Gastineau Guiding
Gastineau Guiding
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Gastineau Guiding has been offering small-group fully-guided whale watching and hiking experiences to Juneau travelers for over 20 years. Step into Alaska with a passionate and professional Certified Interpretive Guide. Our guiding mission is to provide each guest with a sense of wonder about this special place we call home. Our modern fleet of custom built safari vessels provides the best vantage for viewing and photographing marine wildlife - whale sightings are guaranteed! Join us on a specialty trip by land & sea tailored to your interests: Juneau's original - Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari; Tour of the Year - Alaska's Whales, Glaciers & Rainforest Trails; The science behind the scenery - Discover Alaska's Whales (Science Adventure). Guided rainforest hikes with glacier views and alpine treks for active visitors are also available. Custom Group Tours and Charters are also available for those traveling to Juneau independent of a cruise line.
Juneau, Alaska
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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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.
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5.0
6,676 reviews
Excellent
6,395
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212
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42
Poor
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lonnie m
mountain green, utah27 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
We came to Juneau via Celebrity Cruise Lines. We booked a Mendenhall Glacier tour guides choice hike. Our guide was Mike Hekkers who was a degreed “Glaciologist” As you can guess he was very knowledgeable as he had worked at the university and had done many studies on glaciers over the years. The hike was advertised as a strenuous hike. The path up he chose for our route was strenuous and I think may have been a bit too much for some older folks that weren’t in shape. It was a challenge so believe the company when they advertise it as strenuous. Over the years I have seen many things advertised as moderate and they are usually easy enough for my 5 year old grandson to do. Not to belabor the point but be in shape or don’t book this particular hike. Mike took us to a beautiful overlook and let us take in the views as he described things he knew about this glacier. On the way up we had stopped by the glacial lake and saw a bear pop out of the woods far enough away to enjoy and not be concerned. I thought that was quite the bonus. If you are in shape, I highly recommend this outing especially after being coupled up on a boat.
Written October 19, 2021
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.
WisconsinLady1
Windsor, WI14 contributions
Sep 2022 • Family
We booked this excursion during our September cruise to Alaska and loved everything about our experience! I especially loved that the tour only allows a max of 20 people. We had 12, so it felt like a private tour. Our linkup with the guide at the port went smoothly. We traveled on a very comfortable newer mini-bus that had a sound system for the guide and a TV to show scientific videos. On the way to the boat our lovely guide, Amanda, told us many fun facts about Juneau and pointed out eagles, glaciers, landmarks, etc. When we got to the dock, she passed out a sack snack that included Trail mix, fruit leather, chocolate, and a bottle of water. With the assistance of Captain Mitch, we boarded the boat and started our adventure. We immediately saw seals and dozens of Bald Eagles. We then went to pull in the crab trap and begin our scientific research. My eight-year-old daughter was the only child on the excursion, so the guide and Captain gave her extra attention (which she loved). They let her help pull in the crab trap! Inside, we discovered a variety of fish, sea urchins, and a starfish. Amanda documented our find and told us facts about the creatures we found, before setting them free. After that, we went to find whales! My daughter had an orca stuffed animal with her and Amanda told her that they rarely see orcas in that area, so don’t feel disappointed if we don’t see one. We admired the scenery and glaciers in the distance until we came across our first whale… technically, a dolphin… a male orca named Captain Hook! Amanda told us how they identify each whale and told us some fun facts about Captain Hook. She also gave us tips on how to video and photograph whales. We then discovered a large pod of at least a dozen humpback whales. We watched them for more than an hour as they breeched all around our boat. It was a truly magical experience. We headed to shore after that. During the bus ride back, Amanda shared a video with us about glacier recession and continued to share facts with us. I truly appreciated how patient she was with my daughter… she asked A LOT of questions. :) We had the choice to get dropped off in downtown Juneau or head back to the ship. We loved everything about our experience and highly recommend the excursion for anyone visiting Juneau!
Written September 22, 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.
carefreevoyager
London, UK99 contributions
Sep 2022
We chose the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching Photo Safari as the most comprehensive excursion early in our Alaska cruise. We were very fortunate to have a warmish and relatively cloudless day, which we were assured was rare in these parts. The guiding, particularly through the forest, was outstanding - Claire was informed and informative, also an excellent photography tutor, at all levels!
