Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbor and Kodiak

Arrive in Anchorage and travel to Seward, a town that serves as a gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Board the ship, settle into your cabin, and have your first meal on board while getting familiar with the vessel for the next 11 days.

Kenai Fjords National Park, established in 1980, covers more than 600,000 acres of glacial terrain. The park includes tidewater glaciers, wildlife, and a rugged coastline. The 936-square-mile Harding Icefield feeds many of these glaciers and shapes the fjords where land meets the sea.

Welcome to Kodiak Island, where volcanic landscapes and pristine waters await. Paddle quiet bays in search of sea otters and bald eagles or hike forested hillsides. This region is also a critical habitat for marine mammals and one of the most significant seabird nesting areas on the Pacific coast. Each cove reveals more of Kodiak’s wild character. Kodiak Island boasts many opportunities for outdoor activities; you have the option to kayak, hike, or take a skiff tour, depending on conditions.

Enter a landscape shaped by fire and teeming with life. Katmai National Park, established in 1918, is home to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and one of the world’s largest brown bear populations. Explore Kukak Bay or Geographic Harbor by skiff or on foot and witness the power of volcanic terrain alongside salmon-rich rivers that draw bears and bald eagles.

The Alaska Peninsula Refuge offers a dramatic blend of volcanic peaks, sweeping tundra, and wave-battered coastline. When the salmon run, Ugashik Lakes and streams attract large numbers of brown bears. Explore this unspoiled wilderness by hiking, kayaking, or skiffing through one of Alaska’s most biologically rich regions.

No lines, no crowds, just wild Alaska. One of the least visited places in the National Park System, Aniakchak is a true geological marvel. Its six-mile-wide, 2,500-foot-deep volcanic caldera formed during a massive eruption 3,500 years ago. Weather permitting, explore this rarely seen landscape on foot or by skiff and feel the energy of the Ring of Fire beneath your feet.

Step back in time on Unga Island, where petrified logs and stumps from an ancient sequoia forest line the shore, preserved by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Wander through the island’s abandoned village, where weathered buildings tell stories of life on the edge of the Aleutians. Explore by skiff or kayak and keep watch for whales near the Shumagin Islands.

Today’s destination depends on tides, weather, and shifting channels, making every visit to this region unique. Whether paddling past volcanic cliffs, hiking windswept shores, or exploring by skiff, the scenery and solitude are unforgettable. There are also incredible opportunities for you to spot rare bird species in this area.

Akutan Island is home to one of Alaska’s most active volcanoes, Mount Akutan, and showcases some of the Aleutians’ most diverse terrain. Hike wildflower-dotted hillsides, explore hidden coves, paddle rocky shorelines, or take a skiff tour to a sea cave and a tiny local town, keeping an eye out for sea otters, eagles, and whales.

Dock in Dutch Harbor to explore the heart of the Aleutian Islands. Visit the Church of the Holy Ascension, the oldest standing church building in Alaska, and explore regional history at the Museum of the Aleutians and the Aleutian World War II National Historic Area Visitor Center. Choose a town tour, skiff excursion, or hike for sweeping views. Dutch Harbor is also known as the home harbor of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch.

After breakfast, disembark the Safari Explorer and transfer to the airport for onward travel, concluding your Aleutian adventure.