Private Multi-Day Alaska Wildlife Tours

Q: What wildlife will we see?

Humpback whales are present throughout the season and bald eagles are everywhere. Brown bears are most active on salmon streams from mid-July through September and can be seen grazing on sedges in early summer. Sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and dozens of seabird species are common all summer.

Q: Can I bring children?

Absolutely. These trips are wonderful for families, and we adjust the pace and activities to your group. Some of our most rewarding days have been with kids discovering tidepools and watching bears for the first time. Children should be comfortable on a boat for extended periods.

Q: What is the cancellation policy?

A 30% non-refundable deposit secures your dates and the balance is due 90 days before departure. If you cancel more than 90 days out, your deposit may be applied to a future trip at our discretion. We strongly recommend travel insurance.

Q: Is this trip physically demanding?

Only if you want it to be. This is a fully custom trip built around your group's interests and abilities. Our guides can hike with you for hours a day, or we can spend most of the time on the water. No hiking is required. Guests of all ages and fitness levels are welcome.

Don't just pass by Alaska. Connect to its wild heart.

Trade the crowds and the cruise schedule for five days exploring the wildest coast in Southeast Alaska on a private wildlife expedition for your group of 1-6. With your own dedicated boat, captain, and naturalist for the week, you follow the whales, bears, sea otters, and seabirds wherever the weather and tide lead while landing on remote beaches most visitors only dream of seeing. Each evening you return to Sitka for a good dinner and a comfortable bed.

Trip Highlights

A week of Wonder

Remote Access

Beyond the crowds

Our landing craft drops its bow onto beaches where no dock exists, and you walk down a ramp onto sand that may not have seen a footprint all season. From there we explore tidepools and old-growth forest that most visitors only ever see from the water.

Humpback whale surfacing beside the boat in Sitka Sound

Driven by Curiosity

Ignite your wonder

We move through the week with a desire for discovery and at a pace that leaves you in awe rather than exhausted. There is no schedule to keep and no signal to check, just time to watch, listen, and truly explore one of our planet's last great wildernesses.

Wild Encounters

A truly intact ecosystem

This coast is one of the richest wildlife habitats left in North America, and our whole job is to put you in the middle of it. We hold position beside feeding humpbacks, land where brown bears work the salmon streams, and idle past sea otter rafts and the seabird cliffs of St. Lazaria.

Immersive Moments

Ignite your senses

Don't just see Alaska: taste fresh berries in the forest, feel the wind on the bow at first light, and hear a bear walking down the beach before you see it. It's the moment you stop watching Alaska and start connecting with it.

Connected Experiences

Get to know the community

We connect you with the people who know this coast best: a marine biologist, a conservation leader who has spent decades protecting the Tongass, or a local artist or cultural educator. These are real conversations and hands-on experiences out in the field that go well beyond a lecture in front of a crowd.

Professionally Photographed

Remembered forever

We photograph your journey as it happens, from the bear on the beach to the faces of your group reacting. You can put down your camera, and soak in the wonder of it all. After the trip, we edit the best images into a hardbound photo book and deliver it to your door.

Team

Meet Your Guides

Ben Hamilton

Founder, Filmmaker, Guide

Ben is an award winning wildlife cinematographer who has filmed this coast for National Geographic, the BBC, and Smithsonian for nearly two decades. He founded Sitka Wonders to connect visitors with this place in a deeper way, and he guides our multi-day trips and photography add-ons.

Ellena Griffiths

Captain & Naturalist

Ellena is a USCG licensed captain and a trained ecologist with a lifelong interest in wildlife. Her enthusiasm for guiding is contagious, and she connects visitors to this ecosystem day after day.

Brandon Balestra

Captain & Naturalist

Brandon is a USCG 100-ton master with years on Southeast Alaska waters. He is a passionate guide who handles vessel operations and beach landings, and he knows the anchorages and shorelines of Sitka Sound intimately.

Your Expedition Vessel

MV Wonder Seeker

MV Wonder Seeker was built right here in Sitka to reach the farthest edges of this wild coast safely and comfortably. She was designed for the stability that filming and photography demand, has a warm enclosed cabin, and most importantly was built so visitors of all ages and abilities can walk right off the bow and into the heart of Alaska's wilderness.

Vessel Details

Custom-built 32ft x 11ft aluminum landing craft

Twin Honda 250 outboards with 250 gallon tank for extended trips

6ft drop-bow ramp with extender for beach landings

UltraDeck padded decking throughout for comfort

Heated cabin with panoramic windows and a large front deck

Marine toilet, charging outlets, and washdown stations

Reviews from the Field

In Their Words

Five stars from those who fell in love with Sitka

Humpback whale breaching near the boat in Sitka Sound

"If your goal is to check off sightings and move on, you might as well look at some videos. If you want to really experience the place, hire Ben and Sitka Wonders."

