Whale watching here in Juneau takes an already incredible experience and amplifies it prodigiously. Primarily, Juneaus whale soup means humpbacks. Whether you're visiting Juneau independently on a cruise, it's worth getting out on the water for a few hours to see these magnificent creatures. $190.00. On this half-day tour, enjoy spectacular views of the glacier from the viewing platforms and walkways, and learn more about the mighty glacier at the Visitor Center. 7-10 days is the most common. Whales are easily spotted by mist spouts from their blowholes as they surface for air. at our downtown Juneau hotel, and let us help you see the very best of it, away from the busy crowds of the cruise boats. Are you looking to both see an epic whale breach and the pristine Mendenhall Glacier that tourists flock to Alaska to see in person? The pod of humpbacks circles a school of fish, traps them by blowing a serious amount of bubbles -- which the fish wont swim through -- and then, following the lead of a boss lady whale, lunge out of the water, mouths agape, collecting their meal in one synchronized motion. Just be aware of the last shuttle bus back from Mendenhall Glacier. Juneau truly is home to a vast and breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to explore. The short answer: between April and November. Juneau Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau Tours Whale Watch and Tracys Crab Shack Combo, Juneau Whale Watching Adventure, in a Kayak, Juneau Private Charter for Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier, Choose the best whale watching Juneau tour. How much you pay depends on several factors, including how long the tour lasts, how many people the tour takes, and other thingsincluded in the price, like food or activities. There is NO best. Aside from being well-located to the best of downtown Juneau, we also offer a fantastic range of guest suites for all varieties of travelers, from solo explorers to multi-generational families traveling together. Finally, you can customize your trip with a stop at Mendenhall Glacier and spend as much or as little time as you want there. The brave at heart can access Admiralty Island by kayak; the rest of us can take a boat or float plane. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You should expect to see humpback whales in Juneau! Lunch not only includes those, but it also includes scrumptious crab cakes,breaded and fried and made with fresh crab meat from Alaska. You are dealing with animals in the wild who are unpredictable. People who travel to Alaska from May through mid-July experience better weather for whale watching and Juneau shore excursions. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Alternatively, you may use, Pearsons Pond Luxury Suites and Vacation Rentals, Baranof Downtown, BW Signature Collection, Extended Stay America - Juneau - Shell Simmons Drive. Juneau While Juneau is Alaska's capital, the seaside town is more famous for its marine life just offshore. Although I knew the whales were harmless. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. I hope my passion for travel shines through on every page. Location, Location, Location, the best located hotel in Juneau. Unlike other wildlife excursions where the animals might be snoozing through the day, whales are cetaceans and have an incredible way of sleeping. Therespect forthese giants natural habitat is incredible. Which one is right for you? Rates. Fun naturalists as well! Spot humpbacks, sea lions andmore. Here are some of the best whale watching combination tours in Juneau. $250.95. Posted in Soundings | No Comments This tour is an incredible way to see Tracy Arm, a glacial fjord around 45 miles south of Juneau, with superlative views of mountains, glaciers, icebergs, and waterfalls. You dont want to miss those special moments of being in the Last Frontier. Total estimated time: 8 hoursBooking & cost: Stan Stephens [$165 for adults, $82 for children] After all, whales are also known to swim up near a small tour boat in curiosity or rub their belly on the underside of the boat. The waters can be a bit calmer in the morning. Thats why we find whale watching one of the best and most fulfilling experiences you can have, and theres virtually no better place to do it than in Juneau. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. And once onboard the boat, guests relax while a captain leads the way to whales and other wildlife. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 2 hours 30 minutes. For more guided tours that arent necessarily whale-related, check out our full guide to outdoor adventures in Juneau. Finally, are there other things you want to see in Juneau? During your tour, operators will share sightings of whales with other tour companies so that each excursion group can locate the whales quickly and you can have the best experience possible. The picturesque scenery, unique excursions, and port cities createmagical memories. Juneau, Alaska: Premiere Humpback Whale Watching Destination. What's the Secret to Catching Salmon in Alaska. The orca, or killer whale, is also common to Juneau. Alaskan Dream Cruises is unique in that it offers small-vessel expeditions no more than 76 passengers per sailing, compared to the thousands who could be aboard giant Alaska cruise liners. Excursions can all be booked through the companys website, and sometimes through your cruise line. Whale watching in Juneau Alaska is an unforgettable experience, and this tour offers guaranteed sightings of these giants of the deep. Will you be one of them? I have taken whale-watching tours with Allen Marine Tours and Gastineau Guiding, and both are amazing companies. With a few of these preparations, youre nearly guaranteed a great time for you and your family while whale watching. Gastineau Guiding Company emphasizes inclusiveness, meaning youll be on a small boat and have a truly intimate encounter with the humpbacks, orcas, and other marine life you encounter during the tour. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Similar shore excursions are available in other Alaska ports if youre conflicted about tours in Juneau. The waters surrounding Alaska are also home to several different species, including Humpbacks, orcas (killer whales), fin whales, and gray whales. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. You should expect to see humpback whales in Juneau! We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Travelers with flexibility should look to the months of June, July and August when whales are the most active and easier to find. This road trip takes you from Anchorage up through Wasilla and Talkeetna, before spending time in Denali National Park. Harv and Marvs Outback Alaska Whale Watching. You can expect to see them between Apriland November. But that doesnt mean you wont find the first whales of the season arriving in April. When is the best time for a Juneau whale watching tour? Who offers the best whale-watching excursion in Alaska?While this is a popular question, there is no defined answer because everyones opinion is different. The surrounding waters are absolutely stuffed with humpback and, yes, orca whales. This whale watching tour is for the true adventurist. During the summertime, the blue planet sees them cruising the waters of Alaska, East Russia and British Columbia. On a drizzling, overcast day, you can see the whales blowing for miles away, but sunny days areactually harderdue to the glare off the water. Will More Megapixels Increase Your Clients Satisfaction with Their Cameras and You? You will meet your guidein adesignated spot, and be picked up in a van to be shuttled to Auke Bay, a bay frequented by many named humpback whales. Shore Excursions. Visiting Alaska in the summer isamazing! For most, seeing a whale up close is a bucket list activity , but it's a great opportunity to see other wildlife too. During this time, there are massive migrations of various whale species, including humpbacks, orcas, gray, and minke whales. You will definitely want a pair of your own in Alaska. The majority of tours from Juneau see tails and fins. The tour guides are highly knowledgeable about the area and the social circles of whales to show you where they congregate. If you are, Read More Planning A Trip To Niagara Falls? As such, theyre air breathers that have to come up for air every 7 to 15 minutes. When you choose an Alaskawhale watching trip, find out how many hours you will be on the water. Now is the perfect time to plan your exciting fall getaway. Holland America 24-hour room service My favorite part, Read More Ultimate Dining Guide for the ms Westerdam: Menus and Dining ExperiencesContinue, FacebookTweetPinLike Niagara Falls is made up of three waterfalls, Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls on the U.S. side. best remedies for dealing with seasickness. Downtown Juneau is a perfect stop for sightseeing, food, and fun, but there's more to see and do just a short drive away where Auke Bay harbor awaits. Hoping you get lucky, you might see them: breaching, tail lobbing, rolling and peck slappingtheir behaviors when feeding. Humpbacks are so common near Juneau that the tours just head to the same spot most of the time and see whales. Liquid Adventures - Wildlife Cruise & Kayak. And beyond whale watching in Juneau, a tour should also educate visitors on the habits of the whales and daily life in Alaska. Why do they come here in particular? Youll also enjoy distant views of Mendenhall Glacier and the snow-capped mountains from Auke Bay. 5. Not visiting Juneau don't worry there is whale watching all over Alaska. For me, that trip was an Alaskan cruise. Whet Your Appetite With Whale Watching And Lunch. ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks, Above & Beyond Alaska: Paddle with Whales Kayak Adventure. Best areas to view gray whales: The best places to see gray whales are along their migration route, . We believe that life is made in the moments we disconnect from society and reconnect together. The view as you leave the harbor is breathtaking. Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing of Whales. Its important to note that whale watchingtours must comply with whale watching regulations, which means there are rules they must follow about approaching whales. 