Chilkoot Lake Nature and Wildlife Viewing - 6.5 hrs from Skagway
Skagway, USA
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Escape Skagway with a visit to Chilkoot Lake State Park in Haines. Board a high-speed catamaran in Skagway and fly through the water to Haines, admiring steep fjord walls and unnamed waterfalls along the way. Meet your naturalist guide at the park entrance, and discover a lake rimmed by snowy mountains, a river bursting with salmon, Tlingit cultural sites, and wildlife including bald eagles, brown bears, and harbor seals.
- Admire wildlife and natural landscapes in Chilkoot Lake State Park
- Expert naturalist guide
- Incredible photo opportunities
- Lunch and round-trip transport included
What's Included
- LunchLunch consists of a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, fruit, freshly baked cookie and water. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available with 48 hours advance notice.
- Driver/guide
- Transportation and Fare on Haines/Skagway Fast Ferry
- Port pickup
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Pick-Up Instructions – Please Read Carefully To join your tour in Haines, you must make it to the ferry on time. - The ferry begins loading 15 minutes before departure. - The ferry leaves on time and does not wait. - To be considerate of other guests and the prompt ferry departure, we cannot always wait for late arrivals. - Your guide will be holding a Rainbow Glacier Adventures sign with a large rainbow logo. ---Cruise Ship Guests--- *Railroad Dock* (next to the rock cliff/landslide area): - If you are tendered (small boat), walk up the ramp and wait by the “Small Boat Harbor” sign to meet your guide. - If you are shuttled by bus, stay at the Ship Shuttle drop-off area to meet your guide. *Broadway Dock* (center of town): - Walk to the end of the pier, in front of your ship, near the start of the train tracks. - Your guide will meet you at the greeting area there. *Ore Dock* (by the helicopters): - Walk up the ramp and just past security to the greeting area. - Your guide will be waiting for you. **Important: If you do not immediately see your Rainbow Glacier Adventures guide, stay and wait at the greeting area. DO NOT WALK TOWARDS TOWN.** If you do not see the guide by 15 minutes prior to the tour, please call the tour operator. ---Hotel & B&B Guests--- - Pick-up is directly in front of your lodging. - Watch for the van with the Rainbow Glacier Adventures logo. - If you do not see the guide by 15 minutes prior to the tour, please call the tour operator.
Itinerary
1
Haines Skagway Fast Ferry
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Haines
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Tanani Point
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Chilkoot River
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
6
Nukdik Point
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Fort William H. Seward National Historic Landmark (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Not wheelchair accessible
- A minimum of 2 people is required for tour to run
- Stroller accessible
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the name of their cruise ship and Hotel guests must provide the name of the hotel or B&B.
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Not accessible to motorized wheelchairs.
- Your tour includes a portable lunch. It consists of a turkey sandwich on organic whole wheat bread, fruit, freshly baked cookie, and bottled water. Vegetarian and gluten free options are available with 48 hours advance notice.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 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
Charles_S
Jeanette, our tour guide in Haines, has a great story of her move from Grants Pass, OR to Haines and was an excellent and engaging guide. She took us up the Chilkoot River to Chilkoot Lake and then up the Chilkat River before showing us around Haines and Fort Seward. We saw a mama bear and three cubs, many Bald Eagles, and an otter. The ferry from Skagway to Haines was very educational and the views of the Fjords were magnificent. Highly recommend this tour.
Reviews
3.9
based on 76 reviews
Laura_M, Sep 2025
Very informative tour. Our guide Davey had a lot of information to share and was out going and friendly.
He made it a priority for our group to see as much wildlife as possible.
It started out a bit slow, but picked up and boy did we see a lot.
We saw a lot of bears and eagles.
We were able to take a lot pf pictures.
Really enjoyed the ferry ride over to Haines, AK
No issue finding the tour rep at the cruise port or once we got to Haines.
My only con of the whole trip was the lunch. While the sandwich and cookie were excellent, I'm not sure why we had to eat while riding on the bus. Once we were in the park, Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site (I believe that was the name) there were many places with picnic tables with outstanding overlooks where we could have had lunch. Trying to eat on a bus was not the most desirable way.
Overall, I would love to do this tour again since it was very good.
Charles_S, Sep 2025
Jeanette, our tour guide in Haines, has a great story of her move from Grants Pass, OR to Haines and was an excellent and engaging guide. She took us up the Chilkoot River to Chilkoot Lake and then up the Chilkat River before showing us around Haines and Fort Seward. We saw a mama bear and three cubs, many Bald Eagles, and an otter. The ferry from Skagway to Haines was very educational and the views of the Fjords were magnificent. Highly recommend this tour.
