Orca Song Tours – Ketchikan Tours & Shore Excursions

Local & Authentic

Experience Ketchikan As a Local

Destinations

Local Places

Wildlife
Viewing

Potlatch
Totem Park

Herring
Cove

South Tongass
Waterfall

Local Sites

Gallery

Tour Highlights

Tour Details

About the Tour

Overview

Ketchikan is full of unique and fascinating things to see. We show you the best of it! Tour an Alaskan Native Totem park and learn about our fascinating cultures. Stop at a picturesque beach and view occasional passing by Orca, seals, or eagles. Make another stop at a beautiful river teeming with salmon while keeping a keen eye out for bears.

Our tours are small and personal with a maximum of 7 Guests per vehicle touring Ketchikan in a comfortable spacious vehicle. We can fill our time with what you are most interested in, or rely on our expert local guidance.

Included / Excluded

Included

Excluded

Note: Please specify your cruise ship for pickup location at booking. For passengers arriving on ships docked at Ward Cove (incl. NCL), pickup is at Berth 4 in downtown Ketchikan where the shuttle drops you off.”

3 Hour Custom Ketchikan Tour

NOW OFFERING:
2 Hour Scenic & Wildlife Tour

Get to Know Us

Plan Your Trip with Orca Song Tours

Experience luxury travel in Ketchikan in one of our two top-of-the-line luxury vans. Our spacious and comfortable vehicles offer the perfect transportation solution for your group of up to 7 guests per vehicle. Book your tour now and indulge in the ultimate travel experience.

Private Tours Only

We never mix and match parties. It’s just you, your family and your local tour guide.
Handicap & Wheelchair Accessible

We can easily accommodate groups who are a little less than mobile. Each trip is catered to your interests and limitations. We also have room for collapsible wheelchairs.

Meet Bernie

4th Generation
Alaskan Native

I’m Bernie, a 4th generation Alaskan native from the Tshimsian tribe and I’ve lived in Ketchikan all but 7 years of my life. I’ve commercial fished for 35 years and for the past 30 years if I’m not out fishing I’ve been doing sightseeing tours. I’ve grown up here in Ketchikan and boy do I have some great stories to tell! Can’t wait to meet you and show you around my hometown.

Plan Your Trip With Us

Ready For An Unforgettable Tour?

Fantastic Trip We had an incredible experience with Bernie. Bernie took us around the area and explained about different plants and animals. We saw a bear with 3 cubs, eagles, and went down to a beach and saw sea stars, crabs, ect.

We also went and saw several totem poles. Bernie explained what each one was saying.

Very interesting and very easy to get picked up and dropped off. Bernie was a great communicator and contacted me several weeks before our trip and again a few days before our trip so we could easily connect. Thanks so much Bernie!!
read moreread less

lisawE9723DJ
7/26/2023

×

lisawE9723DJ

7/26/2023

Fantastic Trip We had an incredible experience with Bernie. Bernie took us around the area and explained about different plants and animals. We saw a bear with 3 cubs, eagles, and went down to a beach and saw sea stars, crabs, ect.

We also went and saw several totem poles. Bernie explained what each one was saying.

Very interesting and very easy to get picked up and dropped off. Bernie was a great communicator and contacted me several weeks before our trip and again a few days before our trip so we could easily connect. Thanks so much Bernie!!

Great Tour with Orca Song! We had so much fun with Bernie the owner of Orca Song Tours! She has lived in Ketchikan her whole life and shared so much about growing up here. In addition to tours, she fishes commercially and give us a good background on the industry; showing us the plant that processes her salmon. Our first stop in the morning was at Herring Cove which ended up being one of our favorite spots on our 18-day Alaskan vacation. Being a private tour, Bernie could give us as much time as we wanted here. We watched lots of young eagles (learning to hunt), a harbor seal and salmon hanging out at the mouth of the cove getting close to spawning. She estimated most at 15 pounds. AND WE SAW BEARS! We stood and watched a mama bear and three cubs for such a long time. Those babies were adorable swimming and playing while mama kept a close watch. Because we were docked at Ward Cove (yes, she does pick up and/or drop off from here!), Bernie took us to Potlatch Park last. Here she shared lots of information about the native American totem poles. It was a great tour and Bernie is just so much fun to be around!
read moreread less

kat j.
7/05/2023

×

kat j.

