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Explore beautiful Alaska

Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbor and Kodiak

Seward to Dutch Harbor - Example 11 Day Cruise aboard Wilderness Explorer
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Explore remote Alaska on an 11-day cruise aboard Wilderness Explorer, visiting places accessible primarily by water. Depart Seward for Kenai Fjords National Park and cruise past tidewater glaciers before heading to Kodiak Island, where sea kayaking and skiff excursions offer opportunities to see sea otters and bald eagles. Continue to Katmai National Park to observe brown bears along salmon-rich rivers and explore the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. At Aniakchak, hike into a six-mile-wide volcanic caldera, then follow the Aleutian Islands to Unga Island and Akutan. Explore an abandoned village on Unga Island, hike through Akutan’s wildflower-covered hillsides, and end in Dutch Harbor with fishing boats and World War II history. Daily activities include kayaking, hiking, and skiff landings, with experiences shaped by local weather and tides.
Sea otter spotting on an Alaska wildlife tourA bald eagle rests off the shoreKenai Fjords National ParkKayaking among beautiful Alaskan mountainsWatch bears fishing for salmonA bear catches a fish as it swims upstreamExplore beautiful Alaska
Highlights
  • Kayak glacier-carved fjords in Kenai Fjords National Park
  • Watch brown bears fish for salmon in Katmai National Park
  • Hike into Aniakchak's six-mile-wide volcanic caldera
  • Explore Dutch Harbor's fishing port and WWII history
Activities
Places Visited
Activity Level: Variable
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Seward | Embark

Arrive in Anchorage, then transfer to Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Board the Wilderness Explorer, settle into your cabin, enjoy dinner onboard, and meet the expedition team as the voyage begins.

Day 2: Kenai Fjords National Park

Explore Kenai Fjords National Park, established in 1980 and spanning more than 600,000 acres. The Harding Icefield feeds dozens of tidewater glaciers that shape deep fjords along the coast. Cruise past steep cliffs, waterfalls, and ice-filled inlets while looking for harbor seals, puffins, and sea otters during kayak or skiff excursions.

Day 3: Kodiak Island

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.

Day 4: Katmai National Park

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.

Day 5: Ugashik National Wildlife Refuge

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.

Day 6: Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve

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.

Day 7: Unga Island Abandoned Village

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.

Day 8: Captains Choice

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.

Day 9: Akutan Island

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.

Day 10: Unalaska to Dutch Harbor

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.

Day 11: Dutch Harbor | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark the Wilderness Explorer and transfer to the airport for onward travel, concluding your Aleutian adventure.

Ship/Hotel

Wilderness Explorer

The Wilderness Explorer

Wilderness Explorer

The Wilderness Explorer is equipped for action, adventure, and exploration. As with her sister ?Wilderness? ships, its interior complements the outside and public and private spaces are loaded with amenities. The ship offers a main lounge that evokes the feel of a National Park Lodge or neighborhood pub, dining room, and ample space on deck for taking in the great outdoors.
Relax on the sun deck of the Wilderness Explorer.
Wilderness Explorer Bridge
Hot tub on Wilderness Explorer

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

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Per person starting at
$13,600 2-3 travelers

Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
 
Wilderness explorer Navigator cabin
Navigator Cabin
#215; 302. Queen or twin beds, view window, and private bath with shower.
Wilderness Explorer's Trailblazer Cabin.
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
Pathfinder Cabin
#107-114; 202-206. Queen or twin beds, view window, and private bath with shower.
Wilderness Explorer Admiral Cabin
Admiral Cabin
#301, 304, 313-314. Sitting area, refrigerator, fixed queen bed, large picture window, and private bath with shower.
Compass
#104. L-shaped twin beds; view window; private bath with a shower

Notes

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
  • 10 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches, 10 Dinners
  • 10 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Park and Entrance Fees 
  • Premium spirits, wine, beer & non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Transfers and baggage handling between airport/vessel on embark/disembark day
  • Port fees & taxes (for reservations made after 5/26/26, and ALL Galapagos reservations)
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Port taxes/fees
  • Optional snorkeling: arranged and paid for locally.

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