Alaska (Inside Passage Route South) – Nature’s Gold Rush

It is hard to believe that a place as beautiful as Seward exists. Surrounded on all sides by Kenai Fjords National Park, Chugach National Forest, and Resurrection Bay, Seward offers all the quaint realities of a small railroad town with the bonus of jaw-dropping scenery. This little town of about 2,750 citizens was founded in 1903, when survey crews arrived at the ice-free port and began planning a railroad to the Interior. Since its inception, Seward has relied heavily on tourism and commercial fishing. It is also the launching point for excursions into Kenai Fjords National Park, where it is quite common to see marine life and calving glaciers.

Alaska will satisfy your longing for great adventures in the vast wilderness. On this unforgettable cruise, dreams of discovery come true in an impressive form. If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to spot bears while cruising in the bays of the sprawling Katmai National Park with the HANSEATIC inspiration. The animals are often found in the vegetation near the coast here. Together with your experts, you can keep a lookout from the many open deck spaces.

Homer is the starting point for spectacular bear-watching tours1 in the great outdoors: a seaplane will take you on a panoramic flight to Brooks Falls1, where you may be lucky enough to see brown bears fishing for salmon. Or you can fly to Lake Clark National Park1 – where, on a hike with a ranger, you may be able to witness brown bears in their natural habitat. Departing from Homer, you can also discover the unspoilt nature of Alaska on an active hike1 to the glacial lake or on a relaxing boat trip1.

At the southern end of the Sterling Highway lies the city of Homer, at the base of a narrow spit that juts 4 miles into beautiful Kachemak Bay. Glaciers and snowcapped mountains form a dramatic backdrop across the water. Founded in the late 1800s as a gold-prospecting camp, this community was later used as coal-mining headquarters. Chunks of coal are still common along local beaches; they wash into the bay from nearby slopes where the coal seams are exposed. Today the town of Homer is an eclectic community with most of the tacky tourist paraphernalia relegated to the Spit (though do note the Spit has plenty else to recommend it, not the least of which is the 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains); the rest of the town is full of local merchants and artisans. The community is an interesting mix of fishermen, actors, artists, and writers. Much of the commercial fishing centers on halibut, and the popular Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby is often won by enormous fish weighing more than 300 pounds. The local architecture includes everything from dwellings that are little more than assemblages of driftwood to steel commercial buildings and magnificent homes on the hillside overlooking the surrounding bay, mountains, forests, and glaciers.

The main town on Kodiak Island was the second largest settlement in Russian America until 1867. Today, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kodiak History Museum are reminders of this time. Discover the charming small Alaskan town on your own. A transfer will take you to Fort Abercrombie State Park1 – wander through the moss-covered coastal forest past Arctic flower meadows. With luck, you may even spot whales off the coast on a whale watching tour1.

Today, commercial fishing is king in Kodiak. Despite its small population—about 6,475 people scattered among the several islands in the Kodiak group—the city is among the busiest fishing ports in the United States. The harbor is also an important supply point for small communities on the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula.Visitors to the island tend to follow one of two agendas: either immediately fly out to a remote lodge for fishing, kayaking, or bear viewing; or stay in town and access whatever pursuits they can reach from the limited road system. If the former is too pricey an option, consider combining the two: drive the road system to see what can be seen inexpensively, then add a fly-out or charter-boat excursion to a remote lodge or wilderness access point.Floatplane and boat charters are available from Kodiak to many remote attractions, chief among them the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge , which covers four islands in the Gulf of Alaska: Kodiak, Afognak, Ban, and Uganik.

Cruising in Tsaa Fjord will reveal some of the most beautiful sides of picture-book Alaska: high alpine peaks, green forests, glaciers and ice. Your small expedition ship will be in its element as it nears the active Hubbard Glacier and will make its way through the ice floes towards the edge of the glacier if the conditions are right.

Cruising in Tsaa Fjord will reveal some of the most beautiful sides of picture-book Alaska: high alpine peaks, green forests, glaciers and ice. Your small expedition ship will be in its element as it nears the active Hubbard Glacier and will make its way through the ice floes towards the edge of the glacier if the conditions are right.

