Whale Sightings & Wildlife Wonders: An Unforgettable Whale-Watching Adventure

Your Icy Strait Premier whale watching tour (with guaranteed whale sightings!) begins when a transport picks you up just outside the gates of Icy Strait. You'll be whisked away to Hoonah Harbor dock to meet the charter boat. Along the way, you may spot some of our local wildlife, including Alaskan Brown Bears, bald eagles, blacktail deer, and more. Once aboard and traveling along the shorelines, sightings of bears, deer, coastal ducks and geese, blue herons, puffins, swans, terns, cormorants, and more are common.

Hoonah is renowned for its rich marine life and thriving eco-tourism, and Hoonah Whale Tours lets you experience it all up close. Even nearby Gustavus contributes to these nutrient-rich waters, helping attract the abundant wildlife that makes every moment of your tour unforgettable.

In the water, you may get a chance to spot orcas, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises, and seals in addition to the feeding humpbacks. Humpback whales come to Hoonah in huge numbers to feed on the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait every summer beginning in May before migrating south again in September for the winter.

Humpback whales are large baleen whales that can reach over 50 feet in length and weigh as much as 30-50 tons. Humpbacks are amazingly active and typical whale sightings will include diving, blows, and flukes (tails). Lucky whale watchers may get to see breaching and bubble-net feeding, a cooperative feeding method where a pod forms a circle and dives under the water; they then blow air to create a wall of bubbles that force krill and plankton to the surface where the whales can eat them. Observing humpbacks practice bubble-net feeding is a real treat and a truly thrilling experience.

Whale Watching Charter and Transportation

The charter boat is built for speed and comfort and is perfectly suited for travel along Alaska's waterways. Guests can enjoy open-air viewing decks for incredible wildlife sightings, while the covered and heated cabin offers a warm and dry place to relax as you experience the wonder and beauty of our whale-watching trip. We will return to the docks and transport you back to Icy Strait with plenty of time to board your ship or explore downtown Hoonah.

Most departures are scheduled to align with cruise ship arrival times, with options typically available in the morning and early afternoon.

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