Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.
By Ktchikan Photo Safari
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 1-120, max of 9 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- This is a great historic and cultural tour with or without a camera:)
- Entry/Admission - Ketchikan
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Pickup details
- Dock #1 #2 #3 #4 visitors: Meet North of the Visitors Center on berth #2, near the Bronze Statues called "The Rock" if no contact is made with dispatch. This is our meeting spot. Ward Cove visitors meet your Photo Safari guide near your ship's greeting area. It is important that you list your ships information so that we know where to pick you up. Ships that tie up in Ward Cove are about 10 miles from downtown, which is a 20-minute drive.
Port pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included ports.- Ketchikan
- Ward Cove Group, 6841 N Tongass Hwy, Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 163969P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Stipulate your desired TOUR DEPARTURE TIME and email for confirmation: ktnservices@outlook.com
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 163969P1
From
$134.03
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1
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- 4Pass byWard Cove
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- 211suzya0 contributionsPhoto fun in Ketchikan.James gave us a great informative photo shore excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska. We learned interesting facts about the city and the totem pole importance. But the big plus we received was the things we learned about our cell phone cameras. James educated all of us on new photo functions already in our cameras that none of us had ever used before .Written August 28, 2024
- Trip301361547190 contributionsKetchikan Photo SafariWas the best excursion we took the whole cruise. Josh was absolutely fantastic & so friendly. He really took the time to show us how to use our cell phone cameras & was very knowledgeable about the areas we visited. A great guy, highly recommended. Thank you Josh 😃Written August 21, 2024
- E3407EFsandym0 contributionsiPhone one o one and such fun! The tour with Randy was Caturing Ketchikan from Ward CoveI had the most amazing tour with Randy! He was informative, interesting and made it easy for me to learn new things on my iPhone!! So enjoyed the tour and can not recommend it any higher! Do go on this tour as not only will you learn so much about the area and cultures but will find yourself wishing it would never end!!Written August 11, 2024
- X7755ZZmichellep0 contributionsSweet Photo Safari with Randy in KetchikanRandy was an excellent guide. He is very knowledgeable about Ketchikan and a wonderful teacher of photography. We learned some fun tricks with our phones and cameras allowing us to create amazing photos. Oh, and the cookies were amazing!!! They were a sweet touch!Written August 4, 2024
- ljaddison0 contributionsGreat small group tour.Thios was a great tour. In addition to his excellent commentary on the history and sights in Ketchikan, he shared many helpful photography tips. this was my third time on this tour and I would do it again.Written July 29, 2024
- tvling461000 contributionsImprove your photographyThoroughly enjoyed my three hours with Jacob, who showed us the sites of Ketchikan while helping us get great photos and telling stories. He had great tips for cell phone photo users. Also, the cookies were delicious.Written July 7, 2024
- susanbR3586IW0 contributionsPhotos opportunities and great tour!Mikki exposed us to great photo opportunities from around Ketchikan harbor area to the mountains. Not only historic architecture, wildlife and beautiful landscapes, but the stories behind so much of what we saw during our van ride. You can tell she is a natural tour guide. She also helped us with our cameras & phones to achieve even better photos. Highly recommend. Cookies & coffee were great too!Written June 28, 2024
- P7568ABlindseyg0 contributionsPhoto excursionWe had an amazing time! Really got to enjoy the scenery and learn a ton of information about the history of Alaska on this adventure while learning about photography. Mikki was an excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable, sociable and you learn so much about the culture of Ketchikan.Written June 21, 2024
- Excursion539178504750 contributionsFun and relaxing.Fun and relaxing tour around Ketchikan. Great diversity of subjects to photograph. Josh is a fantastic and knowledgeable guide.Written June 6, 2024
- christopherf4490 contributionsAwesome Wilderness Photo SafariWhat a delight! We spent an afternoon with Randy chatting about pictures v. images v. art. We visited several off the path areas looking for wildlife and unique vistas. Loved the fact that it was a *very* small group and that we were quite relaxed about the length of the tour. Our tour was set up through our cruise which made it easy!Written September 29, 2023
- Mark K0 contributionsNot your normal tourCan’t praise this experience enough - had a great time learning how to change our snaps into real photos and met my favourite tour guide everWritten August 4, 2023
- Gundrr0 contributionsWe had a great time!We had a wonderful time! Our guide, Sherry B., was friendly and knowledgeable and the small group experience was much more comfortable and an easier pace. We got a nice tour of town while getting steadily increasingly more complex tips and tricks for phone photography. Even the three teens on our tour learned a few things! Two of us had android devices which wasn't a huge hindrance. As we move out of town to experience a local park we were treated to coffee and some great chocolate chip macadamia cookies!Written July 27, 2023
- Edgar F0 contributionsAmazing!Good tryp, fully recommend. Jacob did a good job. Very friendly and comunicative! Muchas gracias por tus recomendaciones.Written June 14, 2023
- 144lindels0 contributionsGreat Photo SafariExcellent time, great suggestions. A delightful tour with easy to understand concepts and tips. Felt that I learned several really good tips. Well worth the time and the cost. Thank you Randy!Written May 11, 2023
- dolilama0 contributionsPhoto SafariWe had a fantastic few hours with Rob around Ketchikan. Got to see lots of places we would never have found by ourselves. Also great tips to take great photos, and the best part is you don’t have to have an expensive camera to take a quality picture! Highly recommend!Written May 5, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
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618 reviews
Excellent
588
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12
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6
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4
Terrible
8
Kelli S
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Family
The tour guide was very knowledgeable on the local area and native history. He showed us some cool sites and have us some great photo tips. It is a little pricey for what you get as an excursion, but it could be cheaper to book it outside the cruise line. I would recommend this expression if you're into photography and want to learn new techniques.
