We visited Sitka on our cruise and had a great experience on this tour. The free shuttle to town…read moredrops you off right where the tour stand was so it was easy to find, and their vans were very nice and new looking. This was a small tour which we loved, only max 10 people; we had 8. Our tour guide, Bret, was very helpful, courteous and professional. He was also an excellent photo taker!! The raptor center and the Fortress of the Bear are both smaller venues so it doesn't take a long time to see everything. I think the tours allowed for 30 minutes at each place, but I think it would have been nice to have maybe another 20 minutes at the Fortress so we could have read some stuff and looked around more. There were so many bald eagles there too! The Sitka Nat'l Historic Park was beautiful as were all the totems, we walked a short loop around while our guide, Bret provided a lot of wonderful information. I would have loved to have gotten more time there to read a bit more in the museum and walk more of the the trails. If we get back to Sitka, we will absolutely come back and re-visit the park and trails. Bret shared information with us the whole time he was driving and we really learned a lot. Worth taking and less expensive than the cruise ship.

I visited Alaska on a cruise and wanted to see some sites in Sitka. Sitka Wildlife Tours was…read morerecommended by someone in our group. We had a private shuttle to accommodate our group of 10. Our tour guide Brett took us to the Fortess of the Bear, the Raptor Center and the Park. Amazing centers that support the wildlife is such a great spot to visit. We had plenty of time to watch the bears communicate with one another and the staff at the centers. I also love that there are items in the gift shop that support the sanctuary so purchase those and know your purchase supports the wildlife. The Raptor center has amazing eagles, owls and other birds that are in need of medical help. Absolutely amazing to see them up close. The park has so much history on the natives, totem poles, and beautiful artifacts to see up close. If you're in Sitka I highly recommend you take this tour.

What an awesome experience!  My husband and I enjoyed this tour with Captain Gary very much.  From…read morestart to finish, it was fun and exciting.   We came from the cruise ship port by a free 10 minute shuttle. We boarded the boat which was new, clean and beautifully designed, plus it had SUPER comfortable seats.  Before we even left the local bay, we saw multiple whales and seals. We went to several areas to see more amazing whales, salmon jumping out of the water, otters and a waterfall! We were able to sit inside or go on the front or back decks for photos or to hang out a bit and observe the natural beauty around us. As a fellow nature lover, It was fun that Captain Gary was excited to see the whales as well even after having grown up in Sitka and seeing them many times before.  He was a wealth of knowledge about the wildlife and area, plus relaxed and easy going.  I appreciate the details about the whales names and that he recently found out how some were related. This was our favorite tour of our entire cruise, hands down.  We'll recommend Captain Gary's Sitka Adventures to everyone traveling to the area!

Fantastic Land & Sea Tour! The boat was new & fit 14 people comfortably & handled the waves very…read morewell. We saw several whales, sea otters, & sea lions. We then went to the land tour where we went to a park & saw several eagles & enjoyed the rainforest. We then went to the Bear Raptor Center & Eagle Raptor Center & grabbed a hotdog at the Bear place. We enjoyed both tours & saw a lot of Sitka & our driver (also named Gary) was very knowledgable about the history of Sitka & we learned a lot! Definitely recommend!

Took good care of us on a busy day; gave us accurate pick-up times and great eating advice.read more

terrible. took us out to fortress of bear. said he'd pick us up at 12:20. 12:20 came & went. so did…read more12:30, 12:40, & 12:50. tried to message,eventually got calls through left messages. no reply. finally got a text to them. Never replied. Never even had courtesy to apologize. Terribly unprofessional.

We had the most epic day with Guide Garrett! The weather…read morewas gorgeous and the sites were stunning. Captain Conner kindly shuttled us to the dock location (a very generous exception when I misunderstood the instructions). Guide Garrett, powerful waterman of the Sitka Sound (think a younger more approachable King Triton of The Little Mermaid), created the most wonderful day. He knew pretty much everything about anything oceanic or Alaska history and ALMOST all the bird species (it was a Pigeon Guillemot, Garrett). We will never forget the memorable day (our deltoids are still living it). Thank you Adventure Sitka!

