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This luxury yacht cruise spends two days exploring the grand landscape and abundant wildlife of Glacier Bay National Park. No other vessel spends this much time in Glacier Bay exploring up close aboard kayaks and small craft. The remainder of the cruise explores the marine wilderness of Icy Strait and Alaska’s ABC Islands (Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof) before concluding in Sitka. An unhurried schedule means more time for watching whales, naturalist guided shore walks, and kayaking pristine coves. Spend eight days exploring Alaska's Inside passage aboard the luxurious and intimate 22 passenger Safari Quest. Experienced travelers appreciate the superior service, fine cuisine and intimate experience an Alaskan cruise aboard the Safari Quest offers.

In Southeast Alaska, we travel through the largest national forest in the United States where grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagle and wolves make their home. On our way to view Alaska's massive glaciers, we enter some of the worlds deepest fjords. In the still of the evening, we watch bears ambling along wild shorelines. And everywhere in the swirling currents below, the worlds largest mammals, the great whales, forage in the bountiful waters along the sheltered shoreline. We meet Alaska and its wildlife at eye level.

Day 1 - Arrive Juneau - Embark Safari Quest

Welcome to Alaska. You will be met by an airport transfer and brought to the yacht. Your crew greets you with champagne and smiles, and we'll cruise to a secluded wilderness anchorage this evening.

Accommodations: Safari Quest
Included Meals: dinner

Days 2-3 - Glacier Bay National Park

One of America's crown jewel national parks will be ours to explore and marvel at for the next two days. The park itself is 3.2 million acres (a little larger than the state of Connecticut), so there is plenty to see. Tidewater glaciers sweep like rivers of ice down massive mountain valleys, terminating before us in the waters of Glacier Bay. If conditions permit, we'll lower the inflatable and weave among the icebergs that have fallen from the face of the glaciers. We'll enjoy evenings at anchor in hidden coves, and mornings paddling our kayaks in the quiet of this majestic wilderness. And what will we find? Here in the bay there are puffins and sea lions, mountain goats and bears, moose, eagles, and scenery more spectacular than any place on earth.

Accommodations: Safari Quest
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Icy Straight

We'll search for the telltale blow of the humpback whale as we cruise in Icy Strait today, and later, all the charm of Alaska will greet us as we pull into tiny Elfin Cove, a miniscule village tucked into Chichagof Island. We'll step ashore to stretch our legs and meet the people who choose to live their lives far removed from modern-day conveniences. Imagine waiting for the mail plane to come in once a week here in Elfin Cove so that you may read the paper! This evening we'll anchor in a remote bay and drop the kayaks for a paddle before calling it a day.

Accommodations: Safari Quest
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Days 5-7 - Wilderness, Whales and Hot Springs

We'll cruise into the heart of Alaska's Inside Passage during the next four days. On any given morning, we'll awaken to find our crew ready to send us off in our kayaks, complete with hot coffee in a thermos (cream and sugar?). We'll wander through misty coves where colorful sealife clings to the intertidal rocks, and the silence remains unbroken except for the clear call of a Pacific loon, or a marbled murrelet (we'll show you one!). Or maybe we'll knock on your stateroom door to inform you that a bear and her two cubs are ambling along the shoreline just beyond the bow. We'll spend our days cruising the waters where humpback whales, Steller's sea lions, orcas and porpoise feed and frolic. We'll slip into scenic bays, enjoy guided nature hikes and soak in natural hotsprings. Our anchorages will vary from remote coves to dramatic, waterfall-laced fjords where the cliffs rise over 2,500 feet straight up out of the water. It simply does not get better than this.

Accommodations: Safari Quest
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Sitka

After breakfast we'll arrive in Sitka and you'll be transferred to the airport for connections home.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

Reverse Itinerary

Day 1 Sitka
Days 2-4 Wilderness, Whales and Hot Springs
Day 5 Icy Strait and Elfin Cove
Days 6-7 Glacier Bay National Park
Day 8 Juneau


Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be spontaneous makes our style of cruising unique.

Single Travelers: One single cabin is available at the posted rate. Any other cabin may be booked as a single for 175% of the double rate.

Children: Children over 12 years of age appreciate our yacht style cruising and are welcome on all departures. Families with children under the age of 12 should consider our select "Kids in Nature" cruises or book a private yacht charter for the whole family. It is the parents or guardians responsibility to supervise children at all times.

Land Cost Includes: Meet and greet services and transfers, exclusive shore excursions, all meals aboard, premium winde, beer and liquor, kayaking and small boat explorations, onboard professional naturalist or escort, all taxes, port charges and fees.

Not Included: Airfare to Alaska, excess baggage charges, super premium wine, beer and liquor, discretionary gratuities to vessel's crew - typically 10-15% of fare and insurance of any kind.

Arrival/Departure: For trips starting in Juneau and ending in Sitka: Plan to arrive at the airport (JNU) by 2:00pm on Day 1. On Day 8, the final day of the cruise, please do not schedule return flights until after 11:30am. For trips starting in Sitka and ending in Juneau: Plan to arrive at the airport (SIT) by 1:00pm on Day 1. On Day 8, the final day of the cruise, please do not schedule return flights until after 11:30am.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A deposit of $1500 per traveler is due a the time of booking. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.

Qualifications: This trip is available to any traveler with a love of nature and sense of adventure.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining trips to Denali National Park and more.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations 'Terms & Conditions'. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

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