Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.
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September 2026
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Who is going?
Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 1,050 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. worth booking?
Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. is a 3-hour experience in Ketchikan, United States, from $134 per person. It scores 93 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “90+ Club”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 1,050 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing. It sits in the Outty 90+ Club, the top tier of everything we rank.
- Outty Ranking
- 93 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (1,050)
- Duration
- 3 hours
- From
- $134 per person
The Ketchikan Photo Safari is a fun, small group 3 hour shore excursion designed for short time travelers who want great photos, engaging history, and a deeper understanding of Alaska. Traveling with a professional photo
What you get
About this experience
The Ketchikan Photo Safari is a fun, small group 3 hour shore excursion designed for short time travelers who want great photos, engaging history, and a deeper understanding of Alaska. Traveling with a professional photography guide in a group of just 2–9 guests, you’ll explore Ketchikan’s most scenic and culturally significant locations, including a visit to Potlatch Park. Here, you’ll learn about Southeast Alaska Native culture, traditional totem poles, carving, symbolism, and the stories that connect the land and its people. While photography is a key part of the experience, you don’t need to be photography focused to enjoy this tour. It’s also perfect for guests who are new to Alaska and want to hear great stories, learn local history, and better understand what they’re seeing. Along the way, your guide shares easy photography tips you can use with any camera or smartphone—tips many guests say improve their photos for the rest of their cruise.
What's included
Included
- This is a great historic and cultural tour with or without a camera:)
What you'll see and do
Ketchikan
If you land in Ketchikan on berths 1, 2, 3, or 4 we meet at berth 2 next to the statue called "The Rock". If you land in Ward Cove we will pick you up unless otherwise notified.
15 minutes here
Creek Street
The Historic Red Light District where men and salmon go to spawn, now home to a variety of shops & attractions and abundant photo opportunities. Hear stories and information about local culture, history, economy & lifestyles as you travel from site to site.
35 minutes here
Harris Street Bridge
At the Harris Street Bridge, we have an opportunity to talk about the use of backgrounds and foregrounds. During salmon spawning season we will have an up close look at nature in action.
20 minutes here
Totem Heritage Center
This site has totems, native carvings, informative kiosks, ancient poles and the opportunity to hear the legend of Fog Woman. Hear stories and information about local culture, history, economy & lifestyles as you travel from site to site.
20 minutes here
Thomas Basin
We will make our way down East Street to over look Thomas Basin and explore some of the last wooden dock structures in Ketchikan, Alaska. If the weather is right we have an opportunity for a large landscape or what ever strikes our imagination. We will talk about commercial fishing and the history of the town, while collecting some of our favorite photos.
20 minutes here
Potlatch Totem Park
This site offers a variety of attractions including a totem carving building, a traditional Native Clan House, dugout canoe, a gift shop, antique cars and a Russian Museum. Hear stories and information about local culture, history, economy & lifestyles as you travel from site to site. Enjoy your fresh roasted coffee and gourmet cookie at this site.
40 minutes here
Ketchikan
One last stop for another large landscape overlooking Danger Island and the airplane float. Here we will begin the conclusion of our tour and we thank you for coming on the Ketchikan Photo Safari.
15 minutes here
Ketchikan
We are excited to share all of these locations, but sometimes the itinerary is subject to change due to weather, lighting and general interests of the crowd.
10 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 9 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Ketchikan Photo Safari
Know before you go
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Stipulate your desired TOUR DEPARTURE TIME and email for confirmation: ktnservices@outlook.com
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 1,027 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
10 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
8 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
5 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Pace and timing
3 mentionsSeveral reviewers found the schedule tight or the day long.
Traveler reviews
1,027 verified traveler reviews for Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Awesome tour
Awesome guide. Very knowledgeable. Great experience
via Tripadvisor
Ketchikan 2026
Saint, our tour guide was exceptional! Extremely knowledgeable and well spoken, Saint provided us with a comprehensive historical background of Ketchikan, it’s people and culture.
via Tripadvisor
Great Experience!
