Treasures of the Inside Passage

14 Days

Overview

Enjoy active exploration amid a dramatic scenery of mountains, fjords, rivers and glaciers along the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia. Learn about the living indigenous culture of the region from the Kwakwaka’wakw people; explore the charming provincial capital of Victoria; and sail the waters where orcas gather to hunt in Johnstone Strait.

This itinerary also operates in reverse for select voyages.

Arrive in Seattle, Washington state’s largest city, and embark the ship.

Spend a full day exploring the San Juan Islands via Zodiac, kayak and naturalist-led hikes. Search for whales, seals and sea lions in rocky inlets, and marvel at bald eagles while walking through lush forests.

Clear into Canada in the charming city of Victoria and choose from several tailor-made options to explore based on your interests. Visit private gardens, bike along the waterfront, take a stroll through history in Old Town or discover James Bay on an architecture tour. In the evening, enjoy a private reception at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Located in the Strait of Georgia, between the mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands are a kayaker’s paradise. Explore the myriad islets and rocky coasts and keep an eye out for harbor seals and an array of seabirds, shorebirds and birds of prey.

Sail through Johnstone Strait, a waterway cut through a magnificently wild and scenic area of mountains and islands. These ocean waters are also home to extraordinary marine mammals and bird watching. Visit the Big House in the First Nations village of Alert Bay, Canada and gain insight from the Kwakwaka’wakw people who will share their art, music and regional knowledge.

Cruise northward along the pristine coastline in search of whales, dolphins, bears, deer and other wildlife. Go ashore to explore or kayak among the many bays and inlets.

Enjoy the day soaking up the spectacular scenery of Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument, a 2.3-million-acre wilderness of shear rock walls, temperate rain forest and glacier-sculpted waterways. Kayak in the still, forested backwaters of this protected national treasure and discover a pristine habitat for brown bears, bald eagles, harbor seals and more.

Search for humpback whales on the approach to picturesque Petersburg, a small fishing village on Alaska’s Mitkof Island that retains much of its Norwegian heritage. Explore a unique Southeast Alaska ecosystem, the muskeg, with stunted trees and carnivorous plants. There is an opportunity to stretch your legs with an optional bike ride around town. This evening, enjoy a crab feast.

Voyage into Tracy or Endicott Arm, both spectacular fjords with waterfalls cascading from glacially carved walls. See the soaring Dawes or South Sawyer Glacier up close and take a cruise in a Zodiac for an unbeatable view among sculpted icebergs. Keep an eye out for harbor seals, harbor porpoises and arctic terns.

Spend the entire day cruising amid the coves, fjords, tidewater glaciers, and majestic mountains of Glacier Bay National Park. See glaciers that end abruptly at the water’s edge and observe them calving, when tons of ice separate and crash into the water accompanied by a thunderous sound.

Cruise among the Inian Islands, where Steller sea lions and sea otters abound. Hike nearby islands, kayak, and search for whales in the nutrient-rich waters of Icy Strait.

Spend a full day kayaking, hiking, and searching for bubble-net feeding or breaching humpback whales.

Disembark in Sitka and transfer to the airport for flights home.