7 Night Fjords and Glaciers Cruise from Ketchikan

Your journey begins today in Ketchikan. (D)

There are places on the planet that completely overcome you. This is one of them. The sense of place you feel. Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. And that alone is a lot to consider. Glacial valleys filled with sea water. Sheer 3,000-foot cliffs. Sea birds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, all find safe haven here. Kayak in Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay and you find it's just as easy to paddle and go, as it is to sit and float and take it all in. Or skiff to the base of a waterfall for a fjord-released shower. Your captain joins you tonight for a Farewell Dinner. Celebrate and reminisce about your Alaskan journey with a "photo journal" by your crew. (BLD)

The Blashke Islands are your playground today. A full day of choose-your-own-adventure fun. Hiking, kayaking, skiff tours, snorkeling, and full-day yak-n-whack excursions. (BLD)

When you come this far, you might as well go all in. This is way-back back-country of Alaska's wilderness. Glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs, and mud. In this playground, it's all an option today. Kayak and skiff in water almost clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier. Or keep it green on an interpretive walk through a grassy meadow into the forest. (BLD)

Fjord cliffs reach skyward. Floating ice. And deep U-shaped valleys. Cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. At the end of Endicott Arm, the blue face of Dawes Glacier awaits. (BLD)

This crown jewel of America's national parks covers 3.3 million acres (that's a tad smaller than the state of Connecticut). Let that sink in. Most visitors see the same sliver of the park as everyone else. Not you. You're going the furthest and exploring parts that 99% of visitors never go to. And you have two days to do it. Get started! Taylor Bay sea stacks and rocky shores make for good adventure. Or hike the outwash field of glaciers winding down the Fairweather Mountain Range. The cool breeze off the nearby snow and icefields is energizing.

Cruise the outback areas that are seldom visited by others. This opportunity opens some of the most remote land available in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Few people know the names of Fern Harbor, Dundas Bay, or Excursion Inlet, which are far from the normal ship routes. Depending on conditions, we may dip outside the park to spend time with the Humpback whales across Icy Strait at Point Adolphus. (BLD)

Arrive in Juneau where your journey ends. (B)