Viking Oceans Cruises – Alaska & the Inside Passage (Canada, United States) 11 Days

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Vancouver is one of Canada’s most diverse cities and the influence of its multi-ethnic society is reflected in the city’s multitude of restaurants and public settings, such as the tranquil Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden at the heart of Chinatown. The city’s cultural treasures reflect its indigenous community and embody the influence of European and Asian settlers. Its vibrant institutions run the gamut, from bustling markets to museums that chronicle the region’s anthropology and rich art heritage.

Stretching some 500 miles along the Alaska Panhandle, the Inside Passage is a pristine wilderness of fjord-like channels. It winds its way through a vast maze of islands laden with emerald-green forests and strewn with glistening glaciers. Nature is at her most magnificent here, tranquil and hushed. Unspoiled waterways weave their way past tiny coastal villages and a breathtaking array of snowcapped mountains and pine-covered hills. Sea lions and otters reside in these waters, and moose and brown bears are often spotted as they wade along the coast.

Discover Alaska’s “first city,” as it is known to travelers coming by ship from the south. Ketchikan was home to the Tlingit long before the arrival of white settlers, as you will see in the many old and new totem poles that grace the town. Learn about Alaska’s native legacy and discover the legends behind their designs during your included tour. If you would like to venture beyond the town, perhaps visit the Misty Fjords National Monument or Tongass National Forest, where seaplanes and 4×4 vehicles take you beyond the beaten path.

Glimpse the Russian influence in Sitka, once the capital of Russian Alaska. Enjoy an enlightening panoramic tour of the city, learning more about the fur trade that first brought the Russians to its shores. Marvel at the beauty of Mt. Edgecumbe, a volcano that has lain dormant for millennia, and the verdant islands of Sitka Sound peppered prettily along the water. Admire Sitka’s fascinating totem poles and immerse yourself in its heritage during your time in this scenic city.

Call on Alaska’s capital of Juneau on the Gastineau Channel. Named for an early prospector, it is the only US capital inaccessible by road, and so all goods and visitors must arrive via sea or air. Marvel at its fjord-like, dramatic setting between mountains and sea as you take a drive to pan for gold in the spirit of the city’s early days. If you wish, enjoy spectacular views of the Alaskan state capital from the Mount Roberts Tramway or embark a small boat to the Mendenhall Glacier, spotting porpoises and whales along the way.

Visit Skagway, named for a mythical woman who turned herself to stone at Skagway’s bay. Gateway for prospectors arriving to reap the benefits of the Klondike gold rush in the Canadian Yukon, the town today evokes an Old West spirit. Enjoy a brief tour before taking a scenic drive up to White Pass like the gold diggers of old, pausing at the Canadian border for photos. You may choose instead to make the journey aboard the fabled White Pass Railroad, or visit a sled dog camp to learn about a generations-old tradition.

Discover the old canning station at Icy Strait Point today. Fully restored by the Native American Tlingit community from nearby Hoonah, it is an exquisite time capsule revealing how locals once earned a living from the rich fishing grounds. Celebrate the Tlingit culture during a cultural presentation by locals in traditional ceremonial dress. You might also join a whale-watching excursion to spot some of the many creatures that flock to these food-rich waters.

Surrounded by glacier-carved mountains and fed by the enormous Hubbard Glacier, Yakutat Bay spreads some 18 miles across at its widest point. On calm days, snow-covered slopes are reflected in the mirror-like bay, casting the entire scene in a soft, icy azure glow. Disenchantment Bay extends farther inland like a finger; at its farthest point, Hubbard Glacier creeps seaward from its source five miles away. The ice at the water’s edge began its journey from near Mt. Walsh more than 400 years ago in the early 1600s.

Valdez enjoys a breathtaking setting at the tip of a deep-cut fjord in Prince William Sound. The glacial Chugach Mountains rise up all around the city, adding to its scenic allure. In its early days, the promise of gold attracted explorers and seekers of wealth, but the land proved barren. The town finally experienced its economic boom as North America’s northernmost ice-free port. Today, it is the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline that carries oil south from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast.

Seward enjoys a magnificent setting between snowcapped peaks and Resurrection Bay, a pristine harbor ringed by mountains. The Alaskan city was named after Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state who defied public opinion to pursue the purchase of Alaska from Russia. Seward is steeped in marine culture, from its busy fishing port to the excellent exhibits and preservation efforts of the Alaska SeaLife Center. It is also the famed starting point of the Iditarod Trail, the dogsled race route originally laid to link Seward to inland Alaska.

Disembark your ship this morning and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Or stay on in Seward to explore more of Alaska’s pristine wilderness and charming cities.