Whether you are an experienced paddler or a newbie, you will enjoy this outing. The guides are…read moreextremely friendly and helpful, and they point out the magnificent natural features of Baranof Island. The waters are generally pretty calm on the west side of the island where this tour takes place, so you can get in really close to some amazing rock formations and see all the sea urchins, starfish, eagles, moon jellies, mussels, sea lions, and other wildlife. We did not spot any whales or bears on this trip, but we didn't miss them. It was most enjoyable. You can come as you are, they have all the gear you will need.

According to TripAdvisor this is the number one thing to do in Sitka, Alaska. About a 15-minute…read morewalk from downtown Sitka. Visitor center next to Indian River surrounded by a beautiful foresta ans innumerable totem poles. The visitor center has a short film with many native Indian wood carvings, black and white pictures, and paintings depicting clashes between the Russian settlers and the native American Indians in the 19th century Outside the visitor center are board walks over the swampy areas, with numerous dirt trails going into the forest. If you look at the Indian River closely at the right time of the year you might find salmon spawning. In in the distance you can see the inlet waterway with mountains arising in the distance This is the number one thing to do in Sitka Alaska. Of course they are only 35 things to do list in TripAdvisor for Sitka Alaska

Sitka sits on the open Gulf of Alaska, not the protected inside passages of most Southeast Alaska…read moreports. Strong tides move nutrient-rich water through volcanic island corridors. That creates dynamic feeding zones for humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, and seabirds. Just a 15-minute walk from downtown, Sitka National Historical Park is Alaska's smallest national historical park. What makes this park truly special is its unique blend of Tlingit heritage and Russian history. The park is home to beautifully crafted totem poles, scenic trails, and historical sites that tell the story of the region's Indigenous peoples and the Russian influence that shaped Sitka. The totems themselves were stunning and far more impressive in person than my partner and I expected. The combination of the well-maintained forest trail, the sound of nature around us, and these huge carved totems appearing along the path makes this place one of the highlights of our trip. Alaska in the summertime is well worth a visit!

OUTSTANDING Whale Watching Experience! If you're visiting…read moreSitka and want to see whales and other marine life up close, book with Gallant Adventures! Captain Paul is incredible -- he knows the area inside and out, understands wildlife behavior, and shares fascinating insights throughout the trip. Our group of five had the perfect setup: a comfortable, well-kept boat with plenty of room. We asked Capt. Paul all manner of questions and he shared so much information about the marine life and the geology. We got to see Up close whales, and otters and seals, and we went into a great cave to see birds. The views were beautiful, it was a magical tour. Everything about the experience was top-notch. Highly recommend! Once in a life time kind of thing!

We joined Captain Paul Davis and this personable tour exceeded our dreams! The whales were out in…read moregroups and the captain knew where to find them- what to look for, and we had the best experience I've ever had on a wildlife tour! Highly recommend!

FAYE is absolutely wonderful! So knowledgeable and kind! Absolutely recommend this tour. We came…read morefrom a cruise and it was so easy to find the tour and enjoy our day! If you are in Sitka! Request Faye and you'll have a wonderful experience

Our family of 4 had a great time with the bear/raptor tour from this company. The tour guide was…read moreultra friendly and knowledgeable, since she's a local girl. Really appreciate the extra care and time she allotted for us...and showing us the salmon run!

Highly recommend spend a couple of hours with Captain Rick of Sitka Sound Tours. Its a small group…read moretour on a comfortable boat offering both inside and outside seating. Rick described sights in Sitka as we navigated to a cove where the whales were feeding. Sighted other wildlife along the way. Also enjoyed listening to Rick talk about his and wife's upbringing in Sitka and life there for their family. Family run business that leaves right from where the bus drops cruise passengers off in downtown. Would certainly book again!