Lisa_T, Sep 2025
Our guide was great. Very informative and passionate about the wildlife and environment on Haines. She had a scope that was amazing to view wildlife and also used it to take the best photos. Lunch was good. Sat by a lake for picnic lunch. All in our group enjoyed our day.
Adeline_C, Sep 2025
This was a great day to explore wildlife. We saw a bear!! We were so excited. Thank you to our guide who was familiar with the area and patient.
Julie_H, Aug 2025
Not so successful at seeing any wildlife. Tour guide was pleasant and tried really hard to get us a view of bears but to no avail.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for sharing your feedback. While wildlife can sometimes be elusive, we’re glad to hear your guide worked hard to create opportunities to spot bears. Our guides know the best viewing areas throughout Haines and do their very best to give guests the highest chances of wildlife encounters. As noted in the tour overview, sightings are never guaranteed, but we take you right into their natural habitat where those chances are greatest.
That said, one of the things we love most about this tour is that, even on days when the animals are shy, guests can still experience the beauty of the Chilkoot—the peaceful river, glacial lake, stunning mountain views, and the incredible landscapes that make Haines so special.
Lamya_K, Aug 2025
Karla was exceptional .. we saw mama bear with cubs and a solo bear for quite some time .. thank you karla
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your review! We’re glad to hear Karla made your day exceptional. Watching a mama bear with her cubs and a solo bear for an extended time is an amazing experience — we’ll be sure to share your kind words with her!
Bernie_N, Aug 2025
Seen only 2 bears from bus. Did not allow us to step out for pictures as others did. Very blend tour not worth the cost
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for providing this review. I want to assure you and anyone who reads this review that safety is our top concern. Sometimes, it is not safe to step out of the bus, even if "others did.” We do not base our safety protocols on what others do. Our guides make their decisions based on the situation at the time. We have to follow State Park guidelines and protocols that other, independent travelers, should, but do not always, follow. It would be a tragedy if someone gets injured, or worse, from a negative encounter with a bear.
I am glad you got to see two brown bears feeding on salmon in a beautiful, wild river setting in pristine nature. That is so much better than seeing bears in a zoo or other type of captive situation.
Mary_H, Aug 2025
Our tour day weather was typical Alaska. A wet, cold rainy day. Although we didn't see bears, the landscape and the river was a once in a lifetime experience. Watching folks Salmon fish the small river, watching the gentlemen employed to "count" the salmon, seeing so many eagles we lost count, seeing Trumpeter Swans, seeing the small, rich in history small town of Haines through the eyes of our full time resident, Jeanette's eyes and prospective was amazing. She truly loves this place and the people. Easy to see why.
Pick up was simple, ferry was fun and informative as well. We did miss a bear by seconds. A resident mama and her FOUR cubs.
Even if you don't see bears and you love the diversity of the Alaskan landscape like we do, it's worth it.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
We truly appreciate your review! Summers in Alaska are different than what you might experience in the lower 48 — cooler temperatures and plenty of rain are often part of the adventure. It makes us so happy to hear you embraced our true Alaskan weather with such optimism and joy. We also love that you enjoyed your time with Jeanette! She’s such a gem, and we’re glad you were able to spend the day with her. She’ll be thrilled to know her love for this place helped make your experience so memorable. While bears are always an exciting highlight, it sounds like you had a wonderful day with the stunning landscapes, countless eagles, swans, and even watching the salmon fishers and counters at work. As you said, the beauty and diversity of Alaska always shines through — rain or shine, bears or no bears. Thank you again for joining us and for sharing your experience!
Kerri_C, Aug 2025
Our guide was amazing super sweet. We really enjoyed the tour. We saw salmon, eagles, a bear and her four cubs.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for the review! We’re so glad you got to see some of the incredible wildlife that call Haines home. We truly appreciate your kind words about your guide and are so glad you shared this special moment with us.
Ross_P, Aug 2025
We were all very disappointed with our wilderness and wildlife viewing tour. We were taken on a 5 minute ride on a disorganised bus tour to a popular tourist spot by a lake, where we stood in the car park with hundreds of other people and looked at a lake where the river ran in, the lake was lovely as was the scenery, but all the scenery in Alaska is lovely. We then got back on the bus and took another 5 minute drive back down the road we came in on, and stopped the bus at a spot where a bear and her cubs had been frequenting recently. The reason the bear was visiting the spot was to catch salmon for her Cubs, the spot was a man made salmon weir, where the salmon are held back and can only go up river via one small gateway, where a man counts each one that passes through. The bear did show up at the weir several times, but was chased off with a stick and an air horn by the fish counting man as part of his job. So yes we briefly saw a bear from a distance, but as soon as it showed up, it was deliberately chased away! Why on earth take us to spot wildlife here??
