An Extended Journey Through Alaska’s Wild Beauty & Remarkable Heritage

Surrounded by mountains, vibrant Vancouver is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cosmopolitan adventurers alike. Meandering oceanside pathways surround eclectic neighbourhoods – Stanley Park, the West End, Gastown, Yaletown, Chinatown. A major global city, it is renowned for its cultural diversity and thriving art, theatre, music and food scenes. Its perfectly picturesque setting makes it popular filming location – with old-growth cedar forests, mountains covering 75% and two-thirds of Canada's bird species and land mammals. A big, bustling city perched on the edge of wilderness.

With more time to reflect, rejuvenate, and embrace the Ocean State of Mind, days at sea with Explora Journeys invite moments of unhurried exploration. Against a backdrop of endless blue, indulge in a varied programme of wellness, dining and entertainment, enriching the mind and indulging the senses, designed to satisfy even the most curious of minds. These moments at sea offer a rare chance to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself and your loved ones. With so many onboard experiences, each day at sea is unique and memorable.

In Ketchikan, we step back into thousands years of history and discover a landscape that is alive beneath our feet and find moose and mountain goats, brown bears and black-tailed deer; a micro world that reminds us what it is to be wild and free. First steps lead to the picturesque Creek Street Historic District, where bridges cross creeks teeming with salmon during spawning season.

Thrills go far beyond: soar in a seaplane to Misty Fjords National Monument, a seldom‑seen American national treasure with awe‑inspiring topography of sheer walls of granite plunging 3,000 feet into the fjords, lush forests of spruce, hemlock, and cedar clinging to snowcapped peaks of rugged grandeur. Scout some of the oldest and most beloved Totems of indigenous Tlingit and Haida people.

Tucked into the scalloped coast of remote Prince Wales Island, Klawock is where migratory salmon come to gorge on herring and birds flock to the enormous Tongass forest. The Tlingit settled here first with a rich history that is told in the outdoor gallery of 21 whimsical totem poles and Tuxekan village where artisans still carve. Kayak and canoe islet-dotted waterways and best-protected coastline. Get out with a guide to view wildlife from whales to black bears, Sitka deer, gray wolves, mink and otters. Reel in adventure with a mix of salt and fresh water fishing, making this a serious angler's must-cast destination.

Fishing is famous; whale and wildlife sightings are epic; stories of battles between Russian fur traders and Tlingit are legendary. Lace up your hiking shoes, for Sitka won't let you down with its vast wilderness of volcanoes, mountain forests, islands and glaciers. Seek scenic walking trails amongst rocketing Tlingit and Haida totem poles. Flock to the Raptor Center, where eagles, owls, and hawks are restored to health. Kayak Sitka Sound, witness former WWII installations, spy dormant Mount Edgecumbe through percolating clouds, then ponder the peace within the blue-domed St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral, where Russia officially handed over the reign of Sitka to the United States.

Massive and magical, Hubbard is considered the mother-of-all tidewater glaciers in North America. Taller than a 30-storey building (above water). Larger than the state of Rhode Island. The marvel is also the most active, with ice chunks regularly sloughing off in massive dimensions. The thunderous roar of cracking ice echoes against a stellar backdrop with five of the ten tallest peaks in America. The most magical moment you'll ever enjoy on deck.

The encircling mountains and thundering waterfalls give this tiny town the moniker of the ‘Switzerland of Alaska'. Witness three glaciers — Valdez, Columbia, Worthington — as they spill their loads of ice directly into super-scenic Prince William Sound. Walk trails that disappear into lush forests; paddle alongside Puffins; go with the flow whilst rafting the chalky blue Lowe River, Valdez has it all. Bears, Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, even Rufous Hummingbirds flock here from as far away as Mexico.

