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Alaska & British Columbia: A Land of Natural Splendor |
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Program Number: |
18780RJ |
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| Start
and End Dates: |
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5/1/2013 - 5/12/2013;
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| Duration: |
11 nights |
| Location: |
Alaska/British Columbia
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| Price starting at: |
$8,430.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city |
| Program Type:
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Adventure Afloat Study Cruise; Small Ship Cruising
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| Meals: |
32;
11 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 11 Dinners |
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| Meal
Options: |
Vegetarian |
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Explore almost a thousand miles of fjords, glaciers, inlets and forested islands, from Seattle, Washington to Glacier Bay, Alaska, on this epic twelve-day voyage. Wake to the cry of a soaring eagle, watch tons of ice thunder from the face of a glacier, walk amid towering spruce trees, and witness the antics of orcas and humpback whales. Our special-use permits allow you to spend a full day in Glacier Bay and to hike and kayak in wild, remote places that are generally off limits to travelers.
Activity Particulars
Walking and standing for up to one hour at a time on sandy and uneven terrain. Climbing some steep stairs. Many optional opportunities for walks, hikes and kayaking.
Itinerary At-a-Glance
Aboard National Geographic Sea Bird, 11 nights
Day 1: | Arrival Seattle / embark National Geographic Sea Bird: |
Arrive in Seattle, Washington and board the National Geographic Sea Bird
Day 2: | Gulf Islands, British Colombia: |
Search for orcas, sea lions, river otters and bald eagles. Explore further on naturalist-led hikes and kayak excursions.
Day 3: | Alert Bay (Canada): |
At the community of Alert Bay, visit the U’Mista Cultural Center, home to a stunning collection of Native American potlatch masks. Search for pods of orcas known to spend at least a part of the year in Johnstone Strait.
Days 4-5: | At Sea / Inside Passage: |
Sail southward along the Inside Passage of British Columbia, along untouched coastline inhabited by bears, deer and other wildlife. Go ashore to explore or kayak the many bays and inlets.
Join naturalists on deck to observe the antics of orcas, humpback whales, and Steller sea lions. Go ashore for a naturalist-guided walk along a quiet forest trail, or perhaps go kayaking.
Day 7: | Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait: |
Glide past glacially carved cliffs and kayak in the stillness of Misty Fiords’ forested backwaters.
Day 8: | Tracy Arm – Ford’s Terror Wilderness: |
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 Zodiac cruise for an unbeatable view of sculpted icebergs.
Visit the Alaska State Museum for an excellent overview of Alaska’s natural history and cultures. Ready your cameras at the expansive Mendenhall Glacier.
Day 10: | Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve: |
Via special park permit, spend the entire day among the enormous glaciers and ice fields. Listen as the quiet stillness of the area is broken by the thunder of tons of ice calving into the sea. Search for brown bears and mountain goats.
Day 11: | Southeast Alaska's Islands, Bays and Fjords: |
With the luxury of no specific schedule, hike on remote islands through old-growth forest or kayak along the coast among the world’s highest density of nesting bald eagles. Look for humpback whales off Baranof Island and find playful sea otters near Chichagof Island.
Day 12: Arrival Sitka, Alaska / disembark / departures: |
Walk through the Sitka National Historical Park, where totem poles line the trails. Meet eagles up close at the Raptor Rehabilitation Center. Transfer to the airport for flights home.
National Geographic Sea Bird
Lindblad Expeditions nimble 152-foot boat carrying 62 passengers, the National Geographic Sea Bird is scaled to cater to small groups and to be in harmony with the environment. It can access areas that larger boats cannot and carries a fleet of versatile Zodiac landing craft and sea kayaks for up-close shoreline exploration.
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