We then hopped back on the bus and taken to a small stream that passed under the road via a man made tunnel. Where we witnessed salmon pushing their way up the river to spawn. We were pleased to see this sight. However not one single part of the trip could be described as wilderness.
The guide was nice lady in herself. But over £1000 for a family of 5 left us all very disappointed and feeling a bit ripped off.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
I am so sorry to read this review and hear of your disappointment. Our goal is to provide a high quality experience that, at the very least, matches your expectations. So it is important that our guests' expectations are reasonable. In this case, I think the problem is with our use of the word “wilderness.” With a “wilderness tour”, you would not expect to see man-made features such as roads, culverts or a salmon-counting station. You would expect a completely roadless experience. And those types of experiences are possible in Alaska. For example, you can travel to Pack Creek on Admiralty Island, or go to the McNeil River, or to Brooks Falls. In those locations, you can watch bears feeding on salmon along a pristine river with no crowds.
In order to keep the wilderness feel of these places, there is limited availability. In some cases, there is a lottery system because of the demand. Access requires a float plane or small boat trip. These trips, if you can get a reservation, are extremely expensive. While you mention the price of our tour, it is quite reasonable compared to these other trips.
Based on your comments, I am going to request that Viator change the name of the tour from Chilkoot Wilderness and Wildlife Viewing Tour to Chilkoot Nature and Wildlife Viewing Tour.
Noreen_C, Aug 2025
First of all, Chilkoot is breathtaking. We understand you can't 'plan' to see wildlife, but it should be clear what weeks of the summer or fall are optimum vs taking a chance on seeing 1 bear and cubs, possibly. It was not stated that the bear are being counted and stay away when this is happening. Seeing the salmon run in the creek was good as was the scenery. Lunch was plentiful. Otherwise most time was spent in vehicles being transported. The guide was gracious and full of information but had we known there was no trail to walk or unable to walk around town at all, as alternatives, I'm not sure we would have booked the tour. A few eagles and not much else was scene. Guide very well informed.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for joining us and for taking the time to share your thoughts. I’m sorry to hear parts of the experience did not meet your expectations. Our goal is always to provide a high-quality tour that delivers on what guests anticipate, so it’s important that expectations are as clear as possible from the start.
While wildlife sightings are one of the most exciting parts of this tour, they can never be guaranteed. Bear activity changes day-to-day and season-to-season based on many factors—food availability, weather, and salmon run timing among them. I would like to clarify though that it is the salmon that are counted at the weir and not the bears. This monitoring is an important conservation measure that helps manage the fishery and ensure healthy salmon runs for years to come. During certain periods, bear activity may be lower in that area. In our tour description we do note when the best opportunities for bear viewing tend to occur so guests can plan accordingly.
This tour is designed to focus on the natural scenery of the Chilkoot area, opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, and education about the ecosystem. It does not include town exploration or long walking trails, which is why we encourage guests to review the tour description in detail before booking. Most travel is by vehicle between key viewing and scenic stops so we can cover more ground and increase the variety of what we see.
We’re glad you enjoyed the scenery, salmon run, plentiful lunch, and your guide’s knowledge and graciousness. We’ll continue to refine our descriptions so that future guests have the clearest picture possible of what to expect.
DANIEL_W, Aug 2025
This was an amazing experience personalized by our knowledgeable and experienced guide, Karla. We saw bears and Eagles and harbor seals. This place is like walking around in a postcard.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
We’re so glad you had an amazing time with Karla. She has a gift for turning a tour into something special. Bears, eagles, and harbor seals? That’s a dream day! It means a lot to hear that it felt like walking through a postcard. We feel the same way about our home. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words — she’ll be thrilled to know she made your experience so memorable.
Keith_K, Jul 2025
You hope to see wildlife but it doesn’t mean you will. We did see a bumper crop of eagles, and even though we were here at the peak of sockeye salmon run…..unfortunately no bears in sight.
HOWEVER Janette our guide was a truly lovely person who clearly loves what she does and the community she lives in year round
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re not at all surprised to hear how much you enjoyed your time with Jeanette. Not only is she a fantastic guide, she’s an incredible human through and through. This is her first season with Rainbow Glacier Adventures and we feel so lucky to have her on the team.
As for the wildlife — thank you for your understanding. Our wildlife is wild, and that’s part of the magic. While we can never guarantee sightings, we always bring guests into the areas where they’re most often seen in their natural habitat, giving you the best possible chance. However, it sounds like the eagles definitely showed up for you! Thank you again for the review!
