Sitka Premier Whale Watching and Wildlife Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Sitka, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get closer to nature during an intimate, small-group adventure around Sitka Sound, home to majestic whales, brown bears, eagles, and sea otters. Create lasting memories of seeing these animals in their natural habitats while learning more about them from experts. Whether you’re calling at Sitka during your cruise or staying in town, this activity is an ideal introduction to the area for wildlife enthusiasts.
- Cover lots of ground in a short space of time
- See multiple wildlife species with experts who know where to look
- Relax and enjoy the views while somebody else does the driving
- A maximum of 13 travelers for a more personalized experience
What's Included
- SnacksWater and Snacks
- Onboard spacious bathroom
- Designated pickup and drop off arrangements
- Spacious deck space to view and photograph wildlife from
- Experienced and licensed USCG captains!
- Ground transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Harrigan Centennial Hall330 Harbor Dr, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
Please meet behind the Harrigan Centennial Hall near the backdoor of the building facing the harbor. We will send you your pickup instructions days prior to your tour. If you are docked at the Sitka Cruise Terminal, please ensure you board a shuttle to downtown Sitka.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Sitka Sound
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- No land pickup available. We will meet you at 330 Harbor Drive (where the shuttle buses drop you off on the backside of the building.)
- No stress guaranteed for return time to the ship.
- This tour is weather dependent, if the captain deems the weather too bad you will be issued a full refund or a different tour
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 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
AIMEE_J
Parker was our tour guide & did an outstanding job. Perfectly clean & new boat. Parker is Very knowledgeable, so much great information & not only that, you can see that he truly loves what he does & wanted to make sure we had the best time, and we absolutely did!!
We had the best luck seeing such a vast amount of everything. Wished we could have done a second excursion with him. So grateful to you Parker!!! Highly recommend by satisfied tourists!
Reviews
4.9
based on 166 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Dave_D, Jul 2026
Nice excursion in Sitka. Jack was great at pointing out the different wildlife in the area and explaining their patterns and behaviors Saw lots of eagles and their nests. Saw seals, and sea otters. Jack took us to an area where we saw grey whales. Frank was our captain and kept us safe and comfortable. Boat is enclosed and kept us dry and out of the wind. The seats had springs to help take some bump out of the ride. Overall a great experience!!
Kathryn_R, Jul 2026
We saw a bear, a whale breaching numerous times, sea lions, otters and eagles !! It was everything a more! Jac and Frank were an awesome team .
DIANNE_L, Jul 2026
Parker, our guide was knowledgeable, professional, great sense of humor and knew where to find the eagles, otters, and whales.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks Dianne!!
Catalina_B, Jul 2026
Beautiful place and well worth the tour. We had great guides that provided good information. The area is stunning and we really enjoyed the tour. Sitka is just amazing and going on the boat with the tour was fun and a great time. Overall, very happy with the experience.
Yicheng_L, Jul 2026
one of the newer and technically advanced boat we been on. It was a small group of 6 which gave us ample space and personal space.
the captain took us to see whale, sea otter and seals. Overall very positive experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you!! Im posting this reply from the dashboard of my boat ;) jk but thanks!!
Stacie_B, Jul 2026
Parker was AMAZING! Stayed in contact with us throughout the scheduling, pick up, etc. He was super knowledgeable about the area ~ we saw many whales and sea lions. It was a wonderful experience - highly recommend to anyone visiting Sitka!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks Stacie! We hope to see you again!
David_K, Jul 2026
A delightful way to spend the day on the ocean looking for whales. Jack and Frank were friendly and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks David! They are great!
Susan_B, Jul 2026
Parker was a fabulous captain. He is native to Sitka and knew all of the best spots to take us to. We saw humpback whales (a lot), puffins, eagles, sea otters, and sea lions. The weather was perfect! Thank you!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks so much Susan!!! Any trip with Puffins is great!
Leslie_M, Jun 2026
Frank and Jac were professional, knowledgeable, helpful - a really great experience! We saw multiple humpback whales breaching, otters, and harbor seals. Jac even shared her photos!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks Leslie!!
