Sitka Wildlife and Culture Excursion: Bears, Raptors, and Totems

Description

• Round-trip transportation from your Sitka Alaska cruise ship pier!
• Air-conditioned/heated and licensed vehicles!
• Friendly local, and trained Sitka shore excursion guides!
• Visit and entrance fee to Fortress of the Bear!
• Visit and entrance fee to the Alaskan Raptor Center!
• Visit and entrance fee to Sitka National Historical Park!

Learn more about Alaska when you dock in its first capital, Sitka. You'll see bears, raptors, and totems and get a better understanding of the largest and most sparsely populated U.S. state.

Your experienced local shore excursion guide will meet you a short walk from your Sitka cruise terminal and get you onboard a clean, comfortable full-size van. Group sizes are limited to 10 people, giving you a more personal experience. Your excursion begins at the Harrigan Centennial Hall and from there you'll head south on the highway. This wilderness state is home to bald eagles and Black Tail Deer. At Silver Bay, a deep-water fjord, you may spot Humpback and Minke whales in the later months of the year. A stop may be made here if time and weather permit.

The next excursion stop is near the end of the road system and is the Fortress of the Bear. This non-profit facility rescues and is a safe haven for orphaned bears. The mix of bears may change but at the time of this post, there are four Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears and three Black Bears, the only ones on the island. The 3-acre sanctuary is left in a natural setting and you'll be able to observe the bears from a viewing platform. These gentle giants are cared for and rescued by experienced naturalists. You'll learn more about them and be able to see them up close.

Next is a stop at the Alaskan Raptor Center, a rehabilitation center for birds of prey. Here you'll find a state-of-the-art bird flight room where you can observe them learning to fly again. Inside they are conditioned and must demonstrate their flight ability before they can be released back into the wild. They've rescued and rehabilitated native Alaskan birds like bald eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, and kestrels.

The last stop is at the Sitka National Historical Park located in the temperate rainforest. It's not a large park but offers several trail loops that lead out to the peninsula of the Indian River and Eastern Channel waters. The park is the site of Russia's defeat of the indigenous Tlingit people in the 19th century. You'll find 20 totem poles along the trail. You can walk the trail or make a visit to the Cultural Center. Here are more totems too fragile to be outside. Tlingit artists carve yellow cedar logs into masks and totems. There are also demonstrations and exhibits of native beading, metalworking, and working with fur.

At the end of your Sitka Wildlife and Culture Excursion, you'll board again your transportation to return to your Sitka cruise terminal. Don't forget your camera and have fun!

What is included?

• Round-trip transportation from your Sitka Alaska cruise ship pier.
  
• Air-conditioned/heated and licensed vehicles.
• English-speaking, local, and trained Sitka shore excursion guides.
• Visit and entrance fee to Fortress of the Bear.
• Visit and entrance fee to the Alaskan Raptor Center.
• Visit and entrance fee to Sitka National Historical Park.
  
• Small groups of 10 guests maximum.

Excursion Notes

• Prices shown include all taxes, and fees and are quoted in US dollars.
  
• We recommend wearing layers with the top layer being waterproof. 
• Please wear sensible walking/hiking shoes that may get wet.
  
• Guests must be able to navigate the tender pier ramp, which may be quite steep at low tide. There are railings on either side to assist. 
• Walking on the tour includes over paved, rock, and packed dirt surfaces.
  
• We suggest you have cash on hand for refreshments, excursion staff gratuities, shopping, etc.

Where we meet

For this Sitka Bears, Beer, and Totems Excursion, you will meet your guide on your Sitka Alaska cruise ship tender pier shoreside. All necessary details will be printed on your Electronic Shore Excursion Ticket.

Excursion Restrictions

• This excursion cannot accommodate wheelchairs.
  
• Guests must be able to step onto and off of the transportation.
  
• Guests must be able to walk over paved and gravel surfaces.
  
• Lightweight, layered clothing that will keep you warm even in wet weather, and sturdy, comfortable shoes are suggested.
• Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
  

Excursion FAQ

Cancellation

• Your ship arrives into port late and you cannot make it in time to the meeting location (we will verify with the tour operator).
• Your ship skips/misses the port.
• Weather conditions or equipment failure prevents the operator from running the excursion.
• A medical problem prevents you from safely participating in the excursion (we will verify with the excursion operator and the guest may send doctor's note). This applies to individuals only and not the remainder of the group.
  
• Cancellations/deposit refund requests that do not comply with the above may not be subject to refund.
• Refunds may be subject to a service charge fee as determined by the payment processor, please refer to Terms and Conditions for more information.