We’ve been exploring the magic of Kenai Fjords since 1978 — we’re leaders, trail-blazers and the most experienced company in the area. From the waters of Resurrection Bay to the distant fjords and glaciers, a lifetime of passion and adventure comes together with every tour.
Your adventure in Kenai Fjords begins at the harbor in beautiful Seward, Alaska. Check in at our central office and enjoy the sights and sounds of the lively waterfront. When it’s time to board, head down the dock to your vessel, where you’ll be greeted by our team of deckhands.
The journey begins as you sail out of the Seward harbor—watch for the resident bald eagle and seals! From here, different tours take different directions. As Resurrection Bay opens into the rugged Gulf of Alaska, our exploration into Kenai Fjords National Park deepens.
No matter the tour you choose, you’ll have plenty of wildlife-watching opportunities, see stunningly craggy coastlines, meet our enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of deckhands, learn and discover along with our passionate captains and explore the majesty that is Kenai Fjords.
From the mighty (humpback whales and orcas!) to the tiny (puffins!) you can see them all on our tours. Sea otters, Dall’s porpoises, Steller sea lions, harbor seals and loads of whales—it’s a marine mammal delight out here in the waters off Kenai Fjords.
In the sky above, keep an eye out for bird life—like bald eagles, black oystercatchers, graceful murres and those adorable orange-footed and ginger-beaked puffins.
We are passionate about whale watching and wildlife spotting in Kenai Fjords. It’s what gets our hearts pumping each and every day. Our captains take you on a full-time search for wildlife and our deckhands come loaded with insights and stories to share. Discover how the Kenai Fjords are alive. And keep your cameras ready!
Kenai Fjords whale watching is an adventure in both patience and adrenaline. Our captains and deckhands have a deep passion for and knowledge about these majestic creatures and the clean waters they visit each summer. We frequently spot humpback and orca whales, often in pods. Sometimes they’ll breach. Sometimes they’ll playfully slap their fins and other times they’ll ever-so-gracefully show their flukes. You may even spot some bubble-net feeding!
Fin whales, gray whales, minke and sei whales have also been seen in the waters off the coast of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Whales can be curious and playful. They can gather around our boats, or we can glide to the side of them—always maintaining a safe distance, of course. Sometimes, it’s like they’re smiling for the cameras!
Seeing a tidewater glacier up close is a thrill. Located in the remote and remarkable corners of coastal Kenai Fjords, this is where blue waters meet giant walls of ice.
In Kenai Fjords National Park, over half of the landmass is covered by the enormous Harding Icefield, a thousand-foot block of ice that dates back to the last Ice Age. The Harding spills out in all directions in the form of glaciers. Some stretch northwest into rugged hills of the Kenai Peninsula. Others—five of them, to be exact—reach as far as the sea along the craggy coast of the Gulf of Alaska.
The Northwestern, Holgate and Aialik tidewater glaciers can all be seen with Kenai Fjords Tours.
Looking up from the deck of your boat, you’ll also see the enormous white gems that are the park’s alpine glaciers. They are formed on the many mountainsides and push slowly down, through the valleys.
Valley glaciers are nestled in valleys and don’t reach the sea. Often, they terminate in large, freshwater lagoons. The Bear valley glacier, seen on Kenai Fjords Tours, is the largest glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Kenai Fjords Tours operates the largest day cruise fleet in Southcentral Alaska, including three custom-built, 82.5-foot catamarans: the M/V Aialik Voyager, the M/V Orca Voyager and the newest vessel in the fleet christened in 2015—the M/V Callisto Voyager. Designed for wildlife and glacier viewing, a smooth ride, environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency, the catamarans use up to 40 percent less fuel than older vessels.
The 9 ships in the fleet hold up to 150 passengers and feature multi-level, walk-around viewing decks, spacious heated cabins, large windows, comfortable indoor seating for all guests and a snack bar. All vessels are restroom-equipped and the newer vessels, as well as the recently, renovated Fox Island Day Lodge, were designed to accommodate guests with limited mobility.
Kenai Fjords Tours has made a commitment to environmental sustainability, implementing a program to recycle used motor oil on all ships and by disposing of waste from the vessels at the dock instead of through a marine release whenever available at the Seward Harbor. The company also utilizes an alternative energy system on Fox Island, recycles at all its facilities and has switched to light timers and energy efficient bulbs at all locations.
The Kenai Fjords Tours Fleet is Adventure Green Alaska certified. Adventure Green Alaska (AGA) is a voluntary certification program of the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) for sustainable tourism businesses operating in Alaska that meet standards of economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
