Sitka Scenic Tour
Description
Grab the chance to see Sitka on a 2-hour tour with local guides who will share the highlights and history of this fascinating and beautiful city. See stunning totem poles in Sitka National Historical Park, beautiful Silver Bay and meet rescued brown bears who live at Fortress of the Bear, and take in the incredible scenery all around Sitka. You’ll also cross the O’Connell Bridge to Japonski Island and pass Alaska Pioneer Home, St Michael’s Cathedral, and Sheldon Jackson Museum. Avoid the large crowded bus tours some cruise lines sell with this small group (10 or less) van tour! Your local guide is using a wireless microphone so everyone can hear even when your guide is outside opening your door.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Learn about our totem poles,Visit the river salmon spawn in yearly and learn about local plants
Visit our local resident bears
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A maximum of 10 people per booking
- Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes as the weather in Sitka is always different. The tour van has a heater for your comfort, but you will want to get out and enjoy the fresh air.
- ALL tours start at Harrigan Centennial Hall 330 Harbor Drive Sitka Alaska 99835.
- Please note: Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed
- Meeting Instructions: All TOURS START DOWN TOWN AT: "Harrigan Centennial Hall" 330 Harbor Drive by “SITKA WILDLIFE TOURS” We are dressed in bright blue jackets with yellow signs. 1. SITKA SOUND CRUISE TERMINAL INSTRUCTIONS: Book your free shuttle ticket [HERE](https://www.sitkadock.com/) book your shuttle ticket for one hour before your tour meeting time at Harrigan Centennial Hall Downtown! (Follow booking instructions above) and take the FREE SHUTTLE to downtown provided. Your tour representative “SITKA WILDLIFE TOURS” will be in the Vendor Sales Area, 30 minutes before your tour departure time. Please allow a minimum of 45 minutes for the shuttle to downtown. 2. CRESCENT HARBOR INSTRUCTIONS: Your tour departs from the street side of Harrigan Centennial Hall located near the top of the ramp. Your local tour representative “SITKA WILDLIFE TOURS” will be OUTSIDE the building in the Vendor Sales Area starting 30 minutes before your tour departure time. 3. O’CONNELL BRIDGE TENDERING INSTRUCTIONS: When your ship will transport you by tender boat to shore. You will then need to walk 1.5 blocks to "Harrigan Centennial Hall" 330 Harbor Drive. Your local tour representative “SITKA WILDLIFE TOURS” will be OUTSIDE the building at the Vendor Sales Area starting 30 minutes before your tour departure time. Contact Information: Sitka Wildlife Tours, at 1-907-738-1733.
Reviews(75)
Great experience with knowledgeable and friendly guides . Would recommend if you are in a time crunch and can only do a short tour in Sitka.
The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Gave us loads of local information. The transport was good, left on time and was a small group.
Animal welfare concerns To see bears trapped in an enclosure pacing, performing in front of tourists when thrown food and have to beg wirh claps from rhe crowed and we are told its rehab no sign of release here, mother shot cubs taken to spend their life in a pit ... Tour operator talking the whole time it seemed about killing of deers , hunting, without consdering the sensitities of other visitors and its understood guns are a part of north american life but do we have to listen wyen we are all
I’m really sorry to hear that your tour didn’t meet your expectations. It is a hard reality in Alaska that when a mother Brown bear is killed, most cubs are put down and a lucky few get a chance to live at a rescue center like the Fortress Of The Bears. This program was designed to help train the locals on how to act properly around bears to reduce the number of needless bear kills each year. The Fortress Of The Bears has reduced the number of bears kills in Sitka from an average of 17 a year down to as little as one or two a year through the education given specifically for locals. This program was never meant to be part of a tourism destination, but tourism dollars has helped support the facility and has saved many bears that went on to zoos and other refuge facilities around the world. Many of our guides live off the land in Sitka and love to share about their experiences. I’m sorry that made you uncomfortable compared to your way of life. I pray the rest of your cruise was amazing!
Dont bother , its a con "Fortress of Bears" Not if you care and love animals, listening to the tour operator bragging of guns, and fellow passengers cheering her on, this is not acceptable to other countries that guns are banned or are sensitive to shootings, tour operator of constant rants of killing sharks and unnecessary sealife caught up in drag net, wildlife, skinning, gutting of deer etc. They seem to be missing the point of advertising rehab of wildlife , its explortion of animals , its ok to shoot a mother bear getting food for its young leaving the orphan cubs sent off to spend their lives pacing, swinging side to side in stress, keepers throwing food for the bears to perform as circus animals , im not alone having spoken to others who have done this "Fortress of Bears" this prision for orphans to spend their lives separate from other bears with no intro to others ....how the cruise ship companies and visitors accept this as reality is beyond todays animal welfare groups
I’m really sorry to hear that your tour didn’t meet your expectations. It is a hard reality in Alaska that when a mother Brown bear is killed, most cubs are put down and a lucky few get a chance to live at a rescue center like the Fortress Of The Bears. This program was designed to help train the locals on how to act properly around bears to reduce the number of needless bear kills each year. The Fortress Of The Bears has reduced the number of bears kills in Sitka from an average of 17 a year down to as little as one or two a year through the education given specifically for locals. This program was never meant to be part of a tourism destination, but tourism dollars has helped support the facility and has saved many bears that went on to zoos and other refuge facilities around the world. Many of our guides live off the land in Sitka and love to share about their experiences. I’m sorry that made you uncomfortable compared to your way of life. I pray the rest of your cruise was amazing!
Liz was great! She was very informative and even took time for all of us to smell the roses. Even though it was a rainy day we enjoyed the tour thoroughly.
Saw the historical park with totems. Very good tour . Told us history of Sitka. Deanna has lived here her whole life. Shared everything about town and was very proud of it.
Larry was so much fun and gave us a great history lesson about the area. I really liked the forest and how much he knew about why the trees grew the way they did. He and Liz went above and beyond for us. We accidently left the little bears for our grandkids on the bus. Larry took them to our ship after his shift. Liz was a driver for the same company. She took my husband back to the bus barn, Larry had already left. When she came back to the port she inquired at the security check points and we exchanged numbers. They had made their way to the guest services, so I was able to let her know we had them and how much we appreciated their efforts. SO Rob and Ashley, your customers highly recommend your tour operators. Thank you
Private van tour for our family of 10. Finding the van was really easy! Directly by the entrance where the shuttle drops us off. We got to see bears and a small hike , our tour guide was so informative and just wonderful. Really appreciated getting a local perspective of Sitka; what a gorgeous little city!
The tour was not too bad but is largely dependent on the quality of the drivers. Ours was nice but not as good as we would have liked. He was not terribly interesting and his driving left a bit to be desired.
Okay tour. Not worth $100 each. Beats were cool. Guide knew his stuff. Some of the people in group made it hard to hear.
