Our 13 Best Juneau Whale Watching Tours

1.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7,379 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177Our pick

Meet Alaska Tales near Juneau’s Mount Roberts Tramway for a port pickup, a brief Mendenhall Glacier photo stop, and a boat ride from Auke Bay. You’ll have heated cabins, outdoor decks, snacks, bottled water, and naturalist commentary. Guides such as Kacie, Genevieve, Ashley, and Nate explain whale behavior while the crew searches for humpbacks.

“What’s a whale watching adventure after the whales migrate out of the area? It’s a little boat ride out. It’s a little boat ride back. Fortunately for us, it was a beautiful day. And the crew was delightful.”

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2.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,236 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $249

Spend about 45 to 50 minutes at Mendenhall Glacier, then cruise Juneau’s coast aboard a warm, wildlife-viewing boat. Local guides such as Michelle, Nate, Taylor, Leon, and Jay share stories about the area and its whales. Expect comfortable viewing, a small snack, and a whale sighting guarantee, but bring binoculars for distant animals.

“Loved Alaska Tours with Kacie, Justin, and Nate aboard the George Mason. Very informative and we saw 2 whales that breeched! So exciting to see Sasha and her baby Chacha! Kacie knows her stuff and you can tell she loves her work! Great time! Highly recommend!”

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3.3.5 Hour Crowd-Skipping Whale Tour in Juneau, Alaska

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,164 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189

You’ll ride a heated 40-foot catamaran from Auke Bay for about 2 hours and 15 minutes of whale watching, with room to walk around the deck. Guides such as TJ, Andrew, Daisy, Alan, and Cedar have helped make these trips lively and informative. Expect humpback whales, sea lions, seals, bald eagles, and possible glacier views.

“This was an outstanding small group whale tour. We saw tons of whales and had a wonderful experience! I would do this again without hesitation. Support local/small business and go with these guys, it was awesome!”

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4.Ultimate Juneau Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier View

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 915 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $156

Ride from downtown Juneau to Auke Bay, then spend about two hours on the water with a naturalist guide looking for humpback whales, orcas, eagles, seals, and sea lions. The 24-passenger jet boat or 49-passenger catamaran has heated indoor seating, wide windows, decks, restrooms, snacks, and a weather-dependent five-minute view of Mendenhall Glacier.

“Captain Chris, Dani and Ethan did a great job. Kept us comfortable on a cold rainey day. Saw 4 humpbacks.”

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5.Alaska Whale Watching Cruise w/ 3 HOURS on the water

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 801 reviews · 4 hours 5 minutes (approx.) · from $159

Ride a courtesy shuttle from your Juneau cruise dock to Auke Bay, then spend three hours on the water with Harv and Marvs naturalists and captain. Look for humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, bald eagles, and other wildlife from a double-decker boat with indoor cabins, restrooms, snacks, and wide viewing decks. Mendenhall Glacier viewing depends on weather.

“We took the whale watching tour with glacier viewing. The day we were there was rainy and foggy so we didn’t go to the glacier. We don’t miss that at all. We went out and the team found a spot where a mama and baby humpback whale were playing. They breached multiple times, put their tails and fins in the air, and put on a full show! We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. The crew was just as excited as we were! After they moved on we drove further north and got to see a couple orcas too! Even with the rain, it was an incredible trip that we…”

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6.Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and Ultimate Whale Watch Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 771 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $199

Meet under the Goldbelt Tram for a five-hour combo outing. Ride to Auke Bay for a two-hour whale watch with a naturalist, heated cabin, wide windows, and outdoor decks, then explore Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls. Guides such as Dustin, Haylee, Will, and Mary add local stories along the way.

“Mary (bus 51), Chelsie, Gracie,Noah, and Captain Chris were all so friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. They helped make the experience fun and memorable. Whale watching was so cool! And the Mendenhall Glacier and nugget falls was a must see!”

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7.Ultimate Whale Watch and Tracy’s Crab Shack Combo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 614 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $274

Meet near the Goldbelt Tram for round-trip transport to Auke Bay, where your crew searches for humpback whales, sea lions, and eagles. Captains including Jayden and Ben have led trips noted for bubble feeding and large whale groups. Finish with Tracy’s crab combo, though the shack is marked closed for the season, so confirm dates before booking.

