A wildlife and natural history boat tour in and around Kenai Fjords National Park and the Chiswell Islands, part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, will bestow to you a once in a lifetime experience.

These areas are a photographer’s paradise, offering unsurpassed opportunities for up-close viewing of whales, a large sea lion colony, 50 different species of seabirds (including thousands of horned and tufted puffins), numerous bald eagles, and spectacular tidewater glaciers.

Choose a company that uses custom-built, sightseeing vessels that offer better visibility for viewing and photography. The best only average 15 passengers, as they can offer you a more personalized tour with more crew attention and interaction.

The emphasis is on a naturalist's approach to all the marine mammals, birds and unique geography.

You will get closer and stay longer for a better view, for that once in a lifetime photograph.
That may be an awe-inspiring breaching humpback whale or an orca (killer whale) or a curious sea otter, bobbing on the surface.
Moreover, black bear are frequently seen along the shoreline, as are mountain goats on the steep cliffs.
You'd better have a pair of good binoculars to spot those.

If you’re fortunate, you may observe humpback whales performing their high-energy display of catapulting their forty-seven-foot, thirty-ton bodies almost completely out of the water. This spectacular leaping display, known as breaching, is an incredible, awe-inspiring sight.

Why these ostentatious cetaceans do this is not fully understood, but they are probably trying to remove barnacles or parasites from their bodies, or they may simply do it because they enjoy it.

These aquatic acrobats may also be seen flapping their long flippers on the surface of the water in a manner that could almost be construed as waving at you.

When a whale shows its flukes, as if to signal goodbye, it usually means that it is going to make a long, deep dive for up to 20 minutes to a half-hour.

The captain will then continue to sail on to either Aialik Bay or to Northwestern Fjord to view the wildlife and active tidewater glaciers.

The route taken by tour boats varies depending on the weather and where the wildlife has been spotted.

Watch for bald eagles soaring through the open skies, or look for white dots near the tops of large conifers. A good pair of binoculars will confirm that you have spotted a bald eagle.

You can assist the captain by keeping a watchful eye out for Steller sea lions, harbor seals, Dall porpoises frolicking in the vessel's wake, or pods of feeding orcas.