Vancouver to Seward, Alaska

Flanked by majestic mountain ranges on one side and the sparkling Pacific on the other, the British Columbia capital has natural beauty in spades, making it a dream destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, swimming, mountain biking, and skiing are all on offer, and easily accessible from within city limits. But it’s not just active types that Vancouver caters for. The sophisticated cosmopolis boasts world-class museums, bustling markets, live music and theatre, and a truly diverse culinary scene that spans everything from casual street food to boundary-pushing fine dining.

Narrow by name, narrow by nature: this three-mile waterway between Vancouver Island and Quadra Island in British Columbia makes up a small sliver of the larger Inside Passage, but is one of its most defining features. Named after Royal Navy officer Sir George Francis Seymour, the strait is known for its intense – and once treacherous – tidal currents, which became significantly more navigable with the 1958 planned explosion of Ripple Rock, an underwater twin-peaked mountain. Cruising the Seymour Narrows offers front-row access to the raw and rugged natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Celebrated as the ‘salmon capital of the world’, the small Alaskan town of Ketchikan is an angler’s dream and the ultimate destination for nature lovers. Hiking trails abound and the surrounding waters offer some of the best kayaking in the Inside Passage. Don’t miss a visit to Misty Fjords National Monument, a breathtaking seascape of steep fjords, dramatic waterfalls, and dense coastal forest. And get a sense of the region’s rich Tlingit culture at the Totem Heritage Center, which houses the world’s largest collection of unrestored 19th-century totem poles.

Situated at the northwest edge of Wrangell Island in the south of Alaska, Wrangell lies 155 miles south of Juneau and 89 miles northwest of Ketchikan. This charming harbor town, nestled in the Inside Passage, is not only scenically stunning – think snow-capped mountains, lush forests, pristine wilderness, and abundant wildlife – but it is also renowned for its Tlingit heritage, rich wildlife encounters, adventures along the scenic Stikine River, not to mention its 40 petroglyphs that are an estimated 8,000 years old. For millennia, the Tlingit people have inhabited this region, leaving a rich tapestry of their culture and history woven into Wrangell. The town boasts a remarkable array of totems, with over a dozen dispersed throughout, offering visitors a varied and interesting walk through stunning scenery as well as a chance to imbibe local stories and heritage.

With its colorful clapperboard and corrugated iron houses overlooked by glacial peaks, Haines looks sleepily scenic. It’s also delightfully quirky. There is the Hammer Museum, with more than 2,000 tools, including some that are musical instruments and others more gruesome, such as one that can prise open a skull in an autopsy. Haines is also home to unusual art installations and the Port Chilkoot Distillery, which uses glacier melt to make its spirits. Add to all this its natural wonders: a short cycle along the deep fjord known as the Lynn Canal is Chilkoot Lake state park, where bears fish for salmon along the streams and bald eagles soar overhead.

The native Tlingit people might run the port of Icy Strait Point on Chichagof Island, but this is a place where wildlife reigns supreme. The Spasski River Valley has one of the highest densities of coastal brown bears in the world, while the waters surrounding the island teem with humpback whales as well as sea otters and sea lions. If the abundance of wildlife doesn’t take your breath away, try the six-person zipwire running down from Hoonah Mountain at speeds of up to 60mph, some 300 feet above the rainforest. And don’t leave port without a look at the salmon cannery turned museum.

Off the coast of Yakutat - 200 miles North West of Juneau - Hubbard is certainly gigantic: it's more than 9km/6mi wide where it meets the ocean. The face is over 100m/350ft tall, and icebergs 3 to 4 stories in height aren’t uncommon.

Granted, most of that ice is below water, but the ice can be so thick that cruise ships can’t get too close. In the right conditions, however, your ship might be able to get within 1km/0.5mi of the face. The strong currents and riptides that flow between Gilbert Point and the face of the glacier cause calving to occur on a daily basis, sending massive chunks of ice crashing into Disenchantment Bay.

But don't be fooled, Hubbard Glacier stands strong and is advancing so fast its earned the title "The Galloping Glacier".

Seward is 120 miles (about a two hour drive) south of Anchorage, and is one of the Anchorage area's two major cruise ports. The trip south is one of the most scenic in Alaska, with the waters of Turnagain Arm on one side and the Chugach Mountains on the other.

There are many small turnouts along the way that are photo-perfect. The small community of Girdwood is a great spot to take a quick hike or a ride up the aerial tram. Seward itself is a great spot for ziplining, sled dog kennel tours, kayaking and glacier and wildlife day cruises.