“We booked a Whale watching excursion and Tracy's Kung crab combo lunch. Whale watching was phenomenal and the food was extraordinary amazing.”

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8.Whale Watching Cruise with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 427 reviews · 3 hours · from $154Best value

Join Dolphin Jet Boat Tours for a 25-minute ride from downtown Juneau to Auke Bay, then spend two hours searching Favorite Channel, Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal, or Saginaw Channel. Naturalists such as Nia, Derek, Rio, or Mia share whale facts while the captain handles the boat. Binoculars, hot drinks, water, and snacks are included.

“Captain Perry and Rio were awesome! The boat ride was very smooth and informative! We saw quite a few whales and sea lions!”

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9.Juneau Whale Watching Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 303 reviews · 3 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $189

Cruise Auke Bay aboard the 48-passenger North Star, a fast jet boat with large windows and an outdoor deck. A naturalist guide explains Juneau’s returning humpbacks, while the captain searches for breaches, feeding groups, sea lions, and possible orcas. The tour lasts about 3 hours 45 minutes and includes transport from downtown Juneau.

“The bus driver -- whose name I have forgotten -- was a hoot. A true and genuine character, who added a touch of genuineness to this experience, as were the guides on the boat. All were informative and helpful. An added surprise was a family of orcas, not something you see every day. And the sight of a tail gracefully making an experience made my day.”

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10.Juneau Whale Watching and Salmon Bake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 296 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $239

Spend about five hours exploring Auke Bay with a naturalist guide, binoculars, and a whale-listening hydrophone, then ride to Gold Creek Salmon Bake for grilled Alaska salmon, sides, dessert, and hot or cold drinks. Guides and captains have included Savannah, Sara, Terry, Tom, Libby, and Dan. A $100 refund is offered if no whale is spotted.

“The boat was very slow which caused us to take most of the time traveling out and back. We also waited around for an hour to merge with other groups before boarding the boat. So the tour is not really 6 hours as they advertise. Then when we got to the area of the whales, our boat captain, Jen, did not get us close enough to even get pictures. The other boats were much closer and she stayed outside the circle of boats; she said before the trip that she had a 100 yard minimum distance requirement but we were at least 4-500 yards from any whale. Also, the advisement…”

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11.Whale Watching Adventure in Juneau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 269 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $154

Ride from downtown Juneau to Auke Bay, then spend about two hours aboard a comfortable jet boat searching for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, bald eagles, and more. A captain and naturalist guide, including guides such as Nia, Rio, Sam, and Jay, help you spot wildlife and understand the waters around Juneau.

“Wonderful experience! We saw many whales and had a very personal experience! Our bus driver, captain and naturalists were all amazing! Highly recommend”

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12.Private Luxury Whale Watch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Meet your captain and naturalist after pickup from your ship or hotel, then ride to Auke Bay and board a private yacht. Over about four hours, watch for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, seals, eagles, and bears. Champagne, beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and snacks are included.

“So incredible! Our crew was super informative and an overall great time. We felt comfortable as soon as we got on the yacht thanks to Mallory and Captain Pete's awesome efforts! Saw bubble feeding and breaching! 10/10”

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13.3.5-Hour Small Group Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3h 30m · from $189

Meet near Juneau’s Mount Roberts Tramway for a narrated bus ride to Auke Bay, then board a 20-passenger catamaran with a full walk-around deck. A naturalist and captain guide the search for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, eagles, and more. Guide teams have included Daisy, Alan, TJ, and Andrew.

“Amazing. Daisy our whale expert and Alan our pilot were both superb. Daisy had lots of knowledge and taught us lots of things. Alan found us loads of whales. Saw Bald Eagles, Humpback Whales and Orcas. We were very lucky to see Orcas as they aren’t often spotted. I would have been happy to see one shake but I lost count of the number of whales we saw. Lovely boat with comfy seats and plenty of room on deck. It is a small group trip and there were only 15 of us. Would definitely recommend, one not to miss.”

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