Explore the dramatic wilderness of the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary on this 2.75-hour small-group walking tour. Learn about the local ecosystem and the wildlife it supports from a knowledgeable and friendly guide. Walk through a beautiful mountain forest, home to bears, bald eagles and deer. Learn about the dynamic nature and abundant wildlife of a scenic marine estuary. Explore the first Tsimshian totem pole park in the country with its impressive 40-foot totem and 17 poles carved by the same artist. You’ll have plenty of great photo opportunities and to learn about totem pole carving at a historic sawmill.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Out at sunset: the 3:00 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 5:29 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.
Delve deep into the heart of Ketchikan's rainforest on a naturalist-led ecotour at an exclusive reserve. Head to Herring Cove to explore a pristine wildlife sanctuary that is home to an abundant variety of species such as bald eagles, black bears, salmon and seals. Hike through a lush trail, with stops at strategically-located viewing areas. Then discover the richness of the local estuary, a magnet for wildlife during salmon spawning season.
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.
Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Park lasts about 2h 45min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $110 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 13 departures a day between 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM.
Children aged 3–11 pay from $55, adults from $110. Infants go free.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Guests will meet on Berth 2 next to the Ketchikan Visitors Center and large bronze statue "The Rock". Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your departure time. Staff member will be there waiting with a green sign with yellow lettering. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 14 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
The experience was wonderful. The guide was very knowledgeable. We got to see a female bear just off of the trail. And We learned about banana slugs and trees, plants, and fungus in the rainforest. The salmon were still running in the stream. Both Pink and Coho. We got to see seals chasing the salmon and all kinds of seagulls working on the scraps of dead fish.
Our tour guide Camila was very knowledgeable about the trees , rain forest and bears. We also learned a lot about Totems. Although it wasn’t raining the weather was perfect to walk and absorb so much info.
The guide made the experience greate, he knew a lot about the nature, trees, fungus, the vegetation, the animals. He gave a magical touch to the tour
We had such a great experience with Brock as our guide in Ketchikan! Even though he’s only lived in Alaska for six years, we were amazed by how much he knew about the area. He was so informative and shared so much with us along the way. Brock also has the perfect personality for a guide—friendly, easygoing, knowledgeable, and just genuinely enjoyable to spend time with. He made the whole experience fun and memorable. We would absolutely recommend him to anyone visiting Ketchikan!
Thank you for joining us at the Rainforest Sanctuary! We’re so glad to hear you had such a great experience with Brock. He brings a ton of enthusiasm and curiosity to the Tongass, and it’s wonderful to know his knowledge and personality made your walk memorable 💚 We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience🌲
Robin was a great guide. Lots of information and able answers questions. She connected with the audience well.
Thank you for joining us at the Rainforest Sanctuary 💚 We’re glad to hear you enjoyed your walk with Robin — she’s wonderful at sharing information and connecting with guests out in the Tongass. We appreciate you taking the time to leave a kind review🌲
Rather disappointing. Expensive. I think it would be better to ditch this tour go on the trip that looks for more wildlife such as the brown bears trip which is in the same rainforest. Our guide was very lovely. However it appeared that the tour was of the rainforest foliage rather than any wildlife. I am aware wildlife is not guaranteed, but it's prime season to see brown bears eating the salmon. And I know the other tour saw a huge amount of them.
Thank you for joining us at the Rainforest Sanctuary 💚 Sorry you did not see what you expected. It does not happen often, and we understand why you would be frustrated. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed your guide — our team loves sharing the Tongass and all its incredible foliage, history, and ecosystem details. While wildlife sightings can be amazing, they’re never guaranteed, even in peak season. Each day in the rainforest is different, and sometimes the bears are active in one area and quiet in another. We appreciate your feedback!
Aiden and Olivia were amazing. They were able to help our group see multiple families of black bears at our viewing. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Thank you for visiting the Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary & Totem Park! We’re so glad to hear you had such an incredible wildlife day. Aiden and Olivia will be thrilled to know their guiding helped your group spot multiple families of black bears — those moments are rare, unforgettable, and exactly why this sanctuary is so special 🌲💚 When the bears are moving through the creek and the viewing areas light up like that, it’s hard to imagine a better experience. We’re grateful you chose to explore the rainforest with us and that the day delivered something truly memorable 🐻⛰️
Good briefing from the guides before we began. Got lucky,recent rain had got the Salmon moving and the Bears coming!
Thank you for visiting the Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary & Totem Park! We’re glad to hear the tour started off with a solid briefing — our guides work hard to make sure everyone feels prepared before heading into the rainforest 🌲💚 And you definitely hit the jackpot with the recent rain. Once those salmon start moving, the bears follow, and it sounds like you got to see that classic Ketchikan moment up close. Watching a bear actively feeding in the river is something guests never forget 🐻🐟⛰️ We appreciate you choosing to explore the sanctuary with us!
We had a great time learning about the rain forest. Our tour guide was enthusiastic and answered all of our questions. We were lucky to see a bear hunting salmon in the river, seal and heron.
Thank you for visiting the Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary & Totem Park! We’re so glad to hear you had such a great experience learning about the rainforest. Your guide’s enthusiasm and willingness to answer every question is exactly the kind of energy we love sharing with guests 🌲💚 Seeing a black bear hunting salmon is an unforgettable moment — and adding a seal and heron to the list makes it an incredible wildlife day. The sanctuary really shows off when the creek is full and the animals are active 🐻🦭🦅⛰️ We appreciate you choosing to explore the rainforest with us!
Robin was a great tour guide! We had a lot of fun. Robin’s explanations and stories were very clear and interesting, and made the plant life way more engaging than just walking around by ourselves. Her stories convinced us to buy the salve in the gift shop! It’s nice to see people who are so invested in nature and the local community to host an experience like this. We also got duck shots :)
Thank you for joining us at the Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary & Totem Park! We’re so glad to hear you had such a fantastic experience with Robin. She’ll be thrilled to know her clear explanations, stories, and passion for the rainforest made the plant life come alive — it’s exactly the kind of connection she hopes guests feel 🌲💚 We love that her stories convinced you to pick up the salve in the gift shop — that’s a true sign of a guide who brings the local ecosystem and community to life. It means a lot to hear you appreciated the care and investment she puts into sharing this place. And duck shots are always a win 🦆⛰️ We appreciate you choosing to explore the sanctuary with us!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketchikan Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Park | 2h 45min | 4.6 (214) | $110 | |
 3 Hour Rainforest Walk & Totem Park Wild Wolf Tours | 3 hours | 4.8 (354) | $125 | View |
 2 Hour Alaska Rainforest Walk and Totem Park Small Group Tour | 2 hours | 4.9 (267) | $95 | View |
 Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Rainforest Canopy Ropes and Zipline Adventure Park | 3h 30min | 4.9 (478) | $150 | View |
 Beautiful Totem Bight State Park and Rainforest Walking Tour | 2 hours | 4.1 (7) | $75 | View |
 Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Eagle Sanctuary and Rainforest Wildlife Center | 2h 45min | 3.7 (9) | $268 | View |
 Private Ketchikan City Totems & Wildlife Van Tour | 3 hours | 5.0 (130) | $575 | View |