Orca Cove Sea Kayaking
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Ketchikan, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
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.
- Departs hourly from Ketchikan, making it easy to fit into your schedule
- Kayaking instructions plus spray skirts, dry bags, and double sea kayaks
- Finish with a snack of local smoked salmon
- Round-trip transportation from downtown Ketchikan by boat
What's Included
- Local taxes
- Smoked salmon, dip, hummus, crackers veggies, hot & cold beverages
- Professional guide
- Life Jackets, Waterproof Jackets, waterproof Bibs and Pogies
- Drybags for guest cameras etc.
- Gratuities
- Bring a cap, warm hat, scarf or neck buff.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Sockeye Sam's425 Water St, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
We meet at the shelter on the dock at Berth 3. Next to the "Visitors Information - Restrooms" building and Sockeye Sam's Store. The walk is approximately 2-6 minutes depending at which pier you are docked. We'll be present 10 minutes before all departures holding a BLUE sign that says "Orca Cove."
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Sea kayaking requires a moderate level of physical activity. It is not recommended for guests with back problems, limited upper body strength or anyone who is prone to seasickness. In addition to paddling a kayak, guests need to be able to climb short sets of stairs; walk to the departure point; climb on and off the office boat; ascend and descend a short ladder; and sit on the dock or loading platform to get in and out of kayaks.
- A maximum of 6 people per booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Larryandcarolsargent
This was a great excursion from start to finish. Devon, Matt and Lucas worked hard to make sure our experience was enjoyable and educational. We saw orcas, two types of starfish, seals and bald eagles. Highly recommend this experience
Reviews
4.9
based on 322 reviews
Shannon_H, Sep 2025
Amazing experience! While crossing the water to our excursion, we spotted the Deadliest Catch boat — the Aleutian Ballad! ⚓️🐟 Sea kayaking in the North Pacific along Icehouse Cove was stunning. We saw sea stars, moon jellyfish, bald eagles, and even a sea slug. Wrapped up with some local beers and smoked salmon dip. Amazing guides and friendly people.
Courtney_B, Sep 2025
Our guide was terrific, with interesting info and a keen eye for eagles. The scenery was spectacular and the snacks and beer after really hit the spot. Our shuttle boat driver took extra time to help us spot whale sprays, (I saw 5) and tails. Unfortunately we didn't see any humpbacks, but it was a great paddle nonetheless. Highly recommended!
theresa_c, Sep 2025
The weather couldn't have been better and the views were amazing however we arrived exactly at 8:00 a.m. and they were just about to leave! We weren't even late! Once we were on the kayaks I had a HUGE sea creature come next to me and when I tried to share with our guide he seemed to not care at all and continued to talk about his life. Really nice young man but we were hoping more of a "naturalist" to explain the area and point out more things during the trip. I guess we had much higher hopes since the reviews were high. We didn't see anything else during our trip besides some beautiful mussels at the end since my sister and I are boaters and spotted them. When we shared that we saw them, he again didn't seem to care. I wish the other kayakers were able to see them so just surprised he didn't point them out since they were so close to the starting point. I have traveled the world and would definitely say this was just an average excursion. It could have been a LOT more if more effort was taken.
Michelle_W, Sep 2025
What a brilliant day out kayaking with my partner and our tour guide AJ. AJ you are such a knowledgeable guy and your passion for the wildlife and marine life is catchy. You took us to great spots and we saw so much. We saw a cheeky seal who was very curious of us. Saw many sea lions and one caught a salmon and was thrashing it around above the water, and ate it. We saw so many different star fishes and sea urchins. Black tail elk and deers on the island. It was easy kayaking around all the islands. We did about 5 mile and we’re in our 60s. Forest was our pick up guide and bus driver. He arrived on time and answered all our questions and explained a lot about the way of life in Alaska. Very knowledgeable and great guy.
Definitely do this tour as it was a highlight for us cruising in Alaska. Being up close to nature and the marine life was brilliant.
Keep up the great work guys xx
LeAnn_C, Aug 2025
It is a peaceful, low stress beautiful experience. All the guides were amazing and attentive. Loved it.
Sonny_S, Aug 2025
Great instructor, great crew, great view, highly recommend! Felt like the whole cove was reserved just for our small group and was absolutely stunning.
