Founding member · Bear viewing
A small, locally owned bear-viewing outfit running van tours out of Hoonah — up to 10 guests, one guide, and a route that changes daily based on where the bears actually are.
Wild Bear Safari is a locally owned and operated tour company based in Hoonah, running personalized, land-based bear-viewing tours on Chichagof Island. It's run by Luke Meyers, who came to Alaska in 2013 for what was supposed to be a 14-day vacation and never left — he's been guiding bear tours out of Hoonah since 2015.
Alongside Luke is Olivia, who was raised in a small community on Chichagof Island and spent much of her childhood in the forest and on the water, developing a deep, firsthand appreciation for Alaska's wildlife, especially its coastal brown bears.
The tour earned a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award in 2024, and past guests consistently mention the same thing: a small, personal van trip beats a big tour bus, and Luke's local knowledge and humor make the time searching for bears part of the fun, not just the wait between sightings.
What you'll see
Booking details
$145 per person, up to 10 guests per guide. Tours run 3 to 4 hours depending on your ship's schedule.
Once you book, you'll automatically receive an email with simple meet-up instructions for the day of your tour.
Luke shares bear safety, the history of Hoonah's indigenous Tlingit people, and stories about the surrounding Tongass rainforest while the group searches for bears — and if the group's up for it, an easy, pleasant forest trail walk is usually on offer too.
Choose to explore the village or head straight back to the dock. Wild Bear Safari guarantees you'll be back on board well before your ship's all-aboard time.
It's a different kind of experience. ISP's excursions are built for cruise-ship throughput; this is a small, personally guided van tour run by people who live on the island year-round. See our full Icy Strait Point vs. Hoonah comparison.
Getting to the van
Leave your ship in Icy Strait and head to the Excursion Hub, just a short walk from the dock — Luke will be there to meet your group.
Every trip
Quick answers
$145 per person, with up to 10 guests per guide. Tours typically run 3 to 4 hours depending on your ship's schedule.
Sightings are never guaranteed with wild animals, but Wild Bear Safari describes them as very likely — Chichagof Island has one of the highest densities of coastal brown bears anywhere in the world.
Luke Meyers, who has guided bear tours out of Hoonah since 2015, and Olivia, who was raised on Chichagof Island and grew up around its wildlife.
At the Excursion Hub, a short walk from either Icy Strait Point pier. You'll get an email with exact meet-up instructions once you book.
Yes. Wild Bear Safari guarantees you'll be back on board well before your ship's departure time, and has never been late for an all-aboard.
Book directly with Wild Bear Safari, or read our full bear tours guide for how this compares to other options in Hoonah.
Wild Bear Safari is a founding member of the Hoonah Off Ship directory. See their full listing, or call direct at (907) 612-0959.