The glacier itself was a disappointment - an object lesson to us in the shrinkage of these mighty works of nature, whether entirely a man-made event or a combination of that and natural developments.
The whale watch run, with just 14 of us on the boat, was also great, albeit with "just two humpbacks" to be seen!
Well done Claire, and your colleagues, for giving us a memorable day!
The glacier itself was a disappointment - an object lesson to us in the shrinkage of these mighty works of nature, whether entirely a man-made event or a combination of that and natural developments.
The whale watch run, with just 14 of us on the boat, was also great, albeit with "just two humpbacks" to be seen!
Well done Claire, and your colleagues, for giving us a memorable day!
Written September 13, 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.
Owen R
2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Deb Marchione was an amazing guide! I loved her energy and enthusiasm as well as her stories which were mostly centered around the animals we were all hoping to see. Not only did we get our guaranteed whale sighting within 5 minutes of being on the water, it was Orcas! According to Deb the odds of that are extremely low however I like to believe it was a combination of our luck that got us that experience. For anyone in Juneau interested in seeing the sights and the wildlife I highly recommend Gastineau Guiding!
Written July 24, 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.
Gary Moran, EdD
6 contributions
Aug 2022
The highlight of our Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruise was our Whale Watching tour provided by Gastineau Guiding on 8/21/22. We had 6 family members aboard and all agreed that this was the best excursion any of us ever experienced. Although this was our first cruise, the other 4 are veteran cruisers with a lot of excursion experiences. We were absolutely blessed with sunny skies and mid 70's temperatures for the first time in over 30 days. But we were especially blessed with our guide, Shelby Serra! She is an Environmental Science grad from the Univ. of Oregon however her depth of knowledge is at a PhD level in my opinion. I am a very detail-oriented person, holding a doctoral degree myself and Shelby surpassed any level of detail I could have anticipated. But she made the science easy for all to understand, interesting and intriguing and most of all, fun! Shelby makes you feel like she is talking just to you even though there were 19 people on the excursion.
Gastineau pretty much guaranteed that we'd see whales and boy, they weren't kidding. Shelby even showed us an identification guide with photos of the white markings on the underside of the whale's tail, a new less invasive method of tracking these whales - kind of like facial recognition. She was able to ID one whale by first name!
Our Captain, whose name escapes me, was excellent as well. He brought us right to the hot spots and even took us to a small island for quite the visit with a couple hundred Sea Lions. I thought I was in the midst of a National Geographic Special.
Our excursion also included a nature hike up to the Mendenhall Glacier. As a Landscape Design hobbyist and full-time fan of green things, I was in heaven. The trail was so not like my Florida home that I was filled with awe and questions. Shelby answered them all and even answered a whole lot more questions that I hadn't thought of. I got a chance to meet my friend, the Sitka Spruce up close. There are 2 Taylor acoustic guitars hanging on my wall with tops made from Sitka Spruce. It is considered the most resonant wood for projecting sound. That was the only thing I knew that Shelby didn't. But she does now!
Gastineau has such a great reputation for professionalism that they have been granted permission to hike through bear sensitive areas. We didn't see any bears but we have some pics of some very serious bear tracks.
I wanted to make sure to compliment Gastineau on the design of their tour boats. They are specifically engineered to provide optimal viewing inside a comfortable cabin at sitting eye level. There are also observation decks front and back and with triple Mercury engines, they get you up and down the waterway with speed and comfort. I want one!
The Gastineau excursions must be a "Must Do" if you ever get to the Juneau area.
Thank you, Shelby, Captain and Gastineau for the excursion of a lifetime!
Gastineau pretty much guaranteed that we'd see whales and boy, they weren't kidding. Shelby even showed us an identification guide with photos of the white markings on the underside of the whale's tail, a new less invasive method of tracking these whales - kind of like facial recognition. She was able to ID one whale by first name!
Our Captain, whose name escapes me, was excellent as well. He brought us right to the hot spots and even took us to a small island for quite the visit with a couple hundred Sea Lions. I thought I was in the midst of a National Geographic Special.
