Sitka Up Close: Bears, Eagles & Totem Forest (Small Group)

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Step beyond the cruise crowds and discover the wild heart of Sitka on this easy, expertly guided shore excursion. This small-group experience brings together Alaska’s most iconic wildlife and cultural landmarks — from rescued bears and majestic bald eagles to the towering totem poles set within a peaceful coastal rainforest. Your journey begins with a scenic drive through Sitka, where your guide introduces the town’s unique blend of Russian history, Native culture, and untamed wilderness. Along the way, you’ll gain insight into daily life in one of Alaska’s most beautiful coastal communities. At the Fortress of the Bear, get an up-close look at rescued brown and black bears as they roam spacious natural habitats. Learn their individual stories and see their personalities come to life — a highlight for many visitors.

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2. Continue to the Alaska Raptor Center, where injured birds of prey are rehabilitated. Here, you’ll observe bald eagles and other raptors while learning about conservation efforts that help protect Alaska’s wildlife.

   1 hAdmission included

3. Finally, enjoy a relaxing walk through Sitka National Historical Park, home to one of the largest collections of totem poles in Alaska. Set among towering spruce and hemlock trees, this coastal forest trail offers a unique opportunity to connect with Native heritage while soaking in the peaceful surroundings. With convenient transport, a knowledgeable local guide, and perfectly balanced stops, this tour is designed to give you a deeper, more personal introduction to Sitka — all within your port time.

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Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 80 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 1SCAM ticket never arrived from operator

  I booked this months ago and never received a ticket. The tour operator has been unresponsive. SCAM.

  Megan_DAugust 2026via Viator

• 5Tour was great. The tour...

  Tour was great. The tour guide, Robbie, made it wonderful with his knowledge of the area and his stories

  Brian_GJuly 2026via Viator

• 1Don't waste your time unless you like untimely cancellations.

  I have no idea how this experience would rate because my group was cancelled the day before after booking this tour 5 months in advance. They're explanation was that they couldn't guarantee they could get us back to the ship on time. I made a reservation with another group that started almost 4 hours later and made it back to the ship with 2 hours to spare. My travel agent has yet to hear back from them either.

  670craigaJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 3Great trip, bad communication

  Trip was great. Highly recommend. However - the contact with the organizator was not enough, they have not answered any messages until the last two days when I was on the cruise and had to pay additionally 50 dollars for internet to download the info and ticket. I tried to contact directly as well via Viator. I did not have info about the beginning hour nor the voucher

  Agnieszka_GJuly 2026via Viator

• 2Not worth the money

  This is essentially a ride to a few places you could walk to plus one further away. While the guide was nice they didn’t really provide any information the staff at the venues couldn’t provide. This was a giant waste of our money. Would have been better off skipping the bears altogether and walking from the ship city shuttle to the raptor center & totem park.

  Lisa_WJuly 2026via Viator

• 5Definitely do this tour!

  Bears and Eagles. Soo up close. Never seen bears like this before. And the nature walk was soo beautiful and peaceful.

  Desiree_OJuly 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Sitka

• Its from-price is close to the median of the 48 experiences we list in Sitka.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 16 of 48.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Sitka

Sitka is a small island town on Alaska's Pacific coast, once the capital of Russian America, with onion domes, totem poles and a sound ringed by mountains.

Sitka sits on the west coast of Baranof Island in south-east Alaska, facing the Pacific across a sound dotted with islands and overlooked by the volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe. It was the capital of Russian America, known as New Archangel, and in 1867 Alaska was formally transferred from Russia to the United States on Castle Hill. The onion-domed St Michael's Cathedral and the Russian Bishop's House, built in 1842, recall that past.

Top-ranked sights in Sitka: Fortress of the Bear, Alaska Raptor Center, Sitka National Historical Park.

See all 48 experiences in Sitka