Best Ketchikan shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Ketchikan is "Ketchikan: Misty Fjords National Monument Floatplane Tour" (4.6★ from 64 reviews, from $389). The biggest saving against the ship is nature / waterfall / park: $169 per person less than Carnival. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Ketchikan are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketchikan: Misty Fjords National Monument Floatplane TourFlightseeing | $389 | 4.6★64 reviews | 2/5 |
| 2 | Ketchikan: Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Park WalkNature / waterfall / park | $110 | 4.4★58 reviews | 5/5 |
| 3 | Ketchikan: Alaska Bigfoot ATV Ride & Hike in Tongass ForestATV / buggy / jeep | $149 | 4.9★37 reviews | 5/5 |
| 4 | Ketchikan: Scenic Drive & George Inlet Fjords Zodiac CruiseCity / island tour | $240 | 4.8★26 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature / waterfall / park | Carnival | $293 | $124 | $676 |
| Food & tasting | NCL | $296 | $161 | $540 |
| Food & tasting | Carnival | $287 | $161 | $506 |
| Nature / waterfall / park | NCL | $212 | $124 | $352 |
| Kayak / paddle | NCL | $247 | $164 | $330 |
| Zipline | NCL | $266 | $188 | $315 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- City / island tour on NCL: $207 on the ship vs $218 independent.
- City / island tour on Carnival: $100 on the ship vs $218 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Creek Street: ~5 min walk (126 m).
- Saxman Totem Park: ~15 min by road (4.0 km).
Downtown berths are walkable to Creek Street. Ward Cove, used by some Carnival and NCL ships, is about 15 minutes north by shuttle.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Ketchikan?
On ratings, "Ketchikan: Misty Fjords National Monument Floatplane Tour" leads with 4.6 stars from 64 reviews. On value, nature / waterfall / park saves the most against the ship ($169 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Ketchikan?
"Ketchikan: Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary and Totem Park Walk" from $110 per person (4.4★, 58 reviews).
What can you do in Ketchikan without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Creek Street (~5 min walk), Saxman Totem Park (~15 min by road).
All Ketchikan prices and pier guide · Carnival in Ketchikan · NCL in Ketchikan