Lovely Tour Cut Short We were instructed to meet the tour operator at birth 2 which meant we had to take a shuttle from our boat to birth 4 then walk at least 10 minutes to get to north 2. Our driver then told us he could have picked us up at our boat which would have saved us about 30 minutes. Poor communication between aviator and the tour guide. We enjoyed the tour and the guide was knowledgeable but the tour was only 2 hours instead of 3 hours because of the miscommunication about the pickup location.

The Best Way to tour Ketchikan We had such a good time with Rick as our guide. He clearly loves Alaska and Ketchikan and was able to communicate so many interesting bits of information as he showed us many of his favorite places. We especially loved Settlers Cove, where we saw salmon spawning and a mama bear and her two cubs. The animal display at the Trading Post at Potlach Totem Park was pretty cool as well.

Unforgettable Experience When looking at excursions that best suited our needs, Orca Song Tours checked all of the boxes of what we were looking to do in Ketchikan. I want to note that our main goal was to see bears fishing for salmon, so to give my family the best opportunity, we booked back to back tours with Orca Song, and were with them for six hours instead of three.
Throughout the process of booking and traveling, Bernie was an excellent communicator, responding in a timely manner when I'd pester her with questions, but more importantly, reaching out to me before we left, that helped soothe any fears we had. Upon arrival in Ketchikan, we saw that Orca Song was waiting for us well before the gangways were lowered, and when we met, we had a spacious Honda Odyssey minivan for our private tour. Jason was our driver and met all of our questions, quirks and conversation head on, he was a great match for my 14 and 15 year old (knowledgeable) boys.
Bernie, and Orca Song knew our goals, and accommodated us accordingly, on the way to Herring Cove, we stopped to see some salmon ladders, but didn't linger too long as the primary objective was to see bears. Jason took us to the Salmon hatchery (which was off limits), but there were viewing spots to watch Bald Eagles, Deer, and Salmon - and of course Bears, when they decide to eat We were also close to the shore, so after a bit and no luck, we meandered to the coast where the black sands shown in receded tide. Jason took us around the point where we were able to explore, look for crabs, and dig for clams; a real hands on tide-poolish experience! After a bit of tinkering, we walked back to the spot to look for bears and boy did we find them There were plenty of highlights to this, but yes, indeed, we were fortunate enough to see some.
I think it's critical to mention that we were very willing to sit for the entire 6 hours until we saw bears, BUT Bernie and Orca Song also knew that when/if we did, they could take us on an adventure of their choosing to see the Ketchikan beyond the cruise excursions, and Jason did not disappoint (Salmon Berries, blueberries, huckleberries, hiking in a rain forest, beach combing, etc.).
As much as I would love to share all of the details of what we saw and did, Ketchikan is a remarkable town with so much to offer. I feel very fortunate to have connected with Bernie and Orca Song - our visit far exceeded our expectations, and they are solely responsible for our enjoyment. Relative to cost per person for other excursions, the price point was affordable, communication was frequent and timely, and the experiences were unforgettable. The attached photos really don't do justice, so we've already started to look at traveling back to Ketchikan because of what they provided for us. It's obvious Orca Song takes great care and pride in their business, but more importantly put their best foot forward to let Ketchikan be the star. Thank you!!!!

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.

Chanson orca frappé un home run Je suis allé voir des orques. Nous avons vu deux familles de baleines orques. Plus les baleines à bosse et les otaries. Plus un oiseau macareux. Très sympa toute femme équipage. Je recommande de les utiliser pour l'observation des baleines.

Bernie is THE best! Book with confidence! We’ve used Bernie 2x now - 2018 and again this summer! She’s friendly and knows all the best spots! This year was that of the bald eagles and seals! 😀 Such a fun day!

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

Ketchikan with Jason Jason was very knowledgeable, accommodating and thoughtful. He offered water and bathroom stops as needed.
He made sure we saw sights on our bucket list.
The van was clean and easily accessible.

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.

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 Experience 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 will recommend this tour to everyone I know.

Seul moyen de voir Ketchikan Bernie est un natif local avec de grandes connaissances locales. Elle vous emmènera dans des endroits que les autocars ne peuvent pas ou ne veulent pas aller. Son véhicule peut accueillir un maximum de 6 personnes et elle ne prend qu'un groupe à la fois. C'est une expérience beaucoup plus personnelle. Nous avons vu des cerfs, des phoques et de nombreux pygargues à tête blanche et avons pu goûter aux baies de saumon locales. J'ai beaucoup appris sur Totems et j'ai été surpris d'apprendre qu'il y avait un saumon blanc. Je recommande fortement de réserver avec elle.