Alaska Unplugged.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Juneau welcomes with both small-town charm and towering glaciers. Toast to the riches of Alaska as you sail west toward Icy Strait.
Day 2: Kickstart the morning with on-deck yoga and a strong cup of coffee. Energized and snug in your kayak, glide remote bays off of Icy Strait through giant bullwhip kelp. Join the crew in a skiff to watch sea lions sleep, or step into mud boots for a forest hike with your naturalist guides who will share insight on marine biology, plants, and geology. Onboard, cap the day with a soak in the hot tub.
Day 3: Have your binoculars handy—South Marble Island is a birder’s slice of heaven. Puffins scoot through the water, guillemots and gulls chatter up the airwaves, and snoozing sea lions raise their heads to bark at the sky. More thrills await as you cruise to the far end of John Hopkins Inlet or Tarr Inlet where glaciers calve into the water. Backed by knife-edged peaks, bears and mountain goats forage along the shoreline of Tidal Inlet. Back at Bartlett Cove, take a forest hike around the park’s HQ, and say farewell to your park ranger.
Day 4: Stretching 150 miles into the Tongass National Forest, Chatham Strait offers adventure aplenty. Anchor in a remote Chichagof Island inlet, where our backpacks are loaded and adventure gear is lowered into the water. Hike through moss-covered trees and rain-fed waterfalls, or stick to the water during a kayak excursion. Beachcomb rocky shores and photograph tiny creatures clinging to the reef. After hours, take a nightcap to the upper deck and count the stars.
Day 5: The jagged fingers of Kuiu Island stretch 6 to 25 miles wide. Despite its slim size, Kuiu Island is home to many black bears, who love the solitude and open skies in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. From kayak or skiff, scope the intertidal zones of Saginaw Bay for Eagles fish, their white noggins give away their perches. Kayak along the Keku Islands or take an easy stroll amidst the tide pools.
Day 6: Watch for humpback whales feasting on krill, zooplankton, and herring in these abundant glacial waters. 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.
Day 7: Skiffing up Endicott Arm, harbor seals laze around on icebergs. If the tides are right, slip into Fords Terror, the steep walls of this narrow opening streaked with waterfalls. Back in the Arm, gasp at the deep glacier-carved valleys and meet the piece de resistance: Dawes Glacier. Blue ice marches down from the Coast Mountains, awakening the silence with the white thunder of a calving slice. Tonight, celebrate with a farewell dinner and “photo journal” from your expedition team.
Day 8: Savor fresh-baked pastries over one last breakfast, and exchange heartfelt goodbyes with your crew. Transfer to the Juneau airport or begin your UnCruise hotel stay or land tour.
Welcome Back to Nature.
8-Days & 7-Nights
Unplug, awaken, and detox from digital overload in crowd-free Alaska. Bears, moose, grey whales, budding forests, snow-covered peaks, gushing waterfalls, and Aurora Borealis sightings can be part of your experience. Long Alaskan summer days mean extra playtime. Temps are warmer, trails are wide open, and wildlife is in full splendor migrating and feeding up for winter.
$3,895* per person
Your Experience Includes:
7-night accommodations on Safari Quest Cruise from and to Juneau
All meals
Spirits, wine, and beer
Entrance to Glacier Bay National Park Glacier and wildlife tours
Experienced guides
Adventure equipment for excursions
Transfers and baggage handling
Because Nature Matters.
jeff@jefflavender.com | +1 310.774.7611
This experience is being brought to you in partnership with UnCruise Adventures.