Jessie_L, Jul 2025
In a 3 hour excursion, only ~1 hour was actually spent on the kayaks and we felt rushed the whole time. We were paddling 95% of the time and didn't have any real time to stop and enjoy the scenery. Our guide was nice but net loud and talked the entire time, often about his personal life and past. The goal for us was to get out into nature and enjoy the sounds and relax. That's not what this tour was. Everyone else in our group loved it, though so it just depends on what you're looking for. We came back 5 mins late apparently and were rushed onto the boat to leave without any real time for the salmon snacks and beer everyone raves about. No whales as of mid July 2025 but I understand they can't control that.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hey Jessie, We are sad to hear you didn't enjoy your trip with us. Many port calls in Ketchikan are short, so a 3 hour tour on the water is pretty standard here and you can only pack in so much. Running tours everyday on the Pacific Ocean is never consistent or predictable. We do our very best to make sure everyone can enjoy their 3 hours on the water with us and sometimes there is more time to float and relax, take photos and snack, other times there is more paddling or sea conditions that warrant a longer ride time to/from town. Every tour is different.
I'm sorry if you felt rushed through any part of your experience and I'll address that vibe with the crew.
We have a great crew out there this season.
We have had great whale activity this season and see whales in that area everyday, but we certainly cannot promise whales on every tour. There is a lot of ocean out here and you can only go so far in sea kayaks.
As for the price, I've been told for years I need to increase the price. I refuse. I know everything in Alaska is expensive so I do my best to stay consistent while everything around us has gone way up the past few years. It's an expensive place to run a business, but with a maximim of 6 guests per tour, we're proud to provide a consistent, quality excursion that gets our guests away from the crowds for a few hours in Ketchikan.
Please reach out and let me know if I can send you some of our delicious smoked Silver salmon to enjoy at home!
We hope your cruise through southeast Alaska went great overall!
Amanda_B, Jul 2025
The absolute best thing we did on our Alaska cruise. Our tour guide David was amazing with our kids and super patient, we kayaked no less than 30 feet from a pod of orcas and it was a once in a lifetime experience. He pointed out awesome sights and got starfish for the kids to hold, it was so well run and every part of the trip was enjoyable! The snacks at the end were just perfect.
Kiley_B, Jul 2025
The owner was very accommodating when weather got bad but we were able to go to another area to kayak. The guides (Lukas and David) were amazing. Knowledgeable, fun, took us to see various places, etc. We saw a waterfall up and close, eagles, whales, sea lions. They had a great snack after which was great, as we ended up kayaking a little longer than typical of the excursion. Overall, highly recommend!
Sheila_V, Jul 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed our kayak experience, from the boat ride out to the “mothership” to the relaxing kayak around the cove. Beautiful views, lots of starfish, history and even a black bear sighting. Salmon dip and beers afterwards was a nice treat to conclude our experience. Would definitely recommend to others!
jasmine_P, Jul 2025
Our Tour Guide were so nice and knowledgeable. We got to see a lot of wildlife like eagles, sea stars, etc. it was a very relaxing time on the water.
Michelle_M, Jul 2025
We saw a humpback surfacing at least 4 times near us in the water. It was amazing. I know they can’t guarantee such things, but it was amazing. Lucas was a very friendly, knowledgeable guide.
Larryandcarolsargent, Jul 2025
This was a great excursion from start to finish. Devon, Matt and Lucas worked hard to make sure our experience was enjoyable and educational. We saw orcas, two types of starfish, seals and bald eagles. Highly recommend this experience
Lindsay_R, Jun 2025
This was a fantastic way to spend the short time we had at Ketchikan. We had so much fun we even missed the last shuttle but the guides went the extra mile to get us a ride back to the ship. Our kids are ages 11 to 6 and enjoyed the experience.
tgrcoach, Jun 2025
This was my first time ever kayaking. Dave was very patient and educational. There was a pod of Orca whales going through and he made sure we were able to stop and see them. Highly recommend this excursion!!
Lisa_C, Jun 2025
We saw jellyfish, starfish and eagles. It is highly possible to see whales, which would have been epic, but that’s not possible to plan:) The owner, crew and guides were great.
Konstandinos_K, Jun 2025
We had a fun trip to Orca Cove, thanks to the great crew. Devin (owner) picked us up at the dock, Matt greeted us at the boat at the cove and outfitted us with gear, and Lucas guided us on our kayaking trip. We were able to see some salmon and eagles…although we missed the whales/orcas, it was a fun trip with beautiful scenery and we had a lot of fun! Thanks, guys!
Lauren_D, Jun 2025
Incredible! Top 10 best experiences with my family. A true memory to cherish. Devon was an excellent captain and took us the long way to look at a whale. Lucas was such an exceptional kayak tour guide. So much knowledge and took stunning photos. As the Mom who is always taking photos this was just the best. I am IN the pictures! Such beautiful nature, spending time outside! The guy that outfitted us on the boat with the lifejackets was just the sweetest. So patient with my daughter. Must book!