Joe, Montana

The Wonder Seeker anchored in a quiet cove near Sitka

“We were often the only boat in a cove, adding tranquility to the joy of the wildlife close encounters. At the end of the 6 days, we had new friends and we fell in love with Alaska.”

Rob, Michigan

Evening light over a quiet cove near Sitka

Guests stepping off the bow ramp onto a remote beach

“Ben and his team didn't simply show us Sitka. They gave the four of us our own Sitka.”

Paul, North Carolina

Tufted puffin in flight off St. Lazaria Island

“This was completely different from arriving on a cruise ship. We had our own expedition boat, captain and guides. Our land activities were private as well, and our schedule belonged to us.”

Alan, Illinois

“At one point, I was in the bathroom when a whale breached nearby. I saw it, raced outside. That pretty well sums up the trip: something exciting could happen at any time.”

Helen, Illinois

Guests and naturalist examining a tidepool near Sitka

Brown bear fishing a salmon stream near Sitka

PLan your Trip

Start Planning Your Wonder Journey

We run only a handful of Wonder Journeys each summer, one group at a time, and the calendar fills between October and March for the following summer. Tell us when you're hoping to come, how long, and what you're most curious about. We respond within 24 hours and schedule a call to learn what excites your group.

Thank you. We've received your inquiry and will be in touch within 24 hours.

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Prefer to talk first?
Reach out to us directly at (907) 759-5034 or
info@sitkawonders.com

Wonder Journeys FAQ

How do I get to Sitka?

Alaska Airlines offers daily flights to Sitka (SIT) from Juneau, Anchorage, and Seattle. Most guests connect through Seattle or Juneau. Flight availability increases during summer. We recommend booking early.

Where should I stay?

We help every group find the right accommodation in downtown Sitka, within walking distance of the harbor. Options range from vacation rentals to hotels. Most guests prefer a house or apartment they can call home for the entire trip.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Southeast Alaska is a temperate rainforest and rain is part of the experience. Our boat is fully heated with an enclosed cabin and marine head. Most days the temperature ranges from 50 to 65°F with light rain, so we always suggest layering. We adjust each day's itinerary based on conditions, always prioritizing safety and comfort. If weather is truly unsafe and we can't operate, we refund those days or allow you to apply them toward a trip at a later date.

What wildlife will we see?

Humpback whales are present throughout the season. Bald eagles are everywhere. Brown bears are most active on salmon streams from mid-July through September but can be seen grazing in the early summer. Sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and dozens of seabird species are common throughout the summer. It's a thriving ecosystem and we never quite know what each day will hold, but that's part of the magic.

Is the boat ride rough?

Our landing craft is extremely stable. The wide beam and aluminum hull handle Southeast Alaska waters well. Most of our time is spent in protected waters between islands. If you are prone to seasickness, over-the-counter remedies work well for most guests, and we build each day around your comfort.

Can I bring children?

Absolutely. These trips are wonderful for families. We adjust the pace and activities to your group's needs. Some of our most rewarding days have been with kids discovering tidepools and watching bears for the first time. We recommend children be comfortable on a boat for extended periods.

What is the cancellation policy?

A 30% non-refundable deposit secures your dates. The remaining balance is due 90 days before departure. If you cancel more than 90 days out, your deposit may be applied to a future trip at our discretion. We strongly recommend travel insurance.

When is the best time to come?

Every window from June through early September is extraordinary. June brings the longest days, incredible bird life, early bears, and returning whales. July has peak diversity with bears, birds, and marine life. August and early September bring the warmest weather and salmon runs and intense bear activity. There is no bad time.

Is this trip physically demanding?

It can be, but only if you want it to be. This is a fully custom trip built around your group's interests and abilities. Our guides can hike and explore with you for hours a day, or we can spend most of the time on the water searching for wildlife and exploring remote coves and beaches. No hiking is required unless you want to. We shape each day to your group's comfort level. Guests of all ages and fitness levels are welcome.

How is a Wonder Journey different from an expedition cruise or a small-group tour?

Expedition cruises like Lindblad National Geographic and UnCruise carry 20 to 100 guests, and small-group tours like Natural Habitat and Overseas Adventure Travel run parties of 10 to 16, so every day is shaped by the logistics of moving a large group. Wonder Journeys are fully private with a maximum of six guests. We keep a ratio of two staff to your group at almost all times, which means we can move quickly and maximize your time in the wild. There is no schedule to keep for anyone else: if the whales are feeding, we stay; if your group wants to walk a beach for an hour, we stroll. Many of our guests have traveled extensively and love these other companies, but they come to us for more depth and the expertise to deliver a truly unique week built around their group's abilities and interests. Priced per trip from $24,000, a Wonder Journey is comparable per person to many of these expedition trips, but with only your group on board.

Wonder Journeys

An Invitation to Wonder