Sitka Paladin Tours

Akil Muse

a year ago

A once in a lifetime experience with Captain Lance at the helm! Personalized bear, whale and sea lion observation/experience. I was part of a small group of 4 plus the captain. The boat was stocked with snacks, beverages and plenty of binoculars for all Captain Lance’s passion and enjoyment in delivering a wonderful adventure was evident from the very beginning. He was diligent in explaining the safety procedures, showing all where to find necessary items in case of emergency. Life jackets, fire extinguishers, bear spray and the like. The captain was strategic in taking us to see 2 bears in the wild, first (ahead of the other tour boats). The boat’s nimble size allowed us to get very close to the shore and take amazing pictures and video. We passed sea lions hanging out on buoy on the way to see the bears. At times , I felt like a kid in story book when a burst of spray emitted from a whale was seen on the horizon and Captain Lance kicked the vessel into high gear so that we could close before the whale submerged under water for several minutes. The highlight of the experience was being within a few yards of a momma and baby whale who stayed near the surface long enough to say, “Hello” and ‘pose’ for once in a lifetime pictures and video! Captain Lance was super friendly, knowledgeable and a true pleasure to be around!

Sandra Quine

8 months ago

We made the best decision to book with Lance on Paladin who made our small wildlife tour completely unforgettable. Lance was so friendly and bent over backwards to let us immerse in the Sitka experience on the water. He knew his wildlife and their daily routine well and we had our first encounters with brown bears, hump back whales, puffins, sea otters and many other sea birds. We were mesmerized and all four of us had the most magical afternoon. A huge thank you to Lance and enthusiastically recommended his tours. Very Happy Australian travellers here. Sandy and Co.

Trina Clifton

6 months ago

Lance is an incredible Capt and full of stories and information about Sitka. He took my friends and I out and it was our favorite part of the trip. Thanks Lance!

Michael Wood

a year ago

Went on an Alaskan cruise near the end of September (2024). Booked a wildlife tour with Captain Lance in Sitka. It was the highlight of our cruise excursions. Captain Lance picked us up at the cruise ship dock. He was easy going and informative about everything. He got us really close to whales, sea lions, and bears among other animals. We even had an amazing rainbow while we were heading back to Sitka. He dropped us off downtown so we could enjoy Sitka before we had to get back to the ship. We highly recommend taking the Paladin Tours with Captain Lance.

Lisa Hopcroft

a year ago

This was by far the best excursion of our trip. Captain Lance was very accommodating, experienced, knowledgeable, fun and did everything he could to provide a great experience. We saw several whales, sea lions, an otter and a grizzly bear fishing for salmon. The boat was the perfect size so that we could all move around and see from every angle. We loved the experience and highly recommend Captain Lance.

Jeff Johnson

11 months ago

Had an awesome day on the boat with Lance as our guide, I highly recommend you take his tour, no crowded boats to deal with, friendly service, very knowledgeable and put you on top of whales up close too! Had one 10 to 15 yards in front of us. Also a veteran of our great country!!! Thanks for a once in a lifetime experience!!

Jennifer Crouch

11 months ago

Don’t book your whale watching tour on the ship. Call Paladin Tours directly! Smaller personal group tour. Lance was amazing! We saw humpback and grey whales! He took the time to hunt for all the wildlife and we did quite a bit of whale chasing. This was the highlight of our trip! If you want a great experience, hook up with Paladin Tours!

Sunee Golder

9 months ago

This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If I could give Captian Lance 10-stars, I would! He was very knowledgeable about the area. We saw a pod of orcas, which was the highlight of the entire Alaskan cruise. We saw sea lions, otters, bears and eagles too! He was so accommodating with a stocked cooler of beverages and snacks, and even docked downtown, so we could grab some essentials the cruise ship didn't supply. We felt extremely safe and warm in the boat. I can't recommend this experience enough! Thanks Captian Lance for a memory my family and I will remember forever!

Natalie Tan

7 months ago

What an extraordinarily fantastic day out with Captain Lance! We saw brown bears fishing for salmon, Humpback whales- lots!; seals, sea lions, sea otters, puffins (!) AND luckily Orcas!!! The boat is perfect for the waters of Sitka and offers an intimate atmosphere. It even has Starlink and anything one needs in case of emergency.

Terri Chadderton

8 months ago

Lance was incredible. He found sea lions, an eagle, a bear, whales, and sea otters. He knew exactly where to go, even the whales going through very rough water. He's very knowledgeable about Sitka and shared lots of information with us. With only 4 of us on board, we had a terrific experience in spite of the rainy and cloudy weather.