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Alaska

Alaska's Inside Passage Up Close

Program No. 11479RJ

The mighty glaciers and dramatic fjords of Alaska’s Inside Passage are incredible. Aboard an expedition ship, learn about this untamed land and its stunning diversity of wildlife.

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10 days

9 nights

25 meals

9B 7L 9D

Arrival in Sitka, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation

Sitka, AK

Explore Sitka, Free Time

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Kake, Frederick Sound

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Tracy Arm Fjord

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Exploring, Orca Point Lodge

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Skagway, White Pass Railway, Free Time

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Glacier Bay National Park

Northern Southeast Alaska - Inside Passage

Disembark, Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska State Museum

Juneau, AK

Program Concludes

Juneau, AK

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At a Glance

Famed for deep glacial fjords, spectacular mountains and lush temperate rainforest, Alaska’s Inside Passage and Glacier Bay National Park offer natural and scenic gifts rivaled only by the rich histories of the Indigenous Peoples who have lived here for millennia. Experience magnificent sights and sounds as our experts create opportunities to view glaciers up close. Study Alaska's history at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau, and explore secluded bays via sea kayak or watercraft, all in the company of experts who narrate your experience with in-depth analysis of this yet untamed land.

Activity Level

Easy Going

Optional walking up to 1.5 miles on trails; some uneven or wet terrain. Elevation of 3,000 feet on train. Participants must be able to climb steep, narrow, ladder-like stairs multiple times per day as there is no elevator on the ship. These stairs must be used to access your cabin, dining area, public bathroom, and Zodiak launch area. Climbing in and out of kayaks and rafts.

Best of all, you’ll…

Traverse the waters of a narrow fjord within soaring cliffs of granite and dotted with glittering icebergs.
Board the White Pass narrow-gauge railway for a journey back through the Gold Rush era, a time of uncertainty and adventure.
Experience chances to see whales, puffins, otters, bears, mountain goats and sea lions — the wealth of wildlife is amazing!

General Notes

Order of ports will vary subject to Glacier Bay schedule approved by the National Park Service. This program has a maximum group size of 50 participants.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Karen Christner

Karen Christner arrived in Alaska more than 30 years ago and realized that she had come home. She and her husband, Jere, raised their 3 children on Baranof Island. With degrees in biology and teaching, she quickly embraced the Alaskan lifestyle. While employed at the University of Alaska, she began the development and administration of Alaskan programs. After 25 years, she is still sharing the story of the people, environment, history and culture of her adopted home—now as an Alaskan group leader and lecturer.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Karen Christner View biography

Karen Christner arrived in Alaska more than 30 years ago and realized that she had come home. She and her husband, Jere, raised their 3 children on Baranof Island. With degrees in biology and teaching, she quickly embraced the Alaskan lifestyle. While employed at the University of Alaska, she began the development and administration of Alaskan programs. After 25 years, she is still sharing the story of the people, environment, history and culture of her adopted home—now as an Alaskan group leader and lecturer.

Julie Cardenas View biography

Julie Cardenas hails from Naples, Florida. She holds a bachelor’s in biology from Florida Gulf Coast University and certificates as a Florida Master Naturalist and NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. With an affinity for traveling and being on the water, Julie spent her early career cruising oceans, rivers, and inland waterways. As a naturalist, she traded seasons leading winter programs in the Florida Everglades and summers in Southeast Alaska. Leading Road Scholar groups since 2012, Julie currently directs programs in South Florida, Cuba, and Alaska.

Lee Vale View biography

Lee grew up plying the rich waters of the inside passage with his mother on a commercial fishing boat. There he developed a love for the quiet power found in these places so far from human civilization. He began his career as a naturalist in Glacier Bay National Park, later returning to the inside passage as an expedition leader on cruises. Lee holds a degree in cultural anthropology and history, and loves to share his knowledge and his home with guests from across the world.

ReAnn Johnson View biography

ReAnn Johnson has created a quintessential Alaskan life, with a long family history and a military career delivering engineering projects across the state. Her intrepid spirit has taken her to its wild places, and her curiosity has delivered an experiential Alaskan education. She is a perpetual student of adventure and enjoys sharing Alaska's magic with curious travelers. ReAnn lives with her husband and two sled dogs aboard the trawler, M/V Sea Dancer, in Ketchikan, and in their cabin in the Chugach National Forest.

Suggested Reading List (26 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Alaska's Inside Passage Up Close

Program Number: 11479

Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast

by Hilary Stewart

An introduction into the indigenous art of the Northwest Coast and it's the styles, myths and legends that shaped the motifs, and stylistic differences between the major cultural groups are defined and illustrated.

The Sea Runners

by Ivan Doig

A survival story that is based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is an uplifting tale of the human quest for freedom. Four indentured servants journey down the Pacific Northwest Coast after escaping their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe.

The Island Within

by Richard Nelson

Nelson's exploration of an unnamed island in the Pacific Northwest and our relationship with nature and the ability to observe and participant in it with admiration and a sense of wonder.

Guide to the Birds of Alaska

by Robert Armstrong

In the new 6th edition, this guide to the birds of Alaska includes more than 900 full-color photos, 22 new species, name and systematic changes made by the American Ornithological Union, updated status and distribution charts, map of Alaska's six biogeographic regions, and much more.

Alaska Trees and Shrubs

by Leslie Viereck and Elbert Little

Provides information on habitat and detailed descriptions of trees and shrubs in the state of Alaska.