7/05/2023

Great Tour with Orca Song! We had so much fun with Bernie the owner of Orca Song Tours! She has lived in Ketchikan her whole life and shared so much about growing up here. In addition to tours, she fishes commercially and give us a good background on the industry; showing us the plant that processes her salmon. Our first stop in the morning was at Herring Cove which ended up being one of our favorite spots on our 18-day Alaskan vacation. Being a private tour, Bernie could give us as much time as we wanted here. We watched lots of young eagles (learning to hunt), a harbor seal and salmon hanging out at the mouth of the cove getting close to spawning. She estimated most at 15 pounds. AND WE SAW BEARS! We stood and watched a mama bear and three cubs for such a long time. Those babies were adorable swimming and playing while mama kept a close watch. Because we were docked at Ward Cove (yes, she does pick up and/or drop off from here!), Bernie took us to Potlatch Park last. Here she shared lots of information about the native American totem poles. It was a great tour and Bernie is just so much fun to be around!

La faune, le saumon et la culture autochtone ... Exceptionnel! Notre guide touristique Bernie est venu nous chercher juste devant notre bateau de croisière après son amarrage. Bernie s'est avéré être un vrai local à Ketchikan, le premier que nous avons rencontré pendant notre croisière. Pour info, nos autres guides en AK étaient tous originaires du sud, nous avons découvert, permettant ainsi peu de connaissance de AK. Ce n'était pas le cas avec Bernie. Nous avons vu Ketchikan des yeux d'un vrai local et partagé les connaissances exceptionnelles de Bernie sur la culture autochtone, la faune et la vie en Alaska!

Nous avions une famille de trois adultes, deux enfants et même notre grand-mère. Tout était confortable et divertissant tout en visitant le véhicule spacieux de Bernie. Notre grand-mère est principalement en fauteuil roulant, et même ce n'était pas un problème avec les logements du véhicule.

Nos points forts ont été; Saumon saute des cascades, des aigles, des phoques, des totems et même un ours qui se nourrit avec son petit. Nous recommandons ce service à tous ceux qui souhaitent voir ce qu'est la vie en Alaska.
read moreread less

billtstenson
2/10/2018

×

billtstenson

2/10/2018

La faune, le saumon et la culture autochtone ... Exceptionnel! Notre guide touristique Bernie est venu nous chercher juste devant notre bateau de croisière après son amarrage. Bernie s'est avéré être un vrai local à Ketchikan, le premier que nous avons rencontré pendant notre croisière. Pour info, nos autres guides en AK étaient tous originaires du sud, nous avons découvert, permettant ainsi peu de connaissance de AK. Ce n'était pas le cas avec Bernie. Nous avons vu Ketchikan des yeux d'un vrai local et partagé les connaissances exceptionnelles de Bernie sur la culture autochtone, la faune et la vie en Alaska!

Nous avions une famille de trois adultes, deux enfants et même notre grand-mère. Tout était confortable et divertissant tout en visitant le véhicule spacieux de Bernie. Notre grand-mère est principalement en fauteuil roulant, et même ce n'était pas un problème avec les logements du véhicule.

Nos points forts ont été; Saumon saute des cascades, des aigles, des phoques, des totems et même un ours qui se nourrit avec son petit. Nous recommandons ce service à tous ceux qui souhaitent voir ce qu'est la vie en Alaska.

Would recommend What a great and informative afternoon out with Jason. He was flexible and adapted the tour to suit us and was very knowledgeable, giving some extra time to see the black bears which was very much appreciated.
read moreread less

GoPlaces50065145376
9/12/2026

×

GoPlaces50065145376

9/12/2026

Would recommend What a great and informative afternoon out with Jason. He was flexible and adapted the tour to suit us and was very knowledgeable, giving some extra time to see the black bears which was very much appreciated.
Awesome Wildlife Experience Bernie, our guide, really knew the best local places to view wildlife. She made our experience very special and memorable as she shared stories and information about the local sites. I highly recommend you get a private tour. It was so much more personable than our other larger excursions we later did at other sites.
read moreread less

394kimberleej
7/18/2025

×

394kimberleej

7/18/2025

Awesome Wildlife Experience Bernie, our guide, really knew the best local places to view wildlife. She made our experience very special and memorable as she shared stories and information about the local sites. I highly recommend you get a private tour. It was so much more personable than our other larger excursions we later did at other sites.

