Ok, First time to…read moreAlaska and have been mind blown by scenery. The natural beauty of this state is almost overwhelming in its grandeur. What really made the trip special was getting out on the ocean with a local guide that not only knew the ins and outs of the waterways but was also truly dedicated to his craft as a guide. Captain Dave is passionate about his home town of Sitka and an absolute wealth of information. On the way out of the harbor he fired off a plethora of awesome facts that rivaled anything Wikipedia might have to say about this majestic seaside port. Safety was always on his mind and that played a huge roll in our comfort considering we had a 5 and 7 year-old with us. At all times, including when we disembarked on a remote island for a quick hike, he was sure to let us know he had our back (he had a bear deterrent on the form of a shotgun). Dave also provided us with a killer breakfast and lunch which were both accompanied by spectacular views at unique locations on the water that were second to none. Bottom line, if you want to see AND learn about Sitka and it's wonderful culture/history/ecology then Captain Dave and his vessel the Esther are the premiere choice for anyone who wants to see the real deal Alaska!

We had the most amazing day with Davey! We saw whales, puffin, sea otters, and more! The homemade…read morecookies were the best I had ever eaten and most importantly, Davey made sure that we got to do exactly what we had dreamed of doing. He was a pleasure to deal with and my whole family continued to rave about our day on Esther G Sea taxi.

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.

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.

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!

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!

Great time for the whole family! We were able to gather up enough relatives for a party of six,…read moreenabling us to have a whole boat to ourselves. Our captain Nate must be related to Aquaman - he has an uncanny ability to know how long to fish one spot before trying another. First mate Malachi kept all lines untangled, all hooks baited, and made sure our fish were cleaned/filleted beyond restaurant quality. Back ashore, Kristi and her staff kept our bellies full with just-right family comfort food, and clean, quiet 4-start equiv hotel level accommodations for rest. Would def go again! Pro tip: Bring a seasick patch (Scopolamine). I'm normally sea-sensitive, but between the patch and Nate's boatmanship, I had no problems whatsoever.

Five solid stars! This trip to Sitka and the Cascade Creek Inn exceeded all my expectations. We…read morehad a group of six friends, four from Hawaii and two from Sacramento, and we met in Sitka for what turned out to be an epic fishing adventure. The staff at the inn was friendly and accommodating from the very start it seemed that there was nothing they wouldn't do to make our stay enjoyable. Our lodging was more than comfortable with the added bonus of a fantastic view that gets even better when the sun sets. Our hosts, Rich and Karen Kraft, are the nicest couple that take the time to get to know you and make sure there isn't more they can do for you. Courtney and Cameron assists you in the day to day things like shuttling you to the boat and the market if needed. Christie is the awesome chef that provides you with delicious breakfasts and gourmet dinners. Her desserts are to die for, the cheesecake with raspberry sauce being my favorite. She even bakes cookies and crumbles for you to eat on the boat. The fishing turned out to be catching on our trip. Captain Tyler, who is the Kraft's son, is second to none in Sitka. I truly believe we boated more fish in the four days of fishing than any other charter. He expertly put us on the fish every day even when the conditions were rough, and the conditions were pretty rough the last two days. We even limited out on silvers (36) and halibut (6) on the second day by 1:00. We all went home with 92 pounds of salmon and halibut filets. Then there is Caleb our deckhand. Caleb does everything from baiting lines to netting fish to cleaning the catch and making awesome sandwiches made to order. We are very grateful to meet such a fine hardworking young man. I highly recommend this family run Inn/charter to everyone. You absolutely cannot go wrong and you will have an enjoyable experience.

I had the honor of hunting brown bear with Parker Guide Service in the fall of 2023. Captain Bruce…read moreParker is the real deal, a true master at many crafts. As a passionate hunter, it surprises me to say the hunt itself was just the cherry on top of this wonderful Alaskan experience. I loved Parker's yacht, the Alaskan Harvest, a floating palace that's as comfortable as the finest hotel on earth. Food was beyond delicious. From humpback and killer whales to goats and bears and birds, wildlife viewing was top notch on the trip. Overall, I can't imagine a better way to experience the beauty and isolation of Southeast Alaska. If you're considering a trip, don't hesitate. I promise that it will the experience of your lifetime.

This was my first hunting trip to Alaska and it couldn't have turned out better! Bruce and the…read moreguides were experienced, knowledgeable easy to get along with. Your every needs are met on the boat with 5-star meals and comfortable sleeping arrangements. Look forward to my next trip with them! Jon Reardon

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!

These guys were great. Met us right at the pier in Sitka and took us directly to a minivan, it was…read morea small group just seven of us, so it was really personal. The driver,Rob. was so friendly and funny. He did a great job telling us information as we traveled, pointing things out along the way, slowing down so we could get pictures of some things on our way to the Eagle place and then the bear place. He stopped at Silverlake where we were able to see a whale in the water and get some pictures. In addition, he just kept us entertained all the way throughout and really moved us through each of the activities quickly and in a way that we learned a lot and enjoyed ourselves the entire time. If you are coming in on a cruise, I highly recommend booking an excursion through bumble.

Rob was an excellent tour guide and we got to see bears at the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary and…read morehe shared a lot of great information along the way.