Icy Strait Chichagof Island Tour

4.4
14 reviews

Excursion Overview

Exclusive 2-Hour guided tour of Chichagof Island

Embark on an unforgettable 2-hour adventure through Chichagof Island’s breathtaking landscapes, where you'll encounter incredible wildlife and discover the rich Tlingit culture, remote living, and plants with powerful medicinal properties. Led by passionate, lifelong Hoonah residents, your guides offer an insider’s view of the island, sharing secrets of its beauty and history.

Perfect for cruise passengers with limited time, this exciting tour lets you soak in the stunning views and wildlife of Southeast Alaska while leaving you free to explore more of Hoonah. Keep your eyes peeled—your guides will be on the lookout for unforgettable wildlife sightings!

The success rate for seeing bears is very high, however, wildlife cannot be guaranteed. Chichagof Island has more bears per square mile than any other place in Alaska with 1.7 bears per square mile!

Check out the 3-hour Wilderness Island Tour for a longer time exploring with the same local team!

This tour is typically available from April through October. Our excursions were designed for cruise ship passengers but are available to everyone.

Things You Need to Know

Inclusions:

  • Roundtrip transportation from the Icy Strait Excursions Hub

Requirements:

  • Minimum age to participate is 5 years old
  • Guests should be comfortable climbing into and out of the tour van

Duration: Approximately 2 hours (roundtrip from the Icy Strait Excursions Hub)

  • 2 hours - narrated scenic drive around the island

Meeting Instructions:

  • This tour meets at the Icy Strait Excursions Hub. Fully detailed instructions are included on your finalized ticket vouchers.

ADA Accessibility of Tour:

  • This tour is limited mobility accessible. Guests must be able to climb into and out of the van. There is no storage for collapsible wheelchairs or walkers. Please leave a comment during checkout if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility.

    • Fully Wheelchair Accessible: No
    • Limited Mobility Accessible: Yes
    • Stroller Accessible: No
    • Collapsible Wheelchair Storage Available: No

Refund Policy:

  • You may cancel for any reason up to seven (7) days prior to the date of the tour for a full refund.
  • Please see our Refund Policy Page for complete details.

Frequently Asked Questions

The minimum age to participate is 5 years old.

Booster seats will be provided for anyone who is 5+.

Our success rate for seeing bears is very high, however, wildlife cannot be guaranteed. Our area has more bears per square mile than any other place in Alaska with 1.7 bears per square mile.

Backpacks, small bags, and purses are allowed on this tour.

Non-alcoholic beverages in closeable containers and snacks are allowed on tour.​

Food and drinks are not included.​

Weather depending, you are encouraged to wear gloves and light layers. The weather in Alaska can be highly unpredictable.

For more detailed packing tips for your Alaskan vacation, check out our What to Pack for Your Alaskan Cruise guide.

Wildlife sightings are often a highlight of this experience, though they are not guaranteed and can vary depending on the season.

Guides are always attentive and will do their best to point out any wildlife encountered along the way, while sharing insight into the local ecosystem.

 

Guest Reviews

4.4

14 total

71%
7%
14%
7%
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James H

On Jul 2026

Our guide was personable and friendly. He has lived in Hoonah his entire life. He worked extremely hard and drove around a lot to find coastal brown bears. We finally got to see a Mama Bear and her approximately 1 year old cub! We got to watch them for about 20 minutes or so, they got to within about 20 feet of our vehicle! It was awesome to see these magnificent creatures in the wild, yet up close from our vehicle. This was one of many highlights of our wonderful Alaskan Cruise! Highly Recommend!

William W

On Jul 2026

We found it easy to met up with our guide. If you are prone to motion sickness - be prepared this trip is driving mostly over rough gravel roads. Our guide was too focused on seeing bears, which is great, but there are so many other things to see, learn about. We had to pull information out of him, and ask him to use his microphone. Nice man, but he needs to engage more. On the later half, we saw people falling asleep. We did ask to get off the van in the town of Hoonah so we could walk the trail back to our ship. That walk was great.

Saba A

On Jul 2026

Tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable but could have explained more about town history, natural facts, and forest life. We drove same route one way and turned around again back on the same route which was boring. We did not get out of the van for even 5 minutes like other tours do. We did not see any bears or wildlife at all. It was disappointing. Not worth the money we paid. I'm not sure if different guides could be a different experience because I booked this tour after reading good reviews. Unfortunately with our experience my family and I don't recommend this.

Greg O

On Jun 2026

Hit or miss seeing wildlife, but our guide was amazing. Incredibly informative and interesting.

Kay R

On Jun 2026

Our guide, Mary, was great! She was very knowledgeable about the wild life and plants on the island. We saw bears and lots of eagles. Found a beavers dam but did not see any beavers. Really enjoyed our time with her!

$125.00

Best Price Guarantee!

$125.00

Duration: 2 hours

Best Price Guarantee!

Duration: 2 hours



Adult (13+): $125.00

Child (5-12): $125.00