Alaska Odyssey
- 14 Days
- Departure/Arrival:
- Vancouver, Canada - Anchorage, United States
- Voyage code:
- ALK007S
- Ship:
- Sylvia Earle
- Price:
AUD $17,095.00
from AUD $13,676.00/pp Save 20%*
See 'Cabins & Prices' tab for discounted rates
Along the famed Inside Passage, visit small communities such as the Metlakatla Indian Community on Annette Island. In wilderness areas including Misty Fjords and Tracy Arm-Fords Terror, Zodiac-cruise and kayak amongst glittering icebergs keeping your camera at the ready for encounters with whales, harbour seals, mountain goats, bears and bald eagles. Experience some of Alaska’s most iconic glaciers including Mendenhall, South Sawyer, Hubbard, and the calving tidewater glaciers in the enormous Prince William Sound.
Highlights
- Spend two days exploring spectacular Prince William Sound with its countless fjords, abundant tidewater glaciers and superb wildlife
- Experience Alaska’s iconic glaciers, including South Sawyer, Baird, Hubbard, and Mendenhall
- Visit the Metlakatla Indian Community and learn about their ancient culture and admire their unique, locally hand-carved totem poles
- Explore the islands around Icy Strait, which offer the possibility of superb wildlife viewing. Keep watch for wildlife such as orca, coastal brown bears, Steller sea lions and many bird species
Itinerary
Day 1 Vancouver
Arrive in Vancouver and transfer to our group hotel. Upon check-in, reception staff will provide you with Aurora Expeditions cabin tags. Please fill out the luggage tags clearly, showing your name and cabin number to allow us to deliver your luggage to your cabin. Enjoy a welcome drink and meet fellow expeditioners at our voyage briefing this evening.
Accommodation: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
Day 2 Vancouver
On a sightseeing tour, get a glimpse into Vancouver’s main highlights, including Stanley Park, Granville Island, Prospect Point and Gastown, before transferring to the pier for embarkation. After boarding, there’s time to settle into your cabin before learning important safety briefings. This evening, meet your expedition team and crew at the Captain’s Welcome Dinner.
Days 3–4 British Columbia’s Inside Passage
Sail the southern stretches of British Columbia’s Inside Passage, navigating through narrow straits and channels that are inhabited by vast pods of orca, while admiring views of cascading waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, temperate forests and the abundant marine life.
Day 5 Metlakatla, Misty Fjords
On Annette Island, experience the extraordinary history, art, and cultural traditions of the Tsimshian tribe of Metlakatla Indian Community, the only Indian Reserve in Alaska.
Shore Excursions (choose one of the following):
Yellow Hill Hike (3.5 hours)
Enjoy a 5-mi / 8-km hike to Yellow Hill, a challenging walk with rewarding panoramic views of Metlakatla and Annette Bay. Walking mostly on timber board walk, stairs, and moderately steep terrain, the hike is suitable for individuals without mobility issues.
Visit the community Long House to learn about the building’s history and traditions, and where you will enjoy a dance performance from a local Tsimshian dance group followed by a Q & A with the dancers. Afterwards, visit the Artist Village next door to see handicrafts made by local artists, and which are available for purchase.
Walking Town Tour & Totem Pole Journey (3.5 hours)
The Totem Exploration Journey is a path guides you to the Totems & points of interest of Metlakatla. On a guided walk, you get a close-up view of the fascinating, handcrafted cedar carvings scattered throughout Metlakatla. During the excursion, you’ll discover the 14 totem poles standing in Metlakatla, all carved by local artists, you’ll visit several historical and cultural points of interest, including the William Duncan Memorial Church, the Metlakatla Indian Community Longhouse, and the Artist Village. Visit the community Long House to learn about the building’s history and traditions, and where you will enjoy a dance performance from a local Tsimshian dance group followed by a Q & A with the dancers. Afterwards, visit the Artist Village next door to see handicrafts made by local artists, and which are available for purchase.