Our excursion also included a nature hike up to the Mendenhall Glacier. As a Landscape Design hobbyist and full-time fan of green things, I was in heaven. The trail was so not like my Florida home that I was filled with awe and questions. Shelby answered them all and even answered a whole lot more questions that I hadn't thought of. I got a chance to meet my friend, the Sitka Spruce up close. There are 2 Taylor acoustic guitars hanging on my wall with tops made from Sitka Spruce. It is considered the most resonant wood for projecting sound. That was the only thing I knew that Shelby didn't. But she does now!
Gastineau has such a great reputation for professionalism that they have been granted permission to hike through bear sensitive areas. We didn't see any bears but we have some pics of some very serious bear tracks.
I wanted to make sure to compliment Gastineau on the design of their tour boats. They are specifically engineered to provide optimal viewing inside a comfortable cabin at sitting eye level. There are also observation decks front and back and with triple Mercury engines, they get you up and down the waterway with speed and comfort. I want one!
The Gastineau excursions must be a "Must Do" if you ever get to the Juneau area.
Thank you, Shelby, Captain and Gastineau for the excursion of a lifetime!
Written September 5, 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.
jgbatche
Greensboro, NC3 contributions
Jun 2022
Awesome excursion! We traveled on Carnival & booked an excursion for Whale Watching & Rainforest Hiking. Loved every minute of it! The entire tour was for 20ppl or less. Seven of those were my family that ranged in ages from 5yrs old to 70yrs old. There was a short 20-30min shuttle ride right off the Carnival dock to the Whale Watching tour boat on which we were able to view the countryside & bald eagles resting in the treetops. Experienced whales in all of their glory. I personally loved the nature hike through the rainforest to view the glacier. My 2 kids, 7yrs & 5yrs, were full of questions. Our guide, Emma Bartram, was awesome. She answered all of my kids' questions with excitement (not once annoyed). Emma was very knowledgeable about the area, engaging the attention of all of her guests. We toured back on June 11th, 2022. The weather was great, not too cold or hot (of course you do not go to Alaska and expect it to be hot, you want it to be cold). I would definitely recommend this excursion & Gastineau Guiding as the host of this excursion to others. It is well worth the money for the experience.
Written July 11, 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.
Andrew J
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We booked a short hike at Mendenhall Glacier and a whale watching tour while our cruise ship was docked in Juneau. We were geeted by Kali who was very kind and knowledgable about the area and what it had to offer. Our second guide, Karina, drove the bus and attended the hike with us. She was also knowledgeable and was excellent with our two young kids. Our boat captian, Mike, was excellent and led us around the bay where we saw so many whales. The most memorable part of our trip was when we saw a group of Humpback whales bubble net feeding. We recommend this guide service to anyone who makes their way up to Alaska!
Written August 7, 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.
kim3eb
boston MA53 contributions
Aug 2021
Cheffy picked us up at our cruise ship (Norwegian Encore) and brought us to Captain Jen's boat. He is very intelligent, humorous, knows everything about whales and trails, and engaged us with some great storytelling. They guarantee you'll see at least one humpback. We saw at least 30 including one that come up very close to the boat. Captain Jen was great at angling and keeping pace with where they were feeding. The windows open up completely giving 360 degree views and you can go to the bow and stern. We then hiked the rainforest to view Mendenhall Glacier which was incredible. Cheffy and Albert have in depth knowledge of the plants and trees that make up this ecosystem. I'm going back next year and will request Cheffy again unless he has become a famous nature photographer working for National Geographic.
Written August 18, 2021
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.
McAllenTravler
McAllen, TX35 contributions
May 2022
My wife and I along with several others from our Viking cruise ship ventured out with our guide Claire (only her second voyage as a guide) and capitán Bob, to find whales to watch. Then to explore the Trail of Time. It was a great trip! We found and photographed a whale as it “flipped it’s tail” after Bob did great work to get us into a great position to shoot. Claire was very knowledgeable about photography, and patient with those who were novices. It happened to be a clear calm day, a real benefit. Our hike through to view the Mendenhall glacier was well presented, and relatively easy (trail was paved most of the way, about 1 mile, few people, and only one short grade). She knew her way very well, explaining a number of things that made the trip really positive.
