Ketchikan, Alaska Native Cultural and Wildlife Adventure

Badge of Excellence

Ketchikan, USA

High interest

Booked 3 times today.

3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5

· Tom_L ·

Aug 2025

Wonderful tour of Ketchikan! Hannah was an amazing guide, and we loved seeing the natural sights of the town, as well as the totem center. We even got to spot two bears in the wild! It was a great afternoon.

· Deactivated ·

Oct 2025

This is an incredible tour and we highly recommend it! Our tour guide was an indigenous local young lady who was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about her homeland. We were treated to wonderful sights, magnificent totem poles and we even saw a whale so late in the season.

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Overview

Experience Ketchikan through the lens of its wildlife and native cultures on this local-led tour. Meet your Haida guide and begin your experience with three stops to spot Ketchikan wildlife. Then delve into the history and culture of the local Haida and Tlingit peoples with a visit to the Totem Heritage Center. Learn about the history and significance of totem poles and the legends of these two cultures.

Marvel at whales, otters, bears, eagles, salmon, and other wildlife
Experience more of the local Haida culture than you would going alone
Learn about medicinal herbs and berries in the rainforest
Admire totem poles and learn their meaning at the Totem Heritage Totem Bight State Park

What's Included

Bottled water

Bottled Water and Granola Bar (upon request)
Binoculars
Umbrella

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Ketchikan Visitors Bureau
131 Front St, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
Departure Point: A representative will be at the Ketchikan Rain Gauge, located outside of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, on BERTH 2 of the cruise ship dock, holding a sign that says "Clan House Tours."

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Ketchikan

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Totem Bight State Historical Park

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Herring Cove

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rotary Beach

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Creek Street

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Must be able to get in and out of a transit van with relative ease, a step stool is available
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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Stacey_L

Dan was such a pleasure to spend the morning with! I reached out before our ship left because his earliest tour started at the same time we were scheduled to get off the ship. He was waiting for us and communicating his location as soon as we disembarked and made sure to have us back to the pier well before we were required to be back. There was never any worry about missing the boat, and we got some great information about Alaska and a local tribe since he has lived there for decades with his family. We saw young and older bald eagles, a black bear with two cubs, the salmon ladder (it wasn’t the season for it to be full yet), local tide pool, and for personal stories at the totem museum. He had peanuts for my teen daughter to feed the stellar jays, and binoculars for us to use to see the bald eagles! He was really wonderful and I highly recommend! Thank you so much Dan!

Reviews

4.5

based on 259 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Easy and Fun!

Kristy_D, May 2026

Great experience! It was interesting and cool to see all parts of the city. Totem pole history was great.

Disappointed in Alaska

Laura_F, May 2026

Our tour guide was an hour late due to “Viator never giving the reservations” to our guide which mean we missed out on being able to walk around town. Neither our guide nor viator offered any part of a refund. Poor customer service all around. Tour itself was a lot of driving.

Response from Host, May 2026

Hi Laura, Thank you again for joining us, and we apologize for the delayed start. Unfortunately, your tour was not properly listed on our Bókun calendar, which caused the scheduling issue. We’re glad you were still able to enjoy a black bear sighting at Herring Cove and a beautiful day at Totem Bight—both are special parts of Southeast Alaska. As mentioned, we’ve issued a full refund. If you feel your experience was fairly resolved, you’re welcome to update your review—but we completely understand either way. Wishing you all the best,Dan

Late and Blah

Juanita_H, May 2026

Tour guide was an hour late. While driving and walking us around only half the group of 6 people could hear him. He was very low energy. Not a good tour.

Response from Host, May 2026

Hi Juanita, Thank you again for joining us, and we apologize for the delayed start. Unfortunately, your tour was not properly listed on our Bókun calendar, which caused the scheduling issue. We’re glad you were still able to enjoy a black bear sighting at Herring Cove and a beautiful day at Totem Bight—both are special parts of Southeast Alaska. As mentioned, we’ve issued a full refund. If you feel your experience was fairly resolved, you’re welcome to update your review—but we completely understand either way. Wishing you all the best,Dan

Great tour with a very knowledgeable guide!

