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Neets Bay Bear Watch

3.4
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4 ½ Duration
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2 hour boat ride
Rainforest Walk
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To Neets Bay Creek
Bear Viewing
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Sightings are highly likely, but not guaranteed

Description

The Neets Bay Bear Watch Adventure, which grants visitors exclusive access to one of the most famous black bear habitats in Alaska, is one of the very best tours in Ketchikan (or anywhere in the state!) for encountering Alaska’s scenic beauty first-hand. This limited-availability adventure and one of the most exclusive Ketchikan cruise excursions begins with a stunning boat ride through awe-inspiring wilderness, followed by a short hike through lush, ancient rainforest toward Neets Bay Creek, home to a pack of black bears that fish for salmon in the crystal-clear waters. If you’re a wildlife-lover with an interest in learning more about the ecosystems of Alaska, this standout tour is a hard-to-beat opportunity for experiencing Alaska’s massive mammalian life up close!

As is the case for most other Ketchikan cruise excursions, our Neets Bay Bear Watch Adventure tour starts with pick-up right at the cruise docks. Then you’ll hop on a thirty-six-passenger boat for a stunning trip through lush Tongass Rainforest islands. This boat trip will be fully narrated by your naturalist guides with plenty of photo and wildlife opportunities along the way. Keep an eye out for whales, eagles, sea lions, and more! Then it’s off through the old-growth Alaska woods with your expert naturalist guide for a quarter-mile jaunt past the Neets Bay Salmon Hatchery, the annual birthplace of many thousand Alaskan salmon fry! Soon you’ll find yourself alongside Neets Bay Creek, where you’ll see for yourself what makes this one of the best tours in Ketchikan Alaska: with luck, you’ll behold hulking black bears swatting for salmon and feasting on the bountiful summer harvest.

Talk about an exhilarating encounter! Once you’ve got all the photos you can handle, it’s time to hop back on board your vessel & boat back to port. With its intimate views of the local landscapes and a high likelihood of encountering Alaskan wildlife in its natural habitat, it’s fair to say that the Neets Bay Bear Watch Adventure is among the very best wildlife tours in Ketchikan Alaska for creating unforgettable memories!

For a bear-viewing tour closer to town, check out the Wildlife Sanctuary & Totem Center!


What's Included

Dock-to-dock transportation is included with this tour.
Knowledgeable Guides
Guide Gratuities
Food & Drinks

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I wear/bring?
For comfort, we typically recommend long pants, closed-toed shoes, and a light jacket. Always bring a rain jacket, just in case!
Are we guaranteed to see bears?
Although the chances for seeing bears are excellent, wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed. This tour only operates from late-July to late-September, when the river is filled with salmon. The elevated boardwalk overlooks Eagle Creek, where large numbers of black bears gather to feed. Your guide may change the order of the tour or time spent in any one area to give you the best chance to see bears.
What if our cruise ship's schedule is canceled or delayed?
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, then you will receive a refund, less any non-refundable fees.
What is the best time of year for seeing bears?
The annual salmon run typically reaches its very peak around mid-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.

Know Before You Book

Minimum Age: 5 years old
Although the chances of seeing wildlife like bears are excellent, wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Children under the age of eighteen (18) must travel with a fare-paying adult or guardian who will be charged the applicable rate for the tour.
Cancel up to 14-days before the tour for a refund. No refund is available if canceled within 14-days of the tour. If for any reason your tour is canceled, or if your cruise ship's schedule changes, you will receive a refund. Refunds do not include any non-refundable fees. Contact us by phone or email to request a cancellation.

Quick Facts

City
Ketchikan

Duration
4h 30min

Adult Rate
$399

Child Rate
$299


Itinerary • 4h 30min • 7 activities

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Begin your tour with pick-up at the cruise docks & a scenic drive up to Clover Pass. Once there, take time to use the restrooms before loading up for the boat ride to Neets Bay.

Duration
30 minutes
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Aboard your 36-passenger vessel, enjoy a one-hour, fully narrated cruise north to Neets Bay, keeping an eye out for wildlife & taking in the stunning surroundings as you go. A light snack will be provided.

Duration
1 hour
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Upon arriving at Neets Bay, you will have a short walk from the dock to the viewing platform, following your guide & learning more about the local flora & fauna as you go.

Duration
20 minutes
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At the viewing platform you will have 45 minutes to take in the area and, hopefully, watch as bears enjoy a feast from the annual salmon run. Remember, we cannot guarantee bears on this tour as they are wild animals.

Duration
45 minutes
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At the conclusion of your bear watching, you will return on the same path to your boat for the cruise back to Revillagigedo.

Duration
20 minutes
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Hop back on your boat for a one-hour return trip to Clover Pass, enjoying the scenery & having plenty of time to ask your guide any remaining questions. A light snack will be provided.

Duration
1 hour
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Upon arriving back at Clover Pass take a minute to use the facilities before hopping back in your shuttle for return transportation to your cruise docks.

Duration
30 minutes

Customer Reviews 5

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