9 days, 8 nights

The Perfect Combination of Ports and Activities. The best of both worlds, this itinerary was especially crafted to blend adventure activities with visits to our favorite ports. Spend a day touring Alaska's ports and the next sea kayaking in a spectacular fjord. Between adventures, relax on deck, but keep on the lookout! Your Captain and crew alert you to wildlife. This is a voyage of stories - ones you hear and the ones you tell, thanks to the memories you take home. Learn about Alaska's Gold Rush and its tales of woe and wonder.

Wind through the Inside Passage's northern half, visiting historic ports and landscapes bereft of civilization. Journey on an exploration vessel to the heart of Glacier Bay, through Lynn Canal to Haines, Skagway, and Icy Strait, the summer feeding ground for migratory humpback whales. Relax at night in the lounge exchanging wildlife sightings and favorite kayaking spots. Your fellow travelers are interested in exploring the world around them, just like you.

Day 1 - ARRIVE IN JUNEAU

Board the Spirit of Alaska to begin your cruise up the Gastineau Channel. D

Day 2 - SKAGWAY AND HAINES

Relive the Gold Rush in the picturesque setting of Skagway, where many of the early gold seekers set off with their dreams of becoming rich. Head down mountain-lined Lynn Canal for a visit to Haines, known for its large concentration of eagles and its artist population. BLD

Day 3 - GLACIER BAY

Enter this 3.3-million-acre nature wonderland where a National Park Service Ranger will come onboard to offer information on this impressive region. Have your binoculars and camera on deck as the Ranger helps you look for mountain goats, brown and black bears, wolverine, moose, harbor seals, puffins, and murres. BLD

Day 4 - ICY STRAIT – CAPTAIN’S CHOICE CRUISING The annual plankton bloom in Icy Strait attracts humpbacks, seals, and sea lions as well as herring, salmon, and birds. While captain’s choice cruising, look for brown bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, and wolves among the old-growth forests of Sitka spruce and western hemlock. BLD

Day 5 - JUNEAU Disembark in Juneau. Overnight at the Goldbelt Hotel. B Day 6 - JUNEAU TO PETERSBURG VIA TRACY ARM Board the Sheltered Seas on the Juneau waterfront for an exciting day of wilderness exploration. In Tracy Arm, a 25-mile long, cliff-walled fjord, watch for black bears, seals and mountain goats. Continue into 45-mile-long Frederick Sound, famous for its migratory populations of humpback whales. Other marine mammals to watch for include orcas, Steller’s sea lions, porpoise, and harbor seals. Overnight at Petersburg’s Tides Inn. BLD

Day 7 - CRUISING LECONTE BAY

LeConte is Alaska’s southernmost tidewater glacier, and calves frequently, so the bay is often full of icebergs. Watch for harbor seals on the ice and black bears on the land. Return to Petersburg for a buffet dinner and a Norwegian dance performance at the Sons of Norway Hall. Overnight at the Tides Inn. BLD

Day 8 - WRANGELL AND KETCHIKAN

Sail from Petersburg through the winding Wrangell Narrows to Wrangell, whose highlight is Chief Shakes Island, a traditional Tlingit tribal house surrounded by finely carved totems. Later, continue cruising through wilderness waterways to Ketchikan. Overnight in Ketchikan at the Westcoast Cape Fox Hotel. BLD

Day 9 - TRANSFER

You will be transferred to the Ketchikan Airport, full of long-lasting memories, for your flight home.

B =Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner