Inside Passages: From Canada to Alaska

Welcome to Canada. Arrived at Vancouver International Airport, you will be transferred to your booked hotel (the Pan Pacific or Westin or Fairmont Waterfront). Here you will spend your first night in Vancouver.

Today, you will visit Stanley Park and its beautiful Seawall and Aquarium. Then you will move up to the north side of the city crossing the Lions Gate Bridge and visiting the Marine Drive area where you will have lunch in one of the typical seafood restaurants. 

In the afternoon, you will visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Hatchery where you will learn about the fascinating life of Pacific salmon and then visit the Museum of Anthropology. Dinner and night at your Hotel in Vancouver.

The first part of your itinerary will take you to Vancouver Island by seaplane. You will take an exciting flight over Vancouver’s bay and the spectacular Georgia straights and then arrive at Port Hardy. Here, you will be able to take a quick tour of this fascinating village, visiting some shops and art galleries and then having dinner in one of the typical bistro overlooking the bay. Overnight stay in Port Hardy.

Queen Charlotte Ferry will sail at 7.30 am towards Prince Rupert where you will arrive in the late evening. You will spend an entire day sailing through the high fjords and thousands of lush islands, enjoying striking views and having the chance to watch lots of animals such as whales, killer whales, dolphins, sea lions and seals surrounded by uncontaminated landscapes. Arrived at Prince Rupert at 10.30/ 11.00 pm, you will be transferred to your booked hotel to spend the night.

In the morning you will explore the north coast of the island by taking a special boat tour sailing from Port Rupert to the Grizzly Bear Khutzeymateen Sanctuary. This is one of the most important Canadian park and part of the Great Bear Rainforest. Your excursion will gain special meaning in some periods of the year, such as summer season. Overnight stay in Prince Rupert.

An Alaska Marine Highways ferry will take you to Juneau, in Alaska. This trip will be more than 24 hour long and you will have the chance to admire the beauty and drama of all these landscapes with massive glaciers formed millions of years ago, mountain ranges covered by lush forests and high fjords populated by a great number of wild animals, including various kinds of whales. Overnight stay in Juneau.

Juneau, Alaska capital, is considered by locals the most beautiful city in the country and has been named the Little San Francisco. During your visit of the city, you will walk through the main streets with its numerous pubs, art galleries, bars and fancy restaurants. If you wish, we will arrange some hiking or walking excursion to the Mendenhall Glacier, located just 20 miles from Juneau. This is one of the 38 large glaciers in the Juneau Icefield area and lies for about 140 km on the north-west coast of Alaska. If you want, you can also reach the glacier by helicopter. Coming back in time you can visit what it was once considered the biggest gold mine in the world. On the 8h day evening, you will take the 7 days Alaska cruise in a full-board treatment.

You will reach the Arctic ice from Juneau and get the chance to see one of the most beautiful natural sites on the planet and visit the Tracy Arm Icefield as well. Depending on the season of your visit you might also see dozens of whales peacefully swimming in the calm waters of the bay among the many small icebergs.

Wrangell Glacier is another famous glacier. On this day you will pass through the homonym Wrangell strait and finally reach the lovely fishing village of Petersburg. This land has been inhabited by four different ethnic groups, from Native Tinglit, Russians, British and finally Americans. Wrangell Museum well represents this various cultural background with its many pictures, costumes and artifacts that witness this great cultural variety like the descendants of this region which clearly express their superb features.

Depending on the weather, the captain will decide which kind of excursion will be possible today. You should be able to reach by boat numerous icebergs, whales, sea lions and arctic Ice-seals.

Getting to Sitka National Park and Baranof Island, you will sail through Sergius and Perill strait, boarding a small boat. This area reveals unexpected glimpses with its numerous Totem and animals in the forest . Be ready to take numerous pictures of the very nice sea otters, whales and great black-tailed deer who come to the rocks near the water. Even the Bald-Headed Eagles will watch you form above, extremely interested.

During this route, you will explore the main area dedicated to Whale-watching. It is right here that whales come for their fish and krill based feeding. Pay also attention to their most typical behavior characteristics such as their sounds, the high jets from their blowhole, and especially the spectacular