Cathy_G, Jul 2025
The Chilkoot Wilderness tour on July 20th was very good! We were staying in Skagway and transportation arrived at stated time to pick us up for the ferry departure to Haines. Upon arriving our guide was there to meet us. Jeanette gave us an excellent tour of the area and provided lunch and history along the way. Although we didn’t see bears and moose (which were on our list to see) we thoroughly enjoyed our time touring this beautiful area. We were delivered back to the ferry on time and the experience was enjoyed by all.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review! We're so happy to hear your day went smoothly from start to finish. Seamless transportation and a great tour experience are exactly what we aim for. Jeanette is truly the best and will be thrilled to hear your kind words. Her deep knowledge and gift for storytelling make every tour special, and we’re glad she helped make your day memorable. Thank you again for choosing to spend part of your Alaskan adventure with us!
Wayne_T, Jul 2025
The ferry ride R/T to Haines worked out fine although the rain diminished the visibility of the waterfalls along the way. We knew we were going to be a bit early in July for bear which held true since we never saw any. We spotted some bald eagles in the trees and fishermen in the river. The biggest disappointment was the provided lunch. First the guide said they switched lunch from another tour so ours included gluten- free sandwiches. None of us were gluten- free and these sandwiches were very dry. We were surprised by this because we were never offered the ability to make a selection. The worst part was there were no beverages on the tour to wash down the sandwich or cookie. No water! Our guide was Katherine. She was nice but did nothing to deserve five stars.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks for this review. Our aim is to provide a high-quality tour experience. Part of our mission is to give our guests accurate information in advance of the tour so that they come with reasonable expectations. It's nice to hear that you realize that we have no control over the weather. I’m glad that you were not disappointed about not seeing a brown bear because we provided accurate information about the chances of seeing bears on this tour in July.
Your comment about the lunch is well-noted. We do our best to provide a high-quality lunch, and that includes offering gluten-free options for those who request them. We also provide vegetarian, dairy-free and vegan options. These must be requested in advance. Sometimes on tour, either the guides or guests grab the wrong lunch. We label the gluten-free lunches as gluten-free and usually the mistake is caught before someone starts eating the lunch. But not always. I’m sure you understand that once someone starts eating the lunch provided, we cannot switch. I am sorry that this happened on your tour.
As far as water goes, I think there was some type of misunderstanding. Some tour companies provide bottled water on tour, and perhaps you were expecting a bottle of water.
We stopped providing water in plastic bottles years ago in an effort to reduce plastic waste. We bring a large cooler filled with water for those who want to refill their water bottle and we provide compostable cups for those who did not bring a water bottle.
Katherine is an excellent guide, she is very experienced and has a passion for the Alaskan wilderness and the Alaskan lifestyle. She has done her research and has plenty to share about the natural and human history of the local area. Even though she has an MBA and we tried to get her to work in our office, she prefers to spend her time outdoors guiding!
Jenny_F, Jul 2025
The tour guide started by saying “it’s too sunny, we won’t see any animals today.” This was extremely discouraging after the price we paid for the tour. The whole rest of the day he proceeded to keep making these comments and it was very frustrating. It felt like he was not trying to drive too far to find anything cause he had already given up. The reason I still gave a star is because the sandwiches and cookies were good.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks for this review. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies and sandwiches. Hot and sunny days are challenging days for bear viewing. Imagine if you weighed close to 500 lbs and had a heavy fur coat on. You'd probably be in the shade. Our guide was trying to manage your expectations and provide factual information.
The good part about sunny days is that the views in and around Haines are incredible. All the mountains are clearly visible, and then vistas go on forever. When it is not raining or windy, you can spend more time out of the vehicle enjoying nature.
Please remember that a significant part of what you paid for was the round trip ferry ride from Skagway. That allowed you to get away from the Skagway crowds and visit some beautiful locations.
Our guides know the best places to find wildlife. It might appear that they are not driving a great distance and that could be the case. Wildlife are not randomly distributed in our Valley. Bear tend to congregate in areas where food is available. It is often better to make two or three passes along an area where wildlife is likely to be seen, rather than driving a long distance to an area where wildlife is rarely spotted. Our goal is to provide a quality educational experience regardless of whether or not you see a bear. We never guarantee wildlife
Shirley_W, May 2025
Outstanding wilderness experience with numerous scenic views and bird sightings. Our guide plus three trainees were a real pleasure. Lunch was delicious.
Response from Host, May 2025
Thanks so much for the great review! We're glad you could spend the day with us in Haines along the Chilkoot, taking in the stunning scenery that surrounds us. It's wonderful to hear that all of our guides were a pleasure to be with as well!
Gerben_d, Oct 2024
The tourguide was really kind, but this was the only positive aspect of this tour.
In the description of the tour it is clearly stated that you go to a famous dam where there are a lot of bears untill the end of September.