Great tour of wildlife in Ketchikan and other local interest sights. Our guide was Bernadette. She was fun and informative. The van was roomy and comfortable. We saw Orca Killer whales, bald eagles fighting for salmon and so much of Ketchikan, including a waterfall and a house being lifted and moved to a new location. I highly recommend this tour and our guide Bernadette.
read moreread less

Suzy M.
7/30/2023

×

Suzy M.

7/30/2023

Great tour of wildlife in Ketchikan and other local interest sights. Our guide was Bernadette. She was fun and informative. The van was roomy and comfortable. We saw Orca Killer whales, bald eagles fighting for salmon and so much of Ketchikan, including a waterfall and a house being lifted and moved to a new location. I highly recommend this tour and our guide Bernadette.

Having fun in Ketchikan! We had a blast with Bernie this morning. We saw so many beautiful eagles, a waterfall, totem park, and learned so much about Ketchikan. She showed us so many beautiful sites. I highly suggest letting her take you for a tour. You won’t be disappointed!
read moreread less

Nicole W.
6/19/2023

×

Nicole W.

6/19/2023

Having fun in Ketchikan! We had a blast with Bernie this morning. We saw so many beautiful eagles, a waterfall, totem park, and learned so much about Ketchikan. She showed us so many beautiful sites. I highly suggest letting her take you for a tour. You won’t be disappointed!

Very interesting and unique Excellent tour. We were traveling with 2 toddlers and Denisse was very flexible and patient. She taught us a lot about the original cultures.
read moreread less

Fernanda L.
5/18/2026

×

Fernanda L.

5/18/2026

Very interesting and unique Excellent tour. We were traveling with 2 toddlers and Denisse was very flexible and patient. She taught us a lot about the original cultures.
Le meilleur voyage de tous les temps Je n'ai jamais réservé d'excursion en dehors de nos excursions en croisière. Nous avions un budget et malheureusement aucune des excursions à bord de notre bateau ne faisait partie de notre budget et mes 16 et 14 ans n’aimaient pas ceux de notre bateau. J'ai décidé de jeter un coup d'œil sur TripAdvisor et j'ai lu d'excellentes critiques pour Orca Song Tours. J'ai envoyé un courriel à Bernie. Bernie est resté en contact avec moi jusqu'à notre arrivée le 13 août.
Dire que cette tournée n’a pas été une déception, c’est un euphémisme. Bernie est une personne merveilleuse. Elle sait tout sur Ketchikan, les gens et la faune.
Bernie nous a montré de belles cascades, des aigles, des ours, du saumon, des mâts totémiques et nous a raconté leur histoire. Nous a emmenés à un musée et nous avons également pu voir le bateau Deadliest Catch!
Une fois que nous avons terminé notre tournée avec Bernie, il est facile de se promener et de se faire en ville.
Nous venons d’Irlande et ne savons pas quand ni si nous pourrions y retourner. Mais Bernie a rendu notre séjour mémorable.
Merci bernie
Allison Wilson
read moreread less

allison w.
12/29/2018

×

allison w.

12/29/2018

Le meilleur voyage de tous les temps Je n'ai jamais réservé d'excursion en dehors de nos excursions en croisière. Nous avions un budget et malheureusement aucune des excursions à bord de notre bateau ne faisait partie de notre budget et mes 16 et 14 ans n’aimaient pas ceux de notre bateau. J'ai décidé de jeter un coup d'œil sur TripAdvisor et j'ai lu d'excellentes critiques pour Orca Song Tours. J'ai envoyé un courriel à Bernie. Bernie est resté en contact avec moi jusqu'à notre arrivée le 13 août.
Dire que cette tournée n’a pas été une déception, c’est un euphémisme. Bernie est une personne merveilleuse. Elle sait tout sur Ketchikan, les gens et la faune.
Bernie nous a montré de belles cascades, des aigles, des ours, du saumon, des mâts totémiques et nous a raconté leur histoire. Nous a emmenés à un musée et nous avons également pu voir le bateau Deadliest Catch!
Une fois que nous avons terminé notre tournée avec Bernie, il est facile de se promener et de se faire en ville.
Nous venons d’Irlande et ne savons pas quand ni si nous pourrions y retourner. Mais Bernie a rendu notre séjour mémorable.
Merci bernie
Allison Wilson

Really fun tour Bernie drove us around Ketchikan and showed us the sites while talking about growing up and living in Ketchikan. My daughter and I had a great time on the tour, were so excited to see bears wandering around, and were amazed at one of the beautiful waterfalls Bernie took us to. One of our last stops was at a stand that sold jellies and fudge. My daughter and I both agreed that it was the best fudge we’ve ever had and were saddened that we didn’t buy more.
Thank you, Bernie; we enjoyed the tour, the stories, and the conversation immensely.
read moreread less

Lisa M.
7/31/2024

×

Lisa M.

7/31/2024

Really fun tour Bernie drove us around Ketchikan and showed us the sites while talking about growing up and living in Ketchikan. My daughter and I had a great time on the tour, were so excited to see bears wandering around, and were amazed at one of the beautiful waterfalls Bernie took us to. One of our last stops was at a stand that sold jellies and fudge. My daughter and I both agreed that it was the best fudge we’ve ever had and were saddened that we didn’t buy more.
Thank you, Bernie; we enjoyed the tour, the stories, and the conversation immensely.

Great cruise ship side tour Great tour for our short stop in Port on a cruise. We really enjoyed hearing about the town from a local, especially getting a great explanation of the totems at the totem park. Rick had lots of information and stories to share and we all enjoyed our tour with him. We didn't see a bear, but we did see deer and lots of lovely views. We especially enjoyed stopping to pick and sample Salmon Berries! 3 hours was a good length of time - Ketchikan is pretty small but it was great not to be in a hurry.
read moreread less

Ozi-gal
7/26/2024

×

Ozi-gal

7/26/2024

Great cruise ship side tour Great tour for our short stop in Port on a cruise. We really enjoyed hearing about the town from a local, especially getting a great explanation of the totems at the totem park. Rick had lots of information and stories to share and we all enjoyed our tour with him. We didn't see a bear, but we did see deer and lots of lovely views. We especially enjoyed stopping to pick and sample Salmon Berries! 3 hours was a good length of time - Ketchikan is pretty small but it was great not to be in a hurry.

Captured the best of Ketchikan Rick was knowledgeable and friendly. Packed a lot into 4 hours. Made great use of our time with visiting the sites we really enjoyed. Seeing the totems and salmon run for spawning were the best
read moreread less

flynnpj
9/07/2026

×

flynnpj

9/07/2026

Captured the best of Ketchikan Rick was knowledgeable and friendly. Packed a lot into 4 hours. Made great use of our time with visiting the sites we really enjoyed. Seeing the totems and salmon run for spawning were the best

Great tour Great tour, small and customizable. Would definitely recommend. Got to see the sights, a few bears, and some history on the area!
read moreread less

erikamack1979
7/21/2025

×

erikamack1979

7/21/2025

Great tour Great tour, small and customizable. Would definitely recommend. Got to see the sights, a few bears, and some history on the area!
Amazing!! The tour was amazing! If Bernie is available you’ll do more than well to book her. We were on an Alaska cruise and had been booking our excursions through the cruise line. Those excursions were good, but the guides were always transplants to the area working summer jobs in Alaska. Bernie was different - she’s a fourth generation local to the area and knows it extremely well! Everyone knows her everywhere and she knows everyone - including the wildlife. She found us a mother bear and her three cubs that had been frequenting an area. It genuinely had to be one of the greatest experiences of our Iives to watch them frolic in a field. She got us close enough to an eagle that I could have literally hit it with a stick (obviously I didn’t). She also knows a group that tracks the local pod of orcas and tells each other where the orcas are headed. Wildlife is wild so there’s no guarantee you’ll see something, but I think Bernie gives you the best chance to see it if it can be seen during your stay. She’s friendly, accommodative, and really just a delight to spend time with. I highly recommend.
read moreread less

