Glacier Bay & Haines

Arrive independently to Juneau, make your way to the designated meeting point and join your transfer to the port to board your vessel. Settle into your comfortable cabin as we set sail from this picturesque port town towards Tongass National Forest.

The plan for today will be a flexible one, with your captain choosing the perfect spots for on-shore excursions and explorations around the Lynn Canal or St James Bay. We may kayak or paddleboard in the bays looking for harbour seals and pods of orcas, take guided walks along the rocky shores, or bushwhack into the hidden pockets of Tongass National Forest.

Tucked beneath snowcapped peaks, Haines is the ultimate spot for adventure. Enjoy a day of activities today, whether that be hiking, biking, kayaking or learning about the history of the area – including the European explorers, the Klondike gold rush, and its past as a U.S. Army outpost. Various fantastic hiking trails are available, including one which leads to a trading outlet for Chilkat Tlingit.

In the morning we will wake to the ship meandering along the glacier-carved fjords along the Chichagof coast. Our likely plan of action today will be to anchor in Chichagof Island inlet and hop into our kayaks, skiffs or paddleboards to explore the waters and search for whales, seals and seabirds soaring above. A hike up through the moss-covered trees and rain-fed waterfalls will be strenuous but rewarding, or you may wish to stay on lower ground and beachcomb the rocky shores whilst looking for seals, sea creatures and bears. Boasting one of the world’s largest populations of bears, today might be our best chance to see them!

We will also meet up with a local select cut logger to learn the trade of a backwoods Alaskan making an ecologically safe living off the land

Today will take you through the channels of deep, twisted mangroves of the Icy Strait where you will be on the lookout for whales, seals and sea lions, as well as smaller marine wildlife like starfish and jellyfish. If the tides are right, you can head out in the skiff with one of the guides for a closer exploration of the rugged shore here. Take a paddle, head out on a trek or explore from the skiff…the choice is yours! In nearby Point Adolphus the focus will be on spotting the humpback whales that are often seen here.

Likely to be the highlight of your trip, we now spend 2 days in the 3.3 million-acre Glacier Bay National Park for some thoroughly enjoyable exploration. The park was completely covered by ice just over 200 years ago but receding glacier activity has made it now easier to access the inner reaches and enjoy a deeper discovery of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your onboard naturalists are experts on the glacial activity here, as well as the wildlife habitats that are also a treat to discover. As you get up as close as possible to the stunning Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers, you will also be on the lookout for Steller sea lions and the abundant seabirds that flock here including puffins, common murres, pigeon guillemots, cormorants and much more. On South Marble Island the birdlife is particularly abundant, whereas along the shoreline of Tidal Inlet we might be lucky enough to spot bears foraging along with mountain goats. In the far outback areas of Glacier Bay or the famed “George Island” we might get a close-up opportunity for sea otters and a World War II cannon that sits in the wilderness today.

We make our way back to Juneau where your itinerary comes to an end. There are multiple options available for extending your stay in Alaska so please enquire for details. A transfer to the airport is provided today.