Chichagof Island cruise port guide

About Chichagof Island

Chichagof Island (Shee Kaax) is a remote wilderness destination in Alaska's Alexander Archipelago, ranking as the USA's fifth-largest island at 2,049 square miles and accessible exclusively to small expedition vessels from lines such as UnCruise Adventures and Lindblad Expeditions. Protected largely within Tongass National Forest, the island harbors the world's highest density of brown bears per square mile and offers world-class humpback whale viewing at Point Adolphus. Its four small communities — Elfin Cove, Pelican, Hoonah, and Tenakee Springs — support a combined population of around

Point Adolphus, at the island's northernmost tip, is one of the most reliable humpback whale viewing locations in Southeast Alaska; the whales arrive each summer from wintering grounds in Mexico and Hawaii to feed in the nutrient-rich waters of Icy Strait. The same stretch of coastline routinely yields orca whales, Steller sea lions, Dall's porpoises, and a diversity of seabirds. Island-wide, Chichagof claims the world's highest brown bear (Ursus arctos) population density per square mile — a distinction that makes guided bear-viewing a signature draw for expedition passengers. The 742-mile coastline and protected wilderness of Tongass National Forest support sea kayaking, camping, guided hiking, and guided hunting tours, while the waters around the island are prized for sport and charter fishing.