Jill P
Aug 15, 2026
I had an excellent day with Cora on our Wilderness tour. Although seeing bears are not guaranteed we were so thrilled to see 5 bears during our tour. Cora has spent her whole life in the Tongass National Forest, growing up in Hoonah and really knows the area well. She has a deep respect for all of the animals and nature. I enjoyed getting to know her and learn more about her beautiful village. I highly recommend if you are visiting Icy Strait to book this tour.
Julio S.
Aug 27, 2026
Hoonah travel and Angie were incredible in setting up a day with both the whale and bear tours for our group of 10. Sebastian and Cora are superstar guides. I can't reccomend more highly. Skip the ship excursion and book directly. A truly amazing experience.
John Weigand
Aug 26, 2026
Unbelievable ! We sighted Orca's & Hump Back Whales. The Captain & Crew knew exactly where to go & made this excursion exceptional.
Lawrence M
Aug 25, 2026
excellent tour guide, she was so pleasant and knowledgeable. service with Hoonah was great in regards to communication, pick up and drop off. we went to two different locations to bear watch and were fortunate to view bears at both sites.
Seth L
Aug 25, 2026
It was a great experience. Captain Denise Gray and her naturalist first mate were amazing. We would definitely travel with them again. The captain and the naturalist were very knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating.
Kara H
Aug 21, 2026
Watching humpback whales surface just yards away left us completely speechless. Add in soaring bald eagles, a seal, pelicans gliding by, and even sea otter sightings (too quick for the camera), and it felt like nature was showing off. Our guide was extremely informative and great with kids.
Karen P
Aug 20, 2026
This was a great excursion-small group, very informative, comfortable boat and best of all-whales! A few bears on the shore, sea lions, a sea otter-and whales! Captain Denise and Annaliese, the naturalist on board, made sure to give interesting background, stories and legends of all the places we went to. Everybody involved in getting us where we needed to be was super-friendly and the older fellow that drove us from the excursion center to the dock had good stories to share as well. Besides this excursion we highly recommend the Fisherman's Daughter in Hoonah for milkshakes! If we had time we would have stayed on their patio for a local beer but we'll do that next time. If your weather is nice, like it was for us, definitely walk back to the excursion center along the water, because it's just so beautiful.
Mishthetraveler
Aug 20, 2026
This excursion was a fantastic experience. While it is on the pricier side, that is to be expected given the location, and it is well worth the cost for the quality of the tour. Our guide was excellent, the group size was perfectly managed, and we saw an incredible number of whales throughout the trip. Highly recommended!
Keith V
Aug 18, 2026
We had an amazing whale-watching tour with Hoonah Travel Adventures! Captain Denise Gray was professional, warm, and welcoming from the moment we arrived. She was incredibly knowledgeable and shared fascinating information about Hoonah’s history and culture, along with many interesting facts about the local wildlife. Her passion for the area made the experience both exciting and educational. We highly recommend Captain Denise and Hoonah Travel Adventures to anyone visiting Hoonah!
Jill Powers
Aug 16, 2026
I had an excellent day with Cora through Hoonah Travel Adventures. We had booked through Viator - Chichagof Island Tour: Brown Bear Search. You can also book directly through Hoonah Travel Adventures. Although seeing bears are not guaranteed we were so thrilled to see 5 bears during our tour. Cora has spent her whole life in the Tongass National Forest, growing up in Hoonah and really knows the area well. She has a deep respect for all of the animals and nature. I enjoyed getting to know her and learn more about her beautiful village. I highly recommend if you are visiting Icy Strait to book this tour.Wilderness Tour and Brown Bear Search
Jill P
Aug 15, 2026
I had an excellent day with Cora on our Wilderness tour. Although seeing bears are not guaranteed we were so thrilled to see 5 bears during our tour. Cora has spent her whole life in the Tongass National Forest, growing up in Hoonah and really knows the area well. She has a deep respect for all of the animals and nature. I enjoyed getting to know her and learn more about her beautiful village. I highly recommend if you are visiting Icy Strait to book this tour.
Julio S.
Aug 27, 2026
Hoonah travel and Angie were incredible in setting up a day with both the whale and bear tours for our group of 10. Sebastian and Cora are superstar guides. I can't reccomend more highly. Skip the ship excursion and book directly. A truly amazing experience.
If you're looking to explore the Alaskan wilderness and get a firsthand look at the local wildlife, you've come to the right place! At Hoonah Travel Adventures, we believe life is too short not to fulfill it with adventures.
