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Chilkoot Wilderness and Wildlife Viewing - Skagway Departure

Chilkoot Wilderness and Wildlife Viewing - Skagway Departure

Overview

Leave the crowds of Skagway behind and visit Chilkoot Lake State Park in Haines.

Your tour begins with a high-speed catamaran ride along the steep-walled fjords which connect Skagway to Haines. Over a dozen unnamed waterfalls drop hundreds of feet from both sides of the boat. Upon arrival in Haines, you will meet your knowledgeable guide for a drive to Chilkoot Lake State Park.

This park has it all: a turquoise lake surrounded by snowy mountain peaks, a salmon-filled river flowing into the sea, and important Tlingit cultural sights. Bald eagles, harbor seals, and brown bears are often seen here.

City: Skagway

Thu 03 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $270.00

Make a reservation

Thu 03 Jul

Starting at $270.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Transportation and Fare on Haines/Skagway Fast Ferry

Lunch consists of a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, fruit, freshly baked cookie and water. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available with 48 hours advance notice.

Driver/guide

Port pickup

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
A minimum of 2 people is required for tour to run
At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the name of their cruise ship and Hotel guests must provide the name of the hotel or B&B.
Not accessible to motorized wheelchairs.
Your tour includes a portable lunch. It consists of a turkey sandwich on organic whole wheat bread, fruit, freshly baked cookie, and bottled water. Vegetarian and gluten free options are available with 48 hours advance notice.

What To Expect

Haines

Visit a true naturalist’s paradise - Haines, Alaska. Haines boasts some of the most pristine wild country in Southeast Alaska. Your expert naturalist guide will share their knowledge of this area’s unique wildlife, plants, and ecosystems.

Chilkoot River

In May, June and July, the wildflowers are at their peak and eagles are busy caring for their young on the nest. Beginning in late July, the river fills with migrating salmon, while brown bears come down to the river’s edge to feed. As the number of salmon in the river increases, the likelihood of seeing bears down along the river increases, with a good probability of bear sightings from early August through late September.

Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Area

As you drive through the park, your guide knows the best places to stop for scenery and the possibility of wildlife spotting. Your guide is equipped with a powerful spotting scope to bring the wildlife in close, and your guide will help interpret the behavior of the various wildlife and explain how the animals fit into the Chilkoot’s complex ecosystem. Make sure you bring your camera to take advantage of the numerous photo opportunities.

Fort William H. Seward National Historic Landmark

Fort William H Seward overlooks the Port Chilkoot Cruise Ship Dock. Built by the US Army in 1904, the fort has a storied past and is now privately owned and maintained.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (51)

Michelle_B

Jul 2024

Met a great family and loved the ferry ride to Haines. We thought we would see SOMETHING for wildlife for the price. Absolutely only 3 eagles in Haines. It was a 6.5 hour tour and we could have seen more at port. $250/person is way over priced.

Response from Host

Jul 2024

I am sorry to read this review. When I read it, I take you to be saying that the tour was not worth it because you didn't see a bear. If you had seen a bear, the tour would have been worth it. But the problem is, we never guarantee wildlife. We do guarantee that you will see a beautiful natural area and learn about the envirnoment. You will break away from the crowds of Skagway and you will be treated with respect and kindness. I am sure that is what you received. Our price reflects the complexities of the geography and the various steps it takes to get you to our destination. You say you would have seen "more in port" but what does that mean? You mean you would have seen more in Skagway? How do you know? What would have seen there that would have compared with the Chilkoot Wildlife Corridor? I have found that we are so good at making the experience seamless hat some guests don’t appreciate what it takes to put this tour together. It starts with our meet and greet service on the dock in Skagway. Skagway has multiple docks and it has become fairly complicated to figure out where to go once your ship arrives. We streamline the process and have a dedicated agent there to meet you. If you have any issues, we have staff in our office standing by the phones to make sure you do not miss your connection with the Fast Ferry. We provide transportation from the ship dock to the Fast Ferry and then check you in with the Fast Ferry agent. The next part of the journey is a 45-minute ferry ride along the steep-walled fjord linking Haines to Skagway, a beautiful trip in its own right. Upon arrival in Haines, our naturalist guide meets you and you board our small airport-shuttle style bus. Our guides scout the area in advance and know the best places and times to maximize your chance of seeing wildlife. This tour includes several stops in Chilkoot Lake State Recreation area, and typically includes an exclusive stop at some private property we have access to at the mouth of the Chilkoot River. When we find wildlife, we set up a high-quality spotting scope and also provide quality binoculars for our guests to use. We also include lunch. At the end of the Haines portion of the tour, we return you to the Fast Ferry and , upon arrival in Skagway, provide transfer service to get you back to your ship. You mentioned the cost of this tour. Besides all the costs associated with the tour as I’ve described above, it's important to note that our tours have a maximum of 14 guests per vehicle. Many other companies use 40-passenger buses, and they can charge less per person because of the volume. Rainbow Glacier Adventures stresses quality over quantity. We offer a premium product at a fair price. I am proud of our reputation and stand behind my guides 100 percent.

karirR1252JH

Jul 2024

There are just too many awesome things about this tour to list. The ferry ride had beautiful views all the way to Haines. When we got there we easily found Chad and began our adventure. We saw eagles, mountain goats, a sea lion and a bear. It was amazing! Thanks Rainbow Glacier Adventures for making all 10 of us happy!

Response from Host

Oct 2024

Thanks for this great review. I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the entire experience. I also like that you mentioned that you easily found Chad. It is important to us that the trip logistics run smoothly, so that we can maximize the value of your time spent with us.

Y7580JYangelaa

Jul 2024

We saw a mountain goat through binoculars and that was it, until someone spotted a bear raiding a rubbish bin, and that was the highlight of the whole trip for me.

Response from Host

Jul 2024

This review is a bit hard me to understand. Our guides rely on feedback from our guests to make sure they are communicating well. We run small group tours, our guides are very approachable, and it is my hope any guests who feels the guide is speaking too fast let the guide know. After all, communication is a two-way street. As far as seeing bear on our tours, we are very clear that wildlife sighting are not guaranteed, and we make every effort point out that you are unlikely to see a bear along the Chilkoot River until the pink salmon start running in August. The area is beautiful, bountiful and fascinating and worth visiting any time of year. But please be advised that if you come on our tour in before August 1st expecting to see a bear, you will likely be disappointed. Even after that date, bear and other wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.