9 BEST Birding Tour Companies in Alaska (2023)
Are you looking to go on a birding adventure in Alaska?
That’s wonderful news. But here’s the thing:
DECIDING to go on a bird-watching trip to Alaska is an easy decision. The hardest part is finding a reputable company that you feel comfortable traveling with.
Below, I did my best to find NINE highly-rated companies that offer birding trips in Alaska.
Before picking a trip, make sure to pay attention to the itinerary! Some tours are for hardcore birders, where you can expect to be birding in Alaska from sunrise to sunset. By comparison, other birding excursions are more relaxed and integrate other wildlife and cultural experiences. And lastly, some experiences in Alaska are designed specifically for bird photography.
Each tour is unique, and none are better or worse. It depends on what YOU want (or what your traveling companion wants). 🙂
Lastly, please do your own independent research before selecting a birding trip in Alaska!
My list is designed to point you in the right direction and narrow your choices. Before booking a trip, contact the companies directly to make sure they are a good fit for your travel needs.
#1. Rockjumper Birding Tours
Rockjumper is one of the best birding tour companies in Alaska.
Their stellar reputation comes from their commitment to quality trips led by excellent guides. The average ratio of tour leaders to guests is excellent, with most trips having a maximum of eight participants.
Rockjumper has birding tours in Alaska for everyone. For example…
- Spend four days on Adak Island, which is located in the Aleutian Islands and sits 1,200 miles (1,930 km) away from Anchorage. The isolated location is an incredible place to find many rare migrating birds.
- Visit the high Arctic while staying in Utqiaġvik, the northernmost city in the United States. 24-hour daylight provides lots of time to explore the Arctic tundra and coastlines for multiple species of eiders, loons, shorebirds, and Snowy Owls. And I forgot to mention you may see Polar Bears and Arctic Foxes. 🙂
- Click HERE to see a schedule of all the upcoming trips to Alaska. Includes adventures with different lengths and budget levels that explore the entire state, including Denali and Kenai Fjords National Park!
Pay attention to the itinerary because some trips are designed to maximize the number of species observed, while others are more relaxed and allow time to enjoy other unique cultural aspects of a region. And if you can’t find anything that meets your needs, you can work with Rockjumper to design your own trip.
If you want to learn more about a specific tour in Alaska, discuss pricing, or have other questions, it’s best to speak with Rockjumper Birding directly. They have a team of birding experts ready to help!
- Or fill out this form below, and it will get sent directly to Rockjumper!
Lastly, Rockjumper donates a minimum of $50 per scheduled tour to a conservation fund to support bird projects worldwide.
#2. Birding Ecotours
Tell them Bird Watching HQ sent you and get $100 off your trip!
Birding Ecotours is one of the BEST birding tour companies in Alaska, combining an incredible overall experience with a competitive price. Their typical birding tour focuses on small groups of between 6-8 people, along with staying at exceptional lodging and vehicles.
In my opinion, here are a few of the things that make Birding Ecotours different:
- Their guides are some of the best in the business. Highly personable and fun, but also excellent birders.
- Everyone at Birding Ecotours is extremely passionate about conservation. And they put their money where their mouth is, as they donate a minimum of 10 % of net profit to local communities and bird conservation.
- Their CEO and founder (Chris) is an enthusiastic birder who has been in the birding tour business for a long time. He started Birding Ecotours in 2004 and has been running and growing the company ever since. You can read his story here.
To view a list of upcoming birding tours to Alaska, click HERE.
And don’t hesitate to talk to them about creating a custom birding tour just for you or your group. Creating unique trips that mark off everything on your wish list gets Birding Ecotours very excited.
Many of these trips are incredibly popular, so if you are interested, please fill out the form below, and Birding Ecotours will contact you directly to answer questions, discuss pricing, etc.
You can also send Chris and his team a message HERE.
Make sure to mention Bird Watching HQ to receive $100 off your trip!* 🙂
*Some exclusions apply*
#3. Adventures by Disney
Even though YOU may love birds and are excited to go on an Alaskan birding trip, your spouse, friends, kids, etc., may not want to look for birds from sunrise to sunset. 🙂
So that’s why I have included Adventures by Disney. They offer an amazing FAMILY vacation package that visits Alaska.
- View details HERE – Rafting through Denali National Park, glaciers, panning for gold, and more!
Using Adventures by Disney is perfect if you want an amazing adventure with your family in Alaska that is safe and well-planned. You will definitely see a lot of birds and other animals, but the emphasis on the trip is not seeing as many species as possible, like many of the other birding tours on this list.
If you are interested in traveling to Alaska with Disney, you should use an authorized travel agent.
First, you will get help from someone who has lots of experience planning these sorts of trips. Second, it doesn’t cost you anything. In fact, a Disney-authorized travel agent can usually find a better deal and save you hundreds of dollars!
