Category: North America

ALASKA AMPHIBIOUS TOUR

Enjoy a Ketchikan sightseeing tour with an amphibious twist during this unique excursion of around 90 minutes, which takes place on a special vehicle known as a Duck. You’ll begin with a city tour around the streets, before launching into the water for a harbour tour, all without leaving your seat.

Excursion details

Lasting approximately 90 minutes, this memorable excursion lets you view the best bits of Ketchikan from a smart and truly versatile form of transport. The fun begins when you board the Duck, an amphibious vehicle that’s been engineered to travel on both land and water.

For the first part of the journey you’ll be sticking to the roads as you set off on a city tour of about 45 minutes. Sights you’ll pass include historic Creek Street and its rows of colourful buildings, as well as the ‘salmon ladder’, a staircase-like structure in the creek, built to help salmon move upstream and therefore continue to spawn. You might even spot some salmon in the water here, depending on the time of year and conditions on the day, but please note that salmon sightings cannot be guaranteed. You’ll also see Whale Park, a pretty, green space with flowers and a totem pole.

Next, move on to nearby Bar Harbor in downtown Ketchikan for more sightseeing – this time from the water. The Duck will transform into an aquatic vehicle that’ll sail through an approximately 30-minute tour. Soak up views of other key sights, including the city’s remaining canneries, which once numbered 13 back in the 1930s, when 1.5 million cases of salmon were packed annually in Ketchikan.

Following the water tour, the Duck will return to land and receive a quick rinse to clean off the salty seawater – but don’t worry, you’ll stay completely dry, ready for the brief return journey back the port.

Important Information: Guests must be able to climb the 9 steps onto the Duck

SAXMAN NATIVE VILLAGE AND LUMBERJACK SHOW

Explore two sides of Alaskan culture over the course of this approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion, which combines historical discovery with extravagant entertainment. You’ll visit Saxman Totem Park to find out about some of Alaska’s Indigenous communities, followed by a trip to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

Excursion details

Lasting around three and a half hours, this insightful excursion begins with a transfer of about 15 minutes to Saxman Totem Park. Established in the 1930s – after the wider Saxman village site was founded and built in the late 19th century – the park encourages visitors to learn about the history and culture of Alaska’s Indigenous Tlingit people through a range of exhibitions, artefacts and experiences.

Find out more during an approximately 90-minute guided tour of the park. During this time, you’ll find out about traditional Tlingit carving techniques used to construct canoes and also visit a separate carving area to watch skilled carvers working on totem poles, which have played a hugely important role in Tlingit culture for centuries. Learn more as you wander the park to view its various totem poles, with descriptions accompanying each one to provide context for visitors. The guided tour also features a performance of traditional songs and dance, providing further insights into Tlingit history.

Afterwards, sit back on a transfer drive of around 15 minutes, travelling from the park to a site that once housed Ketchikan’s spruce mill when the region’s timber industry thrived. Nowadays, the grounds are used for a very different purpose, but one which still pays tribute to the timber industry’s golden years: hosting the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

Following 15 minutes or so to disembark your vehicle and walk to the arena, you’ll settle in to enjoy this exciting spectacle, lasting roughly one hour. Watch as real lumberjacks compete in unique events designed to showcase their specialist skills, also shedding light on the workings of the industry. Events in the show may include axe-throwing, sawing timber, tree climbing and many more activities.

When the show comes to an end, you’ll walk from the arena back to the cruise port, which takes around 15 minutes.

Important Information: It is recommended that guests wear proper rain gear and footwear for this tour. Tour order may vary

TOTEM BIGHT & LUMBERJACK SHOW

This approximately four-hour excursion combines a guided visit to Totem Bight State Historical Park with a trip to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. You’ll get to learn about Indigenous Alaskan carving traditions before watching competitive timber sports linked to the region’s logging heritage.

Excursion details

Over the course of about four hours, this excursion presents you with two distinct aspects of Ketchikan’s cultural history. To start, a drive of approximately 30 minutes brings you from the port to Totem Bight State Historical Park, located along Tongass Narrows, a coastal waterway winding between forested islands.

Established from a 1938 restoration programme by the U.S. Forest Service in collaboration with the Civilian Conservation Corps, the park features more than a dozen restored totem poles representing Tlingit and Haida traditions, as well as a replica Indigenous clan house. You’ll spend around 90 minutes here on a guided tour.

A transfer of about 30 minutes then moves the excursion to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. There’s then around 15 minutes set aside to disembark your vehicle and enter the arena for the roughly hour-long performance. Competitors will take part in a series of feats that may include log rolling, axe throwing, tree climbing and sawing demonstrations, showcasing skills associated with Southeast Alaska’s logging industry.