Written May 10, 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.
drb8053
Ottawa, Canada186 contributions
Oct 2022
We booked a "whale watching photo safari" through our cruise ship's excursion desk while in Juneau, and wound up on a Gastineau tour. What a fantastic experience. Our guide Scott Ranger was professional, knowledgeable, funny, and engaging. Our boat captain Joe was dedicated to making sure we had the best chance of whale spotting, and did not disappoint. We saw several different whales, plus Dall's porpoises (not to mention jaw-dropping Alaskan scenery). After whales, we went on a bit of a hike to Mendenhall Glacier, but probably didn't utilize our glaciologist bus-driver Mike to his full potential, knowledge, or experience. All in all, what a wonderful day. As amazing as the rest of Alaska is, this was our favourite day - make so in no small part by the people of Gastineau. Highly recommended.
Written October 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.
Are there washrooms on the safari boats? Considering doing the Mendenhall Glacier walk with the whale watching next August
Written November 13, 2024
Yes but a very small one. Use restrooms at dock before and after. Don’t miss the whale watching was amazing
Written November 13, 2024
How many people will you be allowing on your boats this summer? Social distance information? Masks? We are coming in August,
2021
Written April 7, 2021
I have a difficult time walking and am trying to get up to 1 mile before we are going on this tour, but I have questions about the hiking portion. Is it 1 mile each way, or 1 mile round trip, or do you start at one point and end at another point? And what if I walk slower than the rest of the group? Will I be left behind? Also, is it flat? What is the surface? Like roots and things to trip on, or pretty pressed down?
Written April 3, 2021
Hi!
My husband and I are traveling to Alaska with a large group of friends (~30 of us) on Holland America with June 4th as our port date for Juneau. Can you please tell me the min and max on the boat for the whale and glacier combo tour? We'd like to start figuring out how we need to split up for excursions.
Thank you!
Laurie
FYI, your company was highly recommended by my sister that went last year! :)
Written February 18, 2020
Hey Laurie!
I'm so happy to hear your sister was able to join us last year! We love reconnecting with guests, especially through friends and family!
We have two land and sea options where guests can enjoy watching whales on one of our custom designed wildlife viewing vessels then hit the trail for a great view of the Mendenhall Glacier, all with the lead of their professional guide. The maximum guests we allow on our Alaska's Whales, Glacier and Rainforest Trails is 20 guests or less, and the maximum on our Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari is 14 guests or less. Our Whales and Trails has more of a focus on Natural History while our Photo Safari has a photography emphasis. Since your group is a little too large for one tour, the photographers in the group may consider joining a Photo Safari!
I hope this information was helpful and let us know if any other questions pop up as you begin planning your Alaska Adventure!
Happy Trails,
Ashlynn Antoni - Director of Sales and Marketing - Gastineau Guiding
Written February 20, 2020
Hi, Me and my husband will cruising to Alaska in May. We would like to book a whale watching tour. Can you please tell my the price. Also i can get sea sick pretty easy 🙈if i just take dramamine would i b fine? 😥thank u
Written February 11, 2020
Hi Henrieta,
Thank you for reaching out to us on TripAdvisor! We're happy to have you with us this summer. The rates for our whale watching tours varies depending on which trip you’re interested in. Our website lists the space available rates in the “details” section. Please keep in mind, these rates are, "as space is available" which we will know the evening before a departure. If you are arriving to Juneau via a cruise ship, I would recommend booking through the shore excursions department. We partner with the cruise lines as the space on our small group tours (20 guests or less) can be very limited, and you can book guaranteed seats through your ship.
As far as sea sickness - the water conditions do not typically get very rough as the area we watch the whales is protected from the open ocean by a variety of islands. In the event a guest feels uneasy, our guides carry ginger chew candies in their first aid kits just in case. If you would prefer to take non-drowsy Dramamine you're more than welcome, but guests typically do not get seasick.
I hope this information if helpful and let us know if you have any additional questions!
- Ashlynn Antoni, Director of Marketing and Sales, Gastineau Guiding Company
Written February 12, 2020
Hi there, we are considering joining one of your tours in June. we are two adults and one child aged 5. We cant decide between the photo tour and the rainforest tour. What are the main differences and which one is better with a child? If we come on the rainforest tour do you still get the opportunity to go on the photo trail to get the clear photo of the glacier? Than ks
Written January 25, 2020
Greetings from Juneau!
