Kayak Eco-Tour
Offered by Ketchikan Kayak Co. In Ketchikan, Alaska
: $
About us
Ketchikan Kayak has been offering exceptional, intimate guided Sea Kayaking tours since 2003 and we’re excited to go into our 18th season offering guided tours into the Tongass National Forest.
We are a local, small, private tour business. We are not affiliated with any cruise lines and are completely independent. You’ll feel the difference in every aspect of your experience. And no, no one has ever missed their boat. Daily guided tours to match virtually every ship’s itinerary, with private transportation from downtown, right across the street from the cruise ships or your hotel.
We are a local, small, private tour business. We are not affiliated with any cruise lines and are completely independent. You’ll feel the difference in every aspect of your experience. And no, no one has ever missed their boat. Daily guided tours to match virtually every ship’s itinerary, with private transportation from downtown, right across the street from the cruise ships or your hotel.
What we'll do
We drive you north of downtown Ketchikan to the Clover Pass Resort featuring a much quieter, more local vibe and typically much nicer weather. You’ll paddle with us on the protected ocean waterways of Clover Pass, circumnavigating 2 to 3 small islands featuring an immense array of inter-tidal life, a bald eagles nest, resident seals and sea lions and the potential to encounter many types of migratory birds, Sitka deer, Pacific porpoises, humpback whales and Orcas as well. With a maximum of 6 guests to a guide our kayak tours are very intimate and educational.
Taking such small groups allows us the benefit of spending more time on the water than other tours and no need to make you feel rushed through any part of your experience. What really sets us apart though are our guides. Our crew features local guides and professional educators with experience as commercial Alaskan salmon fishermen, commercial winter dive fisheries in Southeast Alaska, experience guiding dog sled tours and working many seasonal guiding positions across the country. The experience and personalities of our guides bring so much more depth to your experience with us than you’ll find on tours led by fresh summer seasonals. No rookies on this crew.
Smoked salmon and other snacks (including fantastic, locally made hummus) and a great view are awaiting you when we return to our scenic marina and a restaurant with Alaskan beers is on site.
Taking such small groups allows us the benefit of spending more time on the water than other tours and no need to make you feel rushed through any part of your experience. What really sets us apart though are our guides. Our crew features local guides and professional educators with experience as commercial Alaskan salmon fishermen, commercial winter dive fisheries in Southeast Alaska, experience guiding dog sled tours and working many seasonal guiding positions across the country. The experience and personalities of our guides bring so much more depth to your experience with us than you’ll find on tours led by fresh summer seasonals. No rookies on this crew.
Smoked salmon and other snacks (including fantastic, locally made hummus) and a great view are awaiting you when we return to our scenic marina and a restaurant with Alaskan beers is on site.
What to expect / what's provided
* Duration: 4 hours total with about 2.25 hours on the water
* Availability: Every day, varying based on cruise ship schedules
* Age Restrictions: Ages 6+
* For a group of 13 People or more, feel free to contact us and we can help you book for a larger group.
* Included:
- Transportation and kayaking equipment
- Rain pants and jackets
* Requirements:
- Please dress for the temperatures on the day of your trip. The best advice for gearing up for any excursion along your cruise is to bring layers. We recommend you wear clothing that would be appropriate for outdoor hiking, and shoes that will fit comfortably inside the space of a kayak. Dry bags are also provided for cameras and incidental items.
- You must sign a liability release waiver before taking a kayak tour.
- Sizing: Anyone with a seated waistline over 54″ would not be a good fit for the kayak cockpits.
* Check-in Information:
Our tours meet at our downtown office directly across the street from cruise ship berth 3. We are happy to offer our guests a centrally located meeting point featuring complimentary wifi and locally roasted coffee or hot tea for the early birds. Our Bright, third-story window signage makes us easy to find from the boardwalk and detailed directions, photos, and a map are featured in your booking confirmation.
