Can you kayak with whales? While kayaking in Prince William Sound, I often found myself lost in the spectacle of wildlife: a myriad of birds soaring through the skies, harbor seals calling to each other, and pods of orcas roaming for food.

Prince William Sound, an inlet of the Gulf of Alaska on Alaska’s south coast, east of the Kenai Peninsula and within Chugach National Forest, is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered by thrill seekers. It spans over 15000 square miles and is bounded to the north and east by the glaciated Chugach Mountains.

Its never-ending coastline is completely fetching, filled with secret passageways, tidal channels, hidden coves, a slew of islands, and glacier-filled valleys that calve house-sized icebergs into the ocean. As a globetrotter who’s been kayaking different coasts my entire life, I would say few places on the earth boast so many tidewater glaciers in such a small space.

We could kayak to 25 or so in one crazy, 21-hour day, something we were unable to do on other coastlines.

The blue-tinged glaciers are amazing to look at, but the catch of the ocean is the icebergs adorned with arches and pirouettes, growlers the size of basketballs, and chunks of disintegrating glaciers called bergy bits.

Navigating the chorus felt like being in the largest bowl of Rice Krispies you could imagine—old air releasing from the frozen heaps clapping out an endless string of snaps, crackles, and pops. At the same time, humpback whales’ calls roll fast through valleys, echoing back in a low rumble.

Paddling here means travelling through calm, protected waters surrounded by steep mountains, active glaciers, and miles of untouched coastline. While the scale of the landscape is vast, the experience feels intimate when explored from a kayak at water level.

Multi-day sea kayak camping trips in Prince William Sound allow travelers like myself to slow down and fully immerse themselves in Alaska’s cool coastal wilderness. Travelling by a kayak between remote campsites creates a rhythm shaped by tides, weather, and daylight, rather than schedules or roads. The fun is in the spontaneity; our camp was set on a quiet beach with expansive views of the surrounding mountains and water.

We spent the evening listening to death metal, sharing snacks, cookies, and eating Lay’s potato chips, watching light shift a ross the fjords, and listening to the sounds of wildlife and ice moving in the distance.

Wildlife encounters were quite a defining moment of our multiday paddling. Sea otters raft together in kelp beds, harbor seals rest on ice floes, and bald eagles patrol the shorelines with authority. If you like humpback whales, porpoises, and sea lions, this is the spot; they are common during the paddling season.

Two interesting humpback whales wouldn’t leave our Kayak alone; they could follow us for miles. The chase was exciting and intimidating at the same time; once they dive into the water, you can never tell when they pop up again. Sometimes you wonder whether they will show up right next to your kayak. It was like the Sound’s traffic, keeping us in check.

If you’ve never had a humpback whale blow snot all over you, that’s an experience that leaves a mark on you forever. You carry that feeling with you for years.

I liked how the glaciers calve directly into the ocean, creating a constantly shifting environment of ice and sound. It kept reminding me that I am travelling through a living, dynamic landscape full of life and adventure. There was never a dull moment here.

We could only sit back and drink in its beautiful features.

I found the weather and conditions of Prince William Sound quite unpredictable and moody at times; it could change instantly. Strong winds and high wives were common, just like the thick morning fog. The wind, coming from the Gulf of Alaska, sweeps through the sound from the Chugach Mountains and thus the sea, in as much as it is breathtaking can become chaotic out of the blue, especially in the exposed area. This sound also receives a lot of rain…as for the fog, it melts away as the day goes by.

Equipment list

You need camping gear and weather-appropriate clothing for a good camping and paddling experience. Since it might rain, you need a waterproof rain jacket, and pants, sandals, rubber boots, wool socks, sun hat, beanie, sunglasses, bandanas, neck gaiter.

For camping, you know what you need: the usual sleeping bag, sleeping pad, the toiletries, headlamp, personal cook kit, water bottles.

If you are with a guide, they will provide the sea kayaks, paddles, spray skirts, personal floatation devices, drybags, pogies, tents, group first aid kit, radios, map, cooking gear and utensils, et al.