Juneau Jetski & Whale Adventure: Operate Your Own Watercraft

Four hours piloting a jetski through Mendenhall Glacier views, Admiralty Island passages, and active whale habitat

Juneau Jetski & Whale Adventure is a four-hour guided activity where you operate your own jetski across the waters around Juneau, Alaska, spotting whales, seals, eagles and other marine life while passing Mendenhall Glacier and Admiralty Island. You must be at least 16 with a valid boater's permit or license to operate the machine. The route adjusts based on weather and wildlife sightings, and your guide enforces all federal marine protection rules.

The experience

You pilot your own expedition jetski from the Auke Bay facility, not riding as a passenger. The four-hour outing covers routes around Horse Island, Colt Island, Fritz Cove, Young Bay, Barlow Cove and the Fortress of the Bear on Admiralty Island, with the actual path shaped by weather patterns and where the whales and seals are that day. Mendenhall Glacier stays in view across much of the ride. Your guide is a professionally trained operator who knows the local marine life and the waters. They set the pace and decide which areas to explore based on what conditions allow and what wildlife appears.

The jetski itself comes equipped with a drysuit, gloves, boots and a USCG life jacket. Private transportation to the facility is included. Because you're operating the machine at water level rather than watching from a larger boat, the perspective shifts: when humpbacks or orca surface, you're at their eye line, not looking down from above. The guide does not approach or harass any animals and follows all NOAA and federal regulations, so sightings depend on where the wildlife chooses to be.

Operating a jetski demands focus and moderate physical fitness. You need to be at least 16 years old and carry a valid boater's permit or license to run the machine. Single-rider and tandem options are available depending on which jetski configuration you book, so you can ride alone or with a partner on the same machine.

What’s included

• Expedition jetski, drysuit, gloves, boots and USCG life jacket.
• professional guide in English.
• private transportation to the Auke Bay facility.

Options for this experience

10 options

Juneau Jet Ski and Whale AdventureUp to 1 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 2027One jetski for a single rider or a rider with 1 child (combined weight cannot exceed 375 lbs). Pickup is included.

Double riders on 1 jet skiUp to 2 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20271 tandem jetski for 2 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Each jetski can carry a maximum combined weight of 375 lbs. Pickup is included.

Single riders only on 2 jet skisUp to 2 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20272 single jetskis for 2 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Pickup is included.

See 7 more options

Tandem riders on 2 jet skisUp to 4 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20272 tandem jetskis for 4 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Each jetski has a 375 lb weight limit. Pickup is included.

Single riders only on 3 jet skisUp to 3 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20273 single jetskis for 3 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Pickup is included.

Tandem riders on 3 jet skisUp to 6 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20273 tandem jetskis for up to 6 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Each jetski can carry a maximum combined weight of 375 lbs. Pickup is included.

Single riders only on 4 jet skisUp to 4 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20274 single jetskis for 4 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Pickup is included.

Tandem riders on 4 jet skisUp to 8 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20274 tandem jetskis for up to 8 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Each jetski can carry a maximum combined weight of 375 lbs. Pickup is included.

Single riders only on 5 jet skisUp to 5 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20275 single jetskis for 5 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Pickup is included.

Tandem riders on 5 jet skisUp to 10 people · Guide in English · Available from 15 May 20275 tandem jetskis for up to 10 people. The driver must be 16 or older. Each jetski can carry a maximum combined weight of 375 lbs. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 15 May 2027

Book up to2h before

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Dangerous Water Adventures

Is this one for you?You operate the jetski yourself, so this suits travelers who want hands-on control and the challenge of piloting a watercraft, not a guided boat ride where you sit and watch. You must be 16 with a valid boater's permit or license to run the machine. If you don't have one, book a tandem option and ride as a passenger with a licensed operator.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need a boater's license to operate the jetski on this tour?

Yes, you must be at least 16 years old and have a valid boater's permit or license to operate the jetski. The guide will verify this before departure.

What happens if we don't see whales during the four hours?

Whales, orca, humpbacks and seals inhabit these waters regularly, but sightings are never guaranteed. The guide routes the jetski based on where wildlife is active that day and adjusts the course to maximize your chances, but the animals decide whether to surface near you.

Can I ride as a passenger if I don't have a boater's license?

Yes. Tandem options allow one licensed operator and one passenger on the same jetski, so someone without a license can ride along with someone who has one.

What's included in the tour price?

The jetski, drysuit, gloves, boots, life jacket, professional guide, and private transportation to and from the Auke Bay facility are all included. Meals and gratuities are not.

How does the route change based on weather?

The guide decides which areas around Juneau to explore (Admiralty Island, Douglas Island, Auke Bay, or the glacier approaches) depending on wind, water conditions and visibility that day. You'll always see Mendenhall Glacier, but the exact islands and coves visited shift with the weather.

What's the weight limit for the jetski?

Each jetski has a maximum capacity of 375 pounds per rider, so tandem riders must stay within that combined limit.