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?

Great experience Jason was knowledgeable and he tried to show us the Most beautiful parts of Ketchikan in 3 hours. We saw salmon, eagles, seals.
Thanks for the experience
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fernanda l.
9/22/2024

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fernanda l.

9/22/2024

Great experience Jason was knowledgeable and he tried to show us the Most beautiful parts of Ketchikan in 3 hours. We saw salmon, eagles, seals.
Thanks for the experience

Great tour Great tour, small and customizable. Would definitely recommend. Got to see the sights, a few bears, and some history on the area!
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erikamack1979
7/21/2025

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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!

Wonderfull expereience We had a wonderful experience. Rick was very knowledgeable and kind. He took us to some tourist places and other beautiful places that were not as crowded. He explained and showed us the salmon at different stages. Also took us to the area where we were able to spot about 5 bears. He also told us were to go after his tour.
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NormaAgu
8/24/2025

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NormaAgu

8/24/2025

Wonderfull expereience We had a wonderful experience. Rick was very knowledgeable and kind. He took us to some tourist places and other beautiful places that were not as crowded. He explained and showed us the salmon at different stages. Also took us to the area where we were able to spot about 5 bears. He also told us were to go after his tour.

Excellent service this tour was fantastic value. Jason was prompt and very well equipped with binoculars and water. Very knowled Excellent value. Knowledgeable guide. Couldn't ask for more. Comfortable vehicle. Nothing too much trouble. Delivered everything we asked for and more. We fully recommend them. Would definitely use again. Jason asked what we would like to see bear was a big ask. But he definitely delivered. Fantastic knowledge of the salmon cycle which will stay with us. Seals and sea otters. Fantastic wildlife, waterfalls etc. brilliant pictures and memories from this. Delivered back to ship safely and on time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟
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Michelle J.
9/20/2024

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Michelle J.

9/20/2024

Excellent service this tour was fantastic value. Jason was prompt and very well equipped with binoculars and water. Very knowled Excellent value. Knowledgeable guide. Couldn't ask for more. Comfortable vehicle. Nothing too much trouble. Delivered everything we asked for and more. We fully recommend them. Would definitely use again. Jason asked what we would like to see bear was a big ask. But he definitely delivered. Fantastic knowledge of the salmon cycle which will stay with us. Seals and sea otters. Fantastic wildlife, waterfalls etc. brilliant pictures and memories from this. Delivered back to ship safely and on time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟
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!!
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lisawE9723DJ
7/26/2023

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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!!

Merveilleuse journée J'ai réservé un petit tour car notre bateau de croisière n'était qu'une demi-journée. Bernie a pu nous faire faire un tour de 2 heures pour ma famille de 6 personnes. Mes parents sont tous deux en fauteuil roulant, mais ils peuvent entrer et sortir des véhicules. Bernie est allé au-delà de stocker leurs fauteuils roulants et nous emmener sur une route panoramique.
C'était un jour de pluie, mais elle en a profité pour nous montrer toute l'île sans avoir à sortir sous la pluie. Nous avons pu voir de belles cascades et passer du temps dans le parc national de Tongass. En outre, elle nous a emmenés à l'endroit idéal pour voir de magnifiques Eagles.
Elle est une 4ème génération Ketchikan et pleine de connaissances. Une belle journée a été passée pour nous tous. Je réserverais définitivement avec elle.
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78shelly
6/05/2018

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78shelly

6/05/2018

Merveilleuse journée J'ai réservé un petit tour car notre bateau de croisière n'était qu'une demi-journée. Bernie a pu nous faire faire un tour de 2 heures pour ma famille de 6 personnes. Mes parents sont tous deux en fauteuil roulant, mais ils peuvent entrer et sortir des véhicules. Bernie est allé au-delà de stocker leurs fauteuils roulants et nous emmener sur une route panoramique.
C'était un jour de pluie, mais elle en a profité pour nous montrer toute l'île sans avoir à sortir sous la pluie. Nous avons pu voir de belles cascades et passer du temps dans le parc national de Tongass. En outre, elle nous a emmenés à l'endroit idéal pour voir de magnifiques Eagles.
Elle est une 4ème génération Ketchikan et pleine de connaissances. Une belle journée a été passée pour nous tous. Je réserverais définitivement avec elle.

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
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flynnpj
9/07/2026

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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

So glad we found this tour This was such a great experience. Our guide, Jason, was so generous with his time and knowledge. He let the tour go at our pace laying out what was ahead for us so we knew how much time we wanted to spend at each location. He tried his best to get us wildlife experiences. We were really thrilled with the tour and highly recommend it.
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Jonathan T.
6/22/2026

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Jonathan T.

6/22/2026

So glad we found this tour This was such a great experience. Our guide, Jason, was so generous with his time and knowledge. He let the tour go at our pace laying out what was ahead for us so we knew how much time we wanted to spend at each location. He tried his best to get us wildlife experiences. We were really thrilled with the tour and highly recommend it.
Connaissance locale fantastique et sympathique Bernie possède une mine de connaissances locales, elle est née et a été la quatrième génération de Ketchikan et vous accueille chaleureusement dans la région de Ketchikan. J'ai réservé en privé et j'ai été si heureux, évitant les foules des croisières que vous pouvez voir beaucoup plus de la ville que Bernie adapte à vos besoins familiaux. Merci pour cette belle journée Bernie!
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WendyH2713
6/20/2018

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WendyH2713

6/20/2018

Connaissance locale fantastique et sympathique Bernie possède une mine de connaissances locales, elle est née et a été la quatrième génération de Ketchikan et vous accueille chaleureusement dans la région de Ketchikan. J'ai réservé en privé et j'ai été si heureux, évitant les foules des croisières que vous pouvez voir beaucoup plus de la ville que Bernie adapte à vos besoins familiaux. Merci pour cette belle journée Bernie!