LuckeyJasmine1987, Jun 2026
This tour was the highlight of our cruise! Parker was phenomenal and I couldn’t believe how many whales we saw. About 20 or so humpbacks and orcas. We saw so many eagles, otters and seals. We even heard a glimpse of sonar whale talking. The boat was so cool, small and intimate. It was a clear day in Sitka and even Parker said he’s never seen so much activity in one time. Parker was extremely knowledgeable and just a fantastic guide. True Alaskan native. Gunalchéesh!! Thank you so much for an experience of a lifetime with memories we will cherish always.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
That is a charcuterie board type of trip! We love showing guests why Sitka is the best one stop shop for all wildlife! Thanks so much!!!
Lan_B, Jun 2026
Awesome way to see Sitka and all the wildlife! We saw whales, sea lions and otters! Fabulous day on the water and we were fortunate to have beautiful weather!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We're so glad you had a great day on the water and got to see whales, sea lions, and otters. We hope to welcome you back to Sitka again soon!
Jim_H, Jun 2026
Excellent excursion in a small boat with a very friendly and knowledgeable crew. We were literally surrounded by whales at one point. Highly recommend this excursion.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much Jim!! We hope your whiplash from looking at all the whales around you heals quickly ;)
Tracy_L, Jun 2026
Great day! Our crew were experienced and knowledgeable! They worked hard to give us a better understanding of what we’re seeing and also to give us a variety of sightings…. Including whales! Super day!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much Tracy! We hope to see you again soon!
Kathy_D, Jun 2026
Great tour, locally owned & operated. Captain Parker was incredibly knowledgeable about the whales and other wildlife. He has a great sense of humor & is accommodating. Boat & equipment were clean & new. So many whales breeching all around the boat. Our small group had an amazing experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much Kathy! Too many whales is a great problem to have!!!
Nancy_C, Jun 2026
Excellent experience on the boat to see wildlife in Sitka. Jac & Frank were both very knowledgeable, warm & engaging. We really enjoyed the small group experience & learning. It helped that we had beautiful weather & saw a whale too!! Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much Nancy! You rock!
Lisa_H, Jun 2026
Wonderful small group 2hr wildlife tour. Extremely comfortable 32’ boat with outdoor viewing areas in the front and back. Captain and environmentalist were very knowledgeable and knew where to find wildlife. We saw seals, otters, gray whales and eagles. We had a fabulous time!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
That sounds like a great trip to us!! Thanks Lisa!
Sheila_T, Jun 2026
The whale watch and wildlife excursion was great. It was a small group which was great. The boat was comfortable and you could easily view the sightings from your seat or go to the outside. Jac was our guide and she was so knowledgeable of the area, sea life, and wildlife. The boat captain was awesome as well. We saw whales, sea lions, and a bald eagle.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks a ton Sheila!
Heidi_G, Jun 2026
They did a great job getting us to see wildlife even with a storm coming in. We saw otters, seals, eagles nest and gray whales. The naturalist on board was very informative and the captain did a great job navigating the large waves
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much Heidi!
Chaz_R, Jun 2026
This was sooo great!! Super nice guy, and one of the few people we met that actually lives there year round. He had a lot of knowledge and was patient with me taking a 1,000 photos.
I know other reviewers complained about the seating and bathroom, but there is literally nothing to complain about. The boat seats 6 passengers. No only 4 can be at the table, but 2 additional seats get a front seat view! (Last time I checked 4+2=6)
The bathroom is more than what one would expect on a small boat. It is a private room, with an actual toilet (read not a bucket). Yes you have to put up the curtains on the inside when you are using it, but it’s really NOT a big deal. You take the curtains down when you’re done for safety reasons and so the captain can see things and navigate. Having the ability to look through the window when no one is using the restroom helps him to create an even better experience because he is more likely to see some wildlife that he might not have, and can turn around or navigate to get a better view.
Just trying to say this was totally worth going and would recommend it.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Lol Thanks for clarifying the bathroom Chaz! I appreciate you clearing up any confusion on anything! What a great review! We hope you come back!
