Icy Strait Birding Tours
Icy Strait Birding Tours
5
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Full view
About
We focus on providing a quality Alaskan birding and nature experience specifically for cruise visitors. Our 3.5hr excursions are arranged to be able to see the maximum number of bird species in the area, while being immersed in the flora and fauna that make this temperate rainforest island unique. Bookings can be made through cruise lines and directly through our website.
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Icy Strait Birding Tours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
31 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Amanda W
Nashville, TN7 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
My tour was with Hannah and she was amazing! She started us off pointing out a few local birds as we walked to the van. Once in the van, she provided us with a booklet of all the birds we'd be looking for (photos & info) and binoculars. I just loved that she would be giving us info, stop mid-sentence, flip her binoculars up then point "there's a varied thrush" - the absolute perfect birding guide. She was ready and willing to stop, look, explain & wait (the opposite of birding w my family 😄) We saw everything we came to see and BONUS... watched a bear eating grass for about 20 minutes. She knew every sound and every bird... even if it just looked like a black dot to us. And then she would tell us how she recognizes the birds from far away. She is an expert in local birds, animals, trees, plants and more. We learned so much and had a great time!
Written June 18, 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.
thor4200
Austin, TX2 contributions
Aug 2022
Amy and her birding tour are the ABSOLUTE best part of Icy Straight Point! She is smart, super knowledgeable about the local environment and history, and she has a very approachable and entertaining way of explaining things. She also knows and has access to the local backcountry in a way that someone who wasn't raised there wouldn't. You'll get to see parts of the local surroundings that you wouldn't with any other guide. Going on her birding tour was one of the highlights of our entire cruise (perhaps even better than seeing the Glaciers calve in Glacier bay)!
What to expect when you get there - Amy will meet up with you at your pre-arranged meeting point (we were off a cruise ship, so Icy Straight Point excursion hub for us). She'll load your group up into her van and pass out some binoculars and you'll be off. The next 2.5 to 3 hours, she'll drive you around to several good birding spots. Along the way, expect her to point out notable locations from local history, tell some stories about growing up near Hoonah, give you a view into what life is like in Alaska, point out important flora and fauna and helpfully explain their role in the overall ecosystem and what is being done to protect it (or not). Oh, did I mention that you'd see some really cool birds, too? Honestly, this is so much more than just a birding tour - if you want to know what life is like in a small Alaska town and its intimate relationship with the surrounding natural ecosystem, this is the tour for you!
What to expect when you get there - Amy will meet up with you at your pre-arranged meeting point (we were off a cruise ship, so Icy Straight Point excursion hub for us). She'll load your group up into her van and pass out some binoculars and you'll be off. The next 2.5 to 3 hours, she'll drive you around to several good birding spots. Along the way, expect her to point out notable locations from local history, tell some stories about growing up near Hoonah, give you a view into what life is like in Alaska, point out important flora and fauna and helpfully explain their role in the overall ecosystem and what is being done to protect it (or not). Oh, did I mention that you'd see some really cool birds, too? Honestly, this is so much more than just a birding tour - if you want to know what life is like in a small Alaska town and its intimate relationship with the surrounding natural ecosystem, this is the tour for you!
Written September 6, 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.
Wow, what an awesome review, Will! I so appreciate you taking the time to share your experience on here.
Written May 26, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GoPlaces37273039997
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
Amazing tour guide! Amy is excellent. Best excursion on the entire cruise. Small groups, customized to fit need of 8 people. Knowledgeable on all things Hoonah. Would recommend you get free of corporate excursion style and take a little drive around in a small vehicle. Plus birds great birds and a scope at each big stop. Loved it!
Written September 17, 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.
kevin m
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Family
Was a really excellent tour. Guide was not only very knowledgeable and able to identify birds on call, but Taylor made the trip to show us the birds we wanted to see. We also had the bonus to seeing 3 brown bears. Can’t recommend enough
Written June 19, 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.