Written October 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chindalin
San Jose, CA9 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Outstanding communication and experience! Adam emailed us the day before our tour to confirm time and location, and he and Randy met us on time exactly as specified. We ended up with a private tour with Randy, who gave us great insights into Ketchikan and local history as well as terrific photo tips on our iPhones. He spent more than the advertised 3 hours and dropped us off at our lodgings. Randy and Adam have great relationships with local vendors who are not tied to the cruise ships, and I was delighted to find a totem carving made locally by a Ward Cove artist. Our stop at the Potlatch Totem Park was particularly informational as well as a terrific place to take photos away from the overcrowded spots visited by most of the cruise ship visitors. And you don't have to want photography tips to take this tour - anyone who is interested in exploring Ketchikan with a knowledgeable guide will appreciate this tour. Two thumbs up from both my husband and me!
Written May 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen b
Vancouver, Canada1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Friends
Our favourite tour of Alaska, absolutely a must do excursion. Randy was our tour guide and was just perfect, so knowledgable, friendly and able to balance the needs of the small group he had with the itinerary of the tour, he went out of his way to find things to show us, including a bear we could observe for a while. We saw and learnt so much that day, not just wildlife but how to take better photos, techniques we have been playing around with ever since. Brilliant value for money. Highly recommend.
Written September 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffrey Scott
Floyds Knobs, IN17 contributions
Aug 2022
The excursion leader was very high strung, which is ok and we can deal with that, but she was late picking us up then lost the keys to the van and locked us out. After searching for 30 minutes for the keys without success, someone in our party called the number on the van. Rob, the owner, answered and immediately wanted to know how many stops we had made and if we had made it to the gift shop....hello, we are locked out and need to get to our cruise ship.
He did come with another set of keys and to make sure we made at least 6 stops pulled in behind a Walmart to show us a "waterfall" - yes it is off the beaten path I suppose....
Rob was very condescending and rude to several passengers, borderline racist to a couple from NY and not once apologized for the issue. He was purely concerned with getting paid for the excursion by covering enough stops.
Please don't give your money to him - there are better alternatives. (Except the cookie provided was really good....)
He did come with another set of keys and to make sure we made at least 6 stops pulled in behind a Walmart to show us a "waterfall" - yes it is off the beaten path I suppose....
Rob was very condescending and rude to several passengers, borderline racist to a couple from NY and not once apologized for the issue. He was purely concerned with getting paid for the excursion by covering enough stops.
Please don't give your money to him - there are better alternatives. (Except the cookie provided was really good....)
