Alaska - Small Ship - 'The Famed Inside Passage' (15 days)

The American Safari yachts cruise the full length of the West Coast of North America's Inside Passage without the open ocean, but with shores ever-so-tight to the sides of your yacht for most of the 900 nautical miles between Seattle and Juneau. Embrace exhilarating closeness to snow-capped mountains, wildlife and birds far too numerous to keep count, waterfalls, tree-lined narrow passageways and surprises at just about every "gunkholing" turn.

Choose May or September - either is an excellent time for cruising along British Columbia's coast and Alaska's Inside Passage. At these times of the year the foliage is vivid, there are fewer boats and people, and bears and other animals are likely foraging along the shoreline. Then make a second choice of the yacht that best fits you among the Safari Explorer, Safari Quest or Safari Spirit . The value is extraordinary and the daily encounters with nature are astounding!

Travel on the 'Safari Quest'

• Day 1: Sail from Seattle, Washington. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to the Safari Quest where your crew greets you with champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Shortly after boarding, we'll begin our northward cruise from Seattle's historic Fishermen's Terminal passing through the Hiram-Chittenden Locks entering Puget Sound. Later we will cruise through Deception Pass, a dramatic narrow cut between two islands before dropping anchor in a quiet cove in the San Juan Islands this evening.
• Day 2: The San Juan Islands and Friday Harbour. The misty San Juan Islands greet us this morning. Settle into the rhythm of the sea as we leave our busy lives behind. Beautiful forested islands dot the seascape where we wind through the untouched islands in the San Juan's. Today we'll visit the port of Friday Harbor. Here you'll enjoy time at leisure to stroll through the town's many intriguing boutiques and shops, or perhaps the Whale Museum. We'll depart for Canadian waters this afternoon; all eyes open for orca whales!
• Days 3-6: Exploring the Canadian Inside Passage. Search for orca whales, seals, sea lions and bears as we leave civilization behind. Our Expedition Leader will lead nature hikes and kayaking excursions, and we'll enjoy a First Nations dance performance in a cedar-planked big house. Further north, we'll step ashore with Naturalists from Raincoast Conservation Society who will tell us about local wildlife and fisheries studies, including little known details on rainforest wolves and the mysterious Spirit bear.
• Day 7: Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Prince Rupert is British Columbia's northernmost port along our route. Here, a historic sightseeing and museum tour introduces us to this scenic community. We'll stay dockside tonight, so enjoy a walk in town after dinner this evening.
• Day 8: Ketchikan, Alaska - Discover the rich, cultural heritage of Alaska's Tlingit Indians on a guided tour or Saxman Totem Village with local village resident Joe Williams. Before we depart, take time to browse shops or stroll along Creek Street where there's often a good dose of local color to be found.
• Day 9: Alaskan Waterways - Open space and solitude greet us as we cruise north. We'll stop in at Meyer's Chuck, a hide-away village of fewer than 50 people. Later we'll anchor in Canoe Pass where we'll lower the kayaks for a more thorough look at the area.
• Day 10: Petersburg- "Little Norway" - Join our local guide for a private tour of this charming fishing port. Petersburg's Norwegian history is quite prominent throughout the community, and we'll have some first-hand experiences of the local culture before we depart. This afternoon, we'll enter some of the richest whale waters in Southeast Alaska, and we'll be watching for the familiar blows of humpback whales all day!
• Days 11-12: Fjords and Hot Springs - We'll spend these two days in the wildest, most pristine corners of Alaska. We'll paddle our kayaks in remote fjords, hike to natural hotsprings, wander through the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska, and explore some of the most scenic, hidden gems one can find in the inside passage.
• Days 13-14: Glacier Bay National Park - One of America's crown-jewel national parks will be ours to explore and marvel at for the next two days. Tidewater glaciers sweep like rivers of ice down massive mountain valleys, terminating before us in the waters of Glacier Bay. If conditions permit, we'll lower the inflatable and weave among the icebergs that have fallen from the face of the glaciers. We'll enjoy evenings at anchor in hidden coves, and mornings paddling our kayaks in the quiet of this majestic wilderness. And what will we find? Quite possibly we'll see puffins, sea lions, mountain goats, bears, moose, eagles, and scenery more spectacular than any place on earth. To top off our trip, we'll celebrate and reminisce together during our festive Farewell dinner.
• Day 15: Disembark in Juneau, Alaska - After breakfast we'll arrive in Juneau. A transfer to the Juneau airport or local hotel is included. Safe travels to all!