Deactivated, Oct 2025

Response from Host, Oct 2025

How’aa for your kind words! I’m so happy you enjoyed the tour and that we were able to share such a special day — especially seeing a whale so late in the season! It means a lot that you connected with the stories, totem poles, and the beauty of this land. Thank you for joining me and for recommending our tour!

Rebecca, our guide was...

Debbie_S, Sep 2025

Rebecca, our guide was very informative. The tour was quite interesting and not rushed. Although we didn't see a bear we saw salmon, seal and eagles

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thanks so much for joining us! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the tour with Rebecca. Sounds like you got to see some great wildlife — those eagles and seals always make the trip special. Hopefully next time the bears will show up too!

Tour by a local indigenous guide

Bryan_M, Sep 2025

Echohawk was such a great guide, full of stories and musings from her life living in the area. Great that we saw a bear on our travels too!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Casual & Enthusiastic “Echohawk is wonderful, isn’t she? We’re so happy you enjoyed her stories—and what a bonus to spot a bear on your tour!”

The visit to the Cultural...

Lynn_A, Sep 2025

The visit to the Cultural Center and explanation of Totem Poles in the First Nation culture was excellent. Our guide also shared her personal experience with America's "government school" policy that affected First Nation children and their families. The Fish Ladder which help salmon return to their spawning area will not be forgotten. This was a fanatastic experience.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m truly grateful that the visit to the Cultural Center and the stories shared resonated with you. It means a lot to know that the explanation of the totem poles and the deeper cultural context made an impact. Sharing personal history, especially around the legacy of the government school policy, is never easy—but it’s important, and I appreciate your openness in receiving it. And yes, the Fish Ladder is such a powerful reminder of nature’s resilience—I’m so glad it left a lasting impression. Wishing you all the best on your journey, and thank you again for being part of this meaningful experience. Warm regards, Becca

Great time in Ketchikan

madelyn_d, Sep 2025

Our tour guide Echohawk was very knowledgeable about Ketchikan and surrounding areas. She was super friendly and loved to answer questions. We saw bears, an eagle, salmon, and toured the Totem pole museum. She shared her own stories on being an Indigenous person while taking us around the museum that I felt very fortunate to hear. We cruised on the Disney ship and I’m glad we did this more affordable, locally owned excursion instead of booking through the cruise line

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Haw’aa / Gunalchéesh for sharing such a thoughtful review! We’re so glad you chose to explore with Echohawk—she truly loves sharing her knowledge, stories, and culture with guests. It sounds like you had an incredible day with the wildlife, totem poles, and museum experience. We’re honored you picked our locally owned tour and are grateful for your support. Safe travels until we see you again in Ketchikan!

Great (but limited) bear watching!

Andrea_G, Sep 2025

Our guide was great—friendly, knowledgeable, and a true Native Alaskan, which made the experience feel authentic. The highlight for us was definitely bear watching at Herring Cove. Just a heads-up: the tour takes you to the free public viewing area on the side rather than the prime platforms, but we still had some amazing sightings. We watched a bears eating and fishing for salmon, saw the clearings they’ve made on their paths to the river, and even caught one crossing the road, which was unforgettable. One downside was that the totem heritage site was closed that day, something we weren’t informed of until that day, so instead we ended up at a small waterfall that wasn’t particularly impressive. That said, if your main goal is to see bears on a budget this tour delivers.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your review. We were made aware of the Heritage center being closed the morning of the tour.

Becca is the best would recommend!

Barbara_L, Sep 2025

Becca was professional knowledgeable and passionate about the information shared! Much appreciated by all

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Haw’aa / Gunalchéesh for your kind words! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time with Becca—she loves sharing her knowledge and passion with our guests. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back to Ketchikan in the future!