We're happy to have you with us this June! The main difference between the Photo Safari and the Whales, Glacier, and Rainforest Trails is the overall focus of the tour. Photography versus Natural History. Both tours are going to provide you and your family with a chance to explore the waterways of Stephens Passage for humpback whales and other wildlife, and time on the trail at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area for a walk among the rainforest followed by a beautiful view of the Mendenhall Glacier. Both trails will provide a spectacular view of the ice and you'll be welcome to take as many photos as your memory card can handle! As far as which tour is best for your family, it is really up to you! For a family with young children I might recommend the Alaska's Whales, Glacier and Rainforest Trails. This is a great trip and while both tours move at an adult pace the topic of natural history may be more engaging for a younger child. On the Photo Safari our professional photography guides will discuss some of the mechanics to capture the best photos possible including topics varying from ISO, shutter speed, and aperture to name a few. I hope this information is helpful and if you have any additional questions please let us know!
- Ashlynn Antoni, Director of Sales and Marketing - Gastineau Guiding
Written January 28, 2020
Hi, we will be sailing with Royal Caribbean in June 2020 and are considering your Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari excursion and was wondering what the maximum guest allowed for each tour is.
Written October 3, 2019
Hi Markelain - We're happy to hear you're considering joining us next summer! Our Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari is a great way to experience Juneau within a small group of 14 guests or less as you explore by land and sea. With the lead of your professional photography guide you will visit the trail at the Mendenhall Glacier recreation area and learn about the land the glacier has left behind. After a walk of about 1 mile in about 1 hour you and your small group will head to the waterways of Stephens Passage where you will board a custom wildlife viewing vessel. With perimeter seating and large panel windows which open for unobstructed viewing, our vessels were designed specifically for capturing great images while on the water. This trip is great for photographers of all levels from guests using their cell phone to guests with large DSL-R cameras as there are so many way to capture stunning and memorable images of your Alaska adventure. We hope to see you in June next year!
- Ashlynn Antoni - Director of Sales and Marketing - Gastineau Guiding Company
Written October 4, 2019
Hi, I was wondering what the name of the trail is that your tours go on? Thank you
Written July 13, 2019
Greetings from Juneau! To answer your question, we use a variety of trails in town. From the Trail of Time and Moraine Ecology Trail, to the trails we use on our more strenuous hikes - West Glacier and East Glacier Trail. We are also permitted to guide groups on a number of other trails here in Juneau for visitors looking for a customized private experience.
Written September 26, 2019
About how long is the drive from the excursion back to NCL port for the whale watching photo safari?
Written March 4, 2019
Good Morning from Juneau!
The drive from the ship to the harbor where we meet the vessel is about 25-30 minutes. All of our vehicles for the Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari are media equipped which means there's a screen on board which the guides will use during the fully narrated transfer as we set the for your experience with us!
-- Gastineau Guiding Company
Written March 5, 2019
We will be cruising with Royal Caribbean 9/6 - 9/13 and were wondering if you all do one of their excursions? We saw one with whale watching & Mendenhall Glacier Photography Safari and were wondering if this was your company or if you offer one through this cruise line? Thank you. Lena & Brian
Written January 27, 2019
Hey Lena and Brian!
Glad to hear you will be making your way to Juneau soon. You are on the right track! We offer our Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari directly through your cruise line. For booking convenience Royal Caribbean also pairs this excursion with a tour code. The tour code for this small group and fully guided experience is JU-45.
Reserving shore excursions online is the fastest, most convenient way for you to confirm your tours. Royal Caribbean will handle the request and in most cases have your tickets waiting in your stateroom when you arrive. If the ship delays or if there is inclement weather, then the shore excursion department will take steps to inform you of any time changes or cancellations. And if your tour runs late, the ship will remain in port or they'll arrange transportation to the next port of call at no expense to you.
Please let me know if you have any further questions about the tour, and if you have any problems pre-booking through your cruise line, just give me a shout.
All the Best,
Ashlynn Antoni - Director of Sales and Marketing -- Gastineau Guiding Company
Written January 28, 2019
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