Google Reviews

We visited Sitka this past week (July 2026), and we are so glad we picked Captain Gary’s whale watching tour as our Sitka adventure. Captain Gary and his assistant were wonderful. They really know the area and marine life well. You can tell they have a passion for what they do. We loved the smaller atmosphere of the boat. It was very comfortable and relaxing. We saw so many whales, sea otters, sea lions, and eagles. It was a great way to start our trip. I would definitely recommend this tour!

Excellent excursion and highly recommended! Gary and his team were professional, knowledgeable, and offered extra touches that made the trip special and memorable. It was evident they love what they do and it made all the difference!!!

Gary and cait are the coolest people on the water hands down. Had an epic time out on the ocean you really can’t get out in the Sitka sound with a better crew, I’ll put my life’s saving on that. The drive and passion to ID whales on the water is contagious. If I could give 100 stars I would. Would recommend this to anyone and everyone when visiting the area!!!

I would give so many more stars to Gary and Katlyn. Such an amazing experience. One of the friendliest, funny, and most knowledgeable tours I have ever been on along with seeing all the beautiful whales, otters, sea lions and eagles.

Captain Gary and Kaitlin were amazing guides ! We had the BEST time. Had great information and made it fun. Saw lots of whales, sea otters and Sea lions. If there were 6 stars I would give him that. Loved it

Gary and Caitlin provided good informative commentary. They found and maintained contact with lots of humpbacks and told us what to watch for. Amazing. Also saw sealions, sea otters and harbour seals. Great photos!

Captain Gary is awesome. Our cruise ship arrived at port later than it had originally had been scheduled and Gary worked with us to get our full tour in despite me being skeptical, sorry Gary :). We saw so many Whales, Sea Otters, Sea Lions and much more. It was an awesome tour. The only thing I regret is we did not also do the land portion of the tour. If it is anything like the tour on the water it would be spectacular. Highly recommend Captain Gary to anyone visiting Sitka..

We did the Land and Sea tour with our family of 7 on 7/13/26, including my three kids and my in-laws, one of whom has major health issues. We saw the bears, raptor center, and totem poles, but the whale watching was the highlight.

We were nervous going in since our shore time was shortened by NCL and my father in law can’t walk fast. Gary was extremely accommodating and listened to our concerns, and everything worked out great.

He and his team are knowledgeable and fun, and we saw orcas, bald eagles, and humpback whales. The boat being covered and heated was a nice surprise too.

Highly recommend for families of all ages and abilities.

Being with Gary on this excursion was the best decision. From the moment I called to book to the very last minute was amazing. Gary is so warm and very knowledgeable. He had so much fun with my daughter and me. It was exciting every moment. If you don’t go whale watching with Gary then ur missing out on the best excursion ever!!!

What an incredible experience! This was one of the highlights of our Alaska trip. Captain Gary was fantastic: friendly, knowledgeable, and worked hard to make sure everyone had an amazing day.

We saw an unbelievable amount of wildlife, including a pod of orcas, got amazingly close to humpback whales for incredible photos, spotted sea otters,, and saw so much more during the boat tour. The land portion was also enjoyable, with a visit to a bear recovery center where we got to see bears up close, followed with some nice short hikes.

The entire day was well organized, and every guide we met was welcoming, friendly, and hospitable. If you’re considering this tour, don’t hesitate, it was an unforgettable experience and worth every penny!

After a last minute cancellation by another operator, Gary was able to fit us in. There were only 6 passengers on a boat built for 14, so we had plenty of space.

Gary found us sea otters, sea lions, gray whales and humpbacks. He was extremely knowledgeable about the area and very patient, allowing us to get hundreds of pictures.

We would highly recommend them.

Last minute booking with Gary and his whale watching tour. He is great and put on a great tour. 10/10 recommend and would definitely do it again!

We loved having a local tour guide! We made it to all the stops, had plenty of local lore & gossip - which I loved, and really enjoyed our time. We would recommend to anyone looking!

The old cliche says that you can't please all of the people all of the time, so I was amazed that Captain Gary has maintained a 5 star rating on well over 300 reviews when I was looking to book a tour. Gary was great. He worked to accommodate me as a solo traveler and even called me personally a couple of times when we were arranging a date and time during my stay in Sitka. The boat tour was great. In addition to the beautiful scenery, we saw whales, sea otters, bald eagles, and various other wildlife. The boat was also very comfortable. Gary's lifelong knowledge of the Sitka area made the tour all the more interesting. He even spent a few minutes talking to me afterward and pointed out some additional places I could visit. Highly recommend!

Amazing whale watching tour! The views were incredible, and we saw so many whales. Several of them came very close to the boat, and we were in the perfect position to watch them. We also saw sea otters and lots of different birds along the way. The crew provided complimentary snacks and drinks, slowed down whenever there was wildlife to observe, and shared many interesting facts about the area and the animals. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the entire experience was unforgettable. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area!

We had a great time! Highly recommend!!

Saw gray whales breaching within 20 yards of us. Also saw groups of otters, porpoises, and eagles. Captain Gary was hospitable, did a great job facilitating/explaining the shuttle process to the meeting point. Highly recommend!

One of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had! You can tell Capt Gary & his crew really care about what they do!

We were bombarding them with questions about everything from local wildlife to Alaska history, and they did not hesitate to answer with enthusiasm, knowledge, and care.

We saw allll of the things, from sea lion chomping down brunch, to grey whale, adolescent and adult bald eagle, sea otter waving hello, and so much more. It was the highlight of our trip!

If you are cruising through Sitka, I highly recommend booking Captain Gary's Sitka Adventures!

Here are just a few captures along our journey. So beautiful!

Absolutely best tour of our 10 day Alaska Cruise. Gary's passion for Sitka and the Ocean make this a 10/10 no questions ask book right away kind of tour! We can't wait to come back!!!! And we even got to see whales and otters!!!

The Best of Sitka Land tour was amazing! Our guide was funny and knowledgeable and we loved the Fortress of the bear, raptor center and national park!

Captain Gary is awesome! Leading up to our excursion, he kept us well informed of what we could expect. His boat is very comfortable with great sightlines throughout. Gary’s knowledge of Sitka and surrounding areas are second to none. He went above and beyond in his quest to find whales, seals and other wildlife. Gary and other boat captains share whale sightings over the radio in real time to know the areas to explore. Highly recommended!

We did Gary's land and sea tour while visiting Sitka. Gary is an experienced captain and we saw humpback whales, sea otters, and more bald eagles than one could count. The land tour was with Ryan, an experienced guide with lots of inside and historica facts. They returned us to our ship with time to spare. 5 stars!

An absolute MUST when going to Sitka. We saw 3 different whales, sea otters, bald eagles and more! Truly the best!

Highly highly recommend! We saw several whales, otters, sea lions, and eagles. Tour guides were awesome, and were so glad we did this. There were indoor and outdoor areas on the boat, so we were comfortable the whole time.