Best Tours for Whale Watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska

Have you been Thinking About Going Whale watching in icy strait point, alaska? I’ve Got You Covered!

Icy Strait Point is a cruise port in Alaska that’s most commonly visited during Inside Passage cruise itineraries. Icy Strait Point is located on Chichagof Island near the Native Tlingit town of Hoonah. Though there are several fun adventure-filled excursions and things to do in Icy Strait Point, there’s a special reason whale watching is the most popular excursion on the island.

 Whale watching excursions are usually available in almost every port along the Inside Passage (including Juneau and Ketchikan) but what makes Icy Strait Point the best whale watching port is its close proximity to Point Adolphus. Point Adolphus is home to the largest summer population of humpback whales in all of Alaska! Humpback whales are drawn to the nutrient-rich waters to feed during the summer months as part of their annual migration patterns. If seeing whales in the wild is high on your bucket list, you’ll have the best shot at spotting them in the waters off of Icy Strait Point on a whale watching tour.

Aside from humpback whales, the waters around Icy Strait Point are also home to orca whales, and even occasionally gray whales. Of course, the waters and surrounding areas are teeming with other unique marine life like seals, fish, and birds.

I’ve been to Alaska 4 separate times over the last few years, and I’ve been on 3 Alaska cruises. Whale watching is continuously one of my favorite excursions to book for an Alaska cruise, and I’ve had the best experiences with whale watching tours in Icy Strait Point. But don’t just take my word for it! I’ve combined my years of knowledge and experience with that of the input of friends, family members, and others to compile a list of the best tours for whale watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska. Without further ado, keep reading below for the top Icy Strait Point, Alaska whale watching excursions!

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Not only is this the longest tour for whale watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska at 4 hours in total length (with 3.25 hours out on the water), but the tour also features small boats with a maximum passenger count of 6!

Plus, another great thing about this tour specifically is that for travel parties of 6 there is no extra cost to turn the excursion into a private tour. You’d just book all 6 slots for the specific day and time you want, and voila! It’s a private tour with just your travel party onboard. This is a super awesome feature about Vivid Endeavors because other companies will sometimes charge a “private charter” fee or you’d have to book out the whole boat (an average large or mid-sized whale watching catamaran can hold between 15-30+ people).

Another great feature about this tour is that they offer free cancellation in case your trip or itinerary changes. As long as you cancel at least 24 hours before the tour’s start time, you’ll get a full refund through Viator. Alaska cruises sometimes run into patches of bad weather, and itineraries can change based on weather conditions. It’s great to know that this tour offers free cancellation in the event of an itinerary change or another matter. Plus, if you need to cancel because of an itinerary change they’ll do their best to rebook you on the day you’re set to arrive in Icy Strait Point!

2. Whale Watching with Drone Viewing (Operated By Alaska Whales And Drones)

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | 📹 BONUS: USB video included | ✅ Book it!

The obvious selling point of this tour is that not only do you get to go out on the water to see whales from aboard a smaller vessel (no more than 14 passengers), but you actually get to see the whales and watch them from above, too! This is made possible by the use of a drone to view real-time footage of whales bubble netting, fluking, and swimming in the waters off the coast of Hoonah and Icy Strait Point.

The main thing to note here is that this tour does not replace the traditional whale viewing experience; rather, it supplements the experience by providing a unique perspective that other tours can’t! I love this feature.

Plus, each travel party gets to take home a souvenir USB drive with footage from their specific whale watching excursion (yes, you’ll see yourself on the boat in this footage!). The drive also features clips from other whale watching tours they’ve led with clips of whales feeding, breaching, and doing other cool whale things. The video is roughly about 20-25 minutes in length with all footage included. No other tour company in Icy Strait Point offers this to my knowledge, so it’s a cool tour to experience first-hand.

🤩 Check Prices and Availability for this Alaska Whales and Drones Tour!🤩

3. Whale Watching & Wildlife Excursion (Operated by Glacier Wind Charters)

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH:  3.5 hours | ✅ Book it!

Glacier Wind Charters’ whale watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska is continually noted as one of the best whale watching tours in the whole state of Alaska! They have a cult-like following with return visitors booking excursions through them time and time again.

This Icy Strait Point Alaska whale watching tour is the second-longest excursion on this list at 3.5-hours long. The tours run on smaller boats with no more than 13 passengers onboard the vessel.