After we got of the ferry and got into the bus with the tourguide; he immediately said, we won't go looking for bears, there are no bears here anymore since pieces of the dam were removed because of decreasing salmon. This was known in advance of our tourdate. Many months before actually. This was a huge disapointment, because this was our only reason to book the tour.
When we would have known this in advance we would have booked another tour. It seems to me that the company and the tourguide waited to mention this at the last moment, When you are in the van, to get customers that can't leave or book anything else.
The tourguide didn't even make an effort to go look for bears and we spend our time just looking at some plants and one mountaingoat through a binoculair.
The tour wasn't at all what is stated in the description and is very misleiding. The fact that the company chose to not inform us, about the fact that we wouldn't go see or look for bears is even worse. If we had known beforehand we would have booked something else. The day was a waste for us.
Do not book this tour, it's misleading and they don't inform you beforehand if something changes!
You will not see or try to look for bears, he will park you at several plants and duck for hours. Be aware of that these plants and duck are everywhere you can see them yourselves.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for providing this feedback. We have been in business for over thirty years, and we pride ourselves in offering quality tours with integrity. I encourage you to read the close to 1,000 reviews that we have posted on TripAdvisor. We would never try to mislead our guests. No tour description that we have written nor provide to any our vendors mentions a "famous dam." There is no dam on the river. There is a weir where technicians count fish as they go upstream. We see bear travel up and down the Chilkoot River regardless of whether the weir is operational or not. The main attractant for the bears are salmon. In August and September, the Chilkoot RIver is filled with pink salmon. Bears travel up and down the river looking for fish. They do not need a fish weir in order to find or catch fish....these are wild bear! On any tour, our guides do their best to explain the behavior of any animals sighted, and also to explain the entire ecosystem and how it fits together. The guide you had that day has a master's degree in fisheries biology and worked in Glacier Bay National Park for over twenty years. He is competent, interesting and does a great job. But he cannot produce bears when they are not there. There are many factors that determine whether or not you see a bear on one of our tours. That is why we never guarantee bear. I want any future guest considering this tour to understand that bear sightings are not guaranteed! But it is a fascinating, stunningly beautiful area away from the crowds in Skagway. If guests come with an open mind ready to learn and enjoy whatever nature presents during the tour, I am confident that they will be more than satisfied with their tour with Rainbow Glacier Adventures.
Tat_F, Sep 2024
Our guide was Garrett and he was great. He would stop and set the scope so that everyone could see. We saw salmon in the river, sea otter and lots of eagles. We were able to see them with the fish and watch it eat it.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for this great review. The Chilkoot area is rich with beauty and wildlife, and having a great guide like Garrett to help you to see and understand what is happening is what tours with Rainbow Glacier Adventures are all about.
Martin_G, Sep 2024
Our tour guide Katherine was so knowledgeable, nice and informative. She said “we should go straight to the bear viewing spot early”. She was not wrong! Mom and 3 babies spotted in seconds of arriving. She brought this amazing scope which allowed for fantastic up close visibility and great videos and photo. Then she could spot eagles in a tree a mile away! So impressive. The whole tour was great. And on a very minor, less significant note, my vegan sandwich was so good! Fresh veggies and avocado. And even vegan cookies!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for this great review of your tour with Katherine out to Chilkoot Lake. It is an excellent bear viewing area but of course never guaranteed. So I'm so happy to hear that you saw Mom and three cubs right away. I also appreciate that you mention your vegan lunch. With advance notice, we are happy to accommodate special diets. And its important to me that these lunches are as tasty as the others.
Gary_C, Sep 2024
Ferry ride to Haines was nice. Saw several eagles and salmon swimming in a stream. Disappointed we didn’t see any bears.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks of this honest review. I wish I could guarantee a bear on every trip, but, unfortunatley, I can't. But I am glad that you called it a "nice nature trip" and that you enjoyed the eagles and the salmon. We hope you return for another tour with us. While we can't guarantee bears, Rainbow Glacier Adventures can guarantee a high-quality, small-group tour with a great guide.
Mary_C, Aug 2024
Thus was a fairly expensive tour and not at all what expected. We got more of a tour of Haines, and then drive up and down the main road by the water. It did not feel as if the driver/guide had much interest in finding wildlife. A disappointment
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Response to review
I am sorry to read this review and several other one-star reviews that I assume are from the same day and the same tour. Our company normally gets five-star reviews, and so this caught my attention. I talked with our guide about this particular tour and he remembered this trip well. He said that a large percentage of the group was traveling together and had been to Haines before. On their previous trip, they had seen a bear along the Chilkoot River. So the expectation level was high that they would have a similar experience. But this was not a private trip and there were others who had never been to Haines before.
