The Best of Southeast Alaska

Day 1: Juneau, Alaska – Embarkation
Day 2: Tracy Arm
Day 3: Frederick Sound
Day 4: Icy Strait
Day 5: Glacier Bay National Park
Day 6: Glacier Bay National Park
Day 7: Chatham Strait
Day 8: Juneau
Day 9: Tracy Arm - Fords Terror Wilderness
Day 10: Stephens Passage
Day 11: Wrangell Narrows / Thomas Bay
Day 12: Wrangell
Day 13: Behm Canal
Day 14: Misty Fjords National Monument
Day 15: Juneau, Alaska – Disembarkation

Day 1: Juneau, Alaska – Embarkation
Once you check-in at the hospitality area, perhaps you will have time to explore a bit of Juneau. Surrounded by the rich, green Tongass National Forest, and located on beautiful Gastineau Channel, Juneau is an important port and a popular tourist destination. Unique because it is the only state capital in the United States that is inaccessible by road, Juneau sits at sea level below the steep mountains that are home to the Juneau Icefield and the Mendenhall Glacier. 

Once on board, get ready for two weeks of scenic channels and secluded wilderness.

Day 2: Tracy Arm
Let us set the stage: fjord cliffs reach skyward, floating ice scatters the surface and deep u-shaped valleys cut the landscape. As you navigate the Tracy Arm Fjord, you cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. During the summer, you can spot eagles, seals, bears, and whales here, even mountain goats showing off their fancy footwork. The cotton candy blue Twin Sawyer glaciers tower from afar. Tides permitting, your skiff driver knows the ins and outs and guides you along. It’s a mashup of towering walls, waterfalls, temperamental currents, and the Coastal Mountains. 

Day 3: Frederick Sound
The glacier-fed waters of Frederick Sound, surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Coast Range, are abundant with krill, zooplankton, and herring. Humpback whales migrate here from Hawaii to feed on the nutrient-rich water. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Hang out and enjoy the show. You will cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska’s oldest light station, and The Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky nobs. 

Day 4: Icy Strait
From kelp-lined channels to hemlock and spruce forests, every inch of this far northwest corner is worth exploring. Today’s adventures promise to be as big as the water is deep! Seals and sea lions haul out on rocky outcroppings, resting before they disappear in the water to search for food. If the tides are right, your guides will load up the skiff for a closer peek along the rugged shore, or perhaps, make it all the way to George Island. Remember that your expedition team guides you in whatever you choose to do: wilderness trekking, skiffing, or paddling.

Day 5: Glacier Bay National Park
This crown jewel of America’s national parks covers 3.3 million acres (that’s a tad smaller than the state of Connecticut). Most visitors see the same sliver of the park as everyone else. Not you. You’re going the furthest and exploring parts that 99% of visitors never go to. Taylor Bay sea stacks and rocky shores make for a good adventure. You could hike the outwash field of glaciers winding down the Fairweather Mountain Range. The cool breeze off the nearby snow and icefields is energizing. If you motor over to Dundas Bay, keep your eye out for bears, humpbacks, and if you’re lucky, a wolf sighting. There are several options for activities today, for example, kayaking in the bay or trekking into the forest. 

Day 6: Glacier Bay National Park
Today features South Marble Island with its significant seabird colony. Rare sea birds, black oystercatchers, and orange-beaked tufted puffins can be sighted as well as the federally endangered species, the Stellar sea lions. As you tuck into the silent Tidal Inlet - the stomping grounds for bears, wolves, mountain goats, eagles - the backdrop is spectacular. At the end of the western-most arm of the bay sits Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers.

Day 7: Chatham Strait
As you tuck into Port Frederick or another inlet in the Tongass National Forest, be on the lookout for whales. Once anchored, you can hike, paddle, or skiff this remote corner with bears on the shoreline, seals bobbing on the surface, and welcoming boughs of moss in the trees. It’s all yours to explore. 

Day 8: Juneau
You have a choice on how to spend your day off the boat. Accompanied by a local expert (and plenty of snacks), the West Glacier Trail excursion takes you through the dense temperate rainforest with massive views overlooking Mendenhall Glacier and the surrounding coastal mountain range. Or, opt for a more relaxed pace visiting Juneau highlights on your own. An included tramway ticket provides a ride up the Mt. Roberts Tram, where views unfold as you ascend 1,800 feet through the forest. At the top, explore the trails and Nature Center; back at the bottom, explore Alaska’s heritage at the Alaska State Museum. Both options also include a lunch voucher for a local restaurant. A complimentary laundry service is provided today.

