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Breaching Orca Whale

Alaska Fjords & Glaciers

Example 8 Day Cruise aboard Wilderness Discoverer
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Highlights of this 8-day voyage include exploring the mainland of Alaska — glacial landscapes, old growth, and rainforest. Along the way enjoy wilderness hikes, massive icebergs, and calving glaciers; watch for wildlife and whales in Frederick Sound; kayak, paddle board, and wildlife-watch in Stephen's Passage; explore Tongass National Forest on hikes and shore walks; discover isolated coves and dramatic Misty Fjords National Monument; visit Wrangell's Kiksetti Totem Park and Chief Shakes Tribal House, and; transit Wrangell Narrows and wildlife-rich Behm Canal. Awe-inspiring glaciers, wildlife, and rainforests await you on this Alaska adventure cruise!
Family paddle boarding.View of Mendenhall glacier on an Alaska cruiseAlaska cruise and wildlife viewing toursElk feeding on the lush grass.Breaching Orca Whale
Highlights
  • Explore the glacial landscapes of Thomas Bay
  • Watch for whales in Stephens Passage, and wildlife in Tongass National Forest
  • Navigate winding Wrangell Narrows and Behm Canal
  • Kayak, paddle board, skiff, and hike in glacial landscapes and old growth
  • Adventure exploration in Misty Fjords National Monument
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Juneau, Alaska | Embark

Welcome aboard! Meet your crew and get acquainted as you set sail for the Endicott Arm.

Day 2: Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm

Take an early peek out your window. Fjord cliffs reach skyward. Floating ice. And deep u-shaped valleys. There’s no abracadabra here. Mother Nature’s magic is real. Cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. At the end of Endicott, the blue face of Dawes Glacier is stories high. And in classic fjord form, Tracy Arm delivers with the cotton candy blue Twin Sawyers glacier of its furthest reaches. Tides permitting, your skiff driver knows the ropes and guides you along. It’s a mashup of towering walls, temperamental currents, and the Coastal Mountains. So many waterfalls. Mountain goats show off fancy foot work on the cliffs. Look for them.

Day 3: Frederick Sound

Humpbacks beeline it here each season to feed on krill, zooplankton, and herring. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Hang out and enjoy the show. Based on wind and weather, your expedition team has the lineup of adventures all mapped out. Cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska’s oldest light station and The Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky nobs. Paddle into the deeps of Port Houghton or Windham Bay or head ashore for a hike. Somewhere nearby, carrot-billed black oystercatchers are saying hello. Tonight, toast another big day in Alaska. 

Day 4: Thomas Bay | Wrangell Narrows

When you come this far, you might as well go all in. This is way back backcountry of Alaska's wilderness. Glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs, and mud. In this playground, it’s all an option today. Kayak and skiff in water almost clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier. Or keep it green tromping through a grassy meadow into the forest. Later, pass by the fishing town of Petersburg and wind into the Wrangell Narrows. Abundant bright red and green navigation lights guide the way. It’s “Christmas Tree Lane”, of course.

Day 5: Blashkee Islands

The Blashkee Islands are your playground today. Afull day of choose-your-own-adventure fun. Hiking,Kayaking, skiff tours, snorkeling, and full day yak-n-whack excursions. Get ready for a full day!

Day 6: Behm Canal

Wildlife abounds. Black bears, mink, eagles. In Behm Canal, it’s all remote waterways and the isolated Tongass National Forest. On Cleveland Peninsula, your expedition team leads a low-elevation hike near clear, rushing streams. Good opportunities for enticing forested shots of Southeast. In the water orca, porpoises, seals, and otters go about their business. Go about yours on a guided paddle in tiny, deserted waterways that feed into Behm Canal.

Day 7: Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness

Its affectionate nickname, “The Yosemite of the North,” is deserved. There are places on the planet that completely overcome you. This is one of them. The beauty. The peace. The sense of place you feel. Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. And that alone is a lot to consider. Glacial valleys filled with sea water. Sheer 3,000 foot cliffs. Sea birds, 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. Or skiff to the base of a waterfall for fjord-released shower. 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 8: Ketchikan | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Enjoy a farewell breakfast before disembarking the ship this morning. Transfer directly to the Ketchikan airport or begin your independent journey.

Ship/Hotel

Wilderness Discoverer

Wilderness Discoverer
Wilderness Discoverer in the San Juans PNW
Wilderness Discoverer

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Deals

Save $500 on Summer Departure 24285
Book by August 31, 2024, and save $500 per person on Alaska 2024 departures on June 1, 2024, and later. This offer applies to new bookings, is subject to availability, and is not combinable with other discounts. Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.

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4 People for the Price of 3 24291
Book by August 31, 2024, for a trip for 4 people for the price of 3 on select sailings in 2024 on the Wilderness Legacy, Wilderness Discoverer, or Safari Endeavour. This is valid for new bookings. Offers are not combinable with each other and have limited combinability with any other offers. The free berth is applied to the cabin of lesser value. Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.

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Group Savings 24302
Book by August 31, 2024 for groups of 10+ guests traveling on select departures of the Wilderness Legacy or Safari Endeavour, and select dates on the Wilderness Discoverer – receive 29% savings (for Leap Year)! Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.​

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Applies to Sep 22, 2024 departure

Group Savings 24377
Book now for a group of 6 or more guests and enjoy a 5% discount for the entire group on all sailings in 2025! Offers are capacity-controlled and can expire at any time. Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.​

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Early-Bird Savings for 2025 24380
Book now and enjoy 2024 pricing with an additional 10% savings on Alaska 2025 departures. Offer is valid for new bookings, subject to availability, and cannot be combined with other discounts. All offers are capacity-controlled and may expire at any time. Additional restrictions may apply. Please contact us for details.​

Reference BestEBD2025
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Per person starting at
$3,600 2-3 travelers

Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
 
Wilderness Discoverer's Navigator Cabin.
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Navigator
Main Deck, cabins 201, 204-208 and 210. Queen or twin beds, private bath with shower and view window.
Interior Cabin
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Trailblazer
Observation Deck, cabins 310-325. Queen or twin beds, private bath with shower and view window.
Wilderness Discoverer's Pathfinder Cabin.
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Pathfinder
Observation Deck, cabins 300-309. Outside entry, queen bed, sitting area, private bath with shower and view window.
Wilderness Discoverer's Explorer Double Cabin.
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Admiral
Sun Deck, cabins 400-403. Separate sitting area, queen or twin beds, private bath with shower, large picture window with sofa bed/triple.

Notes

Due to the nature of your explorations, itineraries are guidelines and may change in order to maximize wildlife and natural encounters. Variations in itinerary and the order of days may occur.
Included
  • 7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 7 Dinners
  • 7 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
  • Wellness amenities 
  • From-the-vessel adventure activities and equipment
     
  • Group transfers and baggage handling between airport/vessel on embark/disembark day
  • Entry fees to national parks/preserves
  • Premium wine, beer and liquor (excludes super-premium wines)
  • Exclusive activities and shore visits
  • Onboard expedition/heritage guides and guest experts
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Port taxes/fees
  • Optional excursions and land tours
  • Onboard wifi

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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
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