Alaska is not only a wildlife-rich destination. It is a culturally-rich destination as well. I hadn't consider this as much as I should have before I booked my cruise. However, I was very grateful in the end for the knowledge and experiences of the native Tlingit tribes we were able to see on our trip. The word Tlingit is pronounced "clink kit" (or something to that effect) in English. In Sitka, we viewed a wonderful performance from the Klingit dancers. They showed us a series of dances that includes different drums and movements. In the center of the hall there was a area for burning fires and the performers invited us to join them in a dance around it. Afterwards, we spent some time outside the hall taking photos and chatting with the families.
The following day we arrived in Petersburg and were greeted by the Sons of Norway community. The invited us in to their hall and performed a few traditional Norwegian dances by the youngsters of the group. They continue to pass down the art of these dances from generation to generation. The majority of the families in Petersburg sustain themselves by working in the fishing industry. They provide a large quantity of salmon to the rest of the world. The children who performed also baked several different cookies and treats for us to purchase. The donations went to further the work of the Norwegian community group in sustaining the traditions for the next generation.
We visited the local museum in Wrangell the following day. They took us out to Petroglyph Beach which is a State Historical Park in Alaska. It was a twenty minute walk from the main town and when we arrived, the sun shone down on the beach with such clarity.
Our guide walked us down the beach and pointed out the petroglyphs along the way. She poured water over them and suddenly stood out against the rocks. They do not know exactly what motivated the artists to create these rock carvings. Some think that they were created to commemorate different events in the history of past tribes. Other archeologists believe they were used to communicate between peoples who moved over these lands in the past. On one part of the park there is a stand where you can read through the history of the park and create your own petroglyph drawing to take home.
Later on in cruise, we stopped by Ketchikan, Alaska and took a walk around the town. When we pulled in to the harbor there were a few other ships docked but we were the smallest by far. We were parked at the end of the pier and quickly filed off onto the waterfront. The other passengers boarding their floating cities sat in long lines that wrapped down the pier and into town. We were so thankful for our ship and the personal service we received!
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
1 day ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
2 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
2 days ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
3 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.