* Frequently Asked Questions:
- Cruise ship sold tours vs. Ours
There will always be low price tours for the masses sold onboard cruise ships. However, we prefer smaller volumes and a higher quality of experience. Our tours are far more private and educational, with local guides and a slow relaxed pace. With up to 10,000 tourists/cruisers in town every single day, there’s no need to bring a busload of them on tour with you.
- Getting back to your ship on time
The cruise ships like to tell you ‘if you don’t book through us, the ship won’t wait for you if you’re late’. That is not entirely true, but regardless we have never been late in our entire 14 years. We know the ship’s schedules and how things operate. We are never late. Not only will you not be late, but you also will not be rushed or hurried before or after your kayak or e-bike tour. You’ll have a mellow, relaxing time, and we will get you back to your ship a minimum of one hour before your departure.
- Kayaks tipping over
We do not have people tip over. We have never had anybody tip a tandem kayak on our eco-tour! Do what we ask and instruct, and you’ll find the kayaks so easy you’ll wonder why you ever worried about it in the first place. But even if you jumped out of your kayak, the water is plenty safe with temps in the 60’sF most of the summer. There is no ice or glaciers within many miles of Ketchikan. We are the warmest, most moderate place in the state.
- Weather
Alaska is not all rough seas and ice. We are located on the Inside Passage of SE Alaska, which is a lush and dense temperate rainforest. A huge rainforest in Alaska, situated amongst thousands of islands and waterways, all protected from the open ocean.
Temps are in the 50’s and 60’s F in the summer months. It rains, yes, but this is rainforest rain, typically light and misty. There are many days we feel the tours are actually enhanced by having misty rain. Our customers have agreed. You’ll definitely see more wildlife when it is overcast and rainy. We also have many clear days in summer, more than you’ll hear about, but a completely blue sky sometimes brings wind and choppier water. Yep, it’s a little backward, but the sun is the anomaly.
The call on weather is strictly ours. Remember we have been at this for more than a decade. If you will not have fun, we will not go. That is how we decide rough weather days. We cancel about two days a year due to the weather.
- Our advice on weather
Don’t worry at all about the weather. If we could ask one single thing of our customers it would be not to check the weather online before your trip. It will be inaccurate. We live here and know the nuances of the weather. We’ll take care of you. There are many micro-climates, and if it is raining sideways at your cruise ship, it could very well be really nice where we lead tours. That is why we get you so far out of town. We have an excellent tour location for almost all weather. Please don’t judge the day by the weather downtown.
Relax, you’re coming to one of the greatest spots on the planet. Don’t stress the weather. That’s our job. We provide all the rain gear you might need.
- Rough water on kayak tours
Our tour location is about 30 miles from the open ocean. No surf or ocean swell exists. We paddle right along an awesome jagged shoreline with three short crossings, about ten minutes each, between islands. We are never ‘out to sea’ or at any risk of drift or currents. It is why we run tours where we do. Same as the weather, if you won’t have fun due to water conditions, we won’t go. It’s that simple. It is our call, but we don’t push it. We need you to trust us regarding water conditions and weather.
- Bugs
Non-issue for all practical purposes along the rainforest coastline. The bug stories are from the Interior, not the SE Alaska Coast.
* Availability: Every day, varying based on cruise ship schedules
* Age Restrictions: Ages 6+
* For a group of 13 People or more, feel free to contact us and we can help you book for a larger group.
* Included:
- Transportation and kayaking equipment
- Rain pants and jackets
* Requirements:
- Please dress for the temperatures on the day of your trip. The best advice for gearing up for any excursion along your cruise is to bring layers. We recommend you wear clothing that would be appropriate for outdoor hiking, and shoes that will fit comfortably inside the space of a kayak. Dry bags are also provided for cameras and incidental items.
- You must sign a liability release waiver before taking a kayak tour.
- Sizing: Anyone with a seated waistline over 54″ would not be a good fit for the kayak cockpits.
* Check-in Information:
Our tours meet at our downtown office directly across the street from cruise ship berth 3. We are happy to offer our guests a centrally located meeting point featuring complimentary wifi and locally roasted coffee or hot tea for the early birds. Our Bright, third-story window signage makes us easy to find from the boardwalk and detailed directions, photos, and a map are featured in your booking confirmation.