Written September 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Juligian, "someone" called......? why would you be dishonest about that? It was JULIGIAN... that's you, who called me. Sure I wanted to know where you were as your tour had progressed with Theresa so I would have an understanding of how best to solve the issue and insure that you and the other 8 guests had the best experience possible while receiving full value for the Ketchikan Photo Safari tour that everyone had signed up for..... that's my job. At Potlatch Park we offer several sequential segments to our tour: 1st we serve Gourmet Coffee & Cookies, 2nd we visit the Totem Carving Building, 3rd we visit the Native Clan House, Dug-out Canoe and multiple Totem Displays & 4th we visit the Gift Shop / Museum. Your attitude kept you from providing me this basic information because your purse was locked in the van for 30 minutes? Theresa said it was about 10 minutes! Yes my number is on each van in prominent 8 inch font........it really took you 30 minutes to call me? I arrived at your location in 12 minutes, opened the locked van, transferred all the guests and belongings to my van and headed out. YOU announced that we were headed for your cruise ship and I thanked you (sarcastically) for being in charge of everybody......hello. YOU are not in charge. I quizzed the other guests as to how Theresa had done........ that's part of my job as quality control and ALL (except you) responded with very positive comments. I asked when your ship's "All Aboard!" was and estimated we had time for one more stop, one of my favorites, our waterfall. I invite anyone to check out our photos on our website to see this very nice waterfall. All of the guests EXCEPT Juligian (you stayed in the van to pout) got out of the van and shot the waterfall utilizing some of the photo techniques that Theresa had previously taught. You denigrate this waterfall experience because it is near our Walmart? As far as YOU playing the race/condescending card against me, you may have felt that way because I was in charge NOT you and I let you know that fact. I will let my reputation defend myself. In my previous position, I received the "TOUR GUIDE OF THE YEAR" award from Princess Cruise Lines for 10 years in a row. I did the absolute best job I could to remedy the "lost key" dilemma. I responded promptly and professionally. Sorry I did not follow YOUR script but I had other guests who deserved the full tour........... and you DID arrive back at your cruise ship right on schedule, which FACT disputes your "30 minutes looking for a key" claim. PS Theresa did find her keys near where she had been picking up other people's trash in the totem park. They had fallen out of her shirt pocket.
Written September 9, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Voyager44211495345
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
My wife booked me on this Photoshoot outing months before, since I am a avid photographer (freelance). this was one of our bucket list trips to Alaska we are from south Florida. I was very excited to see some real Alaskan wilderness.
This event has been bothering me since then, I finally felt needed to vent my feelings.
I was at the meeting spot early so not to miss the meet up, found my guild and spoke to him, right off the bat felt that he was not excited to be there and did not make me feel very welcome, just pointed in the direction of where he would be picking everyone up from. So I proceeded to the location and waited. Forty minutes later he came back and stated that his van was full and he had switched me to another van. no explanations on how me being the first person there was left behind. Did not sit well at all with me.
When my new driver arrived he announced he was the cell phone photography driver and would be taking us around Sadly i do not remember his name now. He was very up and energetic but his first look at me was Oh, you have a big camera. I do not know them at all but looks like you do. Right there I knew this was not going to be what i was expecting from the ads.
The tour turned out to be three hours of listening to his life story of how he grew up here and when he left then came back .... Yada yada yada......... on and on. was good for a few laughs and maybe someone to have a few drinks with, but not what I paid hundred and twenty dollars for.
We did go to several locations, where the brothels were , the library ( amazingly the only place I was able to get some wild life, a Deer was walking around the parking lot.) his old schools the totem pole location but far from what had been advertised.
Yes I did get to see Ketchikan, but only the location that the driver felt were interesting. none of what had been mentioned. No one to point out the nicer views, all I got were city shots of what could be anytown USA.
As I mentioned this was one of our bucket list trips, I felt very cheated and disappointed. Contacted the owner of the tour, Yes he refunded us our money without any questions. But the Experience I had been looking forward to was gone, and maybe to never to have that chance again. That is what truly has bothered me most, for the only conclusion I can come to from the very first reaction of the First driver was that he was taken back be me being a person of a different race of which he was not comfortable with. From 63 years of seeing people's reaction when they meet me, I have come to read these reaction very well.
In conclusion, if you are going to be in the hospitality industry learn to be open to everyone and make them feel appreciated for choosing to spend their money with you and understand where you are this is may be a once in a lifetime trip for them. As it was for us.
This event has been bothering me since then, I finally felt needed to vent my feelings.
I was at the meeting spot early so not to miss the meet up, found my guild and spoke to him, right off the bat felt that he was not excited to be there and did not make me feel very welcome, just pointed in the direction of where he would be picking everyone up from. So I proceeded to the location and waited. Forty minutes later he came back and stated that his van was full and he had switched me to another van. no explanations on how me being the first person there was left behind. Did not sit well at all with me.
When my new driver arrived he announced he was the cell phone photography driver and would be taking us around Sadly i do not remember his name now. He was very up and energetic but his first look at me was Oh, you have a big camera. I do not know them at all but looks like you do. Right there I knew this was not going to be what i was expecting from the ads.
The tour turned out to be three hours of listening to his life story of how he grew up here and when he left then came back .... Yada yada yada......... on and on. was good for a few laughs and maybe someone to have a few drinks with, but not what I paid hundred and twenty dollars for.
We did go to several locations, where the brothels were , the library ( amazingly the only place I was able to get some wild life, a Deer was walking around the parking lot.) his old schools the totem pole location but far from what had been advertised.