Big nature and bigger adventures await in Seward, where the crack of calving glaciers and shrill cry of seabirds form the soundtrack of the Alaskan wilderness. Look out for waterspouts and tailfins on sublime sailings in Kenai Fjords National Park, a coastal masterpiece of epic icefields and tufted puffins nesting among shale cliffs. Explore past glacial waterfalls, conquer the heart-pounding trail to Harding Icefield or gentle loop around Exit Glacier. Find breathtaking views of Resurrection Bay, the dramatic fjord of deep, glacial waters and towering cliffs leading up to Seward.

Sail into the secluded majesty of Icy Bay, where sheer peaks rise from the water and tidewater glaciers calve in resonant, echoing bursts. From the deck, watch icebergs drift past sculpted cliffs and waterfalls carved by centuries of ice. Harbour seals rest on floating floes, bald eagles circle above, and whales may feed near the bay's entrance. Throughout the passage, listen as a naturalist shares insights into shifting glaciers, Indigenous heritage, and the powerful forces shaping this extraordinary corner of Alaska.

Alaska's Hoonah Island is an epic land of humpback whales, bountiful bears and legends of the indigenous Tlingit told for thousands of years. A rugged paradise big on nature, you can kayak the coast, hike the Tongass National Forest, flight-see Glacier Bay and eye the waves for pods of orca and sea lions on scenic sailings. Cook up a feast with coho salmon or king, snow and Dungeness crab, and take in an eagle's-eye-view of the world while ziplining over the forested slopes of Mount Hoonah.

Rush into Skagway to discover the great Yukon and Klondike goldfields; strike it rich with adventure in this tiny frontier town that sits at the base of the great Coastal Mountains. Nuzzle with sled-dog teams and learn to lead with the call of ‘mush' then pan for nuggets of history at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Hike the Chilkoot Trail; bike a coastal rainforest along the Taiya River; ride the rails on a real gold-rush era, narrow-gauge rail¬road into the heart of the White Pass and Yukon Route. Bald eagles, brown bears, and an astonishing history that includes the illustrious Wyatt Earp.

Juxtaposed between baby-blue Mendenhall Glacier and rocketing jade mountains, Juneau is an eclectic capital city on the edge of unbridled nature. All the senses are arrested exploring Mendenhall Glacier and hearing the thundering song of Nugget Falls. Follow snowy peaks skyward on the Goldbelt Tram and see the world open atop Mount Roberts. Skirt around islands and ice floes in search of humpback and orca whales, which are regular guests in Juneau's placid waters. Taste the saltiness of the sea with the freshest fish, smell the pine-scented forests, and ponder totem pole trail lining the sea walk.

The terrain is big and the crowds are small in this lesser travelled wonder that wholly embraces the ‘Last Frontier' spirit. Primal nature reigns in the Anan Bear & Wildlife Observatory, where both brown and black bears feast on pink salmon during a few frenzied weeks each year. Cosy comforts of town open to adventures beyond: follow a boardwalk to Rainbow Falls; take a jet boat into the great Stikine River; spy Bald Eagles riding air currents between craggy glaciers and jagged peaks. Then ponder the history and mystery of 3,000-year-old messages at Petroglyph Beach, left by the indigenous Tlingit peoples.

With more time to reflect, rejuvenate, and embrace the Ocean State of Mind, days at sea with Explora Journeys invite moments of unhurried exploration. Against a backdrop of endless blue, indulge in a varied programme of wellness, dining and entertainment, enriching the mind and indulging the senses, designed to satisfy even the most curious of minds. These moments at sea offer a rare chance to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself and your loved ones. With so many onboard experiences, each day at sea is unique and memorable.

Surrounded by mountains, vibrant Vancouver is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cosmopolitan adventurers alike. Meandering oceanside pathways surround eclectic neighbourhoods – Stanley Park, the West End, Gastown, Yaletown, Chinatown. A major global city, it is renowned for its cultural diversity and thriving art, theatre, music and food scenes. Its perfectly picturesque setting makes it popular filming location – with old-growth cedar forests, mountains covering 75% and two-thirds of Canada's bird species and land mammals. A big, bustling city perched on the edge of wilderness.