I would highly recommend this tour. We had a very personal experience and The captain was…read moredetermined to get us where we could see as much wildlife as possible. I can't say enough about our experience. He grew up in the area and his experience in the water was reassuring. I would give him a 10 if it were an option

We did the Sitka to Juneau cruise on the Chichagof Dream (70-passenger vessel) from June 18 to June…read more23 2023, and it was absolutely fantastic! The crew went out of its way to find and follow the wildlife: whales, wolves, mountain goats, bears, eagles, sea lions... We had the luck of a perfect weather, with no rain at all, which we understand is outside the norm. Whatever the weather, the ship is great, the food very good and the crew extremely warm, welcoming, and fun to interact with. Kudos to Alaskan Dream Cruises.

We went on an eight day boat cruise from July 24th to August 1st 2025 on the Admiralty Dream for a…read moretour called The Last Frontier. We got a 30% discount from the $15,000 list price by booking last minute on June 18th. Only 120 square foot rooms available and were the second most expensive rooms on the top deck of a three deck boat. ADC had a shuttle to pick us up at the airport, even when we arranged to arrive a day early, and stay a day in Sitka. Boat left from an anchorage right next to the downtown area. Our boat had 41 passengers in 2 person cabins with most cabins 96 or 110 square feet. These were the smallest rooms I've seen on boat cruises. There were no balcony cabins, with outside corridors running on the outside of each room . ADC provided wading boots, waterproof pants, and waterproof jacket. You needed the wading boots to travel from the ship to shore by zodiac boat when there were no docking facilities. You were left off in ankle deep water. Zodiac boat also for touring the islands and forests where the water was too shallow for the Admiralty Dream. People walking by could look through the windows into your room. There were curtains, but they didn't wrap around, so the corridor night lights shone through the edges, right into the eyes of me lying on the bed next to the window. Units on the bottom deck were 96 square feet in size with portholes and interior corridors. Boat built in 1979 and of antiquated design, although the sink and track lighting were new. Rooms had no drawers and no dressers and no locks on the sliding doors from the outside. We kept our valuables in our lockable luggage stored under the bed. Phone booth size shower with curtain next to toilet. After each shower we had to wipe the floor next to the toilet of water so that the next user of the toilet would not get their pants wet from the wet floor. Water from the sink had a light brown tone, and tasted like it was full of iron. At least they gave us a large water bottle. Continuous background noise from the ventilation motor running behind our third deck cabin. Highlights of our tour of the Alaska inlet area include the following. Hike to lake Eva's hidden Fall hatchery along with kayaking. Red bluff Bay bears. Tracy arm fjord glacier point Hugh Whales, William Henry Bay orcas. Orca point Lodge Juneau. Hike to coastal artillery, and kayaking. Glacier Bay Bartlett cove near glacier Bay national Park visitor center. Meals were served in dining room including breakfast lunch and dinner with multiple choices of each. Quality of the meals was generally very good although no food was available outside of regular dining hours. Salmon was the most served dish, with no crab served until we reached Orca point lodge. No cell phone coverage and no Wi-Fi for eight days. Would go again except that Alaskan dream cruises did not sail in 2026.

I've been a nature tourist for most of my life. This was, without a doubt, the best tour I've been…read moreon in my life. Not only was our guide Lanie knowledgeable, she was clearly dedicated to sharing a love of this unique and special ecosystem.

My wife and I are history buffs. Suzan is a great tour guide. We were on a cruise ship and booked…read moredirectly with SWT via the Viator web site. She is VERY knowledgeable about Sika history and gave us a great 2.5 hour tour. Excellent value. Sitka was really the highlight of our Alaska cruise with a lot of kiddos due to this tour. After the tour, we went back and spent our leisure time doing the Nat'l Par sites and the historic church as well as Sheldon Jackson Museum and Baranof Castle.