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Ketchikan Culture Tour: Discover Native Heritage
4.8
16 Ratings
Ketchikan
Immerse yourself in Native Alaskan culture on a private tour in Ketchikan. Learn about the rich history, traditional practices, and stunning totem poles while exploring the wildlife and natural beauty of this vibrant city.
Immerse yourself in Native Alaskan culture on a private tour in Ketchikan. Learn about the rich history, traditional practices, and stunning totem poles while exploring the wildlife and natural beauty of this vibrant city.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ketchikan - Travel to Herring Cove to observe bears in their natural habitat. Just a short distance away is Beaver Falls, where the refreshing water flows through the lush green forest. As the journey continues along Tongass Narrows, there will be stops for capturing memorable photos. The Salmon Ladder is a must-see during the salmon spawning…
- Ketchikan - Travel to Herring Cove to observe bears in their natural habitat. Just a short distance away is Beaver Falls, where the refreshing water flows through the lush green forest. As the journey continues along Tongass Narrows, there will be stops for capturing memorable photos. The Salmon Ladder is a must-see during the salmon spawning season, reminiscent of scenes from the Discovery Channel. Potlatch Park, a replica of a native village, is owned and operated by a Tshimpshian/Haida family. This site was historically a fish camp for natives. Explore their museum, totem carving center, and a clan house that reflects the heritage of the ancestors.
- Herring Cove - This area is ideal for wildlife viewing, offering the best chance to see bears on the Island from mid-June to early September, coinciding with the salmon run. It’s a favorite spot among locals.
- Rotary Beach - A beloved spot for both locals and visitors, this beach is perfect for exploring marine life during low tide and beachcombing. Discover fascinating sea creatures and edible seafood! Remember to bring a camera, as whale sightings from the shore are always a possibility.
- Tongass Narrows - Experience the scenic Tongass Narrows, a marine highway bustling with fishing fleets, whales, and eagles often seen soaring or perched atop trees.
- Salmon Ladder - This popular saltwater swimming area and beachside park offers fun for all. Named after Martin Bugge, a Norwegian miner, it invites visitors to beachcomb for seashells, unique driftwood, and beautiful sea glass.
- Totem Heritage Center - Explore the museum housing 33 un-restored totems from Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimpshain villages. Inside, admire native artwork by local artists and feel a deep connection to the native ancestors.
What's Included
- Bottled water provided
- Bottled water provided
Additional Information
Join a tour with local guides to explore the native culture and history of Ketchikan. Guests have the option to visit Totem Poles for an additional fee per person. Wildlife is integral to many Alaskan tales, and Ketchikan is home to diverse animals such as bears, eagles, deer, wolves, and mountain goats. Salmon is vital to the local economy, with five…
Join a tour with local guides to explore the native culture and history of Ketchikan. Guests have the option to visit Totem Poles for an additional fee per person. Wildlife is integral to many Alaskan tales, and Ketchikan is home to diverse animals such as bears, eagles, deer, wolves, and mountain goats. Salmon is vital to the local economy, with five species earning Ketchikan the title of Salmon Capital of the World. As the first city on the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska, Ketchikan offers attractions like Bugge’s Beach, a favorite among locals for beachcombing. Discover shiny rocks, unique shells, and beach glass to take home while learning about marine life. The tour includes stops at breathtaking sights, perfect for capturing memorable photos of your visit to Ketchikan. Book now and enjoy your adventure in Ketchikan!
Location
Alaska Airlines - Ketchikan
Come across the ferry to the Ketchikan side and I will be lined up in parking lanes like a cab/other vehichles.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(16 Ratings)
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241anon
Sep 8, 2024
A perfect day in Ketchikan - We have had an amazing tour with Lisa today as part of our Alaskan adventure! Within 30 minutes of meeting us we saw our first bear of the trip! Lisa then drove to another area and sure enough another bear passed by, in time for amazing photo capture!
Lisa provided us with lots of detailed information about her area, fun facts and historical detail. The visit to Potlatch Park provided a fascinating insight into times past.
