Orca Cove Sea Kayaking
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
This small-group guided wilderness sea kayaking and boat tour is perfect for anyone who has dreamed of kayaking in Alaska. Escape the crowds (Max 6 guests per tour) in town and spend all of your tour time on the water. Roundtrip boat transportation from downtown Ketchikan to Orca Cove. Explore rain forest islands and sheltered coves by sea kayak with fun, knowledgeable guides. Enjoy a spread of local smoked salmon, hummus and other snacks along with hot beverages or a cold Alaskan beer before returning to town by boat.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Sea kayaking requires a moderate level of physical activity. It is not recommended for guests with back problems, limited upper body strength or anyone who is prone to seasickness. In addition to paddling a kayak, guests need to be able to climb short sets of stairs; walk to the departure point; climb on and off the office boat; ascend and descend a short ladder; and sit on the dock or loading platform to get in and out of kayaks.
A maximum of 6 people per booking
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
If you imagine Alaska as a place to get away from it all and enjoy the serenity of the wilderness then Orca Cove sea kayaking is the tour for you! The entire 3 hour experience is on the water. A 20 minute fast boat ride is an excellent way to escape the crowds in Ketchikan and potentially spot marine life before we even get to the kayaks. When we arrive at our 57' catamaran in Orca Cove you'll meet your guide and get geared up to paddle the beautiful islands and coastal coves. The true highlight of the Orca Cove tour is exploring the secluded coves and rainforest islands up close and personal from sea kayaks with your knowledgable guide, although the snack of local smoked salmon and hummus from our favorite local cafe' on board the mothership after paddling is ranked a close second by many of our guests. After paddling and snacking, enjoy another boat ride back to town. Keep your eyes peeled! Tour Highlights: Small boat cruise to and from Orca Cove 1.5 - 1.75 hrs wilderness sea kayaking Explore islands and watch for wildlife Friendly, professional and knowledgeable guides Only 6 guests per group Smoked salmon, dip, hummus, crackers, veggies, hot beverages, Alaskan Beer.
What‘s Included
Drybags for guest cameras etc.
Professional guide
Alcoholic Beverages
Life Jackets, Waterproof Jackets, waterproof Bibs and Pogies
Smoked salmon, dip, hummus, crackers veggies, hot & cold beverages
Local taxes
Gratuities
Bring a cap, warm hat, scarf or neck buff.
Options
Orca Cove Sea Kayaking
Reviews
322 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing kayaking in Ketchikan
courtneyaQ9820MT,,Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Kayaking was amazing!! David guided us through the beautiful waters and shoreline of Ketchikan and I will never forget it. We were first met by Matt who geared us up and welcomed us on his catamaran. David gave us so much great info about the area and you could tell he loved his job and the area. After our beautiful and peaceful paddling we went back to the catamaran for some delicious smoked salmon and salmon dip. We loved our experience. Also, the owner, Devon, is so awesome and has so many great stories about the area and a real love for beautiful Ketchikan. I loved how there are only 6 people on the excursion and I made it a more intimate setting. Don’t miss this experience!!
Orca Cove Kayak Adventure
chuckg324,,Sep 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00David, Matt and Devon were fantastic. Kayaking in the coves was absolutely beautiful. What a great way to experience Alaska. They are an enthusiastic and well prepared group that gave us a wonderful experience.
The Best Part of Our Cruise
torin309,,Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I don’t think I’ll ever stop talking about this kayaking experience! We started the day with our incredible guide Forrest. He mentioned other guides were currently out chasing a pod of whales that had been in the area for a couple of days. It’s very clear how knowledgeable these guides are and how much they love these animals. No more than 10 minutes after we got in the water, the whales came up right near us. There was a good 20-30 minutes that the whales were really close and we heard them singing multiple times, it was beautiful. Forrest took excellent care of us. Not only did we see whales, seals and sea lions, but he showed us some starfish and sea urchins, as well as nearby eagle nests. At the end of the tour, we were provided a plethora of delicious snacks and drinks. This was worth every penny spent and I’d highly recommend it to anyone! It was a once in a lifetime experience!!
Best kayak tour I've ever done
K1216MJkatieo,,Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our kayaking trip and guide were absolutely incredible! We got to see multiple different types of wildlife and get relatively close to all of them, and our guide was so knowledgable about the animals in the area. Forrest was amazing and I'd love to book here again whenever I come back!
Whales up close!
jilliano378,,Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Easily the best day of our whole week in Alaska. Forrest was an amazing guide; we saw so many whales and could hear then singing!!
Amazing
Shannon H,,Sep 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing experience! While crossing the water to our excursion, we spotted the Deadliest Catch boat — the Aleutian Ballad! ⚓️🐟 Sea kayaking in the North Pacific along Icehouse Cove was stunning. We saw sea stars, moon jellyfish, bald eagles, and even a sea slug. Wrapped up with some local beers and smoked salmon dip. Amazing guides and friendly people.
Perfect paddle
Courtney B,,Sep 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide was terrific, with interesting info and a keen eye for eagles. The scenery was spectacular and the snacks and beer after really hit the spot. Our shuttle boat driver took extra time to help us spot whale sprays, (I saw 5) and tails. Unfortunately we didn't see any humpbacks, but it was a great paddle nonetheless. Highly recommended!
Average tour with minimal knowledge of the area
theresa c,,Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00The weather couldn't have been better and the views were amazing however we arrived exactly at 8:00 a.m. and they were just about to leave! We weren't even late! Once we were on the kayaks I had a HUGE sea creature come next to me and when I tried to share with our guide he seemed to not care at all and continued to talk about his life. Really nice young man but we were hoping more of a "naturalist" to explain the area and point out more things during the trip. I guess we had much higher hopes since the reviews were high. We didn't see anything else during our trip besides some beautiful mussels at the end since my sister and I are boaters and spotted them. When we shared that we saw them, he again didn't seem to care. I wish the other kayakers were able to see them so just surprised he didn't point them out since they were so close to the starting point. I have traveled the world and would definitely say this was just an average excursion. It could have been a LOT more if more effort was taken.
Fantastic tour, definitely do this
Michelle W,,Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a brilliant day out kayaking with my partner and our tour guide AJ. AJ you are such a knowledgeable guy and your passion for the wildlife and marine life is catchy. You took us to great spots and we saw so much. We saw a cheeky seal who was very curious of us. Saw many sea lions and one caught a salmon and was thrashing it around above the water, and ate it. We saw so many different star fishes and sea urchins. Black tail elk and deers on the island. It was easy kayaking around all the islands. We did about 5 mile and we’re in our 60s. Forest was our pick up guide and bus driver. He arrived on time and answered all our questions and explained a lot about the way of life in Alaska. Very knowledgeable and great guy. Definitely do this tour as it was a highlight for us cruising in Alaska. Being up close to nature and the marine life was brilliant. Keep up the great work guys xx
A great experience
LeAnn C,,Aug 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It is a peaceful, low stress beautiful experience. All the guides were amazing and attentive. Loved it.
From US$195.00
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Operated by Orca Cove Alaska Outdoor Adventures LLC