Your private day rafting tour from Haines to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve begins with a scenic rafting float ride along the steep-walled fjords that connect Skagway to Haines. You’ll see over a dozen unnamed waterfalls drop hundreds of feet into the waters below on both sides of the boat while bald eagles soar overhead and harbor seals frolic alongside you.
Upon arrival in Haines, meet your wilderness guide and set out on a riverside drive along the Haines Highway, declared a National Scenic Byway in 2009. The drive is incredibly visual: glacier-clad mountains thrust to the sky, colorful wildflowers line the road, green riverside channels provide habitat for moose, bear, and trumpeter swans.
Arrive at the river in the heart of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, approximately 45 minutes from Haines. Don your life jackets, listen to your guide’s safety talk, board the raft, and leave the road and civilization behind. You are immersed in the Alaskan wilderness, floating the silent river channels.
This scenic float trip brings you through the home of the largest bald eagle congregation in the world. Thousands of bald eagles travel here to feed on salmon in the fall and winter. In the summer months, a healthy resident population of bald eagles lives along the river. Your expert guide will push the raft along, explaining the intricate balance of nature that makes this a unique and special place. You do not have to paddle; your hands are free for your camera and binoculars. Keep an eye out for other wildlife besides bald eagles; moose, otters, bears, and even wolves call this preserve their home.
After spending approximately 1.5 hours floating down the river, your guide will select a scenic spot to enjoy a picnic lunch on your way back to Haines.
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We had an amazing time in Alaska! Thank you for your planning and willingness to work with us to create an itinerary that met our wants and needs. We were thrilled to have Savannah with us for the entirety of our trip. What a professional and caring young woman she is. She... Read more
Katherine Trexler