Day 9: Tracy Arm - Fords Terror Wilderness
Jutting off Stephens Passage with two deep, glacially carved fjords, this designated wilderness area contains over 600,000 acres. Your explorations today are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Literally. It’s a harbor seal’s delight lazing away the day atop a floating bergie as you cruise past chunks and chunks of floating ice (there’s far more beneath the surface than the eye can see). In classic fjord form, the end of the arm doesn’t disappoint with the blue face of a story high glacier. If conditions are right, skiffs are the ticket to getting in close.

Day 10: Stephens Passage
Humpback and orca are frequent visitors of this Southeast passage. A misty spout is a sure sign they’re in the neighborhood. Your captain navigates Stephens Passage to Port Houghton and your adventure begins. The routes are all picked out. You can slip off the kayak launch and take it slow spotting sea stars and shorebirds. The more energetic can take a long wild paddle to the salt chuck at the back of the inlet. Those who prefer to be on foot can hike into the Tongass, the nation's largest national forest.

Day 11: Wrangell Narrows / Thomas Bay
Thomas Bay is known for its glaciers and its abundance of wildlife. Moose, bears, and wolves are just a few of the animals you may see while traveling through this bay. Rich with gold, quartz, and lore, Baird Glacier drains into the bay. You can kayak and skiff in water almost as clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier or keep it green on an interpretive walk through a grassy meadow into the forest. Later, wind into the Wrangell Narrows, nicknamed “Christmas Tree Lane". Abundant bright red and green navigation lights guide the way.

Day 12: Wrangell
Wrangell is one of the oldest towns in Alaska and the only one ever governed by four nations. The powerful Stikine Tlingit tribes inhabited the region for thousands of years and its culture has deep roots here. You will enjoy a morning presentation that brings their stories and legends to life. Today, Wrangell continues to redefine itself. The lumber mills have been upgraded and refashioned into a sustainable forest products industry, and the town has become a unique outpost for tourism. Visit Chief Shakes Island and Tribal House Monument, Totem Park, the Wrangell Museum, or walk among the petroglyphs at Petroglyph Beach State Park for a glimpse into its history.

Day 13: Behm Canal
Behm Canal is located in the Alexander Archipelago. Wildlife abounds along this 108-mile long natural channel such as black bears, mink, eagles. On Cleveland Peninsula, your expedition team leads a low-elevation hike with wide-stretching views. In the water orca, porpoises, seals, and otters are abundant. A guided paddle will explore the small deserted waterways that feed into Behm Canal.

Day 14: Misty Fjords National Monument
There are still a few places left on the planet that can strike awe. Misty Fjords National Monument is one of them. Carved out by the last great North American glaciation, narrow winding granite walls guide the ship deeper into the wilderness. Nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska is represented here. Seabirds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, all find safe haven here. Kayak in Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay and you find it’s just as easy to paddle and go, as it is to sit and float and take it all in. The area's affectionate nickname, “The Yosemite of the North,” is deserved, and it’s an amazing wrap to your week. Your captain joins you tonight for a Farewell Dinner. Celebrate and reminisce about your Alaskan journey with a “photo journal” by your crew.

Day 15: Ketchikan, Alaska – Disembarkation
After breakfast, this morning, bid adieu to your new pals before you disembark and transfer to the Ketchikan airport or begin your extended stay.

Day 1: Ketchikan, Alaska – Embarkation
Day 2: Misty Fjords National Monument
Day 3: Behm Canal
Day 4: Wrangell
Day 5: Wrangell Narrows / Thomas Bay
Day 6: Stephens Passage
Day 7: Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm / Fords Terror
Day 8: Juneau
Day 9: Chatham Strait
Day 10: Glacier Bay National Park
Day 11: Glacier Bay National Park
Day 12: Icy Strait
Day 13: Frederick Sound
Day 14: Tracy Arm
Day 15: Juneau, Alaska – Disembarkation

* Itinerary details are the same as the Juneau to Ketchikan tour direction.