Rainbow Glacier Adventures guides make every effort to find wildlife. Unfortunately, there were no bears found that day during that particular tour time. Our company had several vehicles out at the same time, and no one reported that they saw any bear. Your guide told me he made several passes up and down the Chilkoot River looking for bears.
At this point in the tour, our guide had to make a decision- should he spend the entire tour driving up and down the Chilkoot River or should he go to other interesting areas to share the variety and diversity of the Chilkat Valley? On private tours, the guests have lots of leverage to decide how the tour time is spent. But with a mixed group, such as this one, the guide must make a decision based on a variety of factors. They must take into account the expectations and desires of all tour members. If this had been a private tour and the group wanted to stay along the Chilkoot River the entire time, he could and he would have done so.
Private tours are more expensive than group tours. Since you mentioned that you thought this tour was expensive, I can’t imagine that you considered booking a private tour. Many other bear viewing tours in Alaska require a flight and many have limits on the number of people that can visit per day. Those tours are quite a bit more expensive than our tours.
Please note that we do not sell this tour as a bear viewing tour. It is a wilderness and wildlife tour and there are many beautiful and subtle aspects to nature that our guides enthusiastically share with those who are open. On this particular trip, the guide went out of his way to find the wildlife he could. In addition to the Chilkoot Wildlife corridor, he included a stop where pink salmon are spawning (an area that attracts bears ) and also showed you several bald eagles.
I invite you to read the scores of five star reviews that this tour with Rainbow Glacier Adventures has received through the years. For most guests, the tour is great with or without bears. This is because our guides are true professionals and can make the area come alive through their interpretive skills.
Kathy_H, Aug 2024
More local history than seeing wildlife. Definitely not worth the money we paid fir two people.
Driver knowledgeable but not impressed with tour. An Eagle and 5 salmon dying in a stream not very interesting
Response from Host, Aug 2024
I'm so sorry to read this review. I understand your desire for value when you spend your money on an excursion. And that is why we go out of our way at Rainbow Glacier Adventures to provide value with our emphasis on small groups, quality guides, and excellent customer service. So, to me, as owner and founder of this company, "terrible" seems like a strong word to use for one of our Rainbow Glacier Adventures tours.
You say the driver was knowledgeable and that you saw an eagle and dying salmon. You did not mention that on our tours, when we view bald eagles, we use a professional-grade spotting scope to show you details that you would not have seen otherwise. And that our guide provides perspective on the behavior of the bald eagles, why the Chilkat Valley is unique in terms of eagle survival. Or that our guide explained the life cycle of the salmon and how the dying salmon you saw is connected with the survival of the bald eagles, and that the dying salmon is a factor that determines the size of the trees in our forest!
You did not mention that this was a group tour, not a private tour. Your knowledgeable guide did his best to provide natural history and local history information that others in the group likely found interesting. I wonder what more we could have done to have made the trip more interesting for you? Did you engage with the guide and ask questions?
There is always a “hit or miss” aspect to these tours when it comes to wildlife viewing. If we had the power, we would have produced a brown bear pulling salmon out of the Chilkoot River for you to enjoy. But that is what makes wildlife viewing so thrilling- there is no guarantee. Unfortunately, on that particular tour there were no bears to be seen. Many guests on the same tour the last few weeks have been thrilled to see bears along the Chilkoot river and they gave us five-star reviews.
Gerrie_G, Aug 2024
Great experience ! Would recommend to everybody. Very diverse and lots of wildlife. Definitely worth the money !
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for this five star review. I really appreciate that you say this tour is worth the money. I know that travelers have a limited amount of both time and money, and it is important to me that our guests feel like the time and money they spent with us was a good value. There are so many choices in all the various cruise ports, and I want Rainbow Glacier Adventures to stand out as one of the best.
Alexa_S, Aug 2024
Very disappointing very expensive excursion. After an uneventful 46 minute ferry ride from Skagway to Haines, we spent 4 hours on an over crowded mini bus looking at well…not much. This was not the wilderness tour we were expecting. We saw a few eagles and 3 salmon in a culvert. The rest of the time was spent staring out at well…not much. Then we had to ride the ferry back the same way we came. I do not recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
I am so sorry to read this review. I know that many guests' expectations and overall satisfaction with this tour is related to whether or not they see brown bears furing the tour. When bears are seen, it is easy to give a five star review. When bears are not seen, we sometimes get one star reviews like this one. But that is not really fair.
We are dealing with wildlife, and wildlife does not appear just because we want to see them. They move at their own pace and by their own rules. We make a great effort to find bears for our guests. One of the advantages to going with Rainbow Glacier Adventures is that we only run small-group tours. So we have multiple vehicles in many locations looking for wildlife. If anything is seen by one of our guides, they can communicate with each other via our private radio frequency. This increases our chances of finding bears and other wildlife.
