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.
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.