Skip the crowded cruise excursion and do this! Jason was great! Very knowledgeable about the area. We were able to see whales, salmon spawning, and even a mama bear and her cubs! We were on a cruise, but booked this private tour versus being with a huge group off the ship and so glad we did.
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Greyhnds
9/13/2026

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Greyhnds

9/13/2026

Skip the crowded cruise excursion and do this! Jason was great! Very knowledgeable about the area. We were able to see whales, salmon spawning, and even a mama bear and her cubs! We were on a cruise, but booked this private tour versus being with a huge group off the ship and so glad we did.

A nice tour It was a nice tour. Jason took us to several pretty spots with plenty of wildlife (multiple eagles, salmon, some seals and bears) and drove us around the town's highlights.
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fantomasX
7/27/2026

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fantomasX

7/27/2026

A nice tour It was a nice tour. Jason took us to several pretty spots with plenty of wildlife (multiple eagles, salmon, some seals and bears) and drove us around the town's highlights.

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.
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JoAnn E.
9/05/2024

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JoAnn E.

9/05/2024

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.

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.
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Jacob B.
6/28/2024

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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.
Very good Jason was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable
Just a shame we didn’t see bears
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katie b.
7/01/2026

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katie b.

7/01/2026

Very good Jason was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable
Just a shame we didn’t see bears
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.
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Jody L.
9/14/2026

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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.
Small town, with local flavor Great guide, very welcoming, very local, very knowledgeable. Went above and beyond to show us this quaint town. Only down side was that were 2-3 weeks for the salmon runs, and the bears that show up for that.
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gellwood4acres
7/28/2026

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gellwood4acres

7/28/2026

Small town, with local flavor Great guide, very welcoming, very local, very knowledgeable. Went above and beyond to show us this quaint town. Only down side was that were 2-3 weeks for the salmon runs, and the bears that show up for that.
A wonderful day! We had been to Ketchikan a few times and this trip we wanted to get out of town and see something different. Bernie took us all around and showed us all the local spots. We loved Settlers Cove State Park and our hike there. It was just gorgeous. It was a great day, and Bernie was flexible and gave us just the day we wanted. I would highly recommend Orca Song Tours.
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Julia N.
6/22/2025

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Julia N.

6/22/2025

A wonderful day! We had been to Ketchikan a few times and this trip we wanted to get out of town and see something different. Bernie took us all around and showed us all the local spots. We loved Settlers Cove State Park and our hike there. It was just gorgeous. It was a great day, and Bernie was flexible and gave us just the day we wanted. I would highly recommend Orca Song Tours.
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.
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jamesvL4707HG
6/19/2018

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jamesvL4707HG

6/19/2018

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.
A-Maz-Ing Experience! Best way to see the town! Thank you "Roll Tide Rick!" We had the most amazing experience on this customizable tour! Orca Song Tours let us create the experience that was just right for us. On top of that, we saw two bears and lots of eagle. Not to mention gorgeous scenery, remarkable landmarks, and so much more. I cannot rate this experience high enough. Thank you!
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Pattye A.
6/30/2024

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Pattye A.

6/30/2024

A-Maz-Ing Experience! Best way to see the town! Thank you "Roll Tide Rick!" We had the most amazing experience on this customizable tour! Orca Song Tours let us create the experience that was just right for us. On top of that, we saw two bears and lots of eagle. Not to mention gorgeous scenery, remarkable landmarks, and so much more. I cannot rate this experience high enough. Thank you!
Beautiful Ketchikan and Bears We had an amazing experience! We saw two bears feasting on salmon! Our tour was our own and tailored to just us! We spent most of our time watching the bears. I highly recommend this tour for anybody wanting to see bears in their natural habitat!
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Storyteller708174
9/02/2025

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Storyteller708174

9/02/2025

Beautiful Ketchikan and Bears We had an amazing experience! We saw two bears feasting on salmon! Our tour was our own and tailored to just us! We spent most of our time watching the bears. I highly recommend this tour for anybody wanting to see bears in their natural habitat!
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
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allison w.
12/29/2018

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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
This private tour is the best! Absolutely the best way to experience Ketchikan! Our guide Rick has lived in Ketchikan for over 30 years and was a font of local as well as Alaskan knowledge. Rick really cared that we have a great experience while in Ketchikan. The Honda Odyssey van was spacious enough for the four of us. Rick had pairs of binoculars and waters for us. He took us to a place to see black bears catching and feasting on salmon. We saw Bald Eagles and just missed seeing an orca. While on Creek Street, a black bear emerged from under a building to eat blueberries and huckleberries. We ate a few too after the bear moved on. Rick took us to a totem pole park and gave a great tour and history of totem poles. We took many tours while in Alaska and this was by far the most enjoyable one. You can’t beat having a private tour with a guide who is proud of his town and wants you to have a great experience.
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Jaking3
7/31/2025

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Jaking3

7/31/2025

This private tour is the best! Absolutely the best way to experience Ketchikan! Our guide Rick has lived in Ketchikan for over 30 years and was a font of local as well as Alaskan knowledge. Rick really cared that we have a great experience while in Ketchikan. The Honda Odyssey van was spacious enough for the four of us. Rick had pairs of binoculars and waters for us. He took us to a place to see black bears catching and feasting on salmon. We saw Bald Eagles and just missed seeing an orca. While on Creek Street, a black bear emerged from under a building to eat blueberries and huckleberries. We ate a few too after the bear moved on. Rick took us to a totem pole park and gave a great tour and history of totem poles. We took many tours while in Alaska and this was by far the most enjoyable one. You can’t beat having a private tour with a guide who is proud of his town and wants you to have a great experience.