Yes I did get to see Ketchikan, but only the location that the driver felt were interesting. none of what had been mentioned. No one to point out the nicer views, all I got were city shots of what could be anytown USA.
As I mentioned this was one of our bucket list trips, I felt very cheated and disappointed. Contacted the owner of the tour, Yes he refunded us our money without any questions. But the Experience I had been looking forward to was gone, and maybe to never to have that chance again. That is what truly has bothered me most, for the only conclusion I can come to from the very first reaction of the First driver was that he was taken back be me being a person of a different race of which he was not comfortable with. From 63 years of seeing people's reaction when they meet me, I have come to read these reaction very well.
In conclusion, if you are going to be in the hospitality industry learn to be open to everyone and make them feel appreciated for choosing to spend their money with you and understand where you are this is may be a once in a lifetime trip for them. As it was for us.
Written November 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim182P
Saint Louis, MO3 contributions
Randy Kirby was very professional, competent and entertaining. There were six of us, two with DSLR cameras and four with cellphones. He focused on composition however he demonstrated some fine points of tweaking the cameras to achieve some pretty impressive performance. Randy knows his way around Ketchikan and found parking the van in some creative parking spaces. I’m certain that all six of us walked away with some new photo techniques. I would highly recommend this tour company snd especially Randy Kirby as a guide/instructor. We contracted for this tour via the shore excursion department on our ship, the Holland America Eurodam.
Written June 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dennis D
1 contribution
May 2024 • Solo
Randy was the tour guide for 4 people. It was a very windy and rainy day, but Randy rearranged the trip so we went north first to have less rain. Really fun tour, and got shots of a derelict ship and fun action shots with an umbrella 🌂 at Creek Street. Worth every penny for the unique locations, as well as history of Ketchikan.
Written May 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chantal M
1 contribution
May 2024 • Solo
First of all, I’ve gotta rave about how wonderful our guide/host Randy was! He was not only extremely friendly and funny, he was also very informative and helpful. We were taken to several very beautiful and noteworthy locations, that were both interesting and scenic. Randy shared a lot of compelling local insight and trivia, as well as plenty of creative photography tips. The group had diverse interests and skill levels, and Randy did a fabulous job of catering to everyone. We got a ton of lovely photos, coupled with some entertaining education - all in all, a fantastic way to spend an afternoon! I’d give more than 5 stars if I could.
Written June 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenn H
8 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We embarked on the Ketchikan Photo Safari during a Disney Cruise Port Adventure. Our tour guide Jeff taught us so many things about professional-style photography that can be done just from our iPhone! He also taught us about Ketchikan history during our tour and gave us plenty of opportunities to take photos of Ketchikan locations that most tourists wouldn’t think of to get great photos. Jeff’s storytelling technique and playful personality made the tour so much fun. We also didn’t know we would get a personalized photo session from Jeff in the way of teaching how to use composition and lighting. This is a tour we definitely recommend for anyone who wants to learn photography from their phones, especially in our era of social media, and who also wants to immerse themselves in Ketchikan history.
Written June 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gail H
Ballwin, Missouri, United States35 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
Randy is a fantastic tour guide! So informative, fun and helpful. He took us to totems, statues & signs, Creek Street, and gave us several useful photography tips. He went way above and beyond — when we spotted bald eagles at a distance, he took extra time to get us much closer for lots of good pics. He also helped my friend get to a pharmacy that had something she needed — such a great guy to do that for us! I recommend this tour highly — five stars!
Written June 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi. We are staying at the Landing, not coming in on a cruise. How far is it to the pick up point, or can we be picked up at our hotel?
Written July 1, 2022
I can't say for sure, but they were very accommodating and willing to drop us and different locations at the end of the tour. I would contact them and ask.
Written July 3, 2022
There was a bit of walking but at a casual leisurely pace. Nothing really uphill or rough terrain.
Written September 28, 2023
is there a lot of walking or climbing on this excursion
Written May 21, 2022
what is the time frame of this tour? I will be at this port from 7am to 1 pm.
Written November 11, 2020
Is this tour on a vehicle? I cannot walk long distances or on uneven paths.
Written November 11, 2020
This starts on a vehicle to a few designated areas in Ketchikan. There is a bit of walking on the tour. My iPhone health app shows about 3 miles. It was a very leisurely pace and not strenuous.
Written September 28, 2023
Is this the same company that Princess uses with their excursions? I noticed the price, activities, snacks, and description was similar so I’m wondering if there’s a benefit for booking outside of the cruise ship?
Written January 9, 2020
Yes it is. I booked it as one of my excursions before leaving home.
Written January 11, 2020
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