Neets Bay Bear Watch By Floatplane
Duration: 3 hours
Tour Code: ktn-001
Explore Alaska's spectacular topography, bear population and abundant wildlife from two unique perspectives during this picturesque flight-seeing tour to Neets Bay.
Depart Ketchikan's picturesque harbor aboard a floatplane for an exhilarating flight to Neets Bay, home to one of the Southeast Alaska's premiere bear-viewing locations. This once-in-a-lifetime wildlife expedition provides a rare opportunity to observe the wild black bears of Southeast Alaska; however, it will only be available to a limited number of guests in order to minimize impact on the wildlife population and protect this fragile environment.
Your specially-equipped DeHavilland or Cessna aircraft will offer all of the amenities required to make your trip a memorable one, including window seats for all passengers, digital CD/audio systems, and individual headsets to hear the complimentary narration and music. A souvenir route guidebook will be provided.
Upon arrival at Neets Bay, you will take a brief hike down a quarter-mile maintained wilderness road, then continue on to the viewing area where black bears congregate and can be seen fishing for their next meal. En route, your naturalist/guide will explain the habits of the bear, life cycle of the salmon and important work done at the hatchery to protect Alaska's wild salmon population. The covered viewing area will provide you with an up-close look at the bears in their natural habitat, and the natural beauty of the Tongass National Forest. Other wildlife sighting possibilities include eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer, mink, marten, and seals.
Following your visit, you will re-board your floatplane for the return flight to Ketchikan.
Please note: This tour involves a quarter-mile walk over uneven terrain to-and-from Neets Bay, with a few steps and narrow passageways. This trip includes approximately 1 hour of bear-watching, and 45 minutes of total flight time. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilize a wheelchair. Dress warmly in layers, wear comfortable hiking footwear and bring raingear from the ship. This tour operates from end of July until mid September . Participation in this excursion is extremely limited. Although wildlife sightings are common, they cannot be guaranteed.