DAY 1 – VANCOUVER, CANADA
Surrounded by mountains, vibrant Vancouver is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cosmopolitan adventurers alike. Meandering oceanside pathways surround eclectic neighbourhoods – Stanley Park, the West End, Gastown, Yaletown, Chinatown. A major global city, it is renowned for its cultural diversity and thriving art, theatre, music and food scenes. Its perfectly picturesque setting makes it popular filming location – with old-growth cedar forests, mountains covering 75% and two-thirds of Canada’s bird species and land mammals. A big, bustling city perched on the edge of wilderness.
DAY 2 – AT SEA
DAY 3 – KETCHIKAN, USA
Kichx̱áan, as the First People named her, fuses the largest collection of authentic totem poles with outrageous outdoor adventures. Cast for salmon and cook your catch at a wilderness campsite; cycle rainforests; paddle in calm waters to meet the locals: harbour seals, humpback whales, and bald eagles. Scout remote coves to witness bears, orcas and to smell, touch, and truly feel the beauty of the forest.
DAY 4 – AT SEA
DAY 5 – HUBBARD GLACIER, USA
Massive and magical, Hubbard is considered the mother-of-all tidewater glaciers in North America. Taller than a 30-storey building (above water). Larger than the state of Rhode Island. The marvel is also the most active, with ice chunks regularly sloughing off in massive dimensions. The thunderous roar of cracking ice echoes against a stellar backdrop with five of the ten tallest peaks in America. The most magical moment you’ll ever enjoy on deck.
DAY 6 – VALDEZ, USA
The encircling mountains and thundering waterfalls give this tiny town the moniker of the ‘Switzerland of Alaska’. Witness three glaciers — Valdez, Columbia, Worthington — as they spill their loads of ice directly into super-scenic Prince William Sound. Walk trails that disappear into lush forests; paddle alongside Puffins; go with the flow whilst rafting the chalky blue Lowe River, Valdez has it all. Bears, Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, even Rufous Hummingbirds flock here from as far away as Mexico.
DAY 7 – KODIAK ISLAND, USA
A petite emerald island of isolation, Kodiak is home to its namesake bear that evolved into its own unique subspecies. A wonderous mix of Alutiit and Russian history, fishermen and rough-and-ready fishing industry along Cannery Row. Amble around Abercrombie State Historical Park, winding past World War II bunkers and windswept cliffs that cradle clutches of kittiwake and puffin birds. Explore the origins of this volcanic island at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, then find peace under the Russian, onion-domed spires of the Holy Resurrection Church.
DAY 8 – SEWARD, USA
Big nature and bigger adventures await in Seward, where the crack of calving glaciers and shrill cry of seabirds form the soundtrack of the Alaskan wilderness. Look out for waterspouts and tailfins on sublime sailings in Kenai Fjords National Park, a coastal masterpiece of epic icefields and tufted puffins nesting among shale cliffs. Explore past glacial waterfalls, conquer the heart-pounding trail to Harding Icefield or gentle loop around Exit Glacier. Find breathtaking views of Resurrection Bay, the dramatic fjord of deep, glacial waters and towering cliffs leading up to Seward.