After the show, it’s an approximately 15-minute walk back to the port.

Important Information:It is recommended that guests wear proper rain gear and footwear for tour. Tour order may vary

GREAT ALASKAN LUMBERJACK SHOW and AXE THROWING

Witness real lumberjacks go head-to-head in competitive axe-throwing and a variety of timber sports during this roughly two-and-a-half-hour excursion. You’ll be watching these feats in the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, and afterwards there’s a chance to try axe-throwing for yourself.

Excursion details

See Southeast Alaska’s logging heritage get a spectacular, modern-day rework during this excursion of approximately two and a half hours. A walk of about 15 minutes from the port takes you to the site of Ketchikan’s former spruce mill, transformed into an arena that hosts the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

In the roughly one-hour show, lumberjacks compete against each other across multiple rounds, which may include events such as axe-throwing, sawing timber using 1.8-metre saws, tree climbing, pole climbing and much more.

After watching the professionals battle it out, you’ll get the chance to test out your own lumberjack-style skills in an axe-throwing challenge. Over 45 minutes or so, a real lumberjack will then teach you how to accurately and skilfully launch a double-bit axe through the air and hopefully hit a bullseye. You’ll even get the chance to compete against fellow guests before returning to the pier by foot on a roughly 15-minute journey, concluding the excursion.

Important Information: Guests must be at least 10 years old to participate. Concessions are available inside the arena for snack and drink purchases. Guests must be able to fully use their arms and transverse uneven surfaces. There is an approximately 5–10-minute walk to the venue. Guests make their own way. Tour may operate in reverse order.

TATOOSH ISLAND KAYAK

See Alaska up-close while on the water during this approximately four-and-a-half-hour excursion to the Tatoosh Islands. Take a boat ride to this remote archipelago, then explore the area by kayak while looking out for local wildlife.

Excursion details

Allow yourself some valuable time in nature on this excursion of around four and a half hours, which helps you make the most of Southeast Alaska’s waters. Your destination is the Tatoosh Islands archipelago, part of the larger Alexander Archipelago and situated northwest of Ketchikan, sitting off the western coast of Betton Island.

A transfer of around 25 minutes takes you to the Southeast Exposure Outdoor Adventure Center. Here, you’ll spend about 15 minutes getting geared up for the trip, signing waivers and. Then board a Zodiac RIB (rigid inflatable boat) for an approximately 30-minute ride north. As you sail, look out for local wildlife in the water and the skies, but please note that wildlife sightings can’t be guaranteed.

then arrive at the kayak base camp, where your guide and two-person kayak awaits. After 20 minutes or so for a safety briefing and loading your vessel, it’s time to set off. You’ll spend approximately two hours paddling around the Tatoosh Islands, taking in the scenery of this peaceful and nature-rich region while watching out for wildlife – but again, please note that sightings can’t be guaranteed.

Once the kayaking comes to an end, enjoy a light snack before returning your craft and re-board the Zodiac for the approximately 20-minute ride back to the Adventure Center, where you’ll have around 15 minutes to visit the gift shop and browse for souvenirs. A transfer of about 25 minutes then takes you to the pier, concluding the excursion.

Important Information: the spotting of wildlife is not guaranteed

ADVENTURE KARTS

This approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion takes you into the vast Tongass National Forest to drive an off-road-ready utility task vehicle (UTV). Following former timber-harvesting routes, the experience includes photo stops and views towards nearby waterways.

Excursion details

This exciting, self-drive excursion of about three and a half hours begins with a transfer of 30 minutes or so, taking you from the port to the Adventure Karts base camp. Here, allow approximately 30 minutes for a safety briefing, waiver signing and getting into safety gear, before heading out in a Polaris RZR, a sturdy, buggy-style vehicle known as a “side-by-side”, designed to tackle tough terrain.

You’ll then spend around 90 minutes driving along designated routes in a harvested timber area within Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. The drive is led by an experienced guide, and on clear days select viewpoints may offer sightings of Behm Canal and the Inside Passage.

After returning to the base camp, you’ll have approximately 30 minutes to return equipment and browse for souvenirs. A final transfer of around 30 minutes takes you back to the port.

Important Information: Guests must be at least 18 years old to drive and have a valid driver’s license. Guests must be at least 57 inches tall (145 cm) to participate. All guests will be required to sign a waiver and watch a safety video. Each Polaris RZR can fit up to two guests; a vehicle for up to four passengers may be available upon request. The spotting of wildlife is not guaranteed. This tour is not available for guests with back or neck problems, or expectant mothers. The drive may become muddy or dusty; therefore, guests are advised to dress accordingly. Closed-toe shoes are required

ALASKAN BEAR ENCOUNTER BY LAND and SEA

Immerse yourself in Alaskan nature on this excursion of about four hours and 45 minutes, during which you’ll travel to the remote setting of Neets Bay. Once there, you’ll be trying to spot black bears in the wild (from designated viewing platforms), with help from an expert naturalist guide.