Emily_G, Jun 2026
This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip! We were traveling with a big group ages 3-90, and they were happy to accommodate us before and during the trip. I reached out with questions a few times, and they were always very responsive. Our guide and captain were both amazing. We saw whales, bald eagles (and a nest!), a raft of sea otters and several seals. The boat was so nice and comfortable, and they brought snacks and water for us. I can't recommend this experience enough!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Its perfect for all ages! Thanks Emily! Have a great rest of your trip!
Joe_M, Jun 2026
Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Jack was especially informative. A lot of insight for us.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks Team Mack! Jac (a lot of rhymes with this review) knows her stuff!
sharshar31, Jun 2026
Parker was a great host and guide and we saw Stellar Sea Lions, Otters and Humpback Whales! They really put on a show with plenty of tails and we even saw one breach! Very enjoyable experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks for the great review! What a great day!
Cindy_V, Jun 2026
Our small group had a great time! We were able to see humpback and grey whales feeding. Our crew was awesome, professional and knowledgeable!
The boat provided us an up-close viewing but had protection from the elements.
The area is rich in wildlife and was amazingly beautiful to see.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks Cindy! Hope to see you again in the future!
Kieona_R, Jun 2026
Our tour guide Jac was very knowledgeable, and her team was excellent guides and navigators. 2 hours definitely didn't feel long enough.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks Kieona!
Rebecca_T, May 2026
So for what it was they did a great job and we all have to remember no one controls nature in any way. With that said the day we went was quite stormy and while it was an adventure and we did see a gray whale from pretty far back, the activity was sparse. I know again that they can’t control this but when it’s that choppy and sparse a discount would be appropriate. We paid almost $800 for 4 of us. With that in mind, I’m even talking $10 off per ticket. Just something to acknowledge that we for sure didn’t get to what was advertised. Having said that Jac is fantastic, brilliant, and on the ball and Frank took us through rough waters like a pro! Both were courteous and friendly and we enjoyed their company and expertise!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
We appreciate your understanding that wildlife viewing is inherently unpredictable, and every day on the water can be completely different. Some days wildlife is abundant and active, while other days sightings can be more limited. Unfortunately, weather and animal behavior are two things that are beyond our control.
I'm glad to hear that Jac and Frank made such a positive impression. Jac's knowledge and enthusiasm are a tremendous asset, and Frank always prioritizes safety and guest comfort, especially when conditions become challenging.
Thank you for joining us and for recognizing the efforts of our crew. We hope you'll have the opportunity to visit Sitka again and experience one of those days when the wildlife is especially active.
Kelly_P, May 2026
Guide was very knowledgeable and nice! Gave us history tidbits and knew the spots to take us to see whales & eagles!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Kelly!! Have a great weekend!
Justin_D, May 2026
Awesome trip, the boat is comfortable and had great views. The operator was very knowledgeable and knew where to look and what to look for. He is also accommodating, I don't do the best with boat rides but he checked in on me continuously. I would recommend this trip everytime.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks a lot Justin! You guys were awesome!
Sadie_G, May 2026
Overall, great boat ride. We did the experience in the afternoon and saw a gray whale, otters and some sea lions. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Sadie!!
Ruth_H, May 2026
Wow! What an incredible experience. Thank you to Jac and Frank for making this one of the highlights of our Alaska trip!
From spotting a gray whale to watching adorable sea otters, every moment felt special. The wildlife was amazing, but what really made the day memorable was the experience you created for everyone on board.
We especially loved the smaller group size. It felt personal, relaxed, and conversational rather than rushed. There was no feeling of being pushed from one stop to the next—just a shared mission of exploring Sitka and finding wildlife in its natural habitat. That made the entire tour feel authentic and enjoyable.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, enthusiasm, and love for Alaska. You helped create memories that we will be talking about for years to come. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Sitka! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Ruth for the incredible review!
Tosha_K, May 2026
Fun way to start our Alaska trip! They made sure we saw whales and lots of other animals. Friendly. Great communication. Prompt start time. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks Tosha! What a great trip that was!
From $199.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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