Fantastic tour.

bla10697, Sep 2025

She was an indigenous person. It is a local ladies owned indigenous company. We were told all about her people and how is was to live in Alaska with her clan. Saw 3 bears, a mom and 2 cubs. O n e oder her friend doing another tour sang a song in their language. Saw a beautiful waterfall and the salmon ladder as well as the totom pole culture center. The only recommendation I would make was to have a sign with the name of the tour instead of just the company name. I had a hard time finding her because I didn't have the name of the company. I would 100% recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for joining us! We’re glad you enjoyed learning about our culture, seeing the bears, and sharing in the songs and stories. We appreciate your feedback about the sign and will work on making it easier to find us. Haw’aa / Gunalchéesh!

Helaire was wonderful, we...

Bryan_W, Aug 2025

Helaire was wonderful, we ended up with a private tour for our family and got to see some beautiful things and learn a lot about the cultural heritage in the area from a local. We also got to see multiple bears which was pretty amazing to see! Thanks so much!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad your family enjoyed a private tour with Helaire and had the chance to learn about the local cultural heritage while also seeing bears up close—that’s always such a special treat. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Helaire. We truly appreciate you choosing us and are so happy you had a memorable day in Ketchikan!

Go for it!

Karen_M, Aug 2025

Bears, whales, trees and plants and a very knowledgeable and good driver, Dave, made for a great excursion. We enjoyed learning a bit of history and the native peoples, too.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time with Dave and got to experience such a wonderful mix of wildlife, history, and culture. It sounds like a truly special day, and we appreciate you choosing to spend it with us!

Great introduction to Ketchikan from the real deal

S_H, Aug 2025

Dave was a gem of a guide, sharing much about his tribal background, legends and history that we could not have gotten elsewhere. His knowledge and kindness were especially appreciated. And we saw four bears- including a momma and cub.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with Dave and that you were able to experience both the cultural stories and the incredible wildlife. Seeing the salmon run and the bears at Herring Cove truly makes the day unforgettable, and we’re so glad you were able to witness those magical moments. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Dave—he’ll be delighted to know his stories and knowledge made such an impact. We truly appreciate your recommendation and 5-star rating!

Authentic, Informative and Interesting

Pamela_F, Aug 2025

Dave, a native to the Ketchikan area, spoke of his clan, family, memories of growing up in the area, as well as all the cultural, wildlife, clan house and totem stories. We saw salmon at the beginning of there journey, up the fish ladders then resting and to the end after spawning. Herring Cove was the perfect place to see bears enjoying salmon. We got to see 2 bear catching & eating again and again. Then a mama bear & cub came across the creek with salmon. It was magical! Thank you Dave for your interesting, quiet, authentic tour. We recommed this tour and give it 5 stars.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time with Dave and were able to experience the salmon run and the bears in Herring Cove—it truly is a magical sight. Dave takes great pride in sharing his personal stories, clan history, and culture, and it means a lot to know it made your tour special. We deeply appreciate your recommendation and 5 stars!

Bears, eagles, seals, totum poles,

Patrick_C, Aug 2025

Our tour guide was fantastic. Her family is multi-generational and the history of her indigenous people was inspirationale and insightful

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for sharing this! We’re delighted to hear your guide’s family history and cultural stories left such a meaningful impression. It’s an honor for us to share the traditions and perspectives of our Indigenous community, and we’re glad it made your tour both inspiring and insightful.

Fantastic way to spend an afternoon in Ketchikan!

Tom_L, Aug 2025

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you enjoyed your tour with Hannah and had the chance to see both the totem center and bears in the wild—such a special experience. We appreciate you joining us and are happy to hear it was a wonderful afternoon!