- Are you looking to go to Disney World, Univeral Studios, or go on a Disney Cruise soon? If so, check out my list of AUTHORIZED Disney Vacation planners HERE. They will help save you time, headaches, and, best of all, MONEY. 🙂
Adventures by Disney is the best way to see birds in Alaska if you want to take along kids or people that don’t want to go birding every day.
#4. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
Founded in 1976, Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT) has been leading birding trips for almost 50 years. The company is not only one of the best birding tour companies in Alaska but also one of the most respected.
VENT is committed to ensuring every part of your trip is a success. From quality, fun tour leaders to an efficient office staff that handles logistics, you are being held with experienced and helpful hands.
No matter what birds you want to see in Alaska, VENT should have a trip that makes you happy.
One thing that sticks out to me with VENT is their willingness over the years to give back. The company is strongly committed to eco-tourism, and they use local guides, drivers, and tour operators whenever possible.
#5. WINGS Birding Tours
If you are a serious birder and want an unforgettable adventure in Alaska, then going on a trip with Wings Birding Tours might be a perfect choice. Many other companies on this list try to accommodate people with different interests and physical levels and include things to do on their trips that don’t involve birding.
Wings Birding Tours makes no such promises. They know their target market and try to appeal to them as best as possible. In fact, If you have never been on a bird-watching tour before, they recommend that you contact them first before booking to make sure it’s a good fit.
Almost all of their trips are designed to see birds, regardless of where or when they are to appear. So prepare to be up early and spend your days having incredible adventures and doing a lot of walking. Your trip may take you onto uneven terrain, through lush vegetation, or up and down countless hills.
If you are ready for a hardcore birding adventure in Alaska, then make sure to check out their trip list. They typically have multiple tours scheduled that are approximately two weeks in length and take you to many different habitats and ecosystems within Alaska.
#6. Naturalist Journeys
Founded over 20 years ago, Naturalist Journeys offers numerous nature and birding tours to Alaska and many other places around the globe. On their website, you can see a calendar of their upcoming birding trips to Alaska.
A typical trip by Naturalist Journeys tries to incorporate different aspects to your adventure. The guides are not obsessed with seeing a bird just to check it off a list. Instead, the goal is to savor each experience by immersing yourself in the local Alaskan culture while enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow travelers.
What’s neat is they also offer Independent Birding Ventures (IBVs), which are trips where YOU design the itinerary and pace yourself. You just tell Naturalist Journeys what you are looking for, and they plan the entire thing.
Do you still have additional questions? The owner and founder, Peg Abbott, is still actively involved in the company and is available to answer all of your questions!
#7. Field Guides Birding Tours
I can almost guarantee you will find your dream bird watching trip to Alaska with Field Guides Birding Tours. They have many adventures that go to Alaska every year that explore almost every part of the country.
I like that they have trips that cater to all interests, whether you are a hardcore birder who wants to see as many species as possible or someone who wants to do more than just birding. Pay close attention to each tour’s itinerary to make sure it’s a match for you.
#8. Tropical Birding
Tropical Birding offers birding adventures in Alaska for different interest levels, from hardcore birders to someone looking for a more relaxed photography trip. Here are their options, which show the diversity of birding trips you can plan in Alaska!
- Breeding birds and mammals on the tundra – In addition to interesting birds, many mammals are typically seen on this trip, such as Polar Bears, Arctic Foxes, and Orcas.
- Alaska photography tour of summer breeding birds – Some incredible birds are possible, such as the King Eider, Pacific Golden Plover, and Bluethroat. This trip is best for serious birders.
Their logistics team can also organize a custom tour in Alaska to satisfy everyone in your group’s interest.
A considerable part of what makes or breaks a birding trip is your guide. Tropical Birding prides itself on its full-time professional tour leaders. Their guides promise to bring as much joy as possible to every trip. They do this by seeing as many birds and wildlife as possible but also having fun in the process. You can see a list of their current guides here.
Tropical Birding almost always receives excellent reviews from those who have traveled with them. You can view their current trip schedule to Alaska on their website.
#9. G Adventures
If you have gotten to the end and haven’t found any birding trips in Alaska that you’re excited about, then G Adventures may be the perfect option.
First, you should know that G Adventures doesn’t offer trips that specifically look for birds. Instead, they focus on ADVENTURE TRAVEL. If you want to explore Alaska while having an incredible amount of fun, you should check them out.
For example, when this post was published, there were 6 different trips and itineraries available in Alaska to choose from! Not only do most of the adventures provide the opportunity to see wildlife, but they also mix in various cultural experiences.
G Adventures is a great option if you want to explore Alaska and don’t care about seeing as many birds as possible. I’d also recommend that you are physically active. And please note that most trips require kids to be at least 12 years old.
Final Thoughts About Birding Tour Companies in Alaska:
I hope today that you found a birding tour in Alaska that intrigues you. I did my best to find a variety of companies that offer many different birding experiences, including many Alaskan trips that cater to bird photography.
The next step is contacting the company directly and deciding the best option for your adventure!
- RELATED:Â The 18 MOST Common Birds in Alaska!
I’d love your feedback below if you have gone on a birding trip before in Alaska.
