The Neets Bay Bear Observatory is closed to the general public and accessible only by permit. As the exclusive permit holder, our guests enjoy a rare opportunity to visit one of Southeast Alaska's premier bear viewing locations—an experience available to very few visitors each year. Observe wild black bears in their natural habitat from a safe viewing platform as they forage along salmon streams and the shoreline. Located in the remote wilderness of Neets Bay, this unforgettable wildlife experience offers exceptional opportunities for bear viewing, photography, and witnessing Alaska's incredible natural beauty up close.
In demand: 750 of the next 750 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 8.
You will enjoy a fully narrated coach tour from downtown Ketchikan (or Ward Cove dependent upon your ship) to Clover Pass Lodge, the oldest operating fishing lodge in the state of Alaska.
Upon arrival you will board our comfortable boat, fully enclosed and meet your Captain and crew. You'll be whisked away into the wilderness for a one hour exploration of the wild and wonderful Tongass National Forest, all from the comfort of your boat.
Our destination is Neets Bay Bear Observatory. We will arrive at the mouth of a salmon spawning stream and then enjoy a walk through the incredible forest, fully guided. You'll then arrive at the observatory where we will stay on the lookout for bears feeding in the stream. While we do see bears 99% of the time, WILDLIFE IS NEVER Guaranteed. You'll spend 30 minutes quietly observing these magnificent creatures before we make our way back to the boat.
Fully narrated boat tour return to Clover Pass Lodge
Fully narrated coach return to downtown Ketchikan
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 135 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Alaskan Bear Encounter by Land & Sea lasts about 4h 45min. The itinerary has 5 stops.
Prices start at $414 per person for this Ketchikan experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 25 departures a day between 6:30 AM and 3:00 PM.
Children aged 1–11 pay from $310, adults from $414.
It can: 750 of the next 750 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Ward Cove ships: Meet your guide at the Ward Cove Welcome Center 15 minutes before departure. Tour departs from Ward Cove. IF YOU CHOOSE TO SHUTTLE DOWNTOWN YOU WILL MISS YOUR TOUR. All downtown ships meet at “The Rock” statue next to the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, 15 minutes prior to departure. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 36 participants.
Children under 5 are not recommended for this tour
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 171 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Adventure Ketchikan Tours.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Very comfortable boat ride with an informative guide, who was as excited as us when we saw orcas. Loved our time with the bears- wished it was longer. A nice small sized group there, so was great viewing for everyone from the platform. We scored bigtime because as well as seeing 7 black bears and the 3 orcas we saw a humpback whale, a deer, a mink, harbour seals and sealions. This experience was the highlight of our cruise.
We had a great day. Saw several bears. Trevin did a great job with the your. Very informative. We felt very safe from start to finish. Captain Pete was a great captain. Smooth boat ride and a very kind gentleman.
It’s was an amazing trip we saw so much wildlife. We saw orca, seals, sea lions, and humpback whales on the boat ride there. Then at the salmon hatchery we saw so many bears catching and eating salmon.
Wow what an amazing experience to do in Ketchikan! This tour took us out to a salmon breeding farm and right along side of the farm was some huge black bears having a great time catching salmon in the river. Just incredible to see these beautiful animals in a natural environment doing their thing. A must see tour to do!
