3 Hours Duration

Up to 45 minutes in flight

A Brand-New Adventure

With limited spaces

Stunning Views

As your soar through the Inside Passage

Wildlife Opportunity

Bear sightings very common (though not guaranteed)

Experience the best of the annual Ketchikan salmon run: the bears who use this time to feast! As the salmon capital of the world, Ketchikan & it’s surrounding islands feature some of the best bear viewing opportunities in Alaska, thanks to the plentiful food for these beautiful creatures. The Prince of Wales Bear Viewing Tour gets you as close as is safe to these magnificent animals. And you’ll be accompanied all the while by your knowledgeable guide, there to teach you about bears and more! Only operated during the Ketchikan salmon run for optimal bear sightings, this unique excursion will take you on a scenic flight to the neighboring island of Prince of Wales, where you will have the opportunity to view the salmon, bears, and more from the Dog Salmon Creek Bear Viewing Platform.

Please note: while this tour is designed to operate during peak bear season and there is a high chance of sightings, we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings on this tour.

The Prince of Wales Bear Viewing Tour kicks off with a 20-minute scenic float plane ride from Ketchikan to Prince of Wales Island. Along the way, your pilot will share tales and natural history through your two-way headset, as well as answer any questions that come up. Upon reaching the Island, your Alaska Bear Guide will meet you for a short scenic drive to the bear-viewing site. A 250-yard walk will take you out to the platform itself at Dog Salmon Creek while your guide shares their knowledge of flora and fauna of the Tongass along the way. Here, the Prince of Wales Bear Viewing Tour reveals the wonder of the Ketchikan salmon run: the wildlife it feeds. With four separate species of salmon spawning in the creek, this creek draws in eagles, ravens, bears, and more. Due to extremely limited permitting to preserve habitat, this tour ensures a unique and intimate setting with the bears! So, remember your cameras and experience wild Alaska!

The Prince of Wales Bear Viewing Tour operates in late-July through mid-September to provide the best opportunity for bear sightings.

Looking to combine a flightseeing adventure with a stunning boat ride beneath soaring cliffs? Check out one of our new Ketchikan cruise excursions, the Misty Fjords Cruise & Flightseeing tour.

Port	Ketchikan
Type	Float Plane, Wildlife Viewing
Length	3 hours
Adult Rate	$399
Child Rate	$369.00 (12 & Under)
Infant Rate	Free (under 24 months). Guardians should be able to carry infants both ways on a quarter-mile hike.
Minimum Age	There is no minimum age to participate on this tour.
Cancellation Policy	Cancel up to 14-days before your tour for a refund, less any non-refundable fees., If for any reason the tour is canceled (due to unpermitting weather, for example), or if your cruise ship's schedule changes, you will receive a refund minus any non-refundable fees.

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Are we guaranteed to see bears?

Answer: No. Although most parties do, in fact, see multiple bears at Dog Salmon Creek Bear Viewing observatory, we can't know with certainly that they'll be present at the time of the tour.

What is the best time of year for seeing bears?

Answer: The annual salmon run typically reaches its very peak around late-July, so bears are often most numerous here around this time. Bears inhabit the area and fish in this creek throughout the summer and early fall months, however.

What should we wear and bring?

Answer: For comfort, we typically recommend long pants, closed-toed shoes and a jacket, as the air temperature will be a few degrees cooler than the ground temperature. Since you'll be doing some minimal hiking, tennis shoes or boots and a rain jacket is advisable as well.

Can you see wildlife from the plane?

Answer: If you have sharp eyes, it's certainly possible to see wildlife on the mountains below. The plane flies low enough to distinguish individual animals, but of course the pilots have to respect local wildlife so it's not a direct objective of the flightseeing portion of this tour.

How big are the planes?

Answer: There are a few types of planes used for the tour, and you'll typically be in a group of 6-10 guests on the flight. Everyone gets a window seat on these flights.

Do the flights ever get canceled due to weather?

Answer: Yes, safety is a number one priority so weather conditions are taken into account each day. In certain cases, the weather can lift and a slight delay will still allow the flight to continue. However, if a flight is canceled completely due to weather circumstances, you will receive a refund.

What if our ship is delayed or doesn't make it into port? Refund?

Answer: It's very rare that a ship is delayed into port, but in those cases, we will try our best to work with you to reschedule the tour to a later time. If that is not a possibility or your ship doesn't make it into port, we will refund you.