Something important to note with this specific tour is that it sells out pretty quickly because of its popularity. Several dates for the 2024 Alaska cruising season are already completely sold out. If you’re interested in this specific tour with Glacier Wind Charters, you need to book it ASAP! Do note, though, that all sales are final and they do not offer free cancellation.

One of the other features I love about Glacier Wind Charters is that it’s family owned and operated. This makes it feel a bit more special in my eyes, and it’s nice to support a family business.

🤩 Check Prices and Availability for this Glacier Wind Charters Tour!🤩

4. Hoonah Whale Watching Cruise (Operated by Hoonah Travel Adventures)

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✅ Book it!

This excursion, like the others listed above, focuses on whale watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska and takes travelers out on the water surrounding Hoonah and Icy Strait Point to catch a glimpse of whales in the wild. This tour is on a larger vessel that holds up to 30 passengers, but it is also slightly less expensive compared to small vessel tours because of this. Either way, you’re sure to have a fun time and hopefully see some whales!

When I visited Alaska for the first time, this was the excursion I booked to go whale watching in Icy Strait Point, Alaska! The ship is definitely a larger vessel but the captain still did an awesome job at getting us up close to the whales. My first time seeing orca whales and humpback whales in the wild was on this tour!

🤩 Check Prices and Availability for this Hoonah Travel Adventures Tour!🤩

5. Icy Strait Point Kayak Tours (Operated by Fairweather Kayaks)

⭐️ RATING: 5/5 Stars | ⏳ TOUR LENGTH:  2-3 hours | 🚣‍♂️UNIQUE FEATURE: Kayak tour! | ✅ Book it!

While technically this isn’t a whale watching cruise on a traditional vessel, I included it on this list because there is still a good shot you’ll see whales on this tour. Even if you don’t see whales, you’re sure to see an abundance of other wildlife and marine life during this kayaking excursion.

To my knowledge, this is the only kayaking tour in Icy Strait Point. Considering Hoonah and Icy Strait Point are already extremely remote and quiet, kayaking in the waters off the shore is a great way to truly experience the rugged beauty of Alaska and all she has to offer. Plus, being in a kayak means that you’re able to tread through the water more quietly. Some of the engine sounds of larger motorized boats can sometimes scare away wildlife. By embarking on this kayaking adventure, you won’t run into that issue!

There is a maximum of 12 travelers permitted on this tour at a time, so slots are likely to fill up quickly. Everything you’ll need is provided: life jackets, paddles, kayaks, and spray skirts are all included. The only things you need to bring along with you are your wallet (for ID and tipping) and your camera or binoculars!

🤩 Check Prices and Availability for this Fairweather Kayak Tour!🤩

icy strait point, alaska whale watching Tips

My number one tip for anyone going whale watching in Alaska is to bring their camera and binoculars. During my first Alaskan cruise, I didn’t pack my camera and instead relied on my iPhone to take photos. This worked out fine until my phone died and I didn’t bring my portable charger on the excursion with me. Thus, I only captured a few low-quality photos from the beginning of the tour and I regret it! I saw orca whales jumping out of the water and would have loved to have gotten a high quality photo or video of that moment.

Don’t forget your binoculars either! Even if you have a camera or phone to zoom in, sometimes it’s fun just living in the moment and watching. Luckily, even though my phone died I did still bring binoculars so I could see the whales zoomed in. My only additional tip on this would be to bring one pair of binoculars per person in your travel party. My partner and I only brought one pair of binoculars and we found it a bit frustrating handing them back and forth when one of us wanted to see the whales. Just bring an individual pair of binoculars for each person to avoid this frustration.

Another tip for travelers interested in whale watching from Icy Strait Point is to eat a big meal prior to your excursion… but give yourself enough time to digest so you don’t get sea sick! If you are prone to sea sickness, I highly recommend taking motion sickness medication before the tour. The smaller vessels can experience a lot of movement in choppy waters, and you will be sloshed around a little. Most tours only provide hot cocoa and light snacks (some don’t provide refreshments–research that ahead of time!), so don’t come hungry.

You also need to dress in layers and be prepared to wear your warmest coats and hats during a whale watching tour. If you brought heavy winter gear, you’ll want to bring it and wear it during the whale watching excursion. Even if you haven’t worn your warmest layers the whole time on the cruise ship, the frigid air and cold waters in this remote part of Alaska will require you to keep yourself warm.

You can find my curated list of everything you’ll need to pack for your Alaska cruise here!

FAQs About Whale watching in icy strait point, alaska

How much does it cost to go whale watching in Alaska?

