Experience Ketchikan As a Local
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 6 Guests 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.
OrcaSong2022
Our method of travel is via a Chevy Traverse. These spacious and comfortable vehicles are perfect for getting around Ketchikan. Each tour can accommodate up to 6 Guests.
We never mix and match parties. It’s just you, your family and your local tour guide.
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.
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.
Bernie was fabulous and did an amazing job showing us around the beautiful island. We appreciated all of the local knowledge and got to see bears hunting salmon! A... read more must do in Ketchikan!
I have never booked an excursion outside of our cruise excursions. We had a budget and unfortunately none of the excursions on our ship were in our budget and my... read more 16 and 14 year olds didn’t like any from our ship. I decided to have a look on trip advisor and seen great reviews for Orca Song Tours. I emailed Bernie. Bernie kept in touch with me right up until we arrived on13th August.
To say this tour was not a disappointment, is an understatement. Bernie is a wonderful person. She knows everything about Ketchikan, the people and the wildlife.
Bernie showed us beautiful waterfalls, eagles, bears, salmon, totem poles and told us their history. Brought us to a the museum and we also got to see the Deadliest Catch boat!
Once we finished our tour with Bernie, the town is easy to walk around and do yourself.
We are from Ireland and don’t know when or if we could go back. But Bernie made our time there memorable.
Thank you Bernie
Allison Wilson
First off a loud shout out thank you to Bernie. Excellent tour we visited waterfalls, seen Salmon, birds, Eagles and Bears, and totem pole. We moved at a... read more pace that met our needs and had a beautiful tour of the town as well. Bernie shared her knowledge and her family history with us. Definitely recommend.
A short day in Ketchican and I happened to ask Bernadette aka Bernie for a tour as she had a small sign hanging out of her window due to the... read more light rain, WOW, was this a blessing for my wife and I. Bernie is a 4th generation local who knew so much about the island it was staggering. She knew people at the stop signs going the other direction. We saw deer, eagles, salmon factory's, where the salmon run and the bear hang out. I would definitely recommend using Orca Song Tours any time your in Ketchican, Bernie is a delight to ride with.
What can I say but WOW. Bernie was a such an amazing guide. She knows all the places to go, very personable and knowledgeable
She took the time to... read more explain in depth the history of the town and many things people don’t know. If you are looking for a 1on1 experience I highly suggest Bernie.
Oh and her vehicle was top notch and clean !!!!!
Our tour Guide Bernie picked us up right in front of our cruise ship after it docked. Bernie turned out to be a true local to Ketchikan, the first we... read more met during our cruise. FYI, our other tour guides in AK were all from down south we found out, thus allowing little true knowledge of AK. This was not the case with Bernie. We saw Ketchikan from the eyes of a true local and shared in Bernie's outstanding knowledge of Native Culture, Wildlife and Alaskan Life!
We had a family of three adults, two children and even our grandmother. All were comfortable and entertained while touring around in Bernie's spacious vehicle. Our grandmother is mostly wheelchair bound, and even this wasn't an issue with the vehicle accomodations.
Our highlights were; Salmon jumpin up waterfalls, Eagles, Seals, Totem Poles and even a bear feeding with her cub. We would recommend this to anyone wishing to see what Alaskan Life is truly like.
Bernie is a local native with great local knowledge. She will take you places that the tour buses can't or won't go. Her vehicle will accommodate a maximum of ... read more 6 people and she takes only one group at a time. It is a much more personal experience. We saw deer, seals and lots of Bald Eagles and got to try some of the local salmon berries. Learned a lot about Totems and was surprised to learn there is a white King Salmon. I highly recommend booking with her.
Friendly and informative! We loved our visit to Totem Bight. Thanks to Orca Song, we learned a lot and visited a hidden spot on the coast.
We will definitely... read more return.
I went to see orca whales. We saw two family pods of orca whales. Plus humpback whales and sea lions. Plus a puffin bird. Very friendly all woman crew. I... read more recommend using them for your whale watching.
