Guaranteed Whale Watching Tours in Icy Straits
Trip Highlights
$100 whale sighting GUARANTEE
Humpback whale feeding and migration location
Comfortable boats with heated cabin and viewing decks forward and aft
Description
Join us for the best show in town, a 3-hour whale watching excursion (includes transportation time and approx 2.5 hours on the water) which begins when you board the bus that departs from the Icy Strait Point Excursion Hub, just a short 5-minute walk from your cruise ship. Travel just 1.5 miles through the picturesque landscape of Hoonah, Alaska. On arrival at the Hoonah Harbor, it's “All aboard!” and you’re off for the waters of Icy Straits and the ultimate whale watching experience. The area near Icy Strait Point, with its proximity to Point Adolphus and Glacier Bay, is home to one of the largest summer populations of humpback whales found in Alaska and the whale watching is second to none.
Tour info
Why take this tour?
Huge numbers of humpback whales come to the area near Hoonah every summer to feed in the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait. The whale population begins to arrive in Hoonah in May and stays through September. Humpback whales are large baleen whales that can reach over 50 feet in length and weigh as much as 30-50 tons. They are most famous for their whale songs, thought to be used by males as a mating call. Humpbacks are amazingly active and typical whale sightings include diving, blows, and flukes (tails). Lucky whale watchers may get to see breaching or 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. We are so confident in the abilities of our Captains & Crew that we have a $100 whale sighting guarantee! Our boats are built for speed and comfort, and perfectly suited for travel along Alaska’s waterways. With our experienced local Captains and Icy Strait Point being the best port for whale watching in Alaska, this tour will be an unforgettable experience. We return to the harbor where you can explore downtown Hoonah and catch one of our regularly scheduled shuttles back to Icy Strait Point.
Included
Round Trip Transfers from Icy Strait Point
Heated Cabins & Clean Restrooms
$100 whale sighting guarantee
Fully Vaccinated Crew
Return to ship "Anytime Shuttle Pass" on regular shuttles from Hoonah to Icy Strait Point
Frequently asked questions
Things to know
COVID - Heath & Safety
Your health is our top priority! All of our boat crews, drivers and guides are fully vaccinated.
Stringent Cleaning – We’ve increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas during those tours that allow and between all tours. Aside from the increased cleaning abo...
Your health is our top priority! All of our boat crews, drivers and guides are fully vaccinated.
Stringent Cleaning – We’ve increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas during those tours that allow and between all tours. Aside from the increased cleaning above, our boats and vehicles are now deep cleaned at the end of each day.
Wellness Checks – Employees receive daily wellness checks, to include temperature to ensure they are healthy and symptom-free. If you or anyone in your group is experiencing symptoms, we will work directly with you to cancel or reschedule your tour.
Cancellation Policy
To receive a full refund guests may cancel up to 24hrs before the experience. If for some reason your cruise ship does not make it to port, or we have to cancel due to weather, this would also be a 100% refund. No refund for cancelations less than 24hrs. This policy does not apply to Private Char...
To receive a full refund guests may cancel up to 24hrs before the experience. If for some reason your cruise ship does not make it to port, or we have to cancel due to weather, this would also be a 100% refund. No refund for cancelations less than 24hrs. This policy does not apply to Private Charters, please email for details.***There is a booking fee applied to all online bookings. This fee will not be refunded on partial cancellations. It is refunded on full cancellations. We unfortunately have no control over this as a business.***
What to wear
The weather in Hoonah is often wet (we live in a rainforest.) Bring layered clothing, a waterproof jacket, a camera and/or video camera, and comfortable shoes. Keep food and flavored drinks packed tightly away. Water is permitted.
The weather in Hoonah is often wet (we live in a rainforest.) Bring layered clothing, a waterproof jacket, a camera and/or video camera, and comfortable shoes. Keep food and flavored drinks packed tightly away. Water is permitted.
Check Availability
More Experiences
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This Alaskan wilderness and bear search tour is offered on Chichagof Island, a one-of-a-kind location with the highest population of bears per square mile of any place on Earth. Depending on the season, catch the bears coming out of hibernation and looking for food; or later on in the season when the bears are mating and eating grasses on the tidal flats. Older males fight each other for dominance and mating rights with the females, who at times are not receptive and force the male to give chase. This is truly an experience for the books, and cameras.
Icy Strait Birding & Nature Experience
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Saltwater Fishing Adventure
Join local maritime hero Captain Billy, a locally raised Tlingit of Hoonah, Alaska on this unforgettable fishing adventure. His knowledge of area waters is unsurpassed and his desire to share it with you is second to none! Southeast Alaska and Icy Strait in particular, is home to some of the best halibut and salmon fishing around. The biggest halibut on record was caught inside Icy Strait! Hoonah is just a stones throw from Icy Strait so no time is wasted getting to the fishing grounds and the hooks down!
Kayak Adventure
Your Kayak experience will take you into the peaceful waters of Port Frederick. Enjoy the serenity that can only be had while quietly gliding across the waters near Icy Strait Point enjoying the beautiful Alaskan scenery. Wildlife such as; eagles, seals, sea lions, Sitka black tail deer, whales, and even a bear on the beach are possible sightings. Take a journey into this serene kayak adventure on Icy Strait for an unforgettable experience!
Whales, Wildlife & Drones
This whale watching tour is personalized, as it takes out a maximum of 14 guests at a time. This allows for a great crew to guest ratio, ensuring your experience is personal. The areas we search near in Hoonah near Icy Strait Point and Point Adolphus are known Humpback whale feeding grounds. Josh has captained in this area for many years and knows the area well! He know how to find the whales! Add in the communication he has with other captains on the other boats, and it's a perfect whale finding system!
What really makes this tour unique is the Drone imagery. Drones are able to see below the water surface and broadcast live video back to the boat.
View pods of orcas effortlessly gliding under the waves, on rare occasions, see humpback calfs playing with their mothers, on rare occasions, the amazing phenomenon of "bubble-net" feeding by groups of humpbacks is seen. Your personal view of the whales is not repaced with drones; just supplemented! You will experience seeing and hearing these amazing animals with your own eyes and ears, and then we take you to the next level with our displays onboard.
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Professionally guided stream fishing excursions on the hidden edge waters of Chichagof, Island.