Very enjoyable

fiona_m, Aug 2025

As it’s a mix of wildlife and culture if the animals don’t show up it is still a great experience Personal presence would be to cut out the waterfall and have longer at the museum

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Here’s a warmer version that feels more personal: --- Háw’aa (thank you) for sharing your thoughts! We’re so glad you enjoyed the balance of wildlife and culture. Even when the animals are a bit shy, it means a lot to hear the cultural stories and history still make the tour special. I appreciate your idea about spending more time at the museum—your input helps us make the experience even better for future guests. Kind regards, Dan

Excellent sightseeing adventure

ChinYi_L, Aug 2025

Our tour guide was amazing! He was extremely knowledgeable and took us all around. He was thoughtful and kind. Highly recommended!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Háw’aa (thank you) for your kind words! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time with us and your guide. Sharing our home, history, and culture is an honor, and we truly appreciate your recommendation!

A Ketchikan Must-Do

Kassandra_O, Aug 2025

Owned and operated by local Native Americans. Echohawk was an amazing tour guide. We saw a bear, blue jays, and a big eagles nest. While the bear was a highlight, we absolutely loved the Totem Museum. We learned a lot there thanks to Echohawk and recommend spending time here. The *only* thing that would have made it better was a visit to the Clan House, it would be awesome if this was added onto the itinerary. It was a perfect day, 10/10.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful feedback! We’re thrilled you had such a memorable experience with Echohawk—she trully brings the stories of this land to life. Seeing a bear, blue jays, and the eagle’s nest all in one day is pretty special! We’re glad you enjoyed the Totem Museum as well—it’s a powerful place to learn about our culture. We appreciate your suggestion about the Clan House. It’s something we’re actively working on incorporating into future tours, so stay tuned! Háw’aa (thank you) again for joining us—10/10 guests like you make our day!

Ketchikan nature and more.

Randolph_K, Aug 2025

Interesting tour with local native who knows the history , culture, nature and all the good spots to experience it .

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for joining us! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the insight into our history, culture, and local wildlife. It means a lot to share these special places with you—háw’aa (thank you)!

Breathtaking

Cynthia_B, Jul 2025

Very informative. You will see amazing views and God’s beauty. I loved the salmon ladder and getting to see the eagles.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your kind words we hope to see you again someday. Kind regards,

Bears, Eagles, and Blue Jays Oh My!

Rachel_W, Jul 2025

Nina was an amazing guide and taught us so many things! She let the bears out too! We saw bald eagles, salmon fishing, a brown bear, and tons of stellar blue jays! Totem history was amazing and rainbow falls was a nice finish! Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you, I will pass this along to Nina she will be very pleased.

Tour pickup info incorrect on Viator

Tommy_C, Jul 2025

We booked the trip and were at the appointed pickup location as listed on Viator but the tour never showed up. Dan answered when I called and said the info on Viator was wrong, that he has never picked up in Ward Cove, that we had to get to downtown Ketchikan but by then it was too late. He was polite and fully refunded our money. So always be cautious and confirm the info on Viator prior to the tour.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thanks for your feedback, and we’re really sorry for the mix-up. We totally understand how frustrating it must have been to show up at the wrong spot and miss the tour. It looks like the pickup info on Viator was outdated — we’ve never picked up at Ward Cove, and we’re working with them now to get that fixed so it doesn’t happen to others. We’re glad Dan was able to help and get your refund sorted quickly. Thanks again for your understanding, and if you’re ever back in Ketchikan, we’d love the chance to give you the full experience!

Cruise friendly and wonderful experience!

Stacey_L, Jul 2025

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so glad you and your family had a great time—it was truly a pleasure spending the morning with you all. I’m happy we were able to fit everything in smoothly and still get you back with plenty of time to spare. It’s always a joy to share the beauty and history of Alaska, and it means a lot to hear that it made a positive impression. Wishing you the best on the rest of your journey, and thank you again for the recommendation! All the best, Dan