Peter_C, Jun 2025
Great trip. These guys were very flexible when our cruise ship arrived late. Got us on another similar tour. The tour itself was a lot of fun and the guides Dana and Sofia were very pleasant and enthusiastic. Tour was well organized and good value for Alaska prices. It was a small group of three kayaks with two guides, so lots of personal attention. I think they adjust the tour based on the people. We had great weather but it was windy making open water parts of the kayaking challenging. We saw whales though. Overall it was a blast and we'll worth the cost
Natalie_V, May 2025
Amazing excursion, worth every penny for this experience, we ended up going out just 2 of us with Lucas as our guide who was very knowledgeable of the wildlife and surroundings went above and beyond taking great pics of us so we could just relax and enjoy our surroundings, on our way back at end of trip Devon even stopped and let us take some awesome video’s of a humpback he had spotted , recommend this trip , also lovely salmon dip made by Matt I polished off !
anthony_t, May 2025
Due to unfavorable wind conditions at Orca Cove, our tour was changed to the other side of the island.
Didn’t see any whales, but did see eagles, a seal, a starfish, and a mink. It was beautiful on the water.
Our guide, Forrest, was great. And the rest of the staff were friendly and efficient.
The company is well run and I would definitely do this outing again.
Abigail_G, May 2025
We cannot say enough good things about this excursion! We met our guides right outside the cruise ship pier and boarded a small boat to take us to the cove. Devin is a great storyteller and made us feel very welcomed: he even took extra time to see if we could see a whale that was reported in the area. Matt and Lukas were our guides and such genuinely sweet and knowledgeable people! Matt’s dad jokes had us laughing and he knew so much about the local environment. We got to handle two types of starfish and a sea cucumber and even saw some seals. Both guides had such great stories about the local wildlife and history of the area and it was evident they love where they live. The kayaks were tandem and we had no problem operating them; safety was paramount and our guides were very vigilant in watching the currents and changes in wind. Lukas even took some photos for us and sent them after we were done which we loved! We had a few snacks and drinks after our adventure and then Devin picked up back up and took us to a smaller marina to head back to the ship (the waves were rough so he chartered us back a different way). There was a van waiting to take us back and driver Chris gave us great info on the town and a couple recommendations for lunch. All in all this excursion deserves more than five stars for the wonderful folks working it!!
Lauren_C, Oct 2024
Atreyu and the team met us off the cruise ship and brought us straight to the very chilled houseboat where we would get our gear and set off in kayaks around the area. It was so relaxing and the most beautiful scenery. When we got back to the houseboat a lovely snack platter had been prepared and even a few beers. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and had the most amazing time, it encapsulated our whole trip to Alaska and was easily a massive highlight. Highly recommend.
Kym_M, Sep 2024
Top notch excursion company! We didn’t see any whales or much wildlife but the entire kayaking operation and scenery was amazing. Calie and Jake were the best! We took their suggestions on purchasing salmon and the owner of salmon etc. gave us a sweet deal! Thank you!
Jeanne_B, Aug 2024
Great day on the water! We didn’t see any wildlife but the experience was still really enjoyable. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the local area and kayaking.
Jaeden_Y, Aug 2024
Super fun experience! All of the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable of the animals and culture of Ketchikan. Even though we didn’t see any orcas, the views were amazing. We did see a couple of bald eagles and got to hold a starfish! It was a bit of a workout due to the wind and current but my mom, who’s a beginner, was able to do it! We felt completely safe and had a lot of good laughs with our guide, Katie. They also had free snacks and drinks at the end! Many thanks to the staff for making this excursion so fun! Very grateful for this experience, it made Ketchikan my favorite stop during my Alaskan cruise!
Marie_H, Aug 2024
Wonderful. The crew was fantastic. Not much wildlife but just the scenery was worth it. So relaxing.
Elizabeth_B, Aug 2024
Easy pickup from the cruise dock area. We had great weather and an awesome trip with Jake, the boat captain, and Adam as our kayak guide. Saw starfish, jellyfish, and orcas as well as a humpback at the end. We were very lucky and they are a great group to do a tour through!
Anonymous, Aug 2024
Wonderful experience from start to finish!! Would absolutely do this tour again!! Mike the captain, was very informative, and gave us the heads up on a chance at seeing the Northern Lights that evening! And it happened!
Kris_c, Aug 2024
Beautiful day with spectacular views from the kayaks! Great excursion! All of the staff were knowledgable and attentive.
From $175.00
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