DAY 1 – VANCOUVER, CANADA
Your journey begins in the city of Vancouver. Boasting activities for all interests, including visiting historic Gastown, dining in lively Yaletown, or enjoying a walk on the Stanely Park Seawall. No matter what you choose to do, the Coast Mountains and the Pacific Ocean surround you.
DAY 2 – CRUISE THE INSIDE PASSAGE
Navigate through the intricate outlays of some of Alaska’s most staggering winter scenery, threading a needle between craggy, snow-dusted islands, and slipping glacial giants. To cruise this 500-mile stretch of Alaskan beauty is to sail through a living work of natural art – with perfectly sculpted mountains soaring from the shoreline, and clutches of islands scattered across the dark waters with delicate attention to detail.
A common sailing route due to its calm sheltered waters, gorgeous natural set pieces constantly play out here – whether it’s killer whales accompanying you through the breathtaking icy passages, harbour seals catching a break on floating hunks of ice, or wisps of cloud clinging to distant mountain peaks.
A journey of glaciers, remote hidden villages, and carved fjords – the Inside Passage is a breathtaking voyage through the intricate mesh of Alaska’s fractured, raw and spectacular coastal landscapes.
DAY 3 – KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
The Salmon Capital of the World is a thrilling introduction to wild and wonderful Alaska, sitting at the southern gateway to the Inside Passage’s famed route of larger than life scenery. Cruise through the waters, or soar just above in a sightseeing plane, to take in the full majesty of the magnificent Misty Fjords National Monument. Home to grizzly and black bears – as well as cruising whales and swimming seals – the wildlife spotting opportunities in this majestic corner of the world are nothing short of spectacular.
Towered over by steep banks and valley walls, Ketchikan’s ocean inlet is peppered with granite stacks, looming from the waters. Surrounded by glorious landscapes, head to the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary, which is alive with bald eagles, black bears and remarkable, thick, yellow banana slugs – the squeamish are advised to keep well clear. Visit Ketchikan’s Heritage Centre, where a collection of intricately carved totem poles rise up, preserving the heritage of the indigenous Tlingit and Haida people of these lands.
DAY 4 – TRACY ARM & JUNEAU, ALASKA
If there is one word that sums up Alaska it is nature. Mile and miles of it. And Icy Strait Point – one of Alaska’s most unspoiled destinations has – nature in spades. To begin with, Icy Strait Point is stunningly beautiful. It is the Alaska of your imagination: eagles soaring overhead, whales breaching before your eyes. Moody, low-hanging clouds set the scene while velvety green mountains provide the backdrop. Sparklingly clear waters lap at pebbly shores. These are beaches of the adventure kind, you won’t find sun loungers and sombreros here, more like kayaks and canoes, ready for those who want to take their discovery offshore.
The village prides itself on being home to ‘more brown bears than humans’, so expect immersive wilderness experiences, from ATV adventures to zip-lining through a canopy of trees! Located on Chichagoff Island, 35 miles west of Juneau and right in the center of Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point began life as a salmon cannery business, providing employment for the residents of nearby Hoonah. The cannery has served the community in many ways, including providing housing for employees after a fire in 1944 destroyed many residents’ homes. It ceased to function entirely in 1999 and in 2001, the landing was repurposed as America’s only private cruise ship terminal. The Alaskan-owned and operated terminal funnels all its profits back into the local environment and employs around 85% of local residents, many of whom live in Alaska’s largest Native Tlingit village.
DAY 5 – SKAGWAY, ALASKA
Feel the same rush of excitement as the gold rush chasers did, when they first arrived in Skagway, intent on finding their fortune. While the gold may now be gone, a treasure trove of natural glory waits to be discovered here. The adrenaline of America’s legendary gold rush still pulses along Skagway’s streets, especially in Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and the historic downtown area – which sprang up during the heady heights of the 1890’s goldrush.