SamW098
7/01/2023

×

SamW098

7/01/2023

Amazing!! The tour was amazing! If Bernie is available you’ll do more than well to book her. We were on an Alaska cruise and had been booking our excursions through the cruise line. Those excursions were good, but the guides were always transplants to the area working summer jobs in Alaska. Bernie was different - she’s a fourth generation local to the area and knows it extremely well! Everyone knows her everywhere and she knows everyone - including the wildlife. She found us a mother bear and her three cubs that had been frequenting an area. It genuinely had to be one of the greatest experiences of our Iives to watch them frolic in a field. She got us close enough to an eagle that I could have literally hit it with a stick (obviously I didn’t). She also knows a group that tracks the local pod of orcas and tells each other where the orcas are headed. Wildlife is wild so there’s no guarantee you’ll see something, but I think Bernie gives you the best chance to see it if it can be seen during your stay. She’s friendly, accommodative, and really just a delight to spend time with. I highly recommend.
Fun tour of Ketchikan The private tour we received was fantastic and our tour guide Rick was awesome. His knowledge of the area was incredibe and we enjoyed the education and pretty views. The only downside was the crowds at some of the stops to see bears and eagles but that was somewhat expected.
read moreread less

Jacob B.
6/28/2024

×

Jacob B.

6/28/2024

Fun tour of Ketchikan The private tour we received was fantastic and our tour guide Rick was awesome. His knowledge of the area was incredibe and we enjoyed the education and pretty views. The only downside was the crowds at some of the stops to see bears and eagles but that was somewhat expected.
Amazing! It was amazing!!! We loved the tour! The guide was so friendly and we had such a good time! We went to the best places in town!
read moreread less

liviaa994
9/21/2024

×

liviaa994

9/21/2024

Amazing! It was amazing!!! We loved the tour! The guide was so friendly and we had such a good time! We went to the best places in town!
Totem poles and local history Rick gave a fantastic tour of Ketchikan. He is knowledgeable, humorous and accommodating. We all enjoyed the history of potlatch and totem poles. Never knew The whole cycle of how salmon spawn, incredible. The waterfall and rain forest were an unexpected treat. Of course Creek Street. Also gave us great recommendations on where to eat from a local perspective. Highly recommend this tour.
read moreread less

Jody L.
9/14/2026

×

Jody L.

9/14/2026

Totem poles and local history Rick gave a fantastic tour of Ketchikan. He is knowledgeable, humorous and accommodating. We all enjoyed the history of potlatch and totem poles. Never knew The whole cycle of how salmon spawn, incredible. The waterfall and rain forest were an unexpected treat. Of course Creek Street. Also gave us great recommendations on where to eat from a local perspective. Highly recommend this tour.
Fantastic small group tour Fantastic local guide who did all she could to explain local customs, see beautiful views and even saw a bear, really accommodating and knowledgeable
read moreread less

Angela B.
8/10/2025

×

Angela B.

8/10/2025

Fantastic small group tour Fantastic local guide who did all she could to explain local customs, see beautiful views and even saw a bear, really accommodating and knowledgeable
The BEST! HIGHLY recommend booking this tour! Bernie was great at communicating with us from when we booked the tour all the way up until the actual day - which was incredibly helpful as our cruise docked at a different location from where it was originally scheduled. The tour itself was fantastic!! In just a few short hours, we got a wonderful overview of beautiful Ketchikan and enjoyed see the totem park, eagles, BEARS (yes BEARS!) and salmon. Bernie went over and above to make our visit as special as possible - avoiding crowds, giving us extra time when needed and showing us places she knew we would appreciate as she got to know us along the way (like showing our teenage boys the local little league field - so cool!). Did I mention we saw BEARS!?!? In the wild!? Trip of a lifetime. So grateful for the memories made on this tour.
read moreread less