Thank you so much for the amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience was such a memorable one. Seeing black bears in their natural environment, especially alongside the salmon-filled river, truly is an incredible sight! We’re so glad you enjoyed the adventure and appreciate you recommending our tour. We hope to see you again on your next visit to Ketchikan! 🐻🐟🌲
From the knowledgeable Lori who drove us from the main port out to Neets Bay to Nate the very capable skipper of our vessel; the comfortable Miss Allison the trip was brilliant. Charlotte our guide filled us with amazing facts about the wildlife, local area, indigenous tales she was so exuberant and patient with some guests not wanting to listen. The trip certainly met my expectations with close up encounters with bears and Stellar Sea Lions. Sightings of Bald Eagles and Humpback Whales - it was brilliant. Thank you all very much ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and detailed review! ❤️ We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that your adventure to Neets Bay exceeded your expectations and that you enjoyed every part of the journey. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Nate, and Charlotte. It means so much to know that their knowledge, patience, and enthusiasm helped make your experience so memorable. And what an incredible lineup of wildlife encounters—close-up bears and Steller sea lions, bald eagles soaring overhead, and humpback whales! Those are truly unforgettable Alaska moments, and we’re so happy you were able to experience them with us. Thank you for choosing to adventure with our team and for taking the time to recognize everyone who helped make your day special. We hope to welcome you back to Ketchikan for another amazing adventure someday! 🐻🦅🐋❤️
We had an amazing trip, whales, sea lions, seals, eagles and lots of bears. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It sounds like you had an incredible day with an amazing variety of Alaska wildlife—from whales and sea lions to seals, eagles, and lots of bears! We’re glad our friendly and knowledgeable team helped make the adventure even more enjoyable. Thank you for joining us, for the recommendation, and for allowing us to share a little piece of wild Alaska with you. We hope the memories of your day on the water stay with you for years to come, and that you’ll find your way back to Southeast Alaska someday!
This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life! Truly an amazing day!
Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful feedback! It means so much to hear that your experience with us was one of the most incredible experiences of your life. We’re honored to have been part of such a memorable day and truly appreciate you choosing to spend part of your Alaska adventure with us. Thank you for joining us and for taking the time to share your kind words!
Troy, Nate, and Adam were awesome. Great job on everyone’s part and everyone had a great experience
Thank you so much for the kind words! We’re glad to hear Troy, Nate, and Adam helped make the experience such a great one for everyone. We’ll be sure to share your appreciation with all three of them. It’s always wonderful to hear that our team worked together to create a fun and memorable day for our guests. Thank you for joining us and for taking the time to leave a review. We truly appreciate it!
This excursion was the highlight of our holiday. We were lucky enough to see sea lions, bald eagles and lots of bears! The two guides that we had were clearly passionate about wildlife and very enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge with us. We had the most amazing day and would not hesitate to book this tour again, if we are ever able to re-visit this beautiful part of the world.
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful review! It means a lot to hear that your excursion was the highlight of your holiday. It sounds like you had an incredible day on the water, with sea lions, bald eagles, and plenty of bears making an appearance! We’re especially happy to hear that our guides’ passion for wildlife and enthusiasm for sharing their knowledge added to the experience. We love being able to share the incredible wildlife and wild places of Southeast Alaska with our guests. Thank you for spending the day with us and for your kind words about our team. We’d be honored to welcome you back if your travels bring you to this beautiful part of the world again!
Our guides Troy and Trevin were great! They were both very knowledgeable! The sheltered area to watch the bears was nice to get out of the little bit of rain we got
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! We’re happy to hear that Troy and Trevin made your adventure such a great one. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to both of them! We’re also glad the covered viewing area came in handy and gave you a comfortable place to enjoy watching the bears while staying out of the rain. A little Southeast Alaska drizzle is all part of the experience! Thank you for joining us and for recognizing the knowledge and enthusiasm of our guides. We truly appreciate it!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaskan Bear Encounter by Land & Sea | 4h 45min | 4.8 (171) | $414 | |
 Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour from Ketchikan | 3 hours | 4.9 (890) | $249 | View |
 Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Eagle Island Sea Kayaking | 3h 30min | 4.9 (449) | $115 | View |
 Alaskan Lodge Adventure and Seafeast | 3h 45min | 4.9 (376) | $196 | View |
 Alaskan Halibut Fishing | 5 hours | 4.9 (135) | $476 | View |
 Prince of Wales Island Bear-Viewing Tour By Air From Ketchikan | 3 hours | 4.9 (27) | $575 | View |
 Private Tour: Alaskan Wildlife & Scenery, Priced by Group Size | 3 hours | 5.0 (14) | $450 | View |