Coming Into The Country

by John McPhee

Coming into the Country is an unforgettable account of Alaska and Alaskans. It is a rich tapestry of vivid characters, observed landscapes, and descriptive narrative, in three principal segments that deal, respectively, with a total wilderness, with urban Alaska, and with life in the remoteness of the bush.

Roadside Geology of Alaska

by Cathy Conner and Daniel O'Haire

Since the first edition was published in 1988, there has been a lot of changes that have taken place in Alaska. The author discusses the latest findings from events that have taken place, such as volcanoes erupting, glaciers retreating, thawing permafrost, and geological interpretations that have changed.

Nature of Southeast Alaska: A Guide to Plants, Animals, and Habitats

by Robert Armstrong

An in-depth guide to Southeast Alaska's flora and fauna. It provides detailed information about mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, fungi, and plants, along with detailed maps and more than 200 black-and-white illustrations.

Frigid Embrace - Politics, Economics, and Environment in Alaska

by Stephen Haycox

This book explores how the desire for resource extraction has shaped Alaskan people's views of nature and their interactions with natives in the region. It provides readers with an opportunity to understand the historical context of today's environmental disputes through this concise narrative about Alaska's colonial struggle.

Tlingit Tales: Potlatch and Totem Pole

by Lorie K. Harris

This book contains legends of the Tlingit Indians as told by Robert Zubov, Chief of the Beaver Clan of Angoon, Admiralty Island, Alaska.

Going to Extremes

by Joe McGinnis

This book is controversial in Alaska. McGinnis traveled to Alaska during the "pipeline years" to see what Alaska was really like. He writes about the good and bad; potential exploitation, vast expanses of wilderness and the people interacting with their various environments and each other.

An Alaska Anthology: Interpreting the Past

by Edited by Stephen w. Haycox and Mary Childers Mangusso

An account of Alaska's history with photos and entertaining essays. Topics including Native lifestyles before contact with the Europeans, John Muir's visit to Glacier Bay, the Klondike gold rush stampede, Alaska's fisheries, and more.

Alaska Salmon Identification and Fishing Guide

by Alaska Department of Fish and Game

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/PDFs/sport/AKSalmonFishingGuide.pdf This website provides a lot of information about salmon.

The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush

by Pierre Berton

Pierre Berton spent 12 years of his life researching in Dawson City. Berton tells the full story of the Klondike Gold Rush in a thrilling and dramatic way that has never been told before.

Alaska's History: The People, Land and Events of the North Country

by Harry Ritter

This is a small, easily readable "digest" of Alaska's history. It is great for a quick overview and it is a good size for tucking into a suitcase or reading on a plane.

Cedar

by Hilary Stewart

The tree of life to the Northwest Coast Native people, who used all parts of the tree for making items including: canoes, totem poles, houses, masks, mats, baskets, fishing gear, and clothing.

Passage To Juneau - A Sea and Its Meanings

by Jonathan Raban

An account of his voyage on a 35-foot sailboat from Seattle to Juneau "a masterpiece of literature of the sea, a work that overflows with wisdom, humor, sadness, and suspense".

Where the Sea Breaks Its Back - The Epic Story of Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska

by Corey Ford

The great naturalist Georg Steller's adventures during the disastrous 1741-42 voyage of Vitus Bering. This voyage from eastern Russia across the Pacific resulted in the Russian "discovery" of Alaska. The epic journey back across the Pacific Ocean is a gripping account of survival.

Looking at Totem Poles

by Hilary Stewart

This book describes 110 totem poles from British Columbia through southeastern Alaska. She explains figures on the poles, the pole's purposes and provides a wealth of other information about the poles. They are illustrated with drawings and photos.

Fodor's Alaska (Full-cover Travel Guide)

by Fodor's Travel Guides

More than 25 detailed maps, color photos, recommendations from locals, up-to-date coverage on Juneau, Glacier Bay, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Skagway, Ketchikan, Hines, and many other areas!

Blonde Indian

by Ernestine Hays

The story of a woman growing up in a mixed-heritage family in Juneau.

Coming Into the Country

by John McPhee

Classic observations by an astute writer; 1970's, his observations are still relevant. Observations and musings about Alaskan life and the land. Readable and realistic, it shows the good and bad aspects of life in Alaska.

Travels in Alaska

by John Muir

Take a trip to last century's Alaska through Muir's clean, easy-going, enthusiastic prose. He wrote the way he took pictures, with insight, attention, care and genuine feeling.

The Call of the Last Frontier: The True Story of a Woman's Twenty-Year Alaska Adventure

by Melissa Cook

Melissa Cook went to Alaska for a job and ended up finding a twenty-year Alaskan adventure! Throughout the book, Cook also includes information about Alaska's history including, the Aleut internment camps during WWII, southeast Alaskan logging camps, and the sinking of S.S. Princess Sophia.

Guide to Marine Mammals of Alaska

by Kate Wynne

This book covers all 29 marine mammal species of Alaska. Each whale, porpoise, dolphin, seal, sea lion, walrus, sea otter, and polar bear is described and illustrated. Color photos and surface profile drawings show all Alaska marine mammals and compare similar species, and color range maps show distribution.

The Woman Who Married a Bear

by John Straley

Fiction, mystery, Sitka-based private investigator solves a complicated murder.

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