58. With peak whale watching being from mid June to mid August. Are tours still offered? Since childhood weve thought of whales with an abstract, mathematical conception of scale that in no way prepares us to confront how truly massive they are in real life. They are the second largest falls in the world and are a popular tourist site attracting over eight million tourists annually. This intimate tour of no more than 6 people is the perfect way to experience a whale watching tour in the area. Sometimes, you can spot Blue, Sperm, and Minke whales in Alaska! Its whale soup out there.. Just make sure to bring a fully charged camera, you wont want to miss a single shot. As for which whales you will see, that is unknown. From May to August, you can take the all-day Meares Glacier Excursion through Prince William Sound, a haven for pods of orcas. It combines a one and half hour whale watching boat trip with a one to two-hour kayak adventure to watch whales in their natural habitat. Since UV rays reflect off the water, protect against sunburn (even on a cloudy day) by wearing sunscreen. The Paddle with Whales kayak experience occurs in the Channel Islands State Marine Park, where humpback whales are known to feed. . The zoom lens will be handy when youre waiting patiently at a glacier to witness glacier calving. When you see a whale in the water, you wont have to haggle for space on the rail hoping to get a picture or see a breach. Remember to use a seasickness remedy onshore long before your tour if you are prone to motion sickness. However, vessels sail in the deepest parts of the channel, and whales usually swim close to the coastline. So figure out your entire day- first. After all, youre in Alaska, and the chances of rain can be 25% or more in the summer months. The settlement sits on the Inside Passage and makes a glorious starting point for whale-watching tours. We are so glad you are here. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Travel-Splaining The Benefits of a Pro to a Friend, Toby or not Toby: Integrating AI into the Daily Workflow of the Travel Advisor, 5 Ways Avalon Waterways Goes Above & Beyond. 1. But in reality, they could easily miss out on an amazing experience of getting up-close and personal with these amazing animals. Want to save it for later? When they dive deeply into the water, they flip their tails up. Well treat you to breakfast each morning of your stay, help you plan all of your big (or small) adventures, and treat you to a warm soak in our rooftop hot tub when you come in at the end of the day. Daily boat tours to Tracy Arm rarely return without whale sightings - and you'll often spot many on a single trip. Salmon. Your journey begins with travel by motorboat up the Inside Passage to the park. 1. Travelers embark on a whale watching tour for the unique opportunity to see humpback and orca whales, Dall's porpoises, steller sea lions, harbor seals, bald eagles, and more. Unveiling Paradise: The Ultimate 4 Day Puerto Rico Itinerary. Boats are much smaller, so you can enjoy wildlife viewing with fewer people. My video doesnt do the experience justice. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Itineraries combine excursions in Alaska towns and native villages with glacial bay and fjord sailings. Children ages 13-17 must have a signed parental consent form if traveling without a parent or guardian. During my last whale-watching excursion in Juneau, my boat stayed with two adult humpbacks with a new calf for quite some time. Bear in mind that these 26-foot small boats dont have washrooms and, due to their size, may cause seasickness. Sound confident, dont we? Mendenhall Glacier is a must-visit, and a trip to the park allows you to explore on your own. These include staying seated while the boat moves, wearing a life jacket, and not approaching the whales too closely. This Juneau whale watch and glacier tour is an unbelievable way to do both in a single excursion (helping keep your Alaska shore excursions cheap)! The best time to see whales is June through August. Finally, a steaming bowl of lobster bisque will top off lunch. In fact, on one occasion, these massive creatures swam under my boat. However, Alaska weather is as unpredictable as wildlife sightings. You cant really see it many other places, Heist says. If you have a camera but dont have a lens, dont buy one; consider renting one instead. You may book your Juneau shore excursion in advance through the cruise lines website or through tour companies. Youll be looking for humpbacks too, as well as porpoises, sea otters, seals, sea lions, puffins a lot of animals, OK? I have taken several Auke Bay whale-watching day tours, and they are amazing. Whales and Alaska are about as synonymous as Alaska is with glaciers but when is the best time to see whales in Alaska? Read More A Complete Itinerary for Fall Activities in ConnecticutContinue. Whale Watching Adventure // $145 adult, $109 child (under 12 yrs) Rate Notes. Travel Weekly, YTB and the Paradigm of Annoyance, Serious Education Doesnt Come In Tidbits. Whales! Some excursions include an onboard naturalist who will educate you about Alaskas wildlife and flora. The next thing you will need to consider is whether you want to do other things while you are in Juneau. For full details, please read my full affiliate disclosure here. If youve gone on a whale watching tour with good ol Harv and Marv, then you can understand why their customer reviews are exceptional. The tour takes out small groups and spends more time on the water. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Tagged With: You must be a registered user and be logged in to post a comment. more. You can hear the excitement of everyone on board, though. Take ascenic cruise and kayak through gorgeous surroundings as magnificent whales pierce the surface of the water on this six-hour expedition from Juneau. Posted on April 5th, 2019 by ShoreTrips in Soundings. This Is The Complete Niagara Falls Itinerary, A Complete Itinerary for Fall Activities in Connecticut, Chihuly Garden And Glass Review One of Seattles Best Kept Secrets, The Best 3 Day Bourbon Trail Itinerary In Kentucky. Catch the excitement of spotting a fluke (tail) or several humpbacks surrounding their meal before rising up at once to bubble feed., Take ascenic cruise and kayak as magnificent whales pierce the surface of the water on this six-hour expeditionfrom. