THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Discover Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument from above with a thrilling floatplane tour. Experience cascading waterfalls, towering granite cliffs, and lush forests on this unforgettable 2-hour flight departing from Ketchikan.
Discover Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument from above with a thrilling floatplane tour. Experience cascading waterfalls, towering granite cliffs, and lush forests on this unforgettable 2-hour flight departing from Ketchikan.
Book with Taquan Air
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Taquan Air · Ketchikan, Alaska
Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument, located near the city of Ketchikan, offers a wild, seldom-seen wilderness best explored from above. This massive 2.3 million-acre expanse is a dramatic canvas of sheer granite cliffs, ice-carved fjords, and verdant coastal rainforest. On the Misty Fjords Flightseeing tour, adventure travelers have a rare chance to experience the monument’s jaw-dropping beauty from a small floatplane, combining the thrill of flight with close-up views of one of Alaska’s signature landscapes.
Departing from Ketchikan’s Visitors Center at Berth 2, this two-hour floatplane tour includes a 60-minute aerial journey aboard either a DeHavilland Beaver or Otter, iconic bush planes known for their rugged reliability on Alaska’s remote skies. With an experienced pilot at the helm, guests glide above cascading waterfalls that spill into glacially carved fjords, forests thick with spruce, hemlock, and cedar, and crystal-clear lakes that dot the terrain like scattered jewels. The panoramic window seats afford an unmatched vantage point over 3,000-foot vertical granite walls plunging into emerald waters, revealing the monument’s raw geologic drama shaped by glaciers tens of thousands of years ago.
What distinguishes this trip is not just the sights, but the storytelling—pilots provide detailed narration through headsets, bringing the landscape to life with insights into natural history and features you might otherwise miss. Wildlife sightings are common from the air: bald eagles soar on thermals, black bears roam the forest floor, and seals sometimes bob in sheltered bays.
Misty Fjords Flightseeing is safe and accessible, though guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The tour’s flexibility means routes may adjust depending on weather, sometimes including views of New Eddystone Rock to the south or Bell Island Hot Springs to the north. You'll want a camera at the ready to capture these views, but also to treasure the feeling of floating above one of America’s great wilderness treasures.
This flight highlights the unique role of Ketchikan as the gateway to southeast Alaska’s monumental natural wonders. Unlike hiking or boat tours, the floatplane tour covers vast distances rapidly, revealing hidden corners of this rugged landscape in a compact window of time. Whether you’re a first-timer to Alaska or a returning adventurer, seeing Misty Fjords from the sky offers a fresh perspective on a place where wilderness still reigns unspoiled.
Add this flight to your Alaska itinerary for an experience that redefines what adventure travel in the North can be — a perfect blend of natural spectacle, expert guidance, and aerial excitement.
easy.
2 hours.
No special fitness required; suitable for all ages who can sit comfortably for one hour.
Guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and infants over 2 years old require their own seat per FAA regulations.
Bring a camera, dress in layers for changing temperatures, and consider sunglasses to reduce glare.
Yes. Safety is the top priority and flights may be rescheduled or canceled if conditions are unsafe for flying.
The flight departs from the Ketchikan Visitors Center on Berth 2, known as The Rock.
The total tour duration is about 2 hours, with 60 minutes spent in the air over Misty Fjords.
No, snacks and drinks are not included, so plan accordingly before or after the flight.
Misty Fjords was designated a National Monument in 1978 to preserve its glacier-sculpted fjords and dense coastal rainforest ecosystems.
Operators strictly follow safety and environmental impact protocols to protect this pristine wilderness, minimizing disturbance to wildlife and habitat.
Taquan Air is a Ketchikan, Alaska–based floatplane operator specializing in scenic flightseeing and charter services focused on Misty Fjords National Monument and the surrounding Tongass National Forest. With more than 45 years in business, Taquan Air offers narrated, 60‑minute floatplane excursions that showcase cascading waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, glacial features, and abundant coastal wildlife. As Ketchikan’s premier flightseeing operator, Taquan Air maintains long-standing partnerships with major cruise lines and provides private van transportation including pickup and delivery for cruise passengers. Tours include a safety orientation, loading and unloading time, and gift shop time. Pilots provide engaging narration to help guests interpret the landscape below and spot wildlife such as bears, eagles, and marine life. Taquan Air guarantees a window seat for every passenger and offers a 100% cruise-ship all‑aboard guarantee to ensure guests do not miss their ship. Flights depart from Ketchikan waterfront facilities and fly over Misty Fjords National Monument — a protected region within Tongass National Forest that covers more than two million acres of alpine wilderness. The combination of experienced pilots, decades of local operation, narrated flights, and dedicated guest logistics makes Taquan Air a trusted choice for visitors seeking an aerial view of Alaska’s coastal wilderness.
Book with Taquan Air