But sometimes the wildlife does not appear. So we always spend time explaining how the natural systems here work together. Your guide on that tour has a degree in Environmental Science, and so was able to go into detail sharing with you the story of what you were seeing. Even without a bear in sight, the tour route has stunning scenery and a fascinating story line that includes glaciers, wild rivers, Native culture, salmon, and intriguing tales of current events and colorful local characters. So when you say the tour was spent staring at “not much,” it makes me wonder if you were listening to our guide. Did you interact with our guide and ask questions about the area? Our small-group tours allow for our guides to personalize the tour based on the interests of our guests.
You also complain that you rode the ferry and “rode the ferry back the same way we came.” You purchased a round-trip ticket. By definition, a round-trip ticket goes and returns the same way!” What were you expecting?
I do not understand why you said our vehicle was overcrowded. You were in a 14-passenger airporter-style bus on that tour. Each person had a comfortable seat. We do not overcrowd our vehicles. As a matter of fact, we pride ourselves on running small group tours in comfortable vehicles.
You also said the tour was expensive. It is true that the same driving tour costs much less if your ship is docked in Haines, rather than Skagway. But relatively few cruise ships dock in Haines. That is Haines’s attraction- Haines is not crowded. Haines and Skagway are only 15 miles apart, but to drive from Skagway to Haines is a 350-mile drive one way! Driving is impractical for a day tour. So the least expensive alternative is to board a boat. The boat runs seasonally and has to make enough income to pay for fuel, staff, repairs, maintenance, etc during the short tour season. So that adds at least $100 in cost, 1.5 hours in travel time plus an additional hour for meet and greet service and transfers in Skagway. So you have to make the decision, is it worth it to travel to Haines from Skagway if your ship is docked in Skagway? That is a personal decision and is best made through research and reading the reviews of other travelers.
James_R, Aug 2024
The pickup at the cruise port was easy and our driver was fun and informative. The ferry ride to Haines was gorgeous, we saw eagles and harbor seals along the way.
We arrived in Haines and met our guide Garrett. He got our group on our bus and got us underway. We were able to see a salmon stream and more eagles.
The first stops along the trip were great if you're into landscape photography. Not a lot of wildlife at first, but that changed quickly.
We stopped at a beautiful river where bears are sometimes spotted hunting salmon, but nothing here but a few eagle sightings, but still amazing scenery.
Our next stop along the river above quite a few fisherman where Garrett explained the types of salmon they fished for and the methods used to catch them. We got out and he showed us a "weit" where salmon are funneled through and counted one by one by Charlie, the guy that sits on the "fish bridge."
We got some great photos of the river, when 5 minutes into our stop, a brown bear ventured out to the river 50 yards ahead of us headed towards Charlie.
Charlie was alerted and safely encouraged the bear back to the road where he came from. Except now 2 RVs and a pilot on of cyclists made the bear turn our direction.
Garrett jumped into action and protected the group so the bear could get to the river safely. It was very exciting to say the least.
We promptly boarded the bus and made our way to our next stop where more eagles and harbor seals were sighted at the mouth of a jaw dropping lake.
Garrett offered up lots of knowledge about the local plants and wildlife, of which he is clearly very passionate about.
He safely got us back to Haines along with a quick trip through town, and a history lesson about the people who founded Haines.
Lunch was great, the bus was comfy, And we can't speak highly enough about our guide Garrett.
We HIGHLY recommend this trip when visiting the area.
I almost forgot to mention we saw a moose mom and her calf on the road back to Haines!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for this positive and very thorough review of your tour with Garrett. I especially like where you emphasized the safety aspect of our excursion. Everyone wants to see bear along the Chilkoot River, but not all are prepared for a close encounter with a bear. We emphasize safety in our training at Rainbow Glacier Adventures, and discuss various scenarios and appropriate responses when encountering bears. It is very important to us that all members of our group are safe.
KIM_C, Aug 2024
Madeline was a great guide providing extensive area knowledge. Although we only saw one bear, we saw quite a. It of other wildlife, including hummingbirds and seals. Provided lunch was filling and tasty.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks for this great review. I am so glad that you were able to see one bear. Early in August, the salmon runs are just getting going along the Chilkoot River, and bear sightings are not guaranteed. As August turns into September, the pink salmon run strengthens and the likelihood of seeing bear increases. Even then, we never guarantee bear sightings. This is the challenge and the joy of wildlife viewing.
Michelle_B, Jul 2024
Met a great family and loved the ferry ride to Haines. We thought we would see SOMETHING for wildlife for the price.
