Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing of Whales
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Whale watching in the wild and pristine waters of Icy Strait, where Humpback whales are abundant and sighted on every trip, with small business owner Captain Josh! Otter and Steller Sea Lions are also very common, with Orcas, Brown Bears, and other wildlife frequently sighted!
Owned and operated by our own Captain Josh, he will be your personal guide as he navigates the wilderness waters of Icy strait. What makes his tours special is the energy he has and the creative ways he finds to show you his beloved wildlife, so that you can really see and appreciate these creatures with him, and to make every tour amazing.
His 14 passenger vessel was designed specifically for whale watching on Alaska's waters, and will provide a safe and stable viewing platform for you. He also provides the one truly Drone-integrated whale watching tour in the world, providing you with views and videos of wildlife that are truly unique, and at the end of it, you get to take the footage from your tour home!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Soda/Pop
USB drive with Drone Shots of Whales! (one per group)
Snacks
Gratuities
What To Expect
You will travel out into Icy Strait with company owner Captain Josh in his small 14-passenger boat, and seek out wildlife, such as Humpback Whales, Orcas, Coastal Brown Bears, Sea lions, seals, and more! He has a 100% success rate with finding Humpback Whales on tours! His custom boat is also designed to give you excellent indoor and outdoor viewing of wildlife. During the course of our 3-hour tour, while you are enjoying views of marine life from the boat, we will ADD to your viewing experience by deploying a professional filmography drone from the boat, and film the wildlife from above. You can be watching a mother whale and her calf from the boat, and on our way in watch what they and all the other wildlife was doing from above! We understand how incredible the connection with the wildlife is, and that's why we try to give you an additional viewing perspective, but one that doesn't detract from what's happening. It adds to the tour, without losing anything! Seeing the whole whale swimming through its environment, watching calves playing with their mothers, or orcas swimming in their pods, is only made better with the extra drone's perspective!
Options
Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing of Whales
Pickup included
Reviews
388 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
GREAT EXPERIENCE & SO WORTH IT!!!!
kathymB8519WP,
Oct 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Although this excursion is a bit more than others I've seen, IT IS WORTH IT!!!! The thumb drive I was given at the end of the trip made all the difference, because the overhead videos were incredible. Our captain and assistant were great, taking us as close as legally possible to humpbacks, sea lions, and sea otters. The drone could get much closer to the wildlife than what we could due to distance regulations (protecting the wildlife). This adventure was the epitome of my cruise to Alaska.
We went on this whale...
nancy a,
Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We went on this whale watching tour in Early September . It was a fantastic experience The owner and captain of his boat was so friendly and informative. We saw tons of whales sea otters, harbor seals sea lions so much . We were a small group only 10 of us and you could stand outside the front and back. The best was receiving the drome video on a pen drive or directly to your phone . Worth every penny
Definitely get the tour with drone - so worth it!
bonniemL6614HI,
Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Josh and Jamie did an awesome job with this tour! We were delighted to see humpback bubble feeding and then an unexpected pod of 5 Orcas! The drone footage is amazing, I'm so glad I chose this tour!
Excellent Excellent Lifetime Memories with Captain Josh!!!
G5999ZQgp,
Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Experience of a lifetime led by Captain Josh, an amazing amazing guide, who is both able and willing to go the distance to ensure you make an extraordinary memory. Really a superior to be in a smaller boat with a sincere & knowledgeable Captain Josh. Hands down best experience of our trip!
A+ tour
familyinlouisiana,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very professional. Josh and Andrew teated us like family and were excellent. Found at least 12 whales for us to see. Enjoyed every second of this excursion. Worth every penny to us!
Fantastic experience!
Carla L,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic experience! Josh was a great captain and tour guide. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and knew where to find the whales! The drone footage is an incredible bonus to this tour. This did not bother us at all and I am only mentioning it so that others are prepared.....There are no drinks or snacks available so plan accordingly. We brought our own so it was a nonissue. I would highly recommend this tour. Whales are a must see in Alaska! Thank you Josh for taking such good care of us.
Worth the bucks!! Must do activity
Elle L,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Captain Josh was really informative and knowledgeable, he brought us to wherever there are animal sightings. We saw orcas, humpack whales, porpoises and otter. As the captain said "You see what everyone else sees, and you get what everyone else doesn't" It was the drone footage, super clear videos of everything we see on boat. Makes such great memories
BEST tour of the vacation!
Cynthia D,
Sep 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What an absolutely amazing day! Instead of the 250 people on the excursion boat from the ship, we had 10 people on a small boat. Our captain was so knowledgeable and spotted whales before we were able to. We saw whales, seals, sea otters, porpoise and a harbor seal. Amazing how close we could get-able to stand in the front or the back of the boat so there were no blocked views. The drone videos of all were saw were awesome and they gave a flash drive or sent it to all I Phones. It is a day I’ll never forget and I would gladly do it again!
Don't think.. just book it! You won't regret it. My Alaskan dreams came true!
rachrosalee,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you’re considering this excursion... stop thinking and just book it. This was hands-down the highlight of our entire cruise. Captain Josh and his assistant Jamie were phenomenal—knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. They knew exactly where to find wildlife and stayed in constant communication with other boats to make sure we didn’t miss a thing. We saw it all: seven humpback whales bubble feeding, breaching, and swimming together, three orcas that swam right under our boat, bald eagles on the islands, an otter cracking open a crab, a bear catching and eating salmon in the river, plus seals feasting on salmon. It was absolutely spectacular—like a front-row seat to nature’s best show. The boat itself was the perfect size—small enough to feel intimate, with no crowds or pushing for the best photo spot. As a photographer, I left with a full heart and unforgettable memories. And the drone footage? 1000% worth it. It set this tour apart from anything else we could have booked. Truly the best bang for your buck. While we were originally nervous about not booking through the cruise line, Josh reassured us about getting back to our cruise on time, and he’s never had an issue—we made it back without any stress. This excursion left me with a “nature high” that I’ll never forget. Book it—you absolutely won’t regret it! I walked away feeling like I had truly experienced Alaska, and nothing else on our cruise could top it. For the rest of the trip, I was able to relax knowing I had already witnessed the best. Extremely satisfied. Thank you Captain Josh!
The best of the watches!
Karen M,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Incredible Captain Josh is a wealth of knowledge. Of 6 whale watches this year, this was the best experience! His boat holds about a dozen people so good views are everywhere. The drone video is a wonderful bonus and souvenir.
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Operated by Alaska Whales & Drones Tours