Part of the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park, Icy Bay is a body of water in south-east Alaska that was formed in the past 100 years due to the retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall glaciers. Icy Bay lives up to its name with an active tidewater glacier often clogging the fjord with icebergs. Here you can witness fantastic representations of geologic action over thousands of years whilst soaking in the magnificent views and exploring the landscape up-close.

At Chichagof Island, in the settlement of Elfin Cove – whose population is around just 30 – you will see how people live in harmony with nature. More wildlife sightings and scenery await as you cruise through the Icy Strait, a favourite summer home for humpback whale families.

Guided by the feeling of great freedom, your Inside Passage adventure begins. Now is the best time to discover the pristine soul of Alaska – with deep fjords and scattered islands. Alongside the wildlife, marvel at the huge rock faces in Tracy Arm with an impressive glacier panorama. The same goes for Endicott Arm where, with luck, you will see whales and sea lions.

Explore the historic home of the Tlingit people with your experts on Kupreanof Island, watched by the world’s tallest totem pole carved from a single piece of wood.

Picturesque Petersburg is known as “Little Norway”. Painted flower garlands adorn its houses. The idyll is enhanced by LeConte Glacier – you can enjoy spectacular views of this southernmost tidewater glacier in America during a boat trip1 or a panoramic scenic flight1.

Petersburg lies on the northern end of Mitkof Island, in the Inside Passage, on the banks of Frederick Sound where it joins the Wrangell Narrows. It is halfway between Juneau, 120 mi to the north, and Ketchikan 110 mi to the south. Remnants of fish traps and ancient petroglyphs indicate that this area was used by the Tlingit people as a summer fish camp. For more than 1,000 years In 1897 Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian immigrant, settled here. The place was named Petersburg after him, and was incorporated as a town in 1910. It flourished as a fishing port, and even today, it remains an island community that makes its living from the sea. It is the largest home-based halibut fleet in Alaska, and is ranked the 15th-most lucrative fisheries port in the United States by volume.

The picturesque city of Wrangell is one of Alaska’s oldest settlements. From here, go bear watching at Anan Creek1 where, with luck, you will spot black and brown bears. Take a trip through the former gold-digging territory of the Stikine and enjoy an adventure on this large river1. Those who prefer to be active can go on a countryside hike1 in Tongass National Forest or a kayak tour1 along the coast.

A small, unassuming timber and fishing community, Wrangel sits on the northern tip of Wrangel Island, near the mouth of the fast-flowing Stikine River—North America's largest undammed river. The Stikine plays a large role in the life of many Wrangel residents, including those who grew up homesteading on the islands that pepper the area. Trips on the river with local guides are highly recommended as they provide, basically, an insider's guide to the Stikine and a very Alaskan way of life. Like much of Southeast, Wrangel has suffered in recent years from a declining resource-based economy. But locals are working to build tourism in the town. Bearfest, which started in 2010, celebrates Wrangel's proximity to Anan Creek, where you can get a close-up view of both brown and black bears. Wrangel has flown three different national flags in its time. Russia established Redoubt St. Dionysius here in 1834. Five years later Great Britain's Hudson's Bay Company leased the southern Alaska coastline, renaming the settlement Ft. Stikine. It was rechristened Wrangel when the Americans took over in 1867; the name came from Baron Ferdinand Petrovich von Wrangel, governor of the Russian-American Company. The rough-around-the-edges town is off the track of the larger cruise ships, so it does not get the same seasonal traffic that Ketchikan and Juneau do. Hence, it is nearly devoid of the souvenir shops that dominate so many other nearby downtown areas. But the gift shops and art galleries that are here do sell locally created work, and the town is very welcoming to visitors; independent travelers would do well to add a stop in Wrangel during their Southeast wanderings.

The HANSEATIC inspiration will then spend two days cruising through British Columbia’s Inside Passage with its many islands, wooded mountains and small Native American settlements along the banks. Experience magnificent panoramas from the inspiration Walk, perhaps enhanced by orcas and bald eagles. A wonderful way to end your personal story of adventure.

Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure. The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver's ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic. Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world's most livable cities, and it's easy for visitors to see why. It's beautiful, it's outdoorsy, and there's a laidback West Coast vibe. On the one hand, there's easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks. At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair. The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America's best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver's landscaping also adds to the city's walking appeal. In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings. More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada's third-largest metropolitan area. Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue. Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core. The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn't have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience. The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons. People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here.