No bears tiday

Ian_S, Jun 2025

I very rarely write a bad review but I want this review to make a difference. First, we were messaged by the tour operator to ask if we could change times. We replied, but they did not reply back so we did not know our start time. Next, we arrived early for our pick up but it was very unclear where to be. Our driver arrived just about on time and we had found our other group members by then, but it was not very clear. Our driver, Leo was a very nice, First Nation guide but he could only do what he could do and we really thought they did not try very hard at all. Yes, this was a ‘more affordable tour’ but we had an hour at the totem museum ( the cultural element ) then 3 stops at lay-bys, on the off chance wild life may have been there. We saw one eagle in a tree, most trees in Alaska have eagles in them, so not really a thrill. Then, off to a river where there was a bear in the morning. However the tide was in so there was nowhere for a bear to be, so no bear. There was a seal in the river and a dear in the distance but no bear. I want to stress that nature is not an on demand facility, but I think If we were offered a nature experience, with fabulous pictures in the promotional material, the company should have tried harder to find bears. Our third stop was a waterfall. It was a lovely waterfall, but after 6 days in Alaska, it really was just a small waterfall. When you go whale watching all the boats chat on radios to make sure we see wales but the busses don’t seem to talk at all. While understanding the challenges, we think the tour company should have tried harder, sorry.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We truly strive to provide a positive and memorable experience for all of our guests, so we’re sorry to hear that your expectations weren’t fully met. We did request a change to your tour departure time due to the Heritage Center closing earlier than usual that day, and we would have been happy to issue a refund had you requested one. Our team also made an extra effort to wait several additional minutes for your arrival, as we understand travel plans don’t always go perfectly. Our website clearly states that the meeting location is at Berth 2, and we always encourage guests to review that information beforehand to avoid confusion. Regarding wildlife sightings — we carefully select the best possible locations around Ketchikan for viewing, but as you know, wildlife cannot be guaranteed to appear on schedule. It’s one of the beautiful (and unpredictable) parts of nature. We appreciate your feedback and will continue working to improve our guest experience. Respectfully, Dan D.

Perfect day in Ketchikan

Maria_M, Jun 2025

We loved the having a true local sharing stories about the culture and history of Ketchikan. You have nothing to worry about everything that is listed on the description will happen. In addition, my adult daughter and I had booked this thinking there would be more in the group . It was just us two and they didn’t cancel nor try to grab more people at the port . I can’t say enough about how genuinely nice and friendly our guide was. This is a family run business and they really take care of their customers. Punctual and conscientious about our time and boarding time . I highly recommend this tour!!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for letting others know about us. Reviews are the lifeblood of of our tour business. Kind regards, Dan

The best Haida and wildlife experience in Ketchikan!

Peter_M, Jun 2025

Wow, what an experience this tour was! Dan was an outstanding tour guide. His knowledge and experiences living amongst the Haida for 50 years was the icing on the cake. We learnt so much. The Native Cultural Museum was fascinating and we could have spent a few more hours there after the tour (if our ship wasn't leaving!). The wildlife encounters (black bear, orcas, bald eagles and deer) were epic!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour and had a great experience with your guide. We’ll be sure to pass along your feedback—they’ll be delighted to hear it!

Karen is so kind and she...

ZhiZhuo_Z, May 2025

Karen is so kind and she is native American and tribes leader, explains so detail about their culture along way. I highly recommend anyone want to have a deep understanding of Tlingit history and culture

Response from Host, May 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found the experience personal and authentic. Our guides are passionate about sharing their stories and knowledge of the local landscape, and it means a lot to know that this made your tour extra special. We’re especially glad you appreciated the focus on local wildlife, native flora, and the area’s indigenous roots—it’s all part of what makes this place so unique. We truly enjoyed having you with us and hope to welcome you back again one day! Best regards, Carrie

Wáa sáki át wáa siíyei Alaska.

Vincent_S, May 2025

Ketchikan was the last stop on our cruise. We wanted to learn more about the indigenous peoples of this region. Our guide (Carrie) was Tlingit/Haida, an artist, and a great guide and source of information about her peoples. Her connections to this area were so helpful and informative. We strongly recommend Carrie and her tour if you are looking for an introduction to the peoples of this region!