Gastineau Guiding Company

What Gastineau Guiding Company does

Gastineau Guiding Company is a family-owned, private tour operator founded in 1994 by Bob Janes and headquartered at 1330 Eastaugh Way in Juneau, Alaska (also operating under the brand "Step Into Alaska"). The company runs small-group shore excursions and direct-booking tours in Southeast Alaska focused on whale watching, glacier viewing, and rainforest trail hiking, with groups capped at 12–20 guests. Delivery assets include custom-designed vessels with heated cabins, onboard restrooms, and 360-degree viewing, plus a guide cohort trained in a 100+ hour program that produces Alaska State Certified Interpreters.

The product portfolio spans seven differentiated tours across three channels: cruise line shore excursions (Discover Alaska's Whales; Whales, Glaciers & Rainforest Trails; Guides Choice Trail Hike; Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari), direct booking via the FareHarbor platform (Whales & Wilderness), and inquiry-based private and custom tours (Private Whales & Wilderness; Custom Juneau Highlights). Pricing and ticketing for cruise passengers are set by the cruise lines; direct booking prices differ slightly in itinerary and cost; custom tour pricing is confirmed on inquiry. A $100 whale sighting guarantee applies from May 15 through September 15, and a back-to-ship guarantee covers cruise passengers with next-port transport arranged at no cost if a delay occurs.

The business is seasonal (peak May–September), with stated headcount of 101–250 covering guides, operations crew, and management; first-year guides complete 80 hours of training. Revenue is generated primarily through cruise line shore excursion agreements (most reservations flow through cruise channels) and secondarily through direct consumer bookings and private/corporate custom tours. The company holds TripAdvisor's No. 1 ranking in Juneau, NOAA WhaleSENSE operator certification, and partnerships with NOAA, University of Alaska, Tourism Best Practices Management, Trail Mix, and Alaska Heat Smart, and maintains a documented sustainability program (50,000 plastic bottles saved per season, ~1,338 gallons of compost annually).

Name

Gastineau Guiding Company

Legal name

Gastineau Guiding Company

Website

https://stepintoalaska.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gastineau Guiding Company is a family-owned Juneau, Alaska tour operator founded in 1994 that runs small-group (12–20 guest) whale watching, glacier viewing, and rainforest hiking excursions, selling primarily through cruise line shore excursion partnerships and direct online bookings for independent travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism & Guided Excursions

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife & Nature Interpretation Guides (Birding, Photography, Naturalist) (THAAALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA), Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB), Polar & Remote-Destination Expedition Tour Operators (THAKADAM)

Keywords

• Whale watching tours
• Alaska shore excursions
• Glacier viewing tours
• Rainforest hiking excursions
• Custom private tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Juneau

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cruise Shore Excursions: Primary revenue stream through cruise line partnerships. Guests book as official shore excursions through their cruise line, which handles ticketing and policies.
2. Direct Online Booking: Whale & Wilderness tour available for direct booking through FareHarbor secure online booking system for independent travelers not using cruise lines.
3. Custom & Private Tours: Private group adventures, custom itineraries, and corporate experiences arranged through separate inquiry process with direct team involvement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Gastineau Guiding Company delivers small-group guided Alaska adventure tours in Juneau, including whale watching, Mendenhall Glacier viewing, and rainforest trail hiking. Tours are led by Alaska State Certified Interpretive guides with 100+ hours of training, capped at 12-20 guests, and offered May through early October. The company serves both cruise ship passengers (via official shore excursions) and independent travelers (via direct online booking and custom itineraries).