We all loved Bernie! She gave us a wonderful personal tour from a locals perspective. We learned a lot and had an unforgettable time. Would recommend her 100%!
Bernie is warm and friendly; knowledgeable about her culture and town; is known and respected by all the other tour guides. She knew just where to find all the cool... read more wildlife. Keen on historical and cultural background. Really knew how to beat the crowds. She was the BEST guide. Enjoyed going to the local jam stand SO much. Seeing the bald eagles, baby deer, waterfalls, most especially--the totems. Hearing about the spirituality and sacredness of the people and environment. Beautiful place. Highly recommend Bernie.
Bernie has a wealth of local knowledge being 4th generation Ketchikan born and bread and gives you a warm welcome to Ketchikan only locals can. I booked privately and was... read more so happy I did, avoiding the crowds of the cruise tours you can see much more of the town as Bernie tailors to your family needs. Thanks for a great day Bernie!
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... read more 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.
I have always used the shore excursions provided by the cruise line and this experience was wonderful. We all enjoyed the freedom to relax and spend the time seeing... read more the things that we wanted to see and be together in our group. We will never forget our time on this excursion.
Our family of 7 (4 adults, 2 teenagers and 1 senior) just returned from an Alaskan cruise and our private tour of Ketchikan with Bernie was definitely one of the... read more highlights of our trip. She picked us up right at the cruise ship dock and took us directly to the Ketchikan Creek estuary/salmon hatchery overlook. We were the first to arrive and had an exclusive viewing of bald eagles, spawning salmon and even a family of bears. She then took us to see a gorgeous waterfall where we got out and took several pictures. Along the way she answered all of our questions about the culture, wildlife, and history of her native Ketchikan. Our final destination was the Potlatch Totem Park where she took us around and shared her rich knowledge of Tlingit history and culture. At the end of the tour Bernie dropped us off in town with recommendations for sightseeing, places to eat, and shopping. I would definitely recommend this tour over the crowded, commercial ones offered by the cruise lines. And don’t let the lack of reviews keep you from booking. Bernie is just starting up her business and we were one of her first groups of this year’s season. She’ll make you feel like family!
Outstanding tour/guide. Bernie had us on a bear eating a live salmon within 5 minutes of the tour. She is very knowledgeable and in her element here in her home... read more Alaska. Some of our best memories of this cruise are here with Orca Song Tours. Can't wait to get back to Alaska again. Thank you so much for sharing your hometown/state.
Bernie picked up us close to our ship and took us on a three-hour adventure. She was able to get us to sites before other groups got there so we... read more beat the crowds. Because she is a native of Ketchikan, she was able to give us first and experiences. Listening to the stories about the history of Ketchikan was the best part. .
Thanks again, Bernie!
The tour was GREAT! Art was a great tour guide letting us know about the history of Ketchikan. Seeing all the salmon and how they migrate was very educational. Definitely... read more will recommend this tour to everyone I know.
I booked a short tour since our cruise ship was only in for half a day. Bernie was able to get us a 2 hour tour for my family... read more of 6. My parents are both in wheelchairs, but able to get in and out of vehicles. Bernie went above and beyond storing their wheelchairs and taking us on a scenic drive.
It was a rainy day, but she made the most of it by showing us all over the island without having to get out in the rain. We were able to see some pretty waterfalls and spend some time in the Tongass National Park. Also, she took us to the perfect place to see gorgeous Eagles.
She is a 4th generation Ketchikan and full of knowledge. A great day was had for all of us. I would definitely book with her again.
Bernie picked us up at 2pm close to where we had lunch. She brought us to some totems and out to search for wildlife! Super nice, perfect excursion for our... read more last port stop on our itinerary! Bernie was friendly and had a lot of knowledge to share. She demonstrated great communication prior to our arrival. Book with confidence!
