Ketchikan Bear Encounter by Land and Sea 5 hr - Image 1
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Ketchikan Bear Encounter by Land and Sea 5 hr

TourTruth score 7.1 out of 10

Average

174 reviews · Rated on 2 providers · How we score

  • Ketchikan
  • 4 hrs 45 min
  • Updated November 2, 2026

Visit permit-access-only Neets Bay to watch wild black bears forage from a safe platform on this 285-minute Ketchikan wildlife tour.

About this tour

Visit a rare corner of Southeast Alaska where wild black bears gather along salmon streams and the shoreline. The Neets Bay Bear Observatory is closed to the general public and accessible only by permit, making this Ketchikan bear encounter a special opportunity for wildlife watchers.

Travel to remote Neets Bay and observe bears from a safe viewing platform as they forage in their natural habitat. The setting offers opportunities for photography and a close look at Alaska’s rugged coastal beauty. A snack is included, and the experience lasts 285 minutes.

Ketchikan bear encounter guests meet 15 minutes before departure: at the Ward Cove Welcome Center for Ward Cove ships, or at The Rock statue beside the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau for downtown ships. Ward Cove guests should not shuttle downtown, or they will miss the tour. Choose this Ketchikan bear encounter for a memorable look at Alaska’s wild side.

Highlights

  • Watch wild black bears forage along salmon streams and shoreline
  • View bears from a safe platform at remote Neets Bay
  • Capture photos in a permit-access-only bear viewing area

What's included

Included

  • Snack

Ratings on each provider

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Important information

  • Meet 15 minutes before departure at the Ward Cove Welcome Center for Ward Cove ships
  • Downtown ship guests meet at The Rock statue next to the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau
  • Ward Cove guests who shuttle downtown will miss the tour
  • Service animals allowed
  • Moderate physical fitness recommended
  • Not recommended for children under 5, pregnant travelers, or travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health

How this score is calculated

This tour scores 4.81 on Viator (GetYourGuide shows no usable rating). Ratings on these sites cluster near the top of the 5-star scale, so we compare each one with all other ratings on the same site before combining them.

How the score works and rating distribution in Ketchikan
  • Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
  • Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
  • Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
  • The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 7.1.

Provider rating distribution in Ketchikan

How many tours in Ketchikan have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.

  • GetYourGuide
  • Viator

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