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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

Fri 11 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $270.00

Make a reservation

Fri 11 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)

Peter_M

Aug 2023

Waist of time and a lot of money. We saw 3 bears and our guide, Chad was not going to stop to view them. He said the tour guides had an agreement that they would not stop on the road. He finally stopped because he knew I was very disappointed with the entire experience. We walked to a place where alot of people were standing on the road, photographing the bears. Our guide Chad said if they come closer, we need to get back to the van. They moved a little closer and Chad yelled “get back to the van!!” I had to make my way thru about 20-25 other people photographing the bears, to get back to the van. All the bears wanted to do was to catch fish, they did not even notice all the people photographing them. Bottom line do not waste your precious time or hundreds of dollars on this disappointing tour!!! If you do waist your time, hopefully you do not get Chad as your guide.

Response from Host

Sep 2023

I am sorry to read this review. It is true that we are not allowed to stop in the middle of the narrow Chilkoot Lake road to view bear. Alaska State Parks require that we keep our wheels moving when on the road. In the few pull-outs where we can stop and get out of the vehicle, we advise our guests that safety is our number one concern. If our guide determines a situation to be unsafe, he firmly instructs our guests to return to the vehicle. As a visitor to Alaska with no experience around brown bear, you looked at a situation where there were lots of people standing around viewing the bears and assessed that the situation was safe. You did know that most of those people were on their own viewing bear with no guides and no experience assessing brown bear behavior in the wild. We have seen tourists chasing bear with their cell phones trying to get a better photo of the bear. We have seen people with walkers trying to hurry back to their vehicles when the bear turn in their direction. We have seen groups of people blocking bear from crossing the road to get into the forest. Our guides are trained in assessing bear behavior and managing groups in bear country. If our guides deem a situation to be unsafe, everyone must return to the vehicle. Chad has a Master’s degree in Aquatic and Population Biology and spent years working around brown bear as a Fisheries Biology for the National Park Service in Glacier Bay, Alaska. I stand behind Chad and all my guides as true professionals committed to safety and environmental education.

Pat_H

Aug 2023

Our guide, Garrett, did a great job of finding eagles and seals but the most outstanding part of our tour was seeing bears at the weir across the river and watching the mama and her cubs all up the road toward us. We were safe in the bus.

Response from Host

Sep 2023

Thanks for this great review of your tour with Garrett. I especially appreciate that you mentioned that you felt safe in the bus. Safety is the most important part of any tour with Rainbow Glacier Adventures, especially when bear are in the vicinity. We have to balance maximizing your chances of seeing bear while minimizing the chance of a negative encounter. We always err on the side of caution and safety. It sounds like Garrett found the "sweet spot" and that is our goal.

paulzA5691LS

Jul 2023

Pat was an excellent guide. Very knowledgable and I was able to get some great wildlife photos. Had a wonderful time! Thanks Pat!

Response from Host

Aug 2023

Thanks so much for this kind review of your tour with Pat. We never guarantee wildlife, but we take you to the locations where you have the best chance of seeing wildlife. One advantage of going with Rainbow Glacier is that many of our guides are also professional photographers, like Pat, who are happy to share photo tips with you.