We invite you to take shore excursions near Icy StraitPoint in Hoonah Alaska and experience the native culture of Southeast Alaska. Our Icy Strait Shore Excursions will allow you to create memories you remember for a lifetime, with unexpected surprises along the way. You can expect to get a firsthand look at everything from brown bears to humpback whales while taking an Port of Icy Strait tour with one of our guides and coming home with plenty of stories to share.
With excursions near Icy Strait Point, you can book a kayak adventure, fishing tour, whale watching tour, and brown bear search for the experience of a lifetime.
Our Hoonah whale watching tour begins when we pick you up at the Port of Icy Strait Excursions Hub. We drive along Shaman Point to the Hoonah City Harbor where our charter boat is waiting. Along the way, you may spot some of our local wildlife, including bald eagles, blacktail deer, and more. Hoonah is home to the largest concentration of Alaskan brown bears in the world, so keep your eyes open! We then board the boat and leave Hoonah Harbor. While traveling along the shorelines, sightings of bears, deer, coastal ducks and geese, blue heron, puffin, terns, cormorants, and more are common. In the water, you may get a chance to spot humpbacks, orca, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises, and seals. Large numbers of humpback whales come to Hoonah to feed in the nutrient-rich waters of Point Adolphus, Glacier Bay and Icy Strait every summer before migrating south again in the winter. The whale population begins to arrive in Hoonah in May and stays through September. Humpback whales are large baleen whales that can reach over 50 feet in length and weigh as much as 50 tons. They are most famous for their whale songs, thought to be used by males as a mating call. Humpbacks are amazingly active and typical whale sightings include diving, blows, and flukes (tails). Lucky whale watchers may get to see breaching or bubble-net feeding, a cooperative feeding method where a pod forms a circle and dives under the water. They blow air to create a wall of bubbles that force krill and plankton to the surface where the whales can eat them. Observing humpbacks practice bubble-net feeding is a real treat and a truly thrilling experience. We have a $100 whale sighting guarantee! If a whale is not sighted on your tour your will be credited $100.
Chichagof Island, or Shee Kaax, is an island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Alaska Panhandle. At 75 miles long and 50 miles wide, it has a land area of 2,048.61 square miles, making it the fifth largest island in the United States. Chichagof Island has the highest population of bears per square mile of any place on Earth and its dense rain forests are some of the last grizzly strongholds! The community of Hoonah, with a year-round population of approximately 750, is located in the northern part of Chichagof Island. The vast majority of the island is made up of pure, uninhabited Alaskan wilderness teeming with wildlife! The Ursus arctos, or brown bear, is the king of the forest, but Sitka black-tail deer, bald eagles, minks, martens, beavers, ducks, and seabirds thrive on the island and are sometimes spotted on this tour. This Alaskan wilderness and bear search tour is only offered May through September because those are the months that afford the highest probability of bear sightings. In late April and May, the bears are coming out of hibernation and looking for food. In June, the bears are mating and eating grasses on the tidal flats. Older males fight each other for dominance and mating rights with the females, who at times are not receptive and force the male to give chase. In July, the salmon start their migration from the ocean up the rivers and we find the bears feeding in coastal rivers and streams. In August and September, the salmon have made it further up the rivers to shallow streams where the bears chase them. Depending on the month and the weather, the wildlife can be found in different locations throughout the island. Your guide spends a lot of time in the forest and knows where to look. Join us as we search for these amazing creatures! This tour is located on the Tongass National Forest under special use permit from the Forest Service, USDA. Hoonah Travel Adventures LLC is an equal opportunity provider.
Fishermen come from around the world to cast their lines in the waters of Southeast Alaska in search of halibut and salmon. Join the ranks of these traveling fisherman and book a trip with us today! On 02/03/2025 NOAA Fisheries released its 2025 regulations for halibut fishing, and there are some key changes affecting charter operations that you should be aware of: * One Retention Trip Per Day: To ensure the sustainability of the halibut population, charter operators are limited to one trip per day where halibut can be retained. (within size and bag limits, of course). * Additional Catch & Release Trips: We understand that many anglers enjoy the thrill of the fight even if they're not keeping the fish. Therefore, on days when we have a retention trip scheduled, we may also offer additional catch and release halibut fishing trips. These trips will provide all the excitement of hooking into these incredible fish, but any halibut caught must be released back into the ocean unharmed. * Tuesday: No Retention Day: Please note that Tuesday has been designated by NOAA Fisheries as a no retention day for halibut fishing. This means that no halibut can be kept on Tuesdays. We may still offer catch and release trips on Tuesdays, depending on demand.