Skater’s Lake Trail Walk & Totem Journey (3.5 hours)
On this scenic timber boardwalk, you’ll experience the lush scenery at Skater’s Lake. Afterwards, visit the community Long House to learn about the building’s history and traditions, and where you will enjoy a dance performance from a local Tsimshian dance group followed by a Q&A with the dancers. Afterwards, visit the Artist Village next door to see handicrafts made by local artists, and which are available for purchase.
Later, we sail in Misty Fjords National Monument, a wilderness area characterised by towering granite cliffs shrouded in mist, and glacial valleys. The area is a haven for wildlife, and by Zodiac or kayak, we explore the area searching for grizzly and black bears, whales, mountain goats and deer.
Day 6 Wrangel, Thomas Bay, Baird Glacier
Disembark in historic Wrangell, an important town that was founded by Russians in 1834, and which once thrived on fur and gold trading. Enjoy Wrangell’s main highlights, including a visit to Petroglyph Beach to see ancient rock carvings, and a visit to the city museum to learn about Wrangell’s colourful history. In the afternoon, anchor in Thomas Bay, a wilderness location shrouded in the mysterious local legends, for an exploration around Baird Glacier.
Shore Excursions (choose one of the following):
Highlights of Wrangell (2.5 hours)
Learn about Wrangell’s most significant landmarks while driving through town. Hear the Tlingit tribe members interpret the meaning of their totem poles. See ancient rock carvings at Petroglyph Beach and delve deeply into the history of Wrangell at the city museum.
Tongass Botanical Forest Walk (2 hours)
Explore Tongass Rainforest on a guided walk through the coastal temperate rainforest on the Wrangell Nature Trail. Learn about the interconnectedness between tidal, muskeg, alpine, and deep forest ecosystems, and discover a variety of edible and medicinal uses of local flora. You’ll walk through Wrangell’s Historic Sites on the way to the Nature Trailhead.
Day 7 Frederick Sound, Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness
Frederick Sound is a summer feeding ground for the northern hemisphere’s largest concentration of humpback whales. Keep watch for humpbacks, orca, and Steller sea lions. In Tracy Arm, glide along the steep walled fjords of a watery wilderness area that has been likened to Yosemite and enjoy views of snow-covered mountains. Zodiac-cruise or kayak in search of wildlife at the back of the Tracy Arm, home to the twin Sawyer Glaciers. Spot for harbour seals resting on ‘bergy bits’ which calve regularly from the active tidewater glaciers.
Day 8 Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier
Nestled at the base of towering mountains overlooking the Gastineau Channel, Juneau’s rich culture, and history is reflected throughout the town and its beautiful attractions. In Alaska’s scenic capital, we visit nearby Mendenhall Glacier, one of Alaska’s most famous glaciers. The glacier is 2.4 km / 1.5 miles wide and is fed by the Juneau Icefield, and ranks as the largest, most rugged glacier that is accessible by road in Alaska. Hike the trails near the glacier to enjoy panoramic views. Back in town, enjoy free time to explore and learn about Juneau’s local history with a visit to the newly-built Alaska State Museum.
Day 9 Icy Strait, Inian Islands, Elfin Cove
The area around Icy Strait features the Inian Islands, George Island, Point Adolphus and Elfin Cove and offers some of the best opportunities for Zodiac-cruising and kayaking. Here you can find an abundance of iconic Alaskan wildlife, including whales, Steller sea lions, sea otters, harbour seals, bald eagles and brown bears.
Day 10 Hubbard Glacier
As we sail west across the Gulf of Alaska, our expert team will entertain you with talks on wildlife, glaciers, and the rich history of Alaska – from indigenous settlement through to the Russian fur trade and the European rush for gold. In the afternoon we arrive in Disenchantment Bay, home to Hubbard Glacier, North America’s largest tidewater Glacier, where we search Kittlitz’s murrelet, Aleutian terns and brown bears hunting salmon along the shore.
