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If you’ve ever dreamed of witnessing the majestic beauty of whales in their natural habitat, then a Juneau whale watching tour should be at the top of your bucket list. Imagine standing on a boat as it glides through the stunning Alaskan waters, with towering mountains framing your view. The anticipation builds as you await that breathtaking moment when a humpback whale breaches the surface or a pod of orcas frolics nearby. This experience is not just about spotting these magnificent creatures; it’s an adventure that immerses you in Alaska’s rich marine life and captivating landscapes. Keep reading to learn about one of Juneau’s best whale watching tours!
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
OVERVIEW OF THIS JUNEAU WHALE WATCHING TOUR
PICKUP & GETTING TO THE HARBOR
The tour beings in front of the the Mount Roberts Tramway where you hop onto a coach bus shuttle. From there, you will take a 25-30 minute ride to Auke Bay Harbor. During the shuttle ride to the harbor, your driver will provide commentary on Juneau and you’ll get to see some beautiful sights. On our ride, we were able to see several bald eagles and even salmon in the streams from a distance!
BOARDING THE BOAT
Upon arriving to the harbor, there is an area with bathrooms and a water fountain that you’ll have a chance to use before boarding your boat. There is a bathroom on the boat, but it’s recommended you go prior to boarding. Depending on your tour size, you will either have a 24 or 49 passenger boat. Both size boats do have an indoor (and heated) seating area with wide-viewing windows though! An of course, outdoor decks to view the whales when the boat is not in motion (for safety purposes.)
Truthfully, when I envisioned whale watching, I was thinking we’d be stuck in an outside boat where it would be cold and wet, but that definitely was not the case! The boat we were on was awesome!
WHALE WATCHING
After boarding the boat, the crew will go over a safety briefing and then bring you into Auke Bay. This bay is a common area for humpback whales to feed in the summer months. Depending on where they think the whales are (or where they were on earlier tours), you’ll generally have a little bit of cruising time before whales are sighted and you stop to observe them.
Every tour has a naturalist on board though and they will tell you all about humpback whales during the search. I’ll save most of the fun facts for your tour, but did you know that humpback calf whales gain 8-10 lbs an HOUR in the summer months when feeding?! Isn’t that crazy!
Once whales are sighted, the boat will stop and you’ll be allowed to go on the outside decks. One thing that impressed me with this tour company is that they are really into sustainability and responsible tourism. They are part of the Whale Sense Project and work with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to ensure they keep the whales safe. Because of this, they have an agreement to stay 100 yards away from the whales when the motor is on. However, the whales may choose to inch closer if they desire.
It’s most common to see humpback whales, but on rare occasions, orca whales are sighted too! I was lucky enough to be on one of those tours where we got to see several orcas and it was such a cool sight! Even if you just see humpbacks though, it’s still a really cool experience! This tour also guarantees a whale sighting (May-September) otherwise you’ll receive your money back!
DROPOFF
Unfortunately, after about 2-2.5 hours in the water, your whale watching will come to an end. They will bring the boat back to the harbor and you will take a shuttle back to the same place you were picked up (right in front of Mount Roberts Tramway.)
A common question one may have is if it’s safe to book an excursion externally from your cruise line. And the answer to that is yes for this tour. This tour guarantees they will get you back to board your ship in plenty of time. They also receive a constant stream of updates to the cruise ship timetables to know if a ship is delayed and will adjust tour times in the event of delays to make it stress free for you.
BOOKING YOUR JUNEAU WHALE WATCHING TOUR
Booking your Juneau whale watching tour is a straightforward process. You can click here to book your Juneau whale watching tour or you can click into the widget below.
Not only are you booking with a local company by taking this tour, but you are also saving money versus going through the cruise line!
PREPARING FOR YOUR WHALE WATCHING TOUR
Ok, so you have booked your tour using the link above and are now wondering what to bring on your Juneau whale watching tour. Here’s a list of items not to forget:
- Layers: With changing weather, it’s always a good idea to dress in layers to adapt to conditions quickly and keep comfortable.
- Rain gear: You never know what the weather will bring, so be prepared with a rain gear to stay dry if you want to see the whales from the outside parts of the boat.
- Camera: Don’t forget your camera to capture these beautiful creatures!
- Camera lanyard: If you are using your phone as your camera, it’s a good idea to have a lanyard for your phone just in case you fumble it. It would really suck to drop your phone in the water and lose all of your photos, so I recommend this phone lanyard for a safety barrier.
- Binoculars: This tour company is part Whale Sense Project and work with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to ensure they keep the whales safe. Because of this, they have an agreement to stay 100 yards away from the whales when the motor is on. Because of this, I recommend binoculars so you can enhance your viewing of the whales.
- Reusable water bottle: The tour was advertised as having water on board, but it was a faucet and they didn’t have any cups or water bottles to put the water in. I support the sustainability, but forgot my water bottle, so this is your reminder to bring yours so you aren’t dying of thirst for hours like I was. 🙂
- Medication: Consider bringing medication if you are prone to sea sickness. However, conditions inside the passage/bay are typically calm.
This Juneau whale watching tour promises unforgettable moments that will linger long after you’ve returned home. Each sighting holds its own magic and I hope you can experience it yourself!
Did you enjoy this blog on a Juneau whale watching tour? Feel free to comment below or check out more of my Alaskan blogs by clicking here.
This blog post may contain affiliate links, which are at no cost to you. It just helps support me so I can continue to put out free content for you like this! Thank you for your support!