Alaska book tours on your own?

[TinkerbellTris]

Has anyone booked tours in Alaska on your own using a tour company? If so, who did you use? I know Alaska excursions are expensive. We did an Alaska cruise in 2011 and I recall the sticker shock. But….some of these tour prices are OUTRAGEOUS. And we did a lot last time, and I see some of the same tours but they’re $100’s more now. I wanna just do things on my own but not sure who is a trusted tour provider. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Mathmagicland]

Has anyone booked tours in Alaska on your own using a tour company? If so, who did you use? I know Alaska excursions are expensive. We did an Alaska cruise in 2011 and I recall the sticker shock. But….some of these tour prices are OUTRAGEOUS. And we did a lot last time, and I see some of the same tours but they’re $100’s more now. I wanna just do things on my own but not sure who is a trusted tour provider. Any help would be greatly appreciated

What stops are you making?

 

[TinkerbellTris]

Skagway, Juneau , and Ketchikan.

 

[Flossbolna]

We did these two tours in 2023. Both were excellent.

https://chilkootcharters.com/yukon-bus/ They have several tours to the Klindike from Skagway. It’s a small bus, they don’t fill every seat, so place to spread out. We had a great guide, plenty of stops, most of them we were the only bus stopping there, so they know how to spread people out.

https://jayleensalaska.com/ whale watching in a small boat. Our guide was so knowledgeable and we saw loads of whales and other marine life.

 

[Mathmagicland]

in Skagway, Chilkoot Charters if you are interested in the train options or a road tour up to the Yukon. These folks are excellent, they are local to Skagway.

https://chilkootcharters.com/

If you do the Yukon rail/bus tour, I’d recommend the option that goes train first and bus back. We had the last car on the train which made for some great pics, both looking back to the harbor with the docks and of the engine when the tracks curved in a few spots. Also, you end up at the Lunch place about half an hour before the bigger tour busses.

Their smaller bus, think a hotel-type shuttle size that carries 15-18 people, allows for a lot more flexibility and more stops both up to the Yukon and on the way back to Skagway. Ie if a big bus is at the Alaska sign stop on the way uo, we hit it on the way back with no people.

And, when getting back to town, we had the option of being dropped in the middle of town so could walk back to the port and visit shops & etc along the way.

 

[dcl_firefly]

I agree with all the recommendations for Chilkoot Charters. We did their Bennet scenic journey and really enjoyed doing the bus first with the train back. The tour guide picked us up right at the cruise dock and we got first pick of seats before they picked everyone else up at the train station in town. We really enjoyed hearing our guide talk about the history of the area as we drove around and stopped at many points of interest for photos. The train back was very relaxing and we liked that we already had heard all of the info from our guide of things to look for on the way back.

 

[CisforCookie991]

Second Jayleen’s. It was just 6 people to a boat so the view was fantastic everywhere.

For Ketchikan, we loved Wild Wolf Tours. Also a small group (we had 6 but I think capacity is a little bigger). Our guide was super knowledgeable and passionate about the totems. The kids loved it.

In Skagway, we did a private tour with Beyond Skagway. Pricey but, depending on the size of your group, could be a better deal than the big bus tours. We didn’t want to do the train because we read it’s not good for people who have a fear of heights.

Enjoy the cruise. It was amazing!

 

[NephieRN]

We also used Chilkoot Charters to do the Yukon rail and bus excursion and thoroughly enjoyed it.

For Ketchikan, we used Island Wings Air to do a float plane tour of the Misty Fjord national monument which was absolutely fantastic.

In Juneau, we sucked it up and paid DCL prices because we wanted the Disney exclusive dog musher for a day. We also took the blue bus to Mendenhall glacier that morning before our excursion. It was super easy to do on our own for just a quick walk to see the glacier.

 

[jimmymc]

While you do book them through DCL's website, I can highly recommend Gastineau Guiding in Juneau.
https://www.stepintoalaska.com/

In Ketchikan, some of the most popular excursions allow you to book tickets directly with them, like the lumberjack show or George Inlet Lodge crab feast. Kawanti Adventures has a lot of good options.
https://kawanti.com/

In Skagway, I just rented a car from Drive About Car Rental. You can drive up to Carcross and explore a lot of great areas on your own pace.
https://drive-about.com/

 

[holula]

I agree with all the recommendations for Chilkoot Charters. We did their Bennet scenic journey and really enjoyed doing the bus first with the train back. The tour guide picked us up right at the cruise dock and we got first pick of seats before they picked everyone else up at the train station in town. We really enjoyed hearing our guide talk about the history of the area as we drove around and stopped at many points of interest for photos. The train back was very relaxing and we liked that we already had heard all of the info from our guide of things to look for on the way back.

I did this exact excursion with Chilkoot and I agree it was great. I would highly recommend.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

Highly recommend wild wolf tours in Ketchikan

Rum runners Juneau

Rent a car through Avis in Skagway. I do have a tr that goes through it all in detail

 

[cinnamoroll]

Highly recommend Harv & Marv in Juneau. We were a group of 6 and the private tour was perfect.

 

[bonnieappetit]

Another vote for Jayleen's Tours. We had such a great time whale watching in Juneau. One of the highlights of our trip.

 

[BarlowFamily]

We went with Southeast Sea Kayaks in Ketchikan and had an amazing time! Our family of 3 loved the Orca Cove fast boat and kayak tour. There were 5 total in our group. The guides were all fantastic and it was at a great time to also be able to see the lumberjack show.

 

[Chemist]

What do you want to do? You can easily do everything on your own for much cheaper.

We booked helicopters through Coastal Helicopters. (Read YELP reviews, but always with a grain of salt. Someone complaining about a last minute cancellation due to weather isn't trustworthy. If weather comes in quick, you want to cancel.). We also booked the "blue bus" to Mendenhall glacier.

In Ketchikan we did the America's Deadliest Catch tour. Got off ship and walked to the tour. Saved a bunch over booking through ship.

In Skagway we rented a car and drove out to Carcross and back, seeing all the highlights on the way. Easy. You can certainly book the train yourself for cheaper, too.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Another vote for Chilkoot Charters in Skagway,amazing! We did the bus & rail tour as well,we actually did bus first and it worked out better for us because it was foggy in the morning but cleared up later.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Jayleen's Alaska and Harv and Marv are highly recommended in Juneau (I went with a combo tour with the glacier and whale watching with Juneau Whale Watch and then a cruise excursion that got a good lunch on an island and then the glacier and whale watching the next time)

Chilkoot was my pick for Skagway!