Day 11 Kayak Island
Kayak Island is the remote, uninhabited spot where in 1741, zoologist and botanist Georg Wilhelm Steller became one of the first Europeans to set foot on Alaskan soil. Serving as naturalist on Vitus Bering’s voyage to explore a sea route from Russia to North America, Steller recorded the first evidence of Alaskan Inuit and catalogued an array of flora and fauna, many of which now bear his name. Weather-dependent, we explore Cape Saint Elias and its lighthouse by Zodiac or kayak.
Days 12-13 Prince William Sound
Framed by the impressive Chugach Mountains, we spend two days exploring Prince William Sound, an area of rugged coastline that is home to more tidewater glaciers than anywhere else on Earth. Zodiac-cruise among icebergs, and forest-covered islands rich in wildlife including puffins, sea lions and seals. Glacier Island at the opening of Columbia Bay offers great wildlife encounters, vast amounts of sea ice, diverse geological formations and sea caves. Columbia and Meares Glaciers are both extremely active, produce vast quantities of ice where seals haul out on icebergs in front of them. Granite Bay features steep cliff walls where the northernmost stand of yellow cedars is found, and where mountain goats can be seen clinging to the cliff face. Kayak in College Fjord, with several glaciers named after Ivy League universities such as Harvard and Yale, which funded the 1899 exploration and discovery of the fjord.
Day 14 Seward
Disembark in Seward and transfer to Anchorage, where you continue your journey.
Note: The itinerary outlined is intended to be used as a guide. Although we plan to visit as many of the places mentioned in the itinerary as possible, tides, timing, local regulations and weather conditions may determine where we land and the precise order in which we operate the itinerary.
Inclusions
- Transfer from airport to hotel on day 1
- One night’s hotel accommodation on day 1, breakfast included
- Sightseeing tour and transfer to vessel on day 2
- Group transfer from Seward pier to hotel in Anchorage on day 14
- On-board accommodation during voyage including daily cabin service
- All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage
- Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner
- All shore excursions
- Educational lectures and guiding services from expedition team
- Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consult)
- A 3-in-1 waterproof polar expedition jacket
- Complimentary use of muck boots during the voyage
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Port surcharges, permits and landing fees
- Gratuities for ship crew
Exclusions
- International or domestic flights, unless specified
- Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
- Airport arrival or departure taxes
- Passport, visa, and vaccination charges
- Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges
- Hotels and meals not included in itinerary
- Optional excursions not included in the itinerary
- Optional activity surcharges
- All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges
Included Activities
Bird watching
Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and destinations
Photography
Polar plunge
Trips ashore
Walking
Whale and mammal spotting
Zodiac cruises
Add-on Activities
Sea Kayaking
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Make it a back-to-back & save 5%
Previous voyage
Board your expedition ship in the stunning, remote fishing port of Seward, Alaska, and begin exploring the rugged Alaskan Peninsula coast, where deeply incised fjords give access to glaciers tumbling from icefields high above. Every day promises something to fire your passion especially finishing up on Russia’s spectacular Kamchatka Peninsula.
Alaska Odyssey can be combined with Aleutian Islands (16 days) starting 22nd Jun 2022.
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*Terms & Conditions apply. Valid on select ship voyages only. Offer is valid on new bookings only aboard the Greg Mortimer or Sylvia Earle which must be booked and deposited by 28th May 2021. Promotion is subject to availability at the time of booking and capacity controlled. The promotion is only available in conjunction with the back to back voyage discount or the loyalty program offer, and not available with any other offer. The promotion can be withdrawn at any time and is not redeemable for cash. Normal booking terms and conditions apply. To confirm your booking, a completed booking form and non-refundable deposit of $2,500 pp in the booking currency is required within 7 days of reserved berth/s. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Please see full terms and conditions.
^Terms & Conditions apply. Additional 5% discount valid on both voyages but two voyages must connect back to back in terms of dates to be eligible. Offer is valid on new bookings only aboard the Greg Mortimer or Sylvia Earle. Promotions are subject to availability at the time of booking and capacity controlled. The promotion is only available in conjunction with early bird voyage discount or the loyalty program offer, and not available with any other offer. The offer can be withdrawn at any time and are not redeemable for cash. Normal booking terms and conditions apply. Please see full terms and conditions.
