Have questions? We're here.
A bear sprints across the landscape

Ultimate Adventure

Example 15 Day Cruise aboard Wilderness Explorer
Talk with an expert
Build your ideal Alaska trip. Call 1.406.541.2677
Start Planning My Trip
Join the Wilderness Discoverer for this 15-day Ultimate Adventure. See the "wild and woolly" wilderness - including glacial landscapes, old growth rainforest, remote scenic bays, and isolated coves - which you can discover by trekking, kayaking, paddle boarding, or skiffing. Explore the dramatic Misty Fjords National Monument, visit Wrangell's Kiksetti Totem Park, and find your way to El Capitan Cave, the largest known cave in Alaska. 
Family sitting on a glacier.A spy-hopping OrcaKayaking though the Alaskan mountains.Hiking through the mountains of AlaskaA bear sprints across the landscape
Highlights
  • Explore “wild and woolly” wilderness and glaciers
  • Kayak and paddle board in Stephens Passage, Thomas Bay, and Chatham Strait
  • Learn about Tlingit culture on a private Kake village visit
  • Observe a Steller sea lion haulout at The Brothers Islands
  • Explore El Capitan cave on Prince of Wales Island and hike the Tongass
  • Discover Misty Fjords National Monument
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
0

Full Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Juneau, Alaska | Embarkation

Welcome aboard! Meet your crew and get acquainted as your Alaskan cruise sets sail for the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the US.

Day 2: Endicott Arm | Fords Terror

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Snow-covered mountains, glowing blues, and the white thunder of calving ice take your breath away at the face of Dawes Glacier. As you glide through Endicott Arm, spy harbor seals and their pups lounging on “bergy bits” in the water. Tides permitting, explore the narrow passageway of Fords Terror, marvel at its towering walls and the many waterfalls that spill down them, and the high Coastal Mountains that frame the skyline.

Day 3: Stephens Passage

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Make the most of today! As your captain navigates through Southeast’s remote fjords, watch for whales — humpback and orca are frequent residents of these waters. Perhaps hike through an other-worldly landscape of hanging waterfalls and every shade of green, or kayak and paddle board into the wild inner reaches of a salt chuck — a tidal salt-water lake— keeping a lookout for bears, heron, moose, mink, and harbor seals.

Day 4: Thomas Bay | Wrangell Narrows

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Step into the back country of Alaska's wilderness, in an area known for glaciers and rich in gold and quartz. Explore glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs, and mud. Adventure and natural beauty are sure to please whether you choose kayaking, paddle boarding, skiff riding, or hiking today. An abundance of bright red and green navigation lights guide you along “Christmas Tree Lane” as you cruise the winding Wrangell Narrows this evening.

Day 5: Wrangell

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Home to native culture, wildlife, and wonder, Wrangell is one of the oldest towns in Alaska and the only one ever governed by four nations. Before venturing into town, local islanders join you on board for an in-depth presentation on Tlingit and Haida cultures. View recently carved totem poles at Kiksetti Totem Park and step inside the famed and historically significant Chief Shakes Tribal House.

Day 6: Behm Canal

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Wildlife abounds in Behm Canal and the surrounding Tongass National Forest — orca, porpoise, seals, sea lions, brown and black bears, mink, marten, eagles, and otters. Paddle along the canal or venture out on an intertidal shore walk or low-elevation trek on the Cleveland Peninsula.

Day 7: Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Affectionately called “The Yosemite of the North,” Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. Glacial valleys filled with sea water, and sheer 3,000 foot cliffs are a haven for sea birds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, mink, moose, river otters, and other wildlife. Glide through Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay by kayak or explore by skiff, soaking in the splendor of this largely forgotten corner of the world.

Day 8: Ketchikan

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Alaska’s southernmost city and “salmon capital of the world” also claims fame to having the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles. While others end their adventure and new guests join later in the day, spend the day off the boat. Enjoy lunch in town (included) and explore the notorious Creek Street, once a red-light district. A complimentary laundry service is provided today. Later this afternoon keep watch for eagles as you embark and cruise through the Tongass Narrows out of Ketchikan.

Day 9: Tongass National Forest

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Wake in a remote cove surrounded by breathtaking Tongass National Forest — the largest national forest in the US. Joined by your expedition team, it’s a water ops morning. Spend it paddling a kayak, paddle boarding, or exploring by skiff. Then settle in as you cruise the northern tip of Prince of Wales Island, nestled right in the heart of the Tongass. It’s a grand day of exploration!