* Frequently Asked Questions:
- Cruise ship sold tours vs. Ours
There will always be low price tours for the masses sold onboard cruise ships. However, we prefer smaller volumes and a higher quality of experience. Our tours are far more private and educational, with local guides and a slow relaxed pace. With up to 10,000 tourists/cruisers in town every single day, there’s no need to bring a busload of them on tour with you.
- Getting back to your ship on time
The cruise ships like to tell you ‘if you don’t book through us, the ship won’t wait for you if you’re late’. That is not entirely true, but regardless we have never been late in our entire 14 years. We know the ship’s schedules and how things operate. We are never late. Not only will you not be late, but you also will not be rushed or hurried before or after your kayak or e-bike tour. You’ll have a mellow, relaxing time, and we will get you back to your ship a minimum of one hour before your departure.
- Kayaks tipping over
We do not have people tip over. We have never had anybody tip a tandem kayak on our eco-tour! Do what we ask and instruct, and you’ll find the kayaks so easy you’ll wonder why you ever worried about it in the first place. But even if you jumped out of your kayak, the water is plenty safe with temps in the 60’sF most of the summer. There is no ice or glaciers within many miles of Ketchikan. We are the warmest, most moderate place in the state.
- Weather
Alaska is not all rough seas and ice. We are located on the Inside Passage of SE Alaska, which is a lush and dense temperate rainforest. A huge rainforest in Alaska, situated amongst thousands of islands and waterways, all protected from the open ocean.
Temps are in the 50’s and 60’s F in the summer months. It rains, yes, but this is rainforest rain, typically light and misty. There are many days we feel the tours are actually enhanced by having misty rain. Our customers have agreed. You’ll definitely see more wildlife when it is overcast and rainy. We also have many clear days in summer, more than you’ll hear about, but a completely blue sky sometimes brings wind and choppier water. Yep, it’s a little backward, but the sun is the anomaly.
The call on weather is strictly ours. Remember we have been at this for more than a decade. If you will not have fun, we will not go. That is how we decide rough weather days. We cancel about two days a year due to the weather.
- Our advice on weather
Don’t worry at all about the weather. If we could ask one single thing of our customers it would be not to check the weather online before your trip. It will be inaccurate. We live here and know the nuances of the weather. We’ll take care of you. There are many micro-climates, and if it is raining sideways at your cruise ship, it could very well be really nice where we lead tours. That is why we get you so far out of town. We have an excellent tour location for almost all weather. Please don’t judge the day by the weather downtown.
Relax, you’re coming to one of the greatest spots on the planet. Don’t stress the weather. That’s our job. We provide all the rain gear you might need.
- Rough water on kayak tours
Our tour location is about 30 miles from the open ocean. No surf or ocean swell exists. We paddle right along an awesome jagged shoreline with three short crossings, about ten minutes each, between islands. We are never ‘out to sea’ or at any risk of drift or currents. It is why we run tours where we do. Same as the weather, if you won’t have fun due to water conditions, we won’t go. It’s that simple. It is our call, but we don’t push it. We need you to trust us regarding water conditions and weather.
- Bugs
Non-issue for all practical purposes along the rainforest coastline. The bug stories are from the Interior, not the SE Alaska Coast.
Cancellation Policy
Full payment is due at the time of online booking. Cancellations due to weather are rare but are at the sole discretion of Ketchikan Kayak Co. If you miss your tour due to ship schedule changes (e.g. if your ship is late) or we cancel due to weather, you will receive a full refund. Cancellations made prior to 60 days of tour/rental date receive a full refund. Cancellations made prior to 30 days of tour/rental receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations made within 14 days of tour or rental receive no refund. This is our official policy, but we know things happen in life, so please call us with any changes and we'll do all we can for you. We're here to work with you on any changes!
Cancellations made within 14 days of tour or rental receive no refund. This is our official policy, but we know things happen in life, so please call us with any changes and we'll do all we can for you. We're here to work with you on any changes!
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