Famed Inside Passage - Spring

You'll be met at the airport and transferred to the Safari Quest where your crew greets you with champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Shortly after boarding, begin your northward cruise from Seattle's historic Fishermen's Terminal passing through the Hiram-Chittenden Locks entering Puget Sound. Later cruise through Deception Pass, a dramatic narrow cut between two islands before dropping anchor in a quiet cove in the San Juan Islands this evening.

The misty San Juan Islands will greet you this morning. Settle into the rhythm of the sea as you leave your busy lives behind. Beautiful forested islands dot the seascape and wind through the untouched islands in the San Juan's. Today visit the port of Friday Harbor. Here you'll enjoy time at leisure to stroll through the town's many intriguing boutiques and shops, or perhaps the Whale Museum. Depart for Canadian waters this afternoon; all eyes open for orca whales!

Search for orca whales, seals, sea lions and bears as you leave civilization behind. Your Expedition Leader will lead nature hikes and kayaking excursions, and enjoy a First Nations dance performance in a cedar-planked big house. Further north, step ashore with Naturalists from Raincoast Conservation Society who will tell us about local wildlife and fisheries studies, including little known details on rainforest wolves and the mysterious Spirit bear.

Prince Rupert is British Columbia’s northernmost port along your route. Here, a historic sightseeing and museum tour introduces you to this scenic community. Stay dockside tonight, so enjoy a walk in town after dinner this evening.

Discover the rich, cultural heritage of Alaska's Tlingit Indians on a guided tour or Saxman Totem Village with local village resident Joe Williams. Before departure, take time to browse shops or stroll along Creek Street where there's often a good dose of local color to be found.

Open space and solitude greet us as we cruise north. Stop in at Meyer's Chuck, a hide-away village of fewer than 50 people. Later anchor in Canoe Pass where explore via kayaks for a more thorough look at the area.

Join your local guide for a private tour of this charming fishing port. Petersburg's Norwegian history is quite prominent throughout the community, and have some first-hand experiences of the local culture before departure. This afternoon, enter some of the richest whale waters in Southeast Alaska, and be watching for the familiar blows of humpback whales all day!

Spend these two days in the wildest, most pristine corners of Alaska. Paddle your kayaks in remote fjords, hike to natural hotsprings, wander through the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska, and explore some of the most scenic, hidden gems one can find in the inside passage.

One of America's crown-jewel national parks will be yours to explore and marvel at for the next two days. Tidewater glaciers sweep like rivers of ice down massive mountain valleys, terminating before us in the waters of Glacier Bay. If conditions permit, lower the inflatable and weave among the icebergs that have fallen from the face of the glaciers. Enjoy evenings at anchor in hidden coves, and mornings paddling your kayaks in the quiet of this majestic wilderness. And what will you find? Quite possibly you'll see puffins, sea lions, mountain goats, bears, moose, eagles, and scenery more spectacular than any place on earth. To top off your trip, celebrate and reminisce together during your festive Farewell dinner.

After breakfast arrive in Juneau. A transfer to the Juneau airport or local hotel is included. Safe travels to all!