Sitka’s Best Local Whale Watching & Marine Wildlife Tour
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Sitka, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Discover Alaska’s wildlife on this small-group tour through the waters of Sitka Sound. Keep your eye out for seals, bald eagles, sea lions, whales, bears, and more creatures big and small. Learn about the area’s flora and fauna from your guide as you coast along the water. Perfect for nature-lovers, this intimate tour is limited to six people.
- Great for adventure-seekers
- Service animals are very welcome
- The experience is stroller-accessible
- There are plenty of chances for photos of the stunning scenery
What's Included
- Bottled water
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Harrigan Centennial Hall330 Harbor Dr, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
The meeting point is at Harrigan Centennial Hall in downtown Sitka, Alaska (330 Harbor Drive). This is the location where the cruise ship shuttle buses will drop you off in Town. We will be there waiting under the "Tours & Excursions Banner" holding a sign with your name on it!
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Sitka
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 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
Deborah_D
We had a wonderful tour with Captain Jaren! He was so kind and knowledgeable about the area, as he was born and raised in Sitka. We had a beautiful, sunny and warm day for our boat ride. We saw a bunch of humpback whales and sea otters! All in all, a fabulous day! We would highly recommend!
Reviews
4.8
based on 151 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Jerimy_K, Jul 2026
Excellent tour!!!! We came in on a cruise ship, but didn’t wanna book through their itineraries..we wanted our own personal charter. We booked this through Viator (though you can book directly with them on their website as well). We got in early from the ship and Captain Brody took us out even earlier than our scheduled time. He told us all about the area, and knew exactly where to go to see wildlife. We saw otters, sea lions, seals, grey whales and humpback whales…. I couldn’t recommend Captain Brody and this tour enough!!
Jonathan_S, Jul 2026
Outstanding tour. Weather wasn’t the best but Jerin went out of his way to make sure we saw lots of wildlife! We saw sea lions, otters, seals, whales and balding eagles. Jaren was very communicative. We would absolutely recommend this tour.
Tracy_S, Jul 2026
Great trip - Jaren was determined to show us whales, sea otters and other wildlife. Great tour of the beautiful coastline as well. Highly recommend.
Katie_N, Jul 2026
Brodey was awesome. It was a much smaller intimate environment with only 5 people on board with him. He truly wanted us to see whale & we ended up in a large pod. It was never rushed & he was very informational
Tamayo_A, Jul 2026
This was one of the most fun experience we've had. Captain Dan was incredibly. He went above and beyond, even going as far as to putting my mobility scooter in his both for safety. Highly recommend!
Kevin_O, Jun 2026
We had a great trip. Our guide Joel found a pod of Orca’s and we were so excited to experience them. I understand it’s not easy finding them. Also saw some sea lions feeding on fish, otters and eagles. 5-star trip, highly recommend a smaller boat tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the kind words! So awesome you were able to view Orca's!
Debbie_W, Jun 2026
Captain Brody was fantastic! He is so knowledgeable about the area and willing to answer any questions about growing up in Alaska. We saw whales, otters, and sea lions. Such a great afternoon on the water! This tour is a definite YES!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for joining! We're glad you enjoyed your time with us!
Rande_S, Jun 2026
Great tour! Small group was great.
Saw whales, sea lions and beautiful Alaska scenery.
Captain Jaren was very friendly and knowledgeable
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks for the kind words!
Coke_S, Jun 2026
Nice small group tour in a small fishing boat with a cabin that fit 4-5 people plus the captain. We saw sea lions up close and seals, otters, and whales from a reasonable viewing distance. The best thing was enjoying the scenery on the water with a local sharing his life experiences growing up in Sitka. Captain Brody was friendly and informative. Would definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the kind review!
Danielle_H, Jun 2026
We had an absolutely amazing experience on our nature and whale watching tour in Sitka, Alaska! The owner took our small group out, and from start to finish the trip was incredible. Their knowledge of the area and enthusiasm for wildlife made the experience even more special.
We were fortunate enough to see bald eagles, sea otters, sea lions, and two different types of whales, which made for an unforgettable day. The small group setting allowed for a more personal experience and plenty of opportunities to take in the breathtaking scenery and enjoy watching the animals in their natural habitat.
You could tell how passionate the owner is about what they do, and that passion made the tour truly exceptional. This was one of the highlights of our Alaska trip, and we highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Sitka. Thank you for an unforgettable adventure!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks! We appreciate the kind review and joining us on tour!
Amanda_M, Jun 2026
Amazing experience. Our guide was great. Super informative. We saw a ton of wildlife. Sitka was awesome.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks!
Becky_R, Jun 2026
Absolutely loved that our captain Brody was from Sitka. His extensive knowledge of Alaska and Sitka was so valuable and made the excursion so much more enjoyable. He was a lot of fun to interact with. Loved that he worked with the other boats to give us the best view of multiple wales. Highly recommend the small boats, it gave us a the best view possible of all of the wildlife. Highly recommend this family run business.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We appreciate the kind words and joining us on board!