Whale watching tours can be quite expensive ranging from $190 per person to $300+ per person. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the per person price of a whale watching excursion including vessel size, tour length, number of passengers, area remoteness, whether food and beverages are served, and how much time on the water travelers get to experience. Keep these factors in mind when planning and booking your whale watching excursion in Icy Strait Point!

How much should I tip on an Icy Strait Point, Alaska whale watching tour?

On top of the price of the tour, tipping is highly encouraged. You will want to bring cash for the tip portion and provide it at the conclusion of the tour if you were satisfied with the experience. How much you tip is totally up to you and based on how you value the experience you had, but a good rule of thumb is between 10%-20% of the tour price.

If your tour cost $200 per person, I’d recommend bringing between $20-$40+ in cash for each person in your travel party to tip the crew. If you’re traveling on a private charter tour, I’d recommend tipping slightly more.

If you don’t want to bring your purse or backpack on the tour for fear of it getting wet, you can wear a waterproof money belt for your cash and ID underneath your clothing to keep it dry.

Is Juneau or Icy Strait Point better for whale watching?

This is highly contested but, honestly, I think Icy Strait Point is better for whale watching excursions. If your itinerary doesn’t feature time in Icy Strait Point and you really want to see whales, definitely still book a whale watching tour in Juneau! However, if your itinerary features both Juneau and Icy Strait Point, I’d recommend doing your whale watching excursion in the latter port. Plus, there are tons of other highlights in Juneau, but the main draw of Icy Strait Point is primarily whale watching.

For ideas on how to spend your port day in Juneau, check out my post on the top 35 things to do in Juneau, Alaska!

What is the best month for whale watching in Alaska?

The peak of the humpback whale migration season is typically from June through August, but whales can be spotted in coastal Alaska throughout the late spring, summer, and early fall months (late April through late September).

I’ve done 3 Alaska cruises and I’ve seen whales as early as the first week of May through the beginning of September. Most Alaska cruises fall in that window anyway, so you should have no trouble spotting some whales and other neat marine life and wildlife during your voyage.

What should I bring on my Alaska whale watching tour?

As I touched on earlier in this post, you absolutely need to bring the following things with you on an Alaska whale watching tour: wallet (with cash for tips!), your camera, a pair of binoculars, and a waterproof, insulated coat. I’d also recommend wearing other cold weather items such as a beanie, mittens, and several warm mid-layers.

Don’t wear anything that could go flying into the water if the wind is against you while on the boat (scarfs, loose shawls, loose head wraps, etc.). Not only would it be a bummer to lose these items but when they fly off of your body, they’re likely flying into the water and disrupting the fragile ecosystem that whales, fish, seals, otters, and other wildlife need to survive.

I shoot with a Sony a6000 mirrorless camera, but any digital camera with a zoom lens of some sort will likely do the trick. I also use my iPhone 15 Pro, which has a great camera.

Do you get wet on Alaska whale watching excursions?

There is a high likelihood you’ll get wet during your excursion. This is mostly because as the vessels leave Icy Strait Point they’re going fast to get you out into prime whale watching territory off the coast. There is usually some backsplash, particularly on the front and sides of the vessel. Most boats have interior seating, so I recommend staying inside for the beginning portion if you don’t want to get wet.

You should plan to pack a rain jacket, too. The tours don’t just stop if rain starts. They’ll still take you out to explore and spot whales unless the weather is unsafe. It rained a bit during my first whale watching adventure, but I was able to stay out on the open deck with great visibility because I packed a rain jacket.

Why are whales attracted to Icy Strait Point?

Whales (humpback whales especially) love the waters surrounding Icy Strait Point for a variety of different reasons!

There is an abundance of food here that whales love, including small fish such as herring and krill. This attracts the whales to Icy Strait Point to feed during the summer months. Plus, the shallow coastal waters near Icy Strait Point and Hoonah provide ideal conditions for feeding because whales can easily access their prey closer to the surface.

The waters around Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, and Point Adolphus are also relatively sheltered compared to the open ocean, which provides a calm environment for whales to feed and rest. The shelter available in these areas also attracts whales seeking refuge from rough seas or inclement weather.

Icy Strait Point and Hoonah are close to Point Adolphus, which lies along the migratory route of humpback whales coming from their winter breeding grounds in warmer waters further south. It’s said that Point Adolphus is one of the best places to witness humpback whales in the wild during the summer months in Alaska. Point Adolphus is roughly 30 miles from Icy Strait Point, and many whale watching tours head in this direction to give travelers the best chance of spotting whales during the summer months.