We had a fantastic photo safari with Ketchikan Photo Safari, and in particular our guide Saint was amazing! We ended up being the only two on the tour and Saint gave us very personable and professional guidance. We went to 3 main areas, with several photo stops at each, most of which we would never have discovered on our own. Saint provided excellent knowledge of the area as well as some excellent photo tips for both iPhone and DSLR cameras. Would definitely recommend this tour!
via Tripadvisor
Don’t do it if you like photography
We bought a $1000 Canon camera and $1250 in lenses for this specific Alaskan cruise and specifically this professional photography tour. It was advertised as teaching about depth, exposure and composition using any type of camera and specially calls out DSLR cameras. Our guide was a mid-20’s kid from Kentucky with what seemed to be very little experience with a camera. If he did have experience he did not offer any guidance or advice on photography. The tour was rushed and the few photogenic spots on the tour we all felt rushed. There was a black bear in the stream on Creek Street. We were given a moment to photograph the bear and then forced to move onto uninteresting spots on the boardwalk to hear about berries and ladies of the night. While interesting enough, everyone in Alaska wants to see wildlife and we missed our opportunity. The longest time spent anywhere was the library and rocky beach staring at a tree to see if we spotted an Eagle. This is an average sight seeing tour that are plentiful in Ketchikan; often at much lower prices. This tour charges a premium based on the professional photography aspect. We passed up on the duck boat tour that my fiancé really wanted to do because we figured we need to learn from a pro how to use our new $2500+ camera setup.
Response from the operator: Hello Michael, thank you for the review. Your guide is a highly skilled profession photographer and it is apparent that you didn't take the opportunity to absorb some of his knowledge. This guide in particular specializes in Canon since that is what he primarily shoots with. Regardless, we feel that it is important to share that it is unreasonable for anyone to buy a brand new camera and expect to be an expert after a 3 hour tour. We do offer many tips across many different platforms. We enjoy helping as much as possible in regards to composition, camera functions, giving tips on depth of field, and any other questions that may come up. Each guide has their own suggestions at each location, which is one of my favorite parts of our tour, it is never the same from one guide to the next. There are many topics that could be discussed that would take more than 3 hours to cover and practice. In our description we promise to visit multiple spots and there were other people on the tour that wanted to go to the other locations and they enjoyed them as well. We focus on the history and culture of Ketchikan Alaska, wildlife is a bonus not a guarantee. The Duck Tour is a fine tour, but we feel like we have more to offer with the locations that we visit, the history that we provide and the camera information that is shared. We hope that you enjoy your new camera, you can't go wrong with a Canon, I would suggest looking up the rule of thirds and the photo triangle so that you can shoot manual sooner rather than later.
via Viator
Excursion Day Ketchikan
We booked this experience via Virgin VoyagesOur tour guide Saint was extremely knowledgeable of the borough of Ketchikan. He had a great personality and really made the experience memorable. We hit all the major spots which I thought was a great value. I learned many photo tips. I highly recommend this tour.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 368
- Verdict
- 90+ Club
Why this scores 93
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Ketchikan.
How much does Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. cost?
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Prices start at $134 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Ketchikan usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. take?
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Plan for about 3 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Ketchikan is not rushed.
Is Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 93 out of 100, which we label "90+ Club". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 1,050 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most popular in Ketchikan, and how flexible the cancellation terms are. Scoring 90 or above puts it in the Outty 90+ Club, the top tier of everything we rank.
Can I cancel or reschedule Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 3-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr.?
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Around 368 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Ketchikan can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Ketchikan and add a light layer if any part of the 3-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Off the Beaten Path Ketchikan Photo Safari - 3 hr. start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Ketchikan within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Ketchikan?
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Ketchikan runs short, cruise-timed excursions: Misty Fjords floatplane flights, Tongass rainforest zip lines, totem park tours, crab feasts and wildlife boats up the Behm Canal. On Outty we rank every Ketchikan experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Ketchikan Kayak Eco-Tour, Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Rainforest Canopy Ropes and Zipline Adventure Park, Ketchikan Shore Excursion: Eagle Island Sea Kayaking. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Ketchikan?
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May to September, matching the Alaska cruise season. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Ketchikan?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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