Glacier Bay Highlights - 13A

Spend four days in the beautiful remote wilderness of Alaska's Inside Passage. In the soaring sanctuary of Glacier Bay National Park, you'll experience the true meaning of wonder: Acres of pristine wilderness invite your senses to explore. Listen to the call of a thousand sea birds as they cluster on tiny islands. Feel the chiill of a glacier on your face. Inhale the clean freshness of an unspoiled world, set apart for generations to treasure.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Juneau

Transfer to the Goldbelt Hotel hospitality suite in preparation for your cruise. The hotel's waterfront locale is a perfect base for exploring Alaska's beautiful capital city. Accessible only by air or sea, Juneau sits in a rainforest with the Mendenhall Glacier in its backyard. Board your ship to begin your cruise down the Gastineau Channel.

Day 2: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Entering the park in the early morning you?ll pick up a Glacier Bay Forest Ranger and a local Tlingit Cultural Interpreter in Bartlett Cove. They will provide a comprehensive day of narrative sightseeing. Over 65 miles of pristine terrain and habitat have been revealed in Glacier Bay since its giant rivers of ice began dramatically retreating 200 years ago. Approach Marble Islands and hurry outside to encounter a teeming multitude of seabirds like black-legged kittiwakes, murrelets and puffins, all swooping and swarming above the writhing, barking haul-out of Steller?s sea lions. You may encounter mountain goats on Gloomy Knob or watch brown and black bears foraging along the shoreline. Look for more harbor seals, sea otters and the humpback whales that call Glacier Bay their summer home.

Day 3: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Day 2 in this 3.3-million-acre nature wonderland designated a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.

Day 4: Juneau

Disembark in Juneau. If you have time before your flight, you can explore this interesting capital. Optional excursions include a rainforest hike, Mendenhall Glacier tour, or glacier flightseeing. Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.