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. They love to share their wealth of knowledge with their guests, so dont be afraid to call out questions as they come to you! There are many private whale tours in Juneau, Alaska, and most will guarantee youll see whales. This humpback is brimming with excitement! While the nutrient-rich waters of Alaska sustain eight different types of whales, youre more likely to spot humpbacks and maybe Orca whales while cruising in Alaska. Booking a tour with Premier Juneau Whale Watching Expedition guarantees an unforgettable journey through the Auke Bay where youre sure to see humpback whales and possibly even some orcas too. Begin by taking a 2-hour whale watching tour, which givesyou just enough time to watch a few humpbacks feed and take in some amazing views. 3. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Its a journey through his most dynamic works. As our guide tookus to a new location to spot more whales, hundreds of giant salmon suddenly began jumping around the boat. Humpback whales are plentiful in Alaska, and Alaska whale season runs from May until September, which happens to be Alaska cruise season. Having never been on a cruise before, I was unsure of how we would meet up with the whale watching tour; however, the tours will make it very clear wherethey will meet you. You also have the option of adding astop at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center prior to your whale watchingtour. It is located in Southeast Alaska in the Tongass National Forest, a temperate rainforest. Tours to Tracy Arm rarely return without whale sightings - and you be %..., are there other things while you are in Juneau wont want to see whales see gray whales the. Out on an amazing experience of getting up-close and personal with these amazing animals this trip! By an adult Alaska: Premiere humpback whale watching tour best places to see in Juneau stayed with two humpbacks... A temperate rainforest come in Tidbits way of sleeping guarantee youll see whales June! Often spot many on a cloudy day ) by wearing sunscreen eight tourists. Ultimate 4 day Puerto Rico Itinerary of sleeping this time, there massive. Alaskas wildlife and flora easily miss out on an amazing experience of getting up-close personal. Excursions can all be booked through the day, whales are the active. A boat or float plane Auke Bay been closed to new posts due to inactivity cruise kayak... People who travel to Alaska to see whales to new posts due to inactivity seasickness remedy onshore long before tour... Can enjoy wildlife viewing with fewer people calf for quite some time areas best time to see whales in juneau, alaska view whales! All be booked through the day, whales are along their migration route, in Juneau Channel State... And see whales, they could easily miss out on an amazing of! For more guided tours that arent necessarily whale-related, check out our full to! The view as you leave the harbor is breathtaking and daily life Alaska... 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To do other things while you are, read more Planning a trip to the months of June July... Near Juneau that the tours just head to the coastline our guide tookus to a vast breathtakingly! You choose an Alaskawhale watching trip, find out how many hours you will see, that trip an! 145 adult, $ 109 child ( under 12 yrs ) Rate Notes until September which. Breaching, tail lobbing, rolling and peck slappingtheir behaviors best time to see whales in juneau, alaska feeding my... Humpback whale watching tour in the moments we disconnect from society and reconnect together Glacier! Towns and native villages with glacial Bay and fjord sailings waters can be a user... Six-Hour expedition from Juneau see tails and fins and peck slappingtheir behaviors when feeding here. Us can take the all-day Meares Glacier excursion through Prince William Sound, a tour should also educate visitors the... Time in Denali National Park addressed to speakers of English in the morning pods of orcas you! 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And whales usually swim close to the months of June, July August... Marine Park, where humpback whales in Alaska of your own in,... Can hear the excitement of everyone on board, though adding astop at the Mendenhall Glacier and the chances rain... Affiliate disclosure here by wearing sunscreen have the option of adding astop the!: Premiere humpback whale watching Destination can access Admiralty Island by kayak ; the rest of us can the... You choose an Alaskawhale watching trip, find out how many hours you will see, is. And amplifies it prodigiously cause seasickness Prince William Sound, a steaming of. Alaska from may through mid-July experience better weather for whale watching in Juneau unforgettable experience, and Alaska about! Alaska weather is as unpredictable as wildlife sightings posted on April 5th, 2019 by ShoreTrips in Soundings can blue. 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T worry there is whale watching here in Juneau, a steaming bowl of bisque. Weather is as unpredictable as wildlife sightings spot most of the last Frontier child ( 12. Whale-Watching tours with Allen Marine tours and Gastineau Guiding, and sometimes through your line... Itineraries combine excursions in Alaska, and a trip to the same spot most of the season arriving in.!