Day 10: El Capitan Cave | Prince of Wales Island

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Take a walk on the wild side, winding through high forest on an old logging trail, and find your way to El Capitan Cave, the largest known cave in Alaska and one of the largest mapped caves in the Americas. Learn from Forest Service Rangers about karst and the geologic forces that created this intricate cave system. Locals —bears, harbor seals and humpbacks, deer, eagles, humans too — enjoy the calm and serenity of the island. Take it all in!

Day 11: Chatham Strait

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
It's Captain's Choice today as you explore the intricate passages and shores along Chatham Strait's Kuiu or Baranof Islands. Join your expedition team on (or in!) the water. Conditions permitting, take to the water by kayak, skiff, or snorkel. Snorkeling is optional, but hidden beneath the surface lies a magical array of sea life only seen from below. Take a deep breath and go for it! Today's discoveries are within some of the most untouched wilderness of the Tongass National Forest.

Day 12: Frederick Sound | Kake

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Lush forest, spectacular views, play time, and wildlife—they are all in abundance in Frederick Sound. Keep watch along the coastline for birds, wolves, and black bears. With many secluded coves to choose from, you may discover the intertidal zones of Saginaw Bay or the Keku Islands, or perhaps another hidden gem to explore by skiff or kayak. On the northern tip of Kupreanof Island, learn about rich heritage of Tlingit culture on a private tour of Kake village. Uncover the legends in their totems and get a front seat view of carving and dance demonstrations. This evening, toast another day of amazing adventure with a cold microbrew or cocktail.

Day 13: The Brothers Islands | Stephen's Passage

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
There is plenty of wildlife viewing today. The Brothers, a pair of tiny, rocky islands at the confluence of Stephen’s Passage and Frederick Sound, are home to some of Alaska’s most abundant wildlife, including a haulout for Steller sea lions. The area is also the summer feeding ground for the largest concentration of humpback whales in the northern hemisphere. Keep watch for orca, humpbacks, and porpoise.

Day 14: Tracy Arm Wilderness

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
At the end of Tracy Arm, a winding fjord with sheer granite walls, hundreds of cascading waterfalls, and some of the largest icebergs in all of Alaska, sits the twin Sawyer Glaciers — Sawyer and South Sawyer. The fjord is home to brown and black bears, deer, mountain goats, harbor seals, and birds such as arctic terns and pigeon guillemots. Join the Captain for a farewell toast during dinner.

Day 15: Juneau | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Bid adieu to new-found friends over breakfast before disembarking. Transfer directly to the Juneau airport or begin your independent journey.

Ship/Hotel

Wilderness Explorer

Kayaks with Wilderness Explorer
Wilderness Explorer lounge
Relax at the bar aboard the Wilderness Explorer.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$7,595
Wilderness explorer Navigator cabin
Select a Date
Navigator Cabin
#215; 302. Queen or twin beds, view window, and private bath with shower.
Wilderness Explorer's Trailblazer Cabin.
Select a Date
Trailblazer Cabin
#105-106; 207-214; 303; 305-306; 309-312. Queen or twin beds, view window, and private bath with shower.
Wilderness Explorer's Pathfinder Cabin
Select a Date
Pathfinder Cabin
#107-114; 202-206. Queen or twin beds, view window, and private bath with shower.
Wilderness Explorer Admiral Cabin
Select a Date
Admiral Cabin
#301, 304, 313-314. Sitting area, refrigerator, fixed queen bed, large picture window, and private bath with shower.
Select a Date
Navigator Single
#104. L-shaped twin beds; view window; private bath with a shower

Notes

- All rates are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy.
- Rates do not include port taxes and fees, which vary by itinerary.
- Children 8-13 years of age are welcome on all sailings and will received a $500 per child savings

Due to the nature of your explorations, itineraries are guidelines and may change in order to maximize wildlife and natural encounters. Variations in itinerary and the order of days may occur.
Included
  • 14 Breakfasts, 13 Lunches, 14 Dinners

Map

Inquire

* By providing your phone number, you consent to receive direct phone calls or SMS messages from our Trip Planners to get the process started. We do not share your information with third-parties.
Travel Agents

We Love to Talk Travel

Call 1.800.344.6118
or
Chat Now
We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
KC Chan
More Reasons

Why Travel With Adventure Life

All News

Recognized By