Five hours. Your own boat. Your own guide. Incredible wildlife and the wild edge of Sitka Sound.
Duration
5 Hours
Group Size
Up to 6 Guests
Starting At
$2,000
Explore the Wild Side of Sitka, Alaska
This is the full experience. Five hours on the water with your own crew, your own route, and the time to go deeper into Sitka Sound than any other tour allows.
Your route and pace are fully flexible, guided by weather, tide, and your own interests. Spend more time photographing wildlife. Follow a pod of whales deeper into the sound. Push toward remote islands and hidden coves that shorter tours never reach. The day is shaped by your curiosity and the conditions of the coast.
Lunch, snacks, and hot drinks are served onboard throughout the day. With a private heated vessel, expert naturalist, and USCG-licensed captain, this is the deepest way to experience Sitka Sound in a single day.
All tours depart from Crescent Harbor, steps from the cruise shuttle drop-off at Centennial Hall. Dress in layers and bring a camera. We provide everything else.
Meet your crew on the northeast side of Centennial Hall, facing Crescent Harbor. Look for the bright gold Sitka Wonders jackets. Flexible departure time based on your group's schedule. Quick safety briefing and you're off.
Five hours gives you the time to go where shorter tours can't. Your captain and naturalist follow the wildlife, the weather, and your interests. Humpbacks feeding in open water. Sea otters in the kelp. Eagles hunting along remote shorelines. We push deeper into the sound, past the islands that mark the edge of most tours and into the quieter waters beyond. Lunch and hot drinks served onboard whenever you're ready. No rush. No fixed route. The day belongs to your group.
With more time on the water, the experience shifts. The pace slows. We move through remote channels, tuck into hidden coves, and spend unhurried time with whatever the coast reveals. This is where the sound opens up and the sense of wildness deepens. Some guests photograph. Others just watch. The crew adjusts to what your group wants from the day.
An unhurried return through the sound. We cruise close along island shorelines on the way back, catching what we missed on the way out. More wildlife, more quiet coves, more of whatever drew your attention during the day. Back to Crescent Harbor with plenty of time before your ship departs.
Every trip is shaped by tide, weather, and wildlife. No two are exactly the same.
Who We Are
Sitka Wonders is a family owned wildlife tourism company founded by Emmy-winning wildlife filmmaker Ben Hamilton. After nearly two decades filming Alaska's coast for National Geographic, BBC, Smithonian and more, Ben built a company to share the magical experiences that made him fall in love with this wild coast. A business that doesn't focus on bucket lists, but about connecting visitors with a truly healthy ecosystem and inspiring wonder in curiosity in our lives.
The Sitka Wonders staff and crew bring real ecological knowledge, years of field experience, and a deep connection to these islands and waters. They know where wildlife gathers, how tides shape behavior, and which quiet coves hold something worth slowing down for. But more than knowledge, they bring a way of paying attention that changes what you notice and how you feel on the water.
Pack your sense of wonder and come experience the wild edge of this magical coast.
Full refund with 48 hours notice. At 5 guests, private costs the same per person as joining a group. At 6, private is the better deal. Tours on larger cruise ship days fill quickly, so reserve early.
Wildlife varies by season and day, but humpback whales are frequent visitors to Sitka Sound from May through September. We also regularly encounter sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and a variety of seabirds. Our guides know where to look and adjust the route based on current activity. While sightings are never guaranteed, the richness of these waters means most trips include multiple wildlife encounters.
Every day is different. Depending on the season and conditions, we often encounter humpback whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, bald eagles, puffins, and other seabirds. On longer tours, we reach more remote waters where encounters are often quieter and closer. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but Sitka Sound is one of the richest marine environments in North America.
We run rain or shine. Some of the best wildlife encounters happen on overcast days. The boat has a warm enclosed cabin with panoramic windows, so you stay dry and comfortable. If conditions are ever unsafe for travel, we will cancel the trip and offer a full refund or the option to reschedule.
You can cancel up to 48 hours before your tour for a full refund. Cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. If we cancel due to unsafe weather, you receive a full refund or the option to reschedule. We recommend booking early as tours fill up quickly during cruise season.
Meet your crew at Crescent Harbor on the northeast side of Centennial Hall, facing the harbor. This is steps from the free cruise shuttle drop-off. Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Look for the Sitka Wonders crew near the dock ramp.
Your group gets the boat to yourselves for the full 5 hours. Lunch is a relaxed picnic on a remote beach with fresh sandwiches, local produce, snacks, and hot drinks. Departure time is flexible based on your schedule. Your guide adjusts the route based on your interests, whether that means more wildlife photography, more beach time, or following whales deeper into the sound.
A picnic lunch on a wild beach with fresh sandwiches or wraps, local produce, snacks, and hot drinks. Dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice.
Yes. We build every tour around your ship's schedule with at least a 90-minute buffer before departure. In over 1,000 tours, we have never had a guest miss their ship. Our meeting point at Crescent Harbor is a 1-minute walk from the cruise shuttle drop-off, making the return quick and easy.
Call, text, or email. If we don't answer, we're out on the water, lost in a little wonder ourselves. We'll call back as soon as we're back in signal range.
Call or Text Us
(907) 759-5034Or email us at info@sitkawonders.com