The jagged mountain ridges – with peaks of white snow above a treeline of soaring pine forests – provide a reward for the ages. Recapture the evocative sense of adventure, as you ride one of the world’s most spectacular railroads. Your engine will puff steam below the precipitous, colossal scenery, while the vintage carriages curve around the White Pass & Yukon Route, alongside tumbling waterfalls and spanning deeply-etched gorges.
DAY 6 – ICY BAY, ALASKA
Formed by the retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse, and Tyndall Glaciers, Icy Bay lives up to its frigid name. Sapphire blue waters are strewn with blocks of ice and the whole feeling is one of eerie, silent solitude. Yet, despite Icy Bay’s timelessness, it is a relative newcomer to the planet. Icy Bay as we know it is just 100 years old, although the area is of course much older. The Vancouver Expedition passed through the area on 4th June 1794 and noted that the bay was blocked by “the giant tidewater Malaspina Glacier that calved icebergs directly into the Gulf of Alaska”. Described as “an indentation of the glacier face” by Captain Vancouver, the 30-mile strait was named but not recorded on any maps. Geographically located 66 miles off northwest of Yakutat, Icy Bay lies within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Today, it would be almost unthinkable to not visit the superlative beauty of Icy Bay during a voyage to Alaska.
The chilly waters are fed by a stream from the Saint Elias Mountain Range, making the surrounding scenery some of the most spectacular on Earth. Fjord-like conditions have proved a boon for migrating wildlife; expect harbor seals hauled out on bright-blue ice, a plethora of sea birds and marine mammals, and even the odd grizzly perched on the side of the water. The weather might not always be on your side (Icy Bay’s temperature in August is just 11°C or 50°F) but if you like big, bold, beautiful coastline then wrap up warm and experience Mother Nature at her very best.
DAY 7 – VALDEZ, ALASKA
Valdez is a spectacular coastal city tucked into the deep shores of Prince William Sound. The open scenery is one of unspoiled wildness, majestic mountains, tidewater glaciers, and deep green rainforests. Take the chance to admire this landscape and become a part of it.
Colombia Glacier is one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world, renowned for its dramatic carving, leaving colossal chunks of ice in the water. Get up close to this icy phenomenon by boat or by helicopter. Flightseeing tours having the advantage of offering exceptional aerial views of the glacier and the surrounding Chugach mountains.
Sea kayaking is popular and navigating the vast landscape in a small kayak immerses you in nature like nothing else, visit forgotten glaciers, strange ice formations, and icy sea caves.
Valdez holds some of the oldest fish derbies in Alaska with big prize money, a testament to the superb fishing opportunities available. Try your luck to land a prize salmon or big halibut by shore or sea.
If not, watch the experts, from mid-June to August when the salmon are spawning and the waters are silver and pink with fish, sea lions, and brown and black bears come to take their catch of the day.
Hike trails of all levels of difficulty are well maintained and offer awesome views, including dramatic waterfalls and lots of wildlife. With eagles, seabirds, bears, seals, sea lions, and sea otters all commonly seen, and whales and porpoises frequent visitors it can be hard to know where to look next.
DAY 8 – SEWARD, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
The Voyage concludes in Seward (Anchorage, Alaska), United States. Scenery surrounds you in this remote corner of the world, where glaciers calve and whales cruise through inky waters, before an immense mountain backdrop. Almost totally submerged by the colossal landscapes around it, Seward – and the wonders of Kenai Fjords National Park – offer some of astonishing Alaska’s most thrilling scenery.
Located in a deep gash in the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is a place to immerse yourself in nature’s majesty. Fjords carve into the landscape, while the Harding Icefield – which caps Kenai Fjords National Park – reaches out its icy fingers, with glaciers spilling down between mountain peaks.
Head to Holgate Glacier, to come face to face with a breathtaking stack of intense blue and white ice. Get up close in a kayak or boat ride, to slalom through the discarded confetti of ice chunks, and perhaps even witness the powerful spectacle of an ice ledge creaking and groaning, before plunging to the waters below. The city of Anchorage is easily within reach from here, offering an incongruous contrast to the wild wonders of Alaska.
