun. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend doing this if you're up for a little adventure.
Mario_A, Aug 2023
Great to have piloted the boats and learned about local wildlife. It was a little windy but we managed to see a lot of wonderful scenery. Our guide Zack was top notch.
Patricia_B, Jul 2023
We saw quite a few whales so that was fun. Our guide also pulled out some bull kelp from the water and offered it for people to taste it. We thought the trip would do more, cruising along the shoreline to see different animals of Alaska and that did not happen. This is a very new company, and they are still working out some of the glitches. The snacks after returning were really good and very native to Alaska. When we signed up, we thought we would have our own boat. We needed to share instead with another pair, because one of their boats was not functional.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Thank you for touring with us on our newest tour this season. This is not a new company, we have been ranked #1 on this platform for over 5 years in a row now.
Just to clarify, this excursion is listed/marketed as taking up to 4 people per boat on every tour. That is standard for this type of tour anywhere else around here. You were not in a boat with other guests for any other reason than that.
We also cannot guarantee any specific wildlife along the shoreline at any given time. I'm glad you got to watch humpback whales on your tour. We see them a lot out in Clover Pass but not on every tour, everyday.
Lindsay_B, Apr 2023
Fun Boats!
I had a great time on this tour!
I always look for excursions that let me be actively involved instead if just riding along. Driving the boats was a blast and our guide knew all the best spots to find wildlife. Would totally do this again.
Devon_C, Apr 2023
I loved getting to zip around and drive the fast boat, but while we were sitting watching sea lions swim by, a pod of humpback whales came up feeding nearby and just sitting, quietly watching the whales feeding was definitely the highlight of the day! Fantastic tour!
They have brand new gear too which was nice.
Danyel_B, Apr 2023
Had an amazing time! Got a chance to drive the boat and look at an abundance of colorful sea stars along the coast line! Also saw some humpback whales and sea lions!
From $219.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Ketchikan Zodiac Boat Adventure
79
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$219.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Ketchikan, USA
- Creek Street Tours & Tickets
- Misty Fjords National Monument Tours & Tickets
- Saxman Native Village Tours & Tickets
- Inside Passage Tours & Tickets
- Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary Tours & Tickets
- Tongass National Forest Tours & Tickets
- Dolly's House Museum Tours & Tickets
- Southeast Alaska Discovery Center Tours & Tickets
- Totem Bight State Historical Park Tours & Tickets
- Totem Heritage Center Tours & Tickets
- Ward Cove Tours & Tickets
- Tongass Historical Museum Tours & Tickets
- Port of Ketchikan Tours & Tickets