Nestled between the mountains and shoreline of rugged Baranof Island, Sitka boasts incredible amenities and attractions for a small island town. Guests will have an opportunity to view birds of prey like bald eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons at the Alaska Raptor Center, and get up close with many marine species at the Sitka Sound Science Center, a working salmon hatchery, and aquarium.
Highlights of the Expedition may Include:
• Dazzling humpback whale viewing: these gentle giants are famous for their powerful and sometimes synchronized foraging behaviors of breaching, lunging, and bubble net feeding
• Cruising through bays and inlets teeming with herring, along with a great variety of wildlife including sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, porpoises, Sitka black tailed deer, brown bears, bald eagles, great blue herons, belted kingfishers, and more
• An up-close visit to the St. Lazaria Wildlife Refuge, an offshore volcanic island that is home to a variety of seabird species
• A chance to step ashore on remote beaches dwarfed by the towering canopies of Sitka spruce, yellow cedar, and western hemlock stands
• Hiking adventures on one or more of the many beautiful trails near Sitka. These trails include maintained paths or boardwalks through rainforest habitats that feature tidelands, waterfalls, muskegs, and old growth forests
• A visit to the rustic mineral pools at Goddard Hot Springs, where visitors can soak in healing tubs while taking in views of the meadows, tidelands, and islands scattered about Sitka Sound
