Whales Classic
3-day / 2-night Family Expedition
Our longest running and most popular whale watching adventure!
Our Whales Classic trip begins and ends in Gustavus, Alaska, a small town rich in homesteader tradition and full of wildlife sightings as it is at the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park.
Point Adolphus on Chichagof Island, directly across from the nutrient rich waters of Glacier Bay, is a world-famous location for watching 50-ton humpback whales as they gather and feed in the shallows right off shore. From your kayak and from our wilderness campsite, you will observe this awesome spectacle.
Father and daughter whale watching from their kayak.
We’ll also have the chance to look for orca, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, bald eagles and much more. On shore you will enjoy delicious meals and have a chance to hike through a lush 10,000 year old temperate rainforest on the Tongass National Forest.
Breaching humpback whale in Icy Strait
Whales Classic tinerary:
Day 1:
Start with a boat ride across Icy Strait to Point Adolphus. This is a great moment to take in the richness of the area as we look out for humpbacks and watch sea otters feeding in the kelp beds, or listen out for the unmistakable call of the bald eagle as they feed from the ocean’s edge.
Eager to dive into the adventure, we will set up camp and start gearing up! After a thorough safety briefing on shore, we will paddle and drift in the currents as we watch for whales, and keep our eyes open for other marine life as well as anything that may walk out of the forest to feed along the shoreline, such as brown bears and Sitka black-tailed deer.
As you lie in your tent at night, you will fall asleep to the profound exhalation of the humpbacks feeding near the shore.
Observing both juvenile and adult bald eagles fishing for salmon
Day 2:
The second day is spent paddling, hiking, and exploring some of the most dynamic habitats in Southeast Alaska.
The unique underwater topography, oceanography and its large tidal fluctuations make Point Adolphus a veritable buffet line for large concentrations of bald eagles, sea lions, sea birds, and of course whales.
We may paddle through schools of herring and salmon as we make our way to one of our favorite hiking spots for some old-growth forest and muskeg exploration.
Family blueberry picking in the muskeg of Chichagof Island
Day 3:
We pack up our tents and sleeping bags before hitting the water.
After a good breakfast, we will launch the kayaks and spend our morning paddling the shoreline sharing our final moments with our favorite marine mammals that we have gotten to know over the last few days.
Anchoring ourselves in the kelp beds like sea otters, we will watch out for any wildlife that comes our way. We hope for some final views of humpback whales and will respectfully watch these mighty animals feed as they prepare for the long migration south – they won’t eat again until returning to Alaska in the spring.
Sea otters are part of the abundant wildlife present in Southeast Alaska
***This is a sample itinerary. Daily activities may vary due to factors which can include changing weather, tides, ocean conditions and wildlife.***
Fairweather sunset
What’s included?
- An experienced and professional guide(s)
- All charter boat transportation
- High quality fiberglass tandem kayaks with all paddling and safety accessories
- All emergency communication, signaling and first aid equipment
- Cooking gear, utensils and water bottles
- Three excellent meals for each full day plus snacks
- Weather proven camping equipment – tents, sleeping bags and inflatable mattresses that convert into chairs
- Rain gear, rubber boots and dry bags
A curious sea lion
Get in touch about planning your adventure with us!
Kayaking with Spirit Walker Expeditions is fun for the whole family!
Why go with Spirit Walker?
We are a local, guide-owned and operated business with over 35 years of experience leading sea kayaking trips to the humpback whale feeding grounds at Point Adolphus.
These are our most popular expeditions and we have been guiding them longer than any other kayaking company in Southeast Alaska.
Having pioneered this guided adventure, we take great pride in making sure we remain the leaders in offering the safest and most sustainable paddling trips to this unique area.
With the most experienced guides, the highest quality equipment, and an unrivaled dedication to operating the best trips to Point Adolphus, we invite you to join us for the adventure!
Family trip in Alaska with Spirit Walker Expeditions
What our guests are saying…
We spent 17 days in Alaska, and the three days that we were kayaking with whales was the best part of the entire trip. The location was beautiful, the equipment was outstanding, the whales were incredible beyond words.
Interested? Contact Us for more information!
My trip with Spirit Walker Expeditions was amazing. My experience kayaking among the whales is something I will never forget! Go! You will love it.
We had a wonderful experience on a Spirit Walker trip this summer. Six nights, seven days in the Myriad Islands Wilderness. The trip was well organized, the gear was top quality and the guides were great! ... an experience I'll always remember.
This experience was absolute perfection, from the initial call through the flawless execution. I can't say enough good things about this operation and I've personally worked in adventure travel. Thank you, Stephen and crew!
We booked the Whales tour to Point Adolphus for our family which includes a 6 year old and 9 year old... Great safety orientation for our boys who don't have a lot of experience kayaking. Thanks for an unforgettable experience.
It doesn't get any better than this. If you want to experience the real Alaska you must get out on the water... If we return to Alaska, we will make this expedition again.
"Magic Family Holiday" I can't say enough about the wonderful trips that Spirit Walker puts together. The safety and equipment is great. The guides are great fun and knowledgeable about the areas we went. The food is incredible.
The trip had it all: calving glaciers, breaching humpback whales, grizzlies, moose, bald eagles, harbor seals, and much more. I cannot recommend the Spirit Walker crew and the grandeur of Glacier Bay highly enough. Already thinking about my next return trip to the park.