Excursion details

Lasting around four hours and 45 minutes, this excursion is a chance to discover some of Southeast Alaska’s natural wonders at Neets Bay, where salmon streams and coastal forest provide an important habitat for wildlife, including black bears.

Start with a drive of about 30 minutes along Ketchikan’s coastline, accompanied by information about the local area from your onboard guide. You’ll arrive at Clover Pass Resort, where you’ll spend around 15 minutes meeting your crew and boarding a boat for the approximately one-hour cruise through the Inside Passage. During the trip, commentary will introduce the region’s marine environment, as well as traditional Alaskan life and history.

Upon arrival at Neets Bay, allow about 15 minutes to meet your naturalist guide for a safety briefing and a walk through the surrounding woods, making your way to viewing platforms overlooking the stream. Bears can sometimes be observed fishing or foraging from here, so keep a close lookout, but please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed. You’ll then walk back to the landing area over approximately 15 minutes, continuing to look for bears throughout the journey.

Over the course of your bear-spotting quest, your guide will provide information on bear behaviour, salmon migration and other nature-focused topics.

Then board your boat once again and cruise back to Clover Pass Resort over one hour or so, while listening to stories about Alaskan life and culture. Afterwards, a roughly 30-minute drive returns you to the port, concluding the excursion.

Important Information:The spotting of wildlife is not guaranteed. The minimum age to participate is 5 years old. It is recommended that guests wear warm, layered clothing.

ALASKA LODGE ADVENTURE & SEAFEAST

Take in the sights and flavours of Southeast Alaska on this excursion across land and sea, lasting around three and a half hours. You’ll sail out to a remote rural lodge before exploring Tongass National Forest and then sitting down to savour a seafood meal featuring local specialities.

Excursion details

Lasting about three and a half hours and covering sailing, sightseeing and seafood, this excursion starts with a drive of around 30 minutes along Ketchikan’s coastline, accompanied by an onboard guide who will provide commentary about the area during the journey.

You’ll arrive at Clover Pass Resort and spend about 15 minutes meeting your boat crew and boarding the boat. Then set off on an approximately 40-minute trip along the Inside Passage – an 800-kilometre protected marine highway – towards a secluded Alaskan lodge. Along the way you’ll pass a submarine base, and do also lookout for any wildlife that might be present in the water, in the skies or on land, although please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.

You’ll arrive at Silverking Lodge on Grant Island, Northwest of Ketchikan and part of the Alexander Archipelago. Once ashore, embark on a guided walk of around 30 minutes into the Tongass National Forest – the world’s largest temperate rainforest – where you’ll pass towering cedar trees and other notable fauna. Having built up an appetite, return to the lodge and sit down for a seafood boil featuring local catches accompanied by a variety of side dishes, enjoyed over 50 minutes or so.

Afterwards, board your boat for the approximately 15-minute return journey back along the Inside Passage. From here, it’s a drive of about 30 minutes back to the port.

Important Information: the spotting of wildlife is not guaranteed.

RAINFOREST CANOPY & ZIPLINE ADVENTURE

This approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion lets you zoom through a rainforest canopy on a zip-line session. The action takes place in the hills above Herring Cove, revealing far-reaching views around a scenic coastal spot from your high-altitude position.

Excursion details

Get a different perspective on Alaska’s scenery during this exciting excursion of around three and a half hours, as you soak up unique aerial views from a series of zip-lines. To start, a transfer of around 30 minutes takes you from the port to the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary in nature-rich Herring Cove. On arrival you’ll meet your guides and spend about 30 minutes signing a waiver, getting fitted with the relevant equipment and listening to a safety briefing.

The zip-line experience then lasts around 80 minutes, during which you’ll traverse a network of platforms connected by cables that range in length, allowing for different rides at each section. The course also crosses a short suspension bridge before emerging from the forest and finishing at a viewing tower. Enjoy the thrill of gliding smoothly through the air surrounded by rainforest landscape, and make the most of the sky-high vistas you’ll be treated to.

Afterwards, there’s a short time to remove your gear and to take some photos with your guides, before 30 minutes or so of free time at the venue to browse for souvenirs, explore the grounds or just relax. A transfer of about 30 minutes then returns to the port.

Important Information: All guests will be required to sign a waiver. The minimum height to participate is 57 inches (145 cm)., minimum weight to participate is 70 lbs. (32 kg), maximum weight to participate is 250 lbs (114 kg). Closed toe shoes are required. It is recommended that guests dress in layers. Spotting of wildlife is not guaranteed.