Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness

Our Forest Service Special Use Permit for Tongass National Forest enables you to hike and kayak in wild and remote areas of Southeast Alaska. 
Explore the newly constructed Alaska State Museum, with its sprawling collection of natural history and cultural artifacts, and explore downtown Juneau. Settle into your cabin before dinner. Later, explore the port of Juneau on your own. 

Voyage into Tracy or Endicott Arm, both spectacular glacially carved fjords. You’ll also pass the Sawyer Glacier, which has been described as bluer than any blue on earth, or the towering Dawes Glacier. If conditions permit, you'll use our expedition landing craft to provide unparalleled up close views of the glacier. Keep an eye out for harbor seals, porpoises and arctic terns. 

Search for humpback whales as we head towards the small, true Alaskan town of Petersburg on Mitkof Island. Explore a unique Southeast Alaskan ecosystem, the "muskeg," with stunted trees and carnivorous plants. There is an opportunity for optional flightseeing or bike riding. Enjoy a Dungeness crab feast this evening. 

These waters are prime areas for both killer whales and humpback whales. It's not uncommon to observe their fascinating behavior — breaching, tail-slapping and variations on feeding — as you fill the deck and listen to the play-by-play from expert naturalists. Explore spectacular bays and inlets, following bear trails and salmon streams. Once ashore, you have the opportunity to walk along a quiet forest trail. The still waters are excellent for kayaking, offering another option for up close exploration.

Cruise among the Inian Islands, where an abundance of Steller sea lions and sea otters reside. Hike nearby islands, kayak, and search for whales in the rich waters of Icy Strait. Conditions permitting, lower the ship’s hydrophone to listen in on the whales’ communication.

Spend the entire day amidst the coves, fjords, tidewater glaciers, and majestic mountains of Glacier Bay National Park. Expect to see glaciers that end abruptly at the water’s edge and observe them “calving” — tons of ice crashing into the sea — accompanied by an exhilaratingly thunderous sound. Mountain goats scaling the peaks as well as harbor seals, Steller sea lions, and puffins are some of the creatures you may observe. A visit to Tidal Inlet may bring the sight of brown bears lumbering up the hillside. A native Tlingit interpreter joins you onboard to share the legend of the area.

Today, nature is your guide as you set forth with the flexibility to take advantage of wildlife and weather conditions. Stop at an isolated beach to take a closer look at tide pools, beachcomb, and hike stunning forest trails. Keep an eye out for old bear tracks worn into the soil as you move from forest to meadow. This area is home to the highest density of nesting bald eagles in the world, so sightings are very common. If conditions permit, do some kayaking, always watching for marine and terrestrial life.

After breakfast disembark in Sitka, southeastern Alaska’s only oceanfront town. Sitka has a strong Russian heritage, which is readily apparent as you visit the onion-domed St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church. Gaze up at the grand totem poles that line the wooded trails through Sitka National Historic Park. At the Raptor Rehabilitation Center, have close views of species normally seen at a distance in the wild — bald eagles, hawks, falcons and owls. After your visit, drive to the airport for your afternoon flight to Seattle.