Chichagof Island Driving Tour with Local Tlingit Guides

Your guides are Tlingit residents who grew up on this island.

A two-hour guided driving tour of Chichagof Island departing from Hoonah, designed for cruise passengers with limited port time. Local Alaskan Native guides who are lifelong residents lead the route, sharing knowledge of Tlingit culture and the medicinal properties of plants found across the landscape. The tour fits inside a short port call and leaves time for other excursions at Icy Strait Point.

Step-by-step itinerary

Two-hour guided Chichagof Island tour

• Begin two-hour driving tour
• Learn about Tlingit culture
• Identify local medicinal plants
• Enjoy wildlife and scenic views
• Pick wild berries if in season
• Take short walks if time allows

The experience

Chichagof Island's two-hour tour runs as a driving excursion built around the reality of cruise schedules: four hours in port or less. The route covers the island's landscapes while your guide, a Tlingit resident and lifelong local, narrates the culture and history of the native Alaskan people who have lived here. This is the only tour company operating from Hoonah, which means the guides know the roads, the stories and the land in a way no outside operator can replicate.

Along the drive, your guide identifies local plants and explains their traditional medicinal uses, turning the landscape itself into a living text of Tlingit knowledge. Depending on the season and time available, the itinerary can include short walks or berry picking if conditions allow. The tour is designed so you can still book other activities at Icy Strait Point during the same port call.

All guides speak English and work with children from age five onward. Public transportation options are available near the meeting point if you're arriving without a rental car or private transport.

What’s included

• Alaskan Native guide and lifelong resident guide services.
• English-language interpretation throughout the tour.

Information

Lasts 2h, from US$ 125 per person, with a live guide in English and in groups of up to 10.

Days and timesNext departure: 18 Aug 2027

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Wilderness Island Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're arriving by cruise ship in Hoonah and want to explore Chichagof Island without backtracking to your ship: the tour starts right in town, so you can walk straight from the dock to departure.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

Who leads the Chichagof Island tour?

Alaskan Native guides who are Tlingit residents and lifelong inhabitants of the Hoonah area lead every tour. They share firsthand knowledge of the island's culture, history and landscape that comes from growing up here.

What do you learn about on the drive?

Your guide teaches you about Tlingit culture and the medicinal properties of plants native to Chichagof Island, identifying them as you pass through the landscape.

Can you do other activities during the same port call?

Yes. The two-hour tour is designed to fit inside a short port schedule, leaving time to book other excursions at Icy Strait Point on the same day.

What happens if berries are in season?

Wild berry picking is included in the itinerary when berries are available and time allows during the drive.