Fjords, Mountains and Wildlife - Expedition Cruise to Alaska and Haida Gwaii

After an overnight and sightseeing in Sitka, board your expedition cruise vessel and set sail for Icy Strait where we will take to Zodiacs and kayaks looking for the amazing wildlife in this area: whales, Steller sea lions, sea otters, harbour seals, bald eagles and brown bears.
We explore Alaska’s scenic capital Juneau and walk the trails to 2 ½ km wide Mendenhall Glacier.
More glaciers and wildlife await in Tracy Arm, lined by granite cliffs and snow-capped mountains, where we again take to Zodiacs and kayaks, cruising among the icebergs that calved off the nearby Sawyer Glaciers.
Misty Fjords National Monument, nicknamed "Yosemite of the North" for reasons that will become apparent, we will encounter bears fishing for salmon, marine wildlife playing the waters and take to the shore for a hike.
Next is Annette Island where you can choose from a selection of guided walks and hikes during which you will learn about the art, history and culture of the Tsimshian tribe of the Metlakatla Indigenous Community.
For three wonderful days we will be hosted by the Haida people of Haida Gwaii (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) and they will engage us in story telling, cultural performances and of course take us on wildlife excursions, walks and hikes to explore the area. Naikoon Provincial Park and the celebrated Haida Heritage Centre at Ḵay Llnagaay are on the programme, while you can opt to take a trip to Gwaii Haanas Natural Park Reserve to see the fallen longhouses and carved poled of the Haida, set among splendid spruce forests. You will encounter bald eagles and we hope to see bears looking for salmon on wild beaches. The ocean around Haida Gwaii is rich in marine life including whales, porpoises and sea lions and our explorations show you expedition cruising at its best.
As a final highlight we explore Dean River Channel. Rarely visited it is a haven for grizzly bears and you will be among the privileged few to take to Zodiacs to look for them.
We then sail the straits and channels of the Inside Passage to Vancouver, keeping a look-out for pods of orca and marvelling at the incredible scenery of snow-topped peaks, tumbling waterfalls and towering forests.