Trip Summary
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On this unforgettable 7-night cruise from Juneau, Alaska, U.S., to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sail through the magnificent, pristine Inside Passage. Immerse yourself in local cultural traditions and eye-popping scenery aboard Star Seeker, an exclusively chartered, deluxe, all-suite small ship. Stop at the remote fishing village of Elfin Cove — population 16 — on pristine Chichagof Island. Marvel at the distinctive ancient rock carvings at Petroglyph Beach in Wrangell. In picturesque Sitka, visit the Sitka National Historical Park, featuring totem-lined forest trails and cultural exhibits. Throughout, marvel at the spectacular vistas of forested hills, snowcapped mountains, calving glaciers and icy seas. Be on the lookout for orca, humpback and minke whales, sea lions, seals and raptors; you may even see foraging bears and moose along the shoreline. Onboard naturalists and guides will offer wildlife-spotting tips and insights. Enhance your experience by adding the Denali National Park Pre‑Tour Extension and/or Vancouver Post-Tour Extension.
Event Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Home City/Juneau, Alaska, U.S./Embark Star Seeker
Day 2: Tracy Arm
Day 3: Elfin Cove/Point Adolphus
Day 4: Sitka
Day 5: Wrangell
Day 6: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
Day 7: Cruising the Inside Passage (Day at Sea)
Day 8: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Disembark/Return to Home City
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Journey for 7 nights from Juneau, Alaska, U.S., to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, aboard Star Seeker, an exclusively chartered, deluxe, all-suite small ship.
- Visit to remote Elfin Cove — located across from Glacier Bay National Park and surrounded by Tongass National Forest — known for its stunning scenery and wildlife.
- Specially arranged excursion in Sitka to visit the Sitka National Historical Park.
- Cruise British Columbia’s protected Inside Passage, one of the most spectacular coastal waterways in the world.
- Denali National Park Pre‑Tour Extension and Vancouver Post-Tour Extension. (Available at additional cost.)
Meet Your Faculty Expert
Matt Ayres
Matt Ayres is a Professor of Biological Science at Dartmouth College, where he offers courses in Ecology and The Nature and Practice of Science. He is Co-chair of Dartmouth’s graduate program in Ecology, Evolution, Environment and Society, Senior Faculty Fellow of the Institute of Arctic Studies, and Director of the Biology Foreign Studies Program. His degrees include a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a Ph.D. in Entomology from Michigan State. As a 19-year-old from Wisconsin, with lots of time and little money, Ayres spent the summer traveling and backpacking in Southeast Alaska with the hope of seeing puffins.
Two years later, he moved to Fairbanks where he lived, studied, and worked for ten years. He came to Dartmouth in 1993, having previously been a Fulbright Fellow in Finland and a Research Scientist with the USDA Forest Service. Ayres has taught and conducted research in Sweden and Greenland, as