Sonja G
2 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
I never would have seen all of the birds, eagles, bears, and deer that I saw without Amy and Hannah. They knew the bird songs and where to find them, even drawing some closer through calls. They set up a scope in known areas, allowing us to see far in the distance where we never would have looked. The binoculars were the perfect size for bird watching. Amy was able to share her knowledge of the wildlife and habitat from being a born and raised local. She and Hannah were enthusiastic and excellent teachers and guides. The color bird guide that we received added to our enjoyment as we looked for birds. We’re novice bird watchers and found the tour informative and very interesting. I highly recommend it to nature lovers.
Written May 22, 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.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Sonja. Hannah and I enjoyed sharing Alaska with you!
Written May 26, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melissa Hirsch
7 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Amy is fantastic! Super knowledgeable and friendly. She literally has an Eagle eye and can spot things from afar. We had a great time adventuring, saw lots of birds and even a bear! Worth every penny to spend time with her.
Written June 26, 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.
Thank you for your kind review, Melissa!
Written May 26, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ballerina_1852
Evansville, IN54 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
This was one of the hiking experiences ever. Amy had such knowledge of the forest every bird by its song even provided binoculars for everyone plus carrying a long range scope than allowed us to watch a momma bear and two cubs grazing in the field!
There was a dolphin she spotted plus eagles Stellar jay and black tailed deer. We saw everything in a forest of 130’ spruce trees. A wealth of knowledge not be forgotten
There was a dolphin she spotted plus eagles Stellar jay and black tailed deer. We saw everything in a forest of 130’ spruce trees. A wealth of knowledge not be forgotten
Written June 2, 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.
mlpu
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL26 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Ok, so bird watching doesn’t sound like the coolest experience, but Amy made the tour AMAZING! This tour is great for families, couples, or anyone who enjoys nature. This was a great way to experience the beauty of Hoonah and learn about the local wildlife and environment from an incredibly knowledgeable and talented local!! I highly recommend this above all other experiences in Hoonah. You will NOT be disappointed!!
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.
marti r
5 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
We had our original excursion cancelled the night before and picked this as a replacement. Amy did not disappoint us. Amy is so knowledgeable about not only birds but really everything Hoonah. We thoroughly enjoyed this excursion. The weather was perfect. Amy offered binoculars to anyone that wanted. Even supplied me with hiking poles for the short hike.
Written June 14, 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.
Laura F
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Couples
After a morning of whale and wildlife watching on a small boat tour and a delicious lunch, we met Hannah for a magical afternoon of bird watching we won’t forget! Hannah was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and took us both riding on former logging roads to look for birds and hiking on a quiet trail through truly enchanting forest and farm and river views. We were able to see and hear many varieties of birds all along the way, as well as getting a long look at a brown bear enjoying a good graze. We were given a booklet to mark what birds we saw (and heard) which added to the thrill of the hunt. It was fun getting to know Hannah and the beauty of this little slice of Alaskan wildlife we otherwise would have missed. It’s easy enough to spot crows and ravens and eagles if you spend very long in Alaska at all, but we encountered so much more variety and were truly enthralled. Thanks for a lovely and relaxing tour!
Written June 20, 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.
How do I book in September 2019, cruising on Norwegian and don't see you on their excursion list, what times are tours and do you pick up at cruise port?
FemmedAffaires
Connecticut63 contributions
It might be called Birds of Hoonah. Ours was on Disney.
bobik49
Crestview, FL11 contributions
We are cruising with our grandson and will be in Icy Strait Point on Holland America on June 9, 2018 but don't see any options for booking with HA or online. We will be 2 adults and 1 13 year old.
errol a
Ontario, Canada24 contributions
I have seen your birding tour on trip advisor but cannot see any booking info. Can you please tell me the price for two adults and what is the group size. We plan to be in Icy Straight on June 4 from a Cruise ship between 10;00 am and 5 pm
Thank You
Errol
Amy C
Hoonah, AK1 contribution
Hi Errol,
It looks like you're probably cruising with Royal Caribbean. Is that correct? If so, go to their website and look for Shore Excursions offered at Icy Strait Point. You should see an option called "Discovering Birds of Hoonah." That's us!
Please feel free to contact me through my website if you have any more questions.
Thank you,
Amy Courtney, Owner and Guide
Icy Strait Birding Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Icy Strait Birding Tours Information
Excellent Reviews | 30 |
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Very Good Reviews | 1 |
Icy Strait Birding Tours Photos | 73 |