This was a memorable tour and we are so grateful to Lisa for sharing so much information with us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole_k
Aug 24, 2024
Fabulous journey to see Ketchikan - both old and new with a delightful guide. - Our tour was absolutely amazing! We heard stories about Donna and Lisa’s family who are originally from Ketchikan. We had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Diane_f
Aug 23, 2024
Best tour/tour guide in Ketchikan - Lisa was the absolute best! She customized our tour to us and what we wanted to do. We wanted to see bear. They didn't come out while we were there but Lisa wouldn't give up. She took us places no other tour co went to and all of a sudden there he was. We saw a black bear. She followed him while he kept stopping, looking back at us and posing. It was really cool. She taught us so much about Ketchikan and took us to some beautiful places with great photo ops. Everytime we got out of the vehicle and would jump onto her fb group to see if there were any whale sightings so we could see a whale. She truly cares about providing the greatest experience
Review provided by Viator
Linda_f
Aug 17, 2024
Finding Alaska - Lisa generously shared her knowledge, her humour and wisdom. The overall experience - from bear watching to exploring the vibrant history and contemporary traditions of Tlingit and other indigenous culture - lifted our hearts and minds. Many thanks for all.
Review provided by Viator
Pattykq9950cp
Aug 1, 2024
Amazing tour and tour guide - Lisa was amazing! So warm, friendly and informative. We saw eagles and Bears! She drove us around to all the best spots to see gorgeous nature and learn about the town and people. Would highly recommend her and this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristyr939
Jul 15, 2024
Donna is great! - Donna, Lisa's sister, took us on our tour while Lisa was out sick. She was a wonderful lady with a lot of great information about the area of Ketchikan! We really enjoyed our time and Donna even offered to send us her homemade jam! Lovely tour, thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sfrats
Jun 23, 2024
Highly recommend! - Our tour with Lisa was a wonderful experience filled with knowledge of wildlife, history, Tlingit heritage and traditions. Lisa is very kind and eaccommodating in customizing tours to ensure her customers do all they want to do in Ketchikan. Highly recommend!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elisa_c
Jun 15, 2024
A date with the local native (Ketchikan)0 - Lisa our Local native tour guide is highly recommended ,knowledgeable about her cultural heritage she even sang a native song for us, we enjoyed her story of the symbolic meaning of Totem, history of the Ketchikan etc we are so glad that we booked this tour
Review provided by Viator
Adele_j
May 28, 2024
Going on a bear hunt - Lisa was very welcoming and firstly took us to look for bears pointing out lots of interesting places along the way & talking about the history of Ketchikan. The bears were hiding so we went to some other places (& waterfall and an eagles nest) but then went back to look for bears and we not only saw one but four !! A mama bear & her 3 cubs, how amazing!! Our final stop was Potlatch Totem Pole Park before she dropped us back in Ketchikan so we could have a mooch around before we needed to back to our cruise ship. Lisa never rushed us and gave us options of what we wanted to do/see. She was very knowledgeable about Ketchikan & its history, pointing out her childhood homes where she grew up.
Would not hesitate to recommend a tour with Lisa - she even entertained us with her drum and vocals
Review provided by Viator
Robert_h
Oct 6, 2024
Lost our money due to port cancel cruise company. - Due to weather conditions the captain of the cruise needed to cancel the stop in Ketchikan (Ward Cove). As the announcement came about 14 hour before the start of the excursion we couldn’t.cancel anymore. Tried by contact Viator, but they said sore the booking is already closed. So contacted the Lisa from the excursion. But the answer was that we need to ask the cruise company. Of course this is not how it works if you book your excursion by yourself. Yes, you take a risk by booking by yourself, that’s why you need to cancel at least 24 hours before. But if the captain cancel the port last minute, then I should be normal that you can cancel. Tour companies also can cancel last minute when weather condition are worse. Still hope aviator or the tour company will refund us.
Review provided by Viator