Absolutely only 3 eagles in Haines. It was a 6.5 hour tour and we could have seen more at port. $250/person is way over priced.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
I am sorry to read this review. When I read it, I take you to be saying that the tour was not worth it because you didn't see a bear. If you had seen a bear, the tour would have been worth it. But the problem is, we never guarantee wildlife. We do guarantee that you will see a beautiful natural area and learn about the envirnoment. You will break away from the crowds of Skagway and you will be treated with respect and kindness. I am sure that is what you received. Our price reflects the complexities of the geography and the various steps it takes to get you to our destination.
You say you would have seen "more in port" but what does that mean? You mean you would have seen more in Skagway? How do you know? What would have seen there that would have compared with the Chilkoot Wildlife Corridor?
I have found that we are so good at making the experience seamless hat some guests don’t appreciate what it takes to put this tour together.
It starts with our meet and greet service on the dock in Skagway. Skagway has multiple docks and it has become fairly complicated to figure out where to go once your ship arrives. We streamline the process and have a dedicated agent there to meet you. If you have any issues, we have staff in our office standing by the phones to make sure you do not miss your connection with the Fast Ferry. We provide transportation from the ship dock to the Fast Ferry and then check you in with the Fast Ferry agent. The next part of the journey is a 45-minute ferry ride along the steep-walled fjord linking Haines to Skagway, a beautiful trip in its own right.
Upon arrival in Haines, our naturalist guide meets you and you board our small airport-shuttle style bus. Our guides scout the area in advance and know the best places and times to maximize your chance of seeing wildlife. This tour includes several stops in Chilkoot Lake State Recreation area, and typically includes an exclusive stop at some private property we have access to at the mouth of the Chilkoot River. When we find wildlife, we set up a high-quality spotting scope and also provide quality binoculars for our guests to use. We also include lunch. At the end of the Haines portion of the tour, we return you to the Fast Ferry and , upon arrival in Skagway, provide transfer service to get you back to your ship.
You mentioned the cost of this tour. Besides all the costs associated with the tour as I’ve described above, it's important to note that our tours have a maximum of 14 guests per vehicle. Many other companies use 40-passenger buses, and they can charge less per person because of the volume.
Rainbow Glacier Adventures stresses quality over quantity. We offer a premium product at a fair price. I am proud of our reputation and stand behind my guides 100 percent.
Robert_C, Jul 2024
The cost was not worth it. Just a typical shuttle bus with the same commentary as all the other Alaska guides
Response from Host, Jul 2024
I am sorry to read this review. Our goal is to exceed our guest’s expectations, and clearly we did not measure up in your case. Our Chilkoot Wilderness and Wildlife Tour Skagway departure is much more than a “typical shuttle bus.” I have found that we are so good at making the experience seamless hat some guests don’t appreciate what it takes to put this tour together.
It starts with our meet and greet service on the dock in Skagway. Skagway has multiple docks and it has become fairly complicated to figure out where to go once your ship arrives. We streamline the process and have a dedicated agent there to meet you. If you have any issues, we have staff in our office standing by the phones to make sure you do not miss your connection with the Fast Ferry. We provide transportation from the ship dock to the Fast Ferry and then check you in with the Fast Ferry agent. The next part of the journey is a 45-minute ferry ride along the steep-walled fjord linking Haines to Skagway, a beautiful trip in its own right.
Upon arrival in Haines, our naturalist guide meets you and you board our small airport-shuttle style bus. Our guides scout the area in advance and know the best places and times to maximize your chance of seeing wildlife. This tour includes several stops in Chilkoot Lake State Recreation area, and typically includes an exclusive stop at some private property we have access to at the mouth of the Chilkoot River. When we find wildlife, we set up a high-quality spotting scope and also provide quality binoculars for our guests to use. We also include lunch. At the end of the Haines portion of the tour, we return you to the Fast Ferry and , upon arrival in Skagway, provide transfer service to get you back to your ship.
You mentioned the cost of this tour. Besides all the costs associated with the tour as I’ve described above, it's important to note that our tours have a maximum of 14 guests per vehicle. Many other companies use 40-passenger buses, and they can charge less per person because of the volume.
Rainbow Glacier Adventures stresses quality over quantity. We offer a premium product at a fair price. I am proud of our reputation and stand behind my guides 100 percent.
VICKYA_R, May 2024
The rivers, eagles and overall scenery was spectacular. They made sure not to overcrowd the tour. Our guide, Pat, was awesome.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thanks for this awesome review of your tour with us and with Pat, your guides. I'm glad you mentioned that we made sure not to overcrowd the tour. We believe in small group, high-quality experiences and emphasize quality over quantity. Our largest vehicle only holds 11 guests!
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