Juneau Small Group Sea Kayaking with Mendenhall Glacier Views
Description
Explore Juneau’s incredible coastline on this small-group kayaking adventure through the beautiful Mendenhall Wetlands. Keep your camera ready as you glide past eagles perched in the trees, harbor seals resting on the rocks, and maybe even a curious sea lion or porpoise swimming nearby. From your kayak, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind view of the majestic Mendenhall Glacier, visible from six miles away as it winds through mountain peaks. This tour is intentionally limited to no more than 8 guests, creating a quiet, intimate experience. Unlike other tours, each guest paddles their own single kayak , allowing for better control, comfort, and opportunity to explore. (Double kayaks available on request) You’ll be fully outfitted with a high-quality dry suit, keeping you warm and dry in all weather conditions. Our experienced local guides provide hands-on instruction and support throughout the tour, making this adventure ideal for first-time kayakers as well as those with prior experience.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our tour takes place in the estuarial region directly in front of the Mendenhall glacier. The view that you get on our tour is one of the most complete views of the glacier in all of Juneau. You will be further away from the glacier than tours that go to or around the visitors center. Fog can affect the view of the Mendenhall Glacier.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- We will pick you up from the cruise ship port and then drive for 20 minutes to the North Douglas boat launch ramp. We will introduce equipment, go over safety protocols, and get everyone suited up and in their kayaks. We will be on the water for 2 hours, including a beach walk and snack break. The entire tour will take 3.5 hours.
Reviews(88)
Pick up was at the port from the cruise stop. Our guide was very friendly and helpful for all levels. It was a perfect experience!
Glad you guys had fun! Enjoy the rest of your trip.
We enjoyed a wonderful kayaking experience with our charismatic and knowledgeable guide, Jordan! Easy directions to successfully get on the water as a first time kayaker. Breath-taking view of the glacier and infamous Juneau mountain range, special guest visits from marine wildlife (seals and jumping salmon), and delicious snacks provided about halfway through the experience. Added bonus of getting to check and bait the crab pot 🦀 110% would kayak with PaddleJuneau again!
Wow! The wildlife really showed up for you guys 😃. July and August are especially fun with all of the salmon coming in.
This excursion is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of Juneau. Jacob, our guide, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. 10/10 would recommend.
Thank you guys for paddling with us! See you next time 😊.
Our kayaking trip was wonderful! Our guide (I wish I could remember his name, but he's in school to be a dentist and also has the best teeth and smile) was fantastic. I had been booked on a previous day that unfortunately had to cancel due to weather, but they were super accommodating in trying to help us rebook. The kayaks were well outfitted and it was great to not have to worry about having our own waterproof shoes or waterproof phone cases. We got to check a crab pot and even saw a whale fluke lobtailing (hitting the water repeatedly) from a distance, which was incredible. Would absolutely recommend.
Jacob does have the best teeth ever! He will be a great dentist unless we can convince him to be a career kayak guide 😉. Glad you had fun.
We absolutely loved our kayak excursion with Jacob as our guide. He was friendly and knowledgeable, and provided us with an experience we’ll always remember. The company provides high quality gear, from kayaks to dry suits, shoes and gloves. Snack and hot beverage was also provided. Paddle Juneau meets you at the cruise port and provides transportation to the cove where you’ll paddle and explore. If you like very small group excursions then this is the tour for you!
Thank you guys for such a nice review. I’m gonna screenshot this one and send it to Jacob. Glad to hear that you had a nice time.
Great day to explore the area and Jacob shared lots of interesting facts! We saw a bunch of eagles, seals and even checked a crab trap.
Glad you guys saw so much wildlife. Fritz cove never disappoints!
Jordan was awesome! Beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife. The small group made it more personal. Highly recommended!
Glad you guys had fun! Thanks for coming!
Our guided kayaking trip in a bay in northern Juneau was the highlight of our trip to Alaska! We were stunned by the amazing views of jagged snow-capped mountains lining the shores, as well as views of a humpback whale spouting nearby. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the area and about kayaking, and the operator had the inflatable kayaks all ready for us when we were dropped off. The kayaks were very sturdy and safe, and overall I would rate this a peak experience of our trip. We also hiked at the impressive Mendenhall Glacier and saw the beautiful Nutmeg Falls. I cannot thank the operators enough for offering such an amazing and enjoyable day.
This is a nice review, however it sounds like you went with a different operator. We use standard sea kayaks, not inflatable ones. We also kayak in Fritz cove, not auke bay.
I cannot recommend this experience enough. We had stunning views of Mendenhall Glacier while kayaking in very peaceful waters. It ended up being just me and my husband with my sister and brother-in-law on the tour. My husband and I used a double kayak and my sister and BIL each had a single. The tour provided dry suits so we were plenty warm and dry. Our tour guide Jacob was super fun and gave us a lot of great information about Alaska and the areas around Juneau. We saw quite a few seals and bald eagles! This was our favorite excursion of our trip and I highly recommend!
Glad you guys had so much fun!!
We’re not hardcore kayakers, so we weren’t sure what to expect - but this tour was completely accessible and genuinely relaxing. Jordan was an outstanding guide: knowledgeable, calm, and great at reading the group’s pace. The wildlife alone was worth it - we spotted seals throughout the paddle, which was a thrill every single time. Holding live crabs was an unexpected bonus that had us both laughing and slightly terrified. The Mendenhall Glacier views as a backdrop the whole time made it feel surreal. Jordan clearly loves what she does, and that energy is contagious. Small group size made a real difference - felt personal, never rushed. If you’re on a cruise stop in Juneau and debating excursions, stop debating. Book this one.
Thank you guys for the great review. We’re glad you had so much fun!
