Inside Passage with Olympic National Park & 2 Days in Glacier Bay

Hike in Olympic National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—surrounded by rainforest, old growth forest, and top-of-the-world, 360-degree views. Your trek at Hurricane Ridge takes you across fields of sub-alpine flowers in warmer weather and snow-covered hills in the colder months. On a clear day, you can see Canada across to the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Mountains rise higher. Fjords get deeper. It’s a day of intricate waterways and cruising for critters, keeping watch for black bears on shore, including the elusive spirit bear. Civilization slips away as you enter remote waters leading north through British Columbia.

Surf-happy dolphins and porpoise like to catch a ride on the bow wave. Your captain and crew are on the lookout and give the call of a sighting. And a waterfall and old abandoned cannery come into view. That’s Butedale. Slow down and take it all in as forested fjords roll by. Aiming to entertain and educate over the next days, your expedition team is at the ready. Natural history, Native influences, and their favorite trivia games, too.

Take your cup of joe to the bow. The world wakes up with you. Bald eagles watch the ship along its course from tree tops. Islands to the west, inlet-etched mainland to the east. The captain and mates navigate twisting passages. Harbor seals spend their days on rocky islets. Breathe in the fresh air and take in miles of forested wilderness. In the lounge, your bartender mixes up the daily special. Take the challenge and play a few friendly hands of cards with your shipmates.

Today you sail through the northern-most portion of Canada’s wild Inside Passage and enter Alaska’s. Check out the bridge; it’s an ideal spot to look for whales and other wildlife. See what the crew has in store today. Maybe a cooking or cocktail demonstration or a galley tour. Or maybe learn more about navigation from the crew, and try your hand at tying knots! Anticipation builds as tomorrow you will start the Alaska portion of the adventure.

There are places on the planet that completely overcome you. This is one of them. The beauty. The peace. The sense of place you feel. Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. And that alone is a lot to consider. Glacial valleys filled with sea water. Sheer 3,000-foot cliffs. Sea birds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, all find safe haven here. Kayak in Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay and you find it’s just as easy to paddle and go, as it is to sit and float and take it all in. Or skiff to the base of a waterfall for a fjord-released shower. The area’s affectionate nickname, “The Yosemite of the North,” is deserved.

In Ketchikan, connect with the Tlingit culture. Tribal leader and local legend Joe Williams, known as Ka Xesh X’e in his native language, guides you on a walking tour. With a rich oral tradition, the Tlingit passed stories from generation to generation—and Joe’s storytelling is captivating! Amble through the surrounding forest on a moderate-to-easy trail or challenge yourself to a hard-charger hike along trails and boardwalks past cedar, spruce, streams and waterfalls. This afternoon, sail into Traitor’s Cove. Kayak, skiff tours or hike? The choice is yours.

This morning, your ship winds into the Wrangell Narrows. Abundant bright red and green navigation lights guide the way. It’s nicknamed “Christmas Tree Lane,” of course. In the afternoon, head into Thomas Bay. When you come this far, you might as well go all in. This is way-back backcountry of Alaska’s wilderness. Glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs and mud.

In this playground, it’s all an option today. Kayak and skiff in water almost clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier. Or keep it green on an interpretive walk through a grassy meadow into the forest.

Spend some time on the bow as you glide through glacier-carved fjords along the Chichagof coast. Then anchor for more activities. Time to lower the kayaks and skiffs and get up close and personal with a sea otter or wildlife watching from your kayak. Camera in hand, set off on land and sea explorations. Closer inspection by skiff, moss-dripping trees run right down to the water. Any bears in there? With one of the world’s largest populations of bears, it’s possible. Go searching for giant trees and tidal pools. Hiking in the Tongass National Forest, it won’t take long to find them. Your eagle-eyed guides lead the pack—and pull up the rear.

Bull whip kelp threads through nearby channels like deep, twisted mangroves. And you know better, but orange and purple starfish and jellyfish make it hard to believe you’re not in the tropics. Follow the currents out to where the sea lions flock to remote rock formations. Your captain is on the bridge, the expedition team on deck, and all eyes are on the water and the shore. Everyone is on-watch for the telltale blow of humpbacks. Come closer to the shoreline by skiff, kayak or on foot. Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest wonders. Take in the evening solitude from the bow, or the hot tub. Or both—why choose just one?

There’s a cool factor, and it’s not just coming off the face of the glaciers! This 3.3 million-acre park was covered by ice as recently as 1795. Since then, the park’s receding glacier activity has made it a lot easier to access those inner reaches. Glacial history, retreats, advances, moraines. They come with expert insight from a park ranger and your onboard naturalists, so bring on the questions. Pigeon guillemots, puffins and cormorants colonize and nest at South Marble Island. One good whiff and a few loud barks give away one of its mammalian residents—Steller’s sea lions. It’s a full day in the bay exploring John Muir’s legacy, all the way to Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers. Celebrate with a toast to nature’s handiwork.

This crown jewel of America’s national parks covers 3.3 million acres. Most visitors see the same sliver of the park as everyone else. Not you. Today is day two inside the park, and you’re going the farthest and exploring parts that 99% of visitors never go to. Taylor Bay sea stacks and rocky shores make for good adventure. Or hike the outwash field of glaciers winding down the Fairweather Mountain Range. The cool breeze off the nearby snow and icefields is energizing.

If you motor over to Dundas Bay, keep your eye out for bears, humpbacks, and if you’re lucky, a wolf sighting. Kayak the bay. Bushwhack into the forest. Tonight, join your captain for the Farewell Dinner. As a special treat, your expedition team shares a slideshow of your journey.

Disembark after breakfast. Transfer directly to the Juneau airport or begin your add-on overnight stay or extended land tour.