Ossama_K, May 2026
The views were amazing, and the captain was so friendly! The captain was both friendly and knowledgeable, and the views were truly spectacular. Plus, they included snacks and water.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks for joining and the kind review! It's much appreciated
Debbie_L, May 2026
We scheduled an excusion for Whale watching that was cancelled and luckily we rebooked with Sitka’s Best Local Whale Watching & Marine Wildlife Tour. We were fortunate to have Joel, as our captian who did not cancel and was willing to take 2 of us out for a couple hours for whale watching. We did see a couple whales, this is early in the season for Alaskan whale watching so the sightings were not numerous or spectacular. Our captain Joel however was engaging and knowledgeable about the area. We were given a great history of Sitka and Alaskan marine life. I would highly recommend this company and Joel as the captain for your excusion.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you!!
Sandy_C, May 2026
Our guide was amazing. He went to many places looking to find the best wildlife. We was in Ahh of the scenery
Nik, May 2026
Excellent. Very informative and flexible and saw rafts of sea otters,whales and seals. Very worthwhile.
Lynn_M, May 2026
Jared was approachable and welcoming. We had a great afternoon with him looking for whales, otter, sea lions, etc
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks for the kind words! It was great to have you on tour!
Gralin_G, Apr 2026
I'm confused by the reviews. We arrived at the meeting place. We walked to the boat and the red flags went off. There were only 6 of us on this boat. First, there are no seats on the boat. He had two ice chest on the boat and said we can sit on them. Next, its an open boat, yes there was a roof with open sides, but I didn't do anything when the Captain is flying across the water with older people on the boat and it's raining. I have a boat and if I wanted to throw someone out, I would have drove just like him. You can tell the boat is a small fishing boat and used mainly for fishing tours. I gave three stars because the Captain tried hard to find Whales, the weather was not his fault, but his lack of safety and realizing who was on his boat, was mystifying.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for sharing this feedback. This is Jaren, the owner of Sitka Sea Level Adventures, and I’m very sorry this was your experience.
Safety, comfort, and respect for our guests’ needs should be the foundation of every trip we run. I’m sorry you felt uncomfortable on the boat, especially in rainy conditions and with older guests on board. A captain should always be reading the group, adjusting to conditions, and making sure everyone feels secure throughout the tour.
We have taken this feedback very seriously. The experience you described does not reflect the standard my family and I work hard to provide. This was a new to our business captain and we have made a staffing change as a result.
I am glad to hear the captain did make an effort to find whales. Still, your concerns about comfort and safety matter, and we take responsibility for the experience you had with our business. We have reached out privately and issued a full refund.
Terri_S, Apr 2026
I had the whole tour to myself. Dave was extremely knowledgeable about the area. Great guide. Thanks
Lew_C, Apr 2026
Amazing! Tour guide was the best and we are so glad that we chose him to take us whale watching. He is very knowledgeable and knew what to look for so we could have the best experience. 100% recommend!
Steve_W, Oct 2025
We scheduled a wildlife tour on the water. And the captain did not show up. No one bothered to contact us to let us know, and we were unable to book another captain or boat. Very disappointed we would like to see some sort of credit towards a future booking.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hey Steve,
We are very sorry this happened - I was unexpectedly out of town and missed this booking on the calendar. It was our mistake and hate to see anyone miss out on their experience with us. Please reach out if you're ever back in Sitka and we are happy to get you out for free. Our apologies and we hope to see you down the road.
All the best,
Captain Jaren
Wendy, Sep 2025
We had a great trip, but it is a very small boat. We saw some sea otters in the bay and some humpbacks. The highlight of the trip was the brown bears near the hatchery.
Mary_J, Sep 2025
The guide was accommodating to the things we wanted to see most, and we got to see it all! Sea otters, seals, whales.
Nathanael_C, Sep 2025
Great small group tour and tour guide! Capn Mike was funny and empathetic and was receptive to what we wanted to see! Great to have a local who could offer realistic and expert opinions on things. We got lucky, even though it was rainy and wet, we saw humpbacks and sea otters in ways we hadn't before!
Cynthia_L, Sep 2025
We had a fabulous tour with Maureen! We saw so many whales. She was a wealth of information. Thank you!
vestergaardjama, Sep 2025
Jaren is a great guide. We saw humpback whales, brown bears, sea lions, sea otters and the salmon running.
Maureen_N, Sep 2025
We had an absolutely fabulous tour in Sitka with very close viewings of Orca whales that came up to and under our boat. Cruised by the fish hatchery looking for bears but just saw many chums. Last stop with a lone sea otter and a pod of humpbacks. Our captain/guide Maureen did an outstanding job. Highly recommend the tour.
Dean_C, Sep 2025
Very small boat, but excellent attempts to assist. Some rough seas but pilot recognized physical limitations.
Mary_L, Sep 2025
Fabulous trip! We saw salmon jumping, a bear eating salmon, a sea otter and many humpbacks. What great trip!
Michelle_T, Aug 2025
We had a great time on the water with our boat captain Joel. Very easy to find the meeting point and we all really enjoyed it! It was such beautiful scenery and we saw more wildlife than we expected. Definitely a highlight of our trip.
From $200.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Sitka’s Best Local Whale Watching & Marine Wildlife Tour
151
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$200.00