P8769XNkellyp
8/31/2022

×

P8769XNkellyp

8/31/2022

The BEST! HIGHLY recommend booking this tour! Bernie was great at communicating with us from when we booked the tour all the way up until the actual day - which was incredibly helpful as our cruise docked at a different location from where it was originally scheduled. The tour itself was fantastic!! In just a few short hours, we got a wonderful overview of beautiful Ketchikan and enjoyed see the totem park, eagles, BEARS (yes BEARS!) and salmon. Bernie went over and above to make our visit as special as possible - avoiding crowds, giving us extra time when needed and showing us places she knew we would appreciate as she got to know us along the way (like showing our teenage boys the local little league field - so cool!). Did I mention we saw BEARS!?!? In the wild!? Trip of a lifetime. So grateful for the memories made on this tour.
Outstanding tour, excellent guide Jason made everything easy and fun. I have only good things to say: first, Jason texted our group where he was parked and a description of the vehicle, which was so helpful. He was friendly, we discussed options for the tour, and started right in with seeing spawning salmon on 2 locations. Then went on to see lots of birds, a few bears, a waterfall, a beautiful beach at low tide, deer, and foraged for berries. Jason is a long time local, and worked in several places with fish and wildlife. He could identify all the animals, and knew so much about them and how they live. Also, the van was clean and in good shape.
read moreread less

Susan T.
9/07/2026

×

Susan T.

9/07/2026

Outstanding tour, excellent guide Jason made everything easy and fun. I have only good things to say: first, Jason texted our group where he was parked and a description of the vehicle, which was so helpful. He was friendly, we discussed options for the tour, and started right in with seeing spawning salmon on 2 locations. Then went on to see lots of birds, a few bears, a waterfall, a beautiful beach at low tide, deer, and foraged for berries. Jason is a long time local, and worked in several places with fish and wildlife. He could identify all the animals, and knew so much about them and how they live. Also, the van was clean and in good shape.
Simple mais vu beaucoup! Bernie est venu nous chercher à 14 heures près de l'endroit où nous avons déjeuné. Elle nous a amené à quelques totems et à la recherche de la faune! Super sympa, excursion parfaite pour notre dernier arrêt dans notre itinéraire! Bernie était sympathique et avait beaucoup de connaissances à partager. Elle a fait preuve d'une excellente communication avant notre arrivée. Réservez en toute confiance!
read moreread less

monikaesu28
7/14/2018

×

monikaesu28

7/14/2018

Simple mais vu beaucoup! Bernie est venu nous chercher à 14 heures près de l'endroit où nous avons déjeuné. Elle nous a amené à quelques totems et à la recherche de la faune! Super sympa, excursion parfaite pour notre dernier arrêt dans notre itinéraire! Bernie était sympathique et avait beaucoup de connaissances à partager. Elle a fait preuve d'une excellente communication avant notre arrivée. Réservez en toute confiance!
Great afternoon getting out of town and seeing wildlife. This is a private tour run by Bernie Angus. She met us at our ship 25 min early, and was ready to go when we got there. She drives a 24 Honda mini van. Plenty of room and very clean. The tour consisted of visiting a local park and dam area our of town. We then went to a Totem Park and Museum where she provided some history and walked us around the park telling stories about the poles. We then drove through town and went south of the down town. The hope was to find wild life. Bernie did not fail us. We saw a black bear, seals, black tail deer, Stellar's (blue) Jay, and humpback whales. Only thing we did not see were Orca. Sounds like we missed them by no more than 5 min. The coolest thing was the pod of humpback whales, we came upon a group of 4 or 5 that bubble fed for almost 45 min. We saw them breach at least 5 times. This was a great afternoon for my wife, daughter and I. If we want a personalized adventure give Bernie a call.
read moreread less

Scottrl1
6/16/2025

×

Scottrl1

6/16/2025

Great afternoon getting out of town and seeing wildlife. This is a private tour run by Bernie Angus. She met us at our ship 25 min early, and was ready to go when we got there. She drives a 24 Honda mini van. Plenty of room and very clean. The tour consisted of visiting a local park and dam area our of town. We then went to a Totem Park and Museum where she provided some history and walked us around the park telling stories about the poles. We then drove through town and went south of the down town. The hope was to find wild life. Bernie did not fail us. We saw a black bear, seals, black tail deer, Stellar's (blue) Jay, and humpback whales. Only thing we did not see were Orca. Sounds like we missed them by no more than 5 min. The coolest thing was the pod of humpback whales, we came upon a group of 4 or 5 that bubble fed for almost 45 min. We saw them breach at least 5 times. This was a great afternoon for my wife, daughter and I. If we want a personalized adventure give Bernie a call.