Great tour with Bernie! She had lots of very interesting local information to share with us. Her vehicle was clean and comfortable. We had four adults. We had a... read more wonderful time spending our shore time with Bernie and learning about Ketchikan. We were the only ones at Potlatch Park so it truly was a private tour.
Highly recommended.
Bernie is a local native with great local knowledge. She will take you places that the tour buses can't or won't go. Her vehicle will accommodate a maximum of ... read more 6 people and she takes only one group at a time. It is a much more personal experience. We saw deer, seals and lots of Bald Eagles and got to try some of the local salmon berries. Learned a lot about Totems and was surprised to learn there is a white King Salmon. I highly recommend booking with her.
A short day in Ketchican and I happened to ask Bernadette aka Bernie for a tour as she had a small sign hanging out of her window due to the... read more light rain, WOW, was this a blessing for my wife and I. Bernie is a 4th generation local who knew so much about the island it was staggering. She knew people at the stop signs going the other direction. We saw deer, eagles, salmon factory's, where the salmon run and the bear hang out. I would definitely recommend using Orca Song Tours any time your in Ketchican, Bernie is a delight to ride with.
I have never booked an excursion outside of our cruise excursions. We had a budget and unfortunately none of the excursions on our ship were in our budget and my... read more 16 and 14 year olds didn’t like any from our ship. I decided to have a look on trip advisor and seen great reviews for Orca Song Tours. I emailed Bernie. Bernie kept in touch with me right up until we arrived on13th August.
To say this tour was not a disappointment, is an understatement. Bernie is a wonderful person. She knows everything about Ketchikan, the people and the wildlife.
Bernie showed us beautiful waterfalls, eagles, bears, salmon, totem poles and told us their history. Brought us to a the museum and we also got to see the Deadliest Catch boat!
Once we finished our tour with Bernie, the town is easy to walk around and do yourself.
We are from Ireland and don’t know when or if we could go back. But Bernie made our time there memorable.
Thank you Bernie
Allison Wilson
Our family of 7 (4 adults, 2 teenagers and 1 senior) just returned from an Alaskan cruise and our private tour of Ketchikan with Bernie was definitely one of the... read more highlights of our trip. She picked us up right at the cruise ship dock and took us directly to the Ketchikan Creek estuary/salmon hatchery overlook. We were the first to arrive and had an exclusive viewing of bald eagles, spawning salmon and even a family of bears. She then took us to see a gorgeous waterfall where we got out and took several pictures. Along the way she answered all of our questions about the culture, wildlife, and history of her native Ketchikan. Our final destination was the Potlatch Totem Park where she took us around and shared her rich knowledge of Tlingit history and culture. At the end of the tour Bernie dropped us off in town with recommendations for sightseeing, places to eat, and shopping. I would definitely recommend this tour over the crowded, commercial ones offered by the cruise lines. And don’t let the lack of reviews keep you from booking. Bernie is just starting up her business and we were one of her first groups of this year’s season. She’ll make you feel like family!
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... read more 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.
First off a loud shout out thank you to Bernie. Excellent tour we visited waterfalls, seen Salmon, birds, Eagles and Bears, and totem pole. We moved at a... read more pace that met our needs and had a beautiful tour of the town as well. Bernie shared her knowledge and her family history with us. Definitely recommend.
Bernie is warm and friendly; knowledgeable about her culture and town; is known and respected by all the other tour guides. She knew just where to find all the cool... read more wildlife. Keen on historical and cultural background. Really knew how to beat the crowds. She was the BEST guide. Enjoyed going to the local jam stand SO much. Seeing the bald eagles, baby deer, waterfalls, most especially--the totems. Hearing about the spirituality and sacredness of the people and environment. Beautiful place. Highly recommend Bernie.
What can I say but WOW. Bernie was a such an amazing guide. She knows all the places to go, very personable and knowledgeable
She took the time to... read more explain in depth the history of the town and many things people don’t know. If you are looking for a 1on1 experience I highly suggest Bernie.
Oh and her vehicle was top notch and clean !!!!!