The reasons to Kayak with us are endless! A few reasons might be to experience unspoiled nature and stunning scenery amid a mountainous back drop! Or simply the serenity and peace that speaks to ones soul while gliding silently across the water in this majestic, remote location.
Travel Adventures With The Top Guides
Hoonah is unique because it only has a population of 800 people but at times welcomes up to 10,000 cruise ship visitors, a day with open arms. We're experts when it comes to our Port of Icy Strait excursions and providing visitors with an in-depth look at Chichagof Island.
We have a variety of excursions and adventures available near Port of Icy Strait and as a veteran-owned small business, we're committed to providing our guests with unforgettable experiences that are thrilling and memorable.
We guarantee that you will have a great time on our excursions. We have a variety of activities to choose from, so you can find something that interests you.
We want you to learn about the places you visit on our excursions. Our guides are knowledgeable and can answer any questions you have. They will share insightful information about the places you see on your tour.
We know that you don't want to miss your ship's departure. We will make sure you are back on board in time. Everyone can relax and enjoy yourself.
Hoonah, Alaska, home of Port of Icy Strait is unique for its lush environment that has been well-preserved. The abundant wildlife makes it possible to run into different types of animals and spot mammals in the water each day during your visit, whether you spot bald eagles in the sky or get a firsthand look at a family of sea lions.
The spectacular beauty of Port of Icy Strait is why many people choose to visit the destination on an Alaska cruise. Many visitors arrive on cruise ships and enjoy an educational experience that allows them to learn more about the local area and the culture and society of the Tlingit Tribe.
Originally built as a salmon cannery in 1912, this destination now has a variety of attractions for thrill-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts who want to immerse themselves in a destination that is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Most frequent questions and answers
To receive a full refund guests may cancel up to 24hrs before the date of the experience. If for some reason your cruise ship does not make it to port, or we have to cancel due to weather, this would also be a 100% refund. No refund for cancelations less than 24hrs. This policy does not apply to Private Charters, please email for details.
Your health is our top priority! We have put special measures in place to keep all guests safe both during and after your activity. At this point in time, we are requiring employee’s and guests to wear a mask over the nose and mouth. Our staff are trained in first aid to provide extra care when needed. Stringent Cleaning – We’ve increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas during and between each tour. Aside from the increased cleaning above, our boats and vehicles are now deep cleaned at the end of each day. Hand sanitizer will be available to all of our guests. Wellness Checks – Employees receive daily wellness checks to ensure they are healthy and symptom-free. If you or anyone in your group is experiencing symptoms, we will work directly with you to cancel or reschedule your tour.
Yes, all of our boats have a marine head on board.
Hoonah summer time weather can range from 45 degrees and raining to 75 degrees and sunny. We tell guest to plan for 50s & 60s, to dress in layers with a light packable rain layer. It is best to check the 10 day forecast online and pack accordingly.
We get this question a lot. The waters we operate in are usually pretty calm. If you are prone to seasickness we recommend Dramamine or a wristband. Over the years, less than 1% of our guests have gotten seasick.
We have guests that book up to a year in advance. We suggest you book as soon as you are able as many tours do sell out.
If your ship is docked at the Adventure Dock, proceed ashore to the Icy Strait Point Adventure Center. Once inside the Adventure Center walk through the building and exit through door number “2”. (This is clearly marked above the door). Follow the signs on the gravel path to the Excursion Hub. The total walking time is 6-8 minutes, please allow extra time if you are not a fast walker. We ask that you check in for your tour 15 minutes early and we leave on time. If your ship is docked at the Wilderness Dock, walk all they way up the dock and to the right. Ride the FREE Green Transporter Gondola(4 minute ride). Exit the Gondola and go left, follow the signs on the gravel path to the Excursion Hub, a 3 minute walk.
Yes, unfortunately we need a minimum number of 8 passengers to operate. If we run into this situation we do everything we can to rebook guests on another departure of with another operator with their permissoin.
September 1, 2026
Quick Summary: Choosing between a guided tour or a self-guided adventure in Hoonah comes down to how much time you have and what kind of experience yo...
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July 29, 2026
Quick Summary: Planning a trip to Hoonah, Alaska with kids? The short answer: whale watching works well for almost any age, brown bear tours are best...
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July 29, 2026
Quick Summary: This guide covers the best things to do in Icy Strait Point, Alaska for cruise ship passengers, including whale watching, brown bear t...
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