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Rafting to Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve from Haines

Rafting to Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve from Haines

Overview

This is a small group rafting and scenic driving tour through the famous Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve with a scenic float trip (no whitewater) through the home of the largest bald eagle congregation in the world. Thousands of bald eagles travel here to feed on salmon in the fall and winter. In spring and summer watch for eagles nesting and raising their young.

City: Haines

Wed 09 Apr

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

Wed 09 Apr

Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

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

Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Minimum age 7 years
Maximum weight 250 lbs.
Cruise Ship Passengers, please provide ship name for meeting location. Hotel guests, please provide name of hotel for pick-up.
Minimum of 2 guests required for tour to run.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (50)

Iloveeatingout59

Jul 2024

Easy to book online with good communication prior to the trip. We were picked up from the cruise port in Haines & taken to a building where we were given wellies. We then drove to the starting point on the river, provided with all the safety gear and given an intensive safety talk before getting on the water. The 1 1/2 hour leisurely trip was wonderful with great commentary from our guide. We saw quite a few Bald Eagles..young, adult and their nests. Once we ‘docked, we were provided with a simple but substantial picnic before returning to the town. We would definitely recommend this tour!

Response from Host

Oct 2024

Thanks so much for this five -star review and overview of your rafting trip with us. The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is a special place and rafting is the best way to enjoy it. I'm glad you mentioned the bald eagle nests you saw along the river. The section of river we float has an impressive number of bald eagle nests. Lots of nest means lots of eagles which means lots of salmon and a healthy river! I also like that you mentioned the good communication prior to the trip. Our office staff is excellent and there are lots of logistics required for our trip. But our goal is for the trip to go smoothly for our guests and that is what happened on your tour. I am not sure if you are aware that I wrote the book, Where Eagles Gather, the Story of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Haines, Alaska. If you don't yet have a copy, you can find it at our Rainbow Glacier Adventures website. The book is a great way to learn more about the eagle preserve and I'm confident you'll enjoy the photos.

Carl_F

Jul 2024

Great raft ride. I was hoping for more wildlife. The river was extremely high from the warm days melting up on the mountains. I think it might have been early in the season (late June) if you expected to see bears.

Response from Host

Jul 2024

Thanks for writing this review because this allows me to provide more information about bear viewing in Haines. We rarely see bears on the rafting trip. The raft trip is about experiencing a wilderness river and learning and immersing oneself into the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. I wrote the book, Where Eagles Gather, The Story of he Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Haines, Alaskas. THe book is about the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and I am considered a local expert. I train all my guides so that they are capable of sharing more than generic information about bald eagles and Alaskan rivers; we want our guests to know and understand the story behind the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. It is truly a fascinating and unique place on our planet. The river is glacial-fed, wide and braided. Even though there are salmon in the river and bears feed on the salmon, the odds of seeing a bear on the raft trip are low. We do travel through a dense area of nesting bald eagles and the odds of seeing bald eagles on the raft trip is high. For those who come to Haines hoping to see bear feeding on salmon, the first piece of advice I will give is that the odds of seeing a bear before August is relatively low. From August to the end of September, the odds increase every day. This is because the more reliable bear viewing is on the Chilkoot River where the pink salmon begin to arrive in August. The run peaks in September and bear come down to the river to feed. Our Chilkoot Lake Nature and Wildlife VIewing tour is the trip with the best odds of seeing brown bear. So for your trip, you were on the wrong tour at the wrong time of year for bear viewing. It is important to me that we manage our guest's expectations, and I'm sorry that piece of information was not clearly communicated with you. The raft trip is amazing and valuable in its own right, but it is no way a bear viewing raft trip.

David_T

Jul 2024

Pleasant trip. Saw some birds and eagles. Enjoyed the bag lunch provided. Was dropped off at library as requested.

Response from Host

Jul 2024

So glad to see you enjoyed your time out on the Chilkat River with us. Thanks for mentioning our lunch. As you can imagine, getting supplies up to remote Alaska can be challenging. It took us years to find the right caterer and to select a bread with the right texture--not too dry, nor too tough. And something as simple as an apple can be challenging up here- we finally found an apple that is crisp and flavorful. And then there are those wonderful chocolate chip cookies! We also offer gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and kosher options. We will go out of way to accommodate special diets with advance notice.