Almost all of our trips are designed to accommodate beginners. Our experienced guides give a thorough pre-trip orientation before every trip. This includes kayaking instruction and paddling techniques, a safety overview, site-specific information, and helpful tips. Remember, the goal of our trips is to really get a sense of the spirit of the land and water. To do this we find it is much better to move a bit more slowly and deliberately rather than try and “bag” as many miles as possible.

Spirit Walker is a guide-owned and operated company that has been leading trips throughout Southeast Alaska for over 35 years. We were the first outfitter to develop many of the trips that we offer — including day and overnight trips to Point Adolphus. Our local knowledge and guiding experience there and elsewhere means you will experience the best that those areas have to offer. Our long history in the region has led to a deep commitment to preserving these ecosystems — our approach emphasizes wilderness stewardship and minimum impact techniques.

Spirit Walker has guided families with children as young as three years old, and parents as old as 96! We welcome the opportunity to introduce children (old and young) to some of the mysteries of Southeast Alaska. We routinely create custom / private trips for families with younger children.

Spirit Walker provides nearly everything that you will need for your trip. This includes all kayaking and camping gear, food, raingear, rubber boots, and dry bags. You will need to bring the appropriate clothing, and a few personal items we recommend in our packing list.

We are often asked this question. There is no simple answer. But here are a few considerations which might help you decide:

• June – Driest month, statistically speaking. This is the best time for wildflowers, snow-covered hills, and awakening wildlife. The long days near the summer solstice offer great opportunities for enjoying those seemingly never-ending sunsets and tranquil evenings.
• July – Warmest month. Berries are ripening, and salmon are starting to run. This is the most popular time to come: peak season!
• August – Still warm, with potential for more rainfall – especially toward the end of August. In many ways, this is “quintessential” Southeast Alaska: lush rainforests, streams filled with salmon, berries galore. This can be a great time to see the northern lights and bi-luminescence.

Depending on the trip and the time of year, there is a good chance of seeing bears along the shore. Most of our bear sightings occur while we are paddling, offering us a chance to spot and observe bears from a distance. In camp we practice safe bear camping: we use “bear cans” to store our food or hang it in trees, cook and eat in the intertidal zone, and keep all food and scented items away from our tent sites.

Our season typically runs from June through August and we see humpback whales throughout all three months (on our Whales trips). The humpbacks are generally more dispersed in early June and late August, traveling in smaller groups. For the majority of the season, we often see them traveling and feeding collectively in larger groups. We may see killer whales traveling through the area at any point during the season. Seeing killer whales is not uncommon but we don’t see them on every trip – so when we do have a sighting, it’s always a special moment!