What You’ll See on a Ketchikan Sightseeing Tour
Real Photos. Real Wildlife. Real Alaska.
Experience Bears, Eagles, Salmon, Totem Poles & Coastal Nature in Southeast Alaska!
Looking for an unforgettable Alaska adventure? Our Ketchikan Sightseeing Van Tour takes you off the beaten path to experience the real wild side of Southeast Alaska. This isn’t just a photo gallery — it’s a visual guide to everything you’ll see, learn, and love during your journey with us. Scroll through the highlights below and discover why we’re one of the top-rated shore excursions in Ketchikan.
Black Bears in Their Natural Habitat at Herring Cove
One of the most unforgettable parts of our tour is visiting Herring Cove, a scenic wildlife haven located within the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary. Here, just outside of a working salmon hatchery, black bears gather during spawning season to chase salmon upstream in a dramatic, powerful display of nature.
You’ll have a chance to see bears from safe distances as they fish, forage, and interact in their natural habitat — a true Alaskan bucket-list moment. Our guides help you understand bear behavior, and know the best, most respectful viewing areas for amazing photo ops.
Moreover, this is one of the best places in Southeast Alaska to see black bears in the wild, especially from July through early September.
Bald Eagles Soaring Overhead
Known as the “Bald Eagle Capital of the World,” Ketchikan is a prime place to see these iconic birds up close. Our route passes through areas with high eagle activity — including nesting zones and salmon streams where they fish and feed.
We often stop where bald eagles perch on towering trees or fly overhead with sharp eyes scanning the waters. You’ll learn about their life cycle, spiritual significance in Native culture, and get plenty of chances to capture them on camera.
Fun fact: You may see juveniles too — they don’t get their white heads until around age five!
Salmon Runs & the Famous Ketchikan Salmon Ladder
Each summer and fall, Ketchikan’s creeks turn into a salmon superhighway. One of the most incredible places to witness this is at the Ketchikan Salmon Ladder, a series of cascading steps designed to help spawning salmon make their way upstream.
We’ll visit this hatchery-fed stream where you can see thousands of salmon leaping upstream, battling currents, and completing their life cycle — often with bears and eagles nearby taking full advantage of the feast.
It’s nature’s drama in full display — and an iconic part of any Alaska adventure.
Coastal Wildlife in the Intertidal Zone at Rotary Beach
When the tide is low, Rotary Beach (Bugge’s Beach) reveals one of Ketchikan’s hidden gems — a rich and colorful intertidal zone teeming with marine life. On this stop, you’ll explore tide pools filled with sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, mussels, barnacles, and anemones.
It’s hands-on, educational, and peaceful — perfect for families, photographers, or anyone who loves discovering the small wonders of the ocean. Our guides will help you gently observe without disturbing this fragile coastal ecosystem.
It’s just minutes from downtown but feels like a hidden world.
Totem Poles & Indigenous Culture at Saxman Native Village
No Ketchikan visit is complete without a stop at Saxman Native Village, home to the largest collection of standing totem poles in the world. These hand-carved poles tell stories of ancestors, animals, and spiritual legends passed down for generations.
You’ll walk among these towering cultural landmarks while learning about the Tlingit and Haida. They continue to preserve their carving traditions and heritage today. It’s not just art — it’s storytelling, history, and Alaska’s living culture.
Saxman is located just south of town and offers a powerful perspective on Alaska’s Indigenous roots.
