World Wildlife Fund

Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness

Aboard the Sea Bird

From $5,990 per person, based on double occupancy. Solo occupancy rates from $8,990.

Trip Overview

Where else can you wake to the cry of a soaring eagle, watch tons of ice thunder from the face of a glacier, walk in a spruce forest and observe lunge-feeding whales – all while cruising in complete comfort aboard a small expedition ship? In Southeast Alaska – a land of fjords and wildlife. Walk forest trails to cascading waterfalls. Enjoy Zodiac and kayaking forays. Go whale watching. And spend a full day in Glacier Bay National Park. 

Trip Itinerary

Sunday, May 22: Juneau, Alaska / Embark
Fly on the recommend group flight from Seattle to Juneau, and visit Mendenhall Glacier and the Alaska State Museum, an excellent introduction to Alaska’s natural history and culture. After dinner, explore Juneau on your own. Embark the ship. (D)

Monday, May 23: Tracy Arm
Enter Tracy Arm, a spectacular, 22-mile-long fjord with many waterfalls cascading from its high, glacially carved walls. Meander among the icebergs, looking for black bears feeding along the shoreline and mountain goats scaling the steep granite cliffs. See the stunning Sawyer and South Sawyer glaciers up close, and take a Zodiac for an eye-level view of sculpted icebergs. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, May 24: Petersburg
Search for humpback whales as we head toward Le Conte Bay, a virtual sculpture garden of grounded icebergs. Visit the small town of Petersburg on Mitkof Island, a true Alaskan town: isolated yet connected by the spirit of community. There is an opportunity for optional flightseeing (weather permitting), for a new perspective on the landscape we’ve approached by water. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, May 25: Frederick Sound / Chatham Strait
These waters are prime for sighting whales – it’s not uncommon to see groups of up to 30 humpback whales. With luck, we’ll be able to observe some fascinating behavior, such as breaching, tail-slapping and variations on feeding. Look for Steller sea lions hauled out and dozing on the rocky islands. Later, hike or kayak for up-close exploration. (B,L,D)

Thursday, May 26: Glacier Bay National Park
In Glacier Bay, enormous glaciers flow from ice fields far above. Listen as the quiet stillness of the area is broken by the thunder of tons of ice crashing into the sea. Look for gravity-defying humpbacks and orcas. (B,L,D)

Friday, May 27: Point Adolphus / Inian Pass
Hike, kayak and search for whales near Point Adolphus, consistently a favored summer feeding area for humpback whales. Then, cruise to Inian Pass, where playful sea otters reside. (B,L,D)

Saturday, May 28: Alaska's Islands, Bays & Fjords
Today is a day with the luxury of no specific plan. We may stop at an isolated beach to hike a forest trail, beachcomb, tidepool or explore island coastlines by kayak or Zodiac – all in an area with the world’s highest density of nesting bald eagles. In the spring and early summer, the landscape is often blanketed with colorful wildflowers. (B,L,D)

Sunday, May 29: Sitka, Alaska / Disembark
In Sitka, visit onion-domed St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, discover the grand totems that line the trail through Sitka National Historical Park and explore the Raptor Rehabilitation Center before departing on flights home. (B)

Optional Extension

Two optional extensions are available:

Denali National Park
Denali is one of North America’s natural treasures, crowned by Mt. McKinley, the highest peak on the continent at 20,320 feet. Stay at an exclusive property in Denali National Park, allowing you to travel deep within the park. Winding through the remote Alaska Range, the “Park Road” offers opportunities to see Denali’s famed wildlife: grizzlies, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, wolves, eagles, and weather permitting, views of magnificent Mt. McKinley. 

Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a lush wilderness of snow-capped mountains and wildlife refuges. Take a scenic drive from Anchorage to Kenai, where you spend your days rafting, salmon fishing, hiking, gold panning, dog mushing and searching for moose, eagles and bears.