From Cache

Ketchikan Private Wildlife & Herring Cove Exploration Tour

5.0
12 reviews

Excursion Overview

Experience an authentic, friendly, and personalized tour

Explore Ketchikan with the comfort, ease, flexibility, and relaxed pace of a private tour, ensuring your family and friends are the only guests in the van! This tour offers the ultimate flexibility to modify the itinerary on the go with your dedicated local guide...spending more time at locations of interest, leading to a more meaningful and fulfilling journey.

Your dedicated local guide will offer you their undivided attention, answering questions, and providing knowledge of Ketchikan. A personalized approach ensures a higher quality experience catered to the desires and comfort of your group.

Depending on your group's interests, destinations for possible bears, eagles, seals, and salmon sightings are always high on the list. Locations along the inner passage for purple and orange starfish, crabs, hermit crabs, sea anemones, whales, and more. Perhaps a guided stroll through a Native village to view and learn the meaning and stories behind the magnificent indigenous totem poles is more your speed. Waterfalls, salmon ladder, and when the season is right wild edible berries, local flora, mushrooms, and more..

Enjoy an authentic experience that is, fun, friendly, and not scripted!

Please Note: This tour can accommodate up to 11 guests. If your group is at or near this maximum capacity, please consider the body sizes and comfort needs of everyone in your group to ensure there is adequate space for all guests. Email [email protected] if you have a larger party. Groups of up to 22 can be accommodated on multiple vehicles. To request a Spanish-speaking guide, please leave a note at checkout.

This tour is typically available year-round. Our excursions were designed for cruise ship passengers but are available to everyone.

Things You Need to Know

Inclusions:

  • Private roundtrip transportation from the cruise ship terminal
  • Fully narrated tour with your local guide, English or Spanish
  • Umbrellas are available to use as needed in case of rain
  • Binoculars
  • Bottled Water
  • Air-conditioned van for those warmer Alaskan days
  • Seat belt-equipped van
  • Clean touring van with clean windows

Requirements:

  • Dress in warm layers, and wear comfortable shoes
  • Camera recommended

Duration: Approximately 3 hours (roundtrip from cruise ship terminal)

  • 3 hours - customizable private tour with many guests choosing to visit the locations below
  • Totem Park and Bifrost blacksmithing (Ten dollar charge per person at the entry, not included in tour price). The entry fee is for both sites.
  • Herring Cove and Waterfalls
  • Buggie Beach to discover the Inner Passage sea wildlife
  • Roundtrip transportation from Ward Cove cruise ship terminal or Downtown Ketchikan

Meeting Instructions:

  • This tour meets 10 minutes prior to departure time in front of your cruise ship. Guest docking at Ward Cove will be picked up and returned to Ward Cove. 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/coach. This tour does not have a wheelchair lift but foldable wheelchairs and walkers are welcome. Please leave a comment during checkout if accommodations for collapsible equipment will be required on tour.

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

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

Yes, this tour is offered in Spanish! Please leave a comment at checkout to request the tour in Spanish.

There are no age restrictions for this tour.

Wildlife is abundant in Southeast Alaska and sightings are possible on any tour, however, this is not a designated wildlife-watching tour and nothing can be guaranteed!

Non-alcoholic beverages in closeable containers and snacks are allowed on tour. There are restroom stops available at the Saxman Native Village and Herring Cove viewing area.

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

Dress for the weather. Layered clothing is always recommended for Alaskan weather. Sneakers are recommended for the terrain. For more detailed packing tips for your Alaskan vacation, check out our What to Pack for Your Alaskan Cruise guide.

Both child and booster seats are available. If one is required, please leave us a comment during checkout.

This tour can accommodate up to 11 guests in a single vehicle. If your group is close to the maximum capacity, we recommend considering everyone's comfort and seating needs to ensure an enjoyable experience for all.

Larger groups of up to 22 guests may be accommodated using multiple vehicles, subject to availability. If you're traveling with a large group, please email [email protected] to check availability before booking.

There are restroom stops available at the Saxman Native Village and Herring Cove viewing area.

This tour includes roundtrip transportation from Ward Cove. Guests should not take the shuttle to downtown Ketchikan. Please refer to the finalized ticket voucher for additional details on meeting the guide at Ward Cove.

 

Guest Reviews

5.0

12 total

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Ann B

On Jun 2026

Our guide Bianca was great, very friendly and knew lots about Ketchikan. We made several stops, saw a brown bear and her cub, visited the Saxman Village for a bit. we also saw many eagles close by. We did a short hike to a waterfall, but this was pretty muddy and steep so not for everyone - you could still see a lower waterfall from the street. This was a relaxing tour around Ketchikan, we saw things we would never see if we just stayed in town. No issues getting back to the ship on time, we actually left on the tour a bit early!

Meredith H

On Jun 2026

Leanne was an excellent guide and we thoroughly enjoyed this excursion. We had a variety of opportunities to explore a beach, waterfall, a totem pole village and we had the most amazing experience watching bald eagles. Leanne was incredibly knowledgeable and kind. We had a multi-generational group of 7 on this tour (ages 21 to 77) and we all had a fabulous day with Leanne in Ketchikan! Highly recommended!!!

Brigette P

On Jun 2026

Hanx was very attentive and informatve. Recommend if you want to a small tour and to avoid the crowds

Brynn W

On Aug 2025

We had a fantastic experience on our trip! We had a group of 15 so we needed to book two vans. We had told the drivers our main goal was to see wildlife so they took us to a clearing to see bears. The drivers were very careful to temper our expectations in case we didn't get lucky. After waiting for a bit we decided to leave and our drivers took us to the most amazing hike; it was truly magical. After the hike we decided to go back to the clearing and hope our luck would be better this time. It paid off because after about 20 minutes of waiting we saw multiple bears. It was fantastic! It was so nice to have the flexibility of our own private tour so we could cater it to our wants and needs. And we could spend either as much or as little time in each location as we wanted. We would definitely recommend this excursion, especially if you are traveling with a large group.

Jennifer S

On May 2025

Bianca was fabulous as our tour guide for group of 10. She made sure to engage with our children as well. Everyone had a great time on our excursion in Ketchikan.

$850.00

Best Price Guarantee!

$850.00

Duration: 3 hours

Best Price Guarantee!

Duration: 3 hours



Flat rate for group

Vehicle (Max of 11 guests): $850.00

From Cache -BTN