Product overview

Gastineau Guiding Company offers a portfolio of small-group Alaska adventure tours centered around whale watching, glacier viewing, and rainforest hiking experiences in Juneau, Alaska. The company operates two primary tour delivery channels: cruise shore excursions booked through cruise lines (featuring guaranteed ship return), and direct/custom bookings for independent travelers. Core offerings include whale watching tours (Discover Alaska's Whales), combined land-water experiences (Whales, Glaciers & Rainforest Trails), photography-focused safaris (Photo Safari), and private/custom options. All tours feature Alaska State Certified Interpretive guides, small groups of 12-20 guests, and operate May through early October.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discover Alaska's Whales
• Whales, Glaciers & Rainforest Trails
• Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari
• Guides Choice Trail Hike
• Whales & Wilderness
• Private Whales & Wilderness
• Custom Juneau Highlights

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% ship return guarantee or transportation to next port arranged at no cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive partnership for marine research and wildlife documentation. Collaborates on whale tracking and ocean stewardship programs. Guides trained on responsible whale viewing practices through WhaleSENSE program.
• University of AlaskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for wildlife documentation and data collection. Works with academic institutions to advance understanding of Southeast Alaska ecosystems.
• Tourism Best Practices ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member organization giving Juneau residents a voice in the tourism industry. Commits to responsible tourism practices and community engagement.
• Trail Mix OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local trail organization. Rainforest Trail created by founders Bob and Dawn in partnership with Trail Mix. Part of company's Juneau legacy since 1999.
• Alaska Heat SmartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership installing heat pumps throughout Juneau to help residents save on energy costs and reduce energy use. Supports local sustainability initiatives.
• WhaleSENSE ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary program in partnership with NOAA promoting responsible whale watching. Includes guidelines on approaching whales, maintaining distance from cow/calf pairs, and coordinating with other viewing boats. Company flies WhaleSENSE flag on all custom safari vessels.
• National Geographic ExpeditionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhoto Guide Nathan Kelley works with National Geographic Expeditions during winter months. Connection to prestigious expedition brand enhances credibility.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Harv & Marv's Whale Watching Juneau: Juneau-based whale watching tour operator with small-group excursions marketed to cruise passengers and independent travelers. Competes head-to-head for the same customer segments and distribution channels.
• Alaska Whale Watching Adventures: Juneau-based whale watching and wildlife tour company competing directly with Gastineau Guiding for cruise passenger shore excursion bookings and direct consumer reservations.
• Discovery Southeast: Juneau nonprofit offering nature interpretation programs and guided outdoor experiences in Southeast Alaska. Closest local peer for interpretive guide training and naturalist-style small-group tours.
• Allen Marine Tours: Juneau-based operator offering whale watching and sightseeing cruises on similar vessel platforms. Direct competitor for both cruise shore excursion bookings and independent traveler whale watching tours in the same port.
• Doyon Tourism (Alaska Tour & Travel): Major Alaska tour operator running multi-port shore excursions, motorcoach tours, and packaged land programs for cruise lines. Competes for the same cruise line partnership contracts at scale across Alaska.

Broad incumbents

• Princess Cruises: Major Alaska cruise operator whose passengers are the dominant customer segment for Gastineau Guiding. Functions both as a primary distribution channel and as a broader excursion competitor through its own shore excursion program.
• Royal Caribbean Group: Major cruise operator with growing Alaska capacity. Acts as both a key customer of Gastineau Guiding's shore excursions and a competitor with proprietary excursion offerings.
• UnCruise Adventures: Small-ship cruise line running Alaska itineraries with wilderness landings and guided excursions. Overlaps on small-group, nature-interpretation-led Alaska experiences at a broader cruise-and-tour scale.
• Lindblad Expeditions (National Geographic): Expedition cruise operator running Alaska voyages with onboard naturalists and shore excursions. A photo guide from Gastineau Guiding already collaborates seasonally with National Geographic Expeditions, evidencing adjacent positioning.

Others

• Visit Alaska (Alaska Travel Industry Association): State destination marketing organization driving cruise and independent travel demand to Alaska ports including Juneau. Not a competitor, but a channel and ecosystem participant influencing demand for Gastineau Guiding's tours.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MendyGlacier
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAhCR5OBiP-iBUyhNHHnKyA
• Facebookfacebook.com/StepIntoAlaska
• Instagraminstagram.com/gastineau_guiding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gastineau Guiding Company