Alaska is home to some of the most amazing and incredible animals in North America. From grizzlies and polar bears to humpback whales, you can experience a wide variety of wildlife adventures in the Last Frontier.
Finding the best way to experience the majesty of Alaska's wildlife can be a challenging task, with a multitude of wildlife tours offered throughout the state. These tours vary widely in price, duration, experience level, and focus. Here's a rundown of typical wildlife tours in Alaska and some tips on how to choose the right one for your trip.
Types of Alaska Wildlife Tours
The Marine Mammals Tour
Dive into the heart of Alaska's pristine waters with a marine mammals tour (also known as a whale tour). Ideal for families, these day cruises are both economical and enriching, offering a close-up view of Alaska’s diverse aquatic life. Watch as captains expertly navigate to prime spots where you might see whales, porpoises, and even eagles.
- What You'll See: Expect to encounter whales, porpoises, eagles, harbor seals basking on icebergs, puffins, cormorants, sea otters, and Dall’s porpoises.
- Best Places: Seward, Homer, Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka.
- When to Book: May-September.
- Tour operators to check out: Major Marine Tours - Seward, Alaska
Seabird Watching Tour
As a top birding destination, Alaska's seabird watching tours offer a unique experience to see thousands of migratory seabirds up close. The state’s location at the top of the Pacific Rim attracts a diverse array of birds from both hemispheres. Witness immense flocks of migratory birds, and spot year-round residents like bald eagles and ravens. It's a tour that promises to delight anyone with a love for avian life. These tours typically operate on boats and depart from coastal communities throughout the summer.
What You'll See: Auklets, albatross, murrelets, cormorants, shorebirds, bald eagles, ravens, puffins, and many others.
Best Places: Juneau, Sitka, Kodiak, Seward.
When to Book: June-August.
Tour operators to check out: A Whale’s Song Expedition - Sitka, Alaska
Bear Viewing Tours
Alaska boasts one of the densest populations of brown bears in the world. Depending on the season, you can observe different aspects of bear life – from breeding behaviors and playful cubs to the iconic bear fishing during salmon runs. With experienced guides, these tours offer both safety and remarkable encounters, where you can get within feet of one of the world’s top predators. Most tours operate in remote locations, so you will be taking a float plane or boat to access it, and will need a moderate level of fitness. These tours are recommended for adults and older children only.
What You'll See: Depending on the month, you may witness bear breeding behaviors, playful cubs, or bears fishing during salmon runs.
Best Times to Go: May and June for breeding behaviors. July for mothers and cubs. August-September for bear fishing.
Best Places: Lake Clark National Park, Katmai National Park, Kodiak Island, Admiralty Island.
When to Book: June-September.
Tour operators to check out: Kingfisher Aviation - Kodiak (single day tours), Scott Stone Photography (multi-day bear tours)
Polar Bear Expeditions
Polar bear tours are a luxurious and exclusive way to see these majestic creatures in the Arctic – but they are increasingly hard to book throughout Alaska. Due to permit restrictions, polar bear tours are incredibly limited and are only offered in remote locations along the North Slope, meaning you will need to book well in advance and expect to pay over $5,000 per person. These tours are typically multi-day operations, catering to photographers, so you need to be in good health and comfortable sitting in extreme cold conditions for hours at a time. Most tours operate during the whaling season, so you will have the chance to watch as polar bears wander along the coast or feast on the remnants of a whale hunt – a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Best Places: North Slope.
When to Book: September-November.
Tour operators to check out: Akook Arctic Adventures - Kaktovik, Alaska
Denali Wildlife Viewing
An affordable and accessible option to see four of Alaska’s Big Five (caribou, Dall sheep, bears, moose). These tours take place in Denali National Park, using the park's bus system. Different types of tours are available to cater to families and dedicated photographers, from half-day trips to full day adventures.
What You'll See: Various wildlife sightings along the Park Road, including wolves, caribou, moose, bears, and other tundra wildlife.
Best Places: Denali National Park Visitor Center.
When to Book: June through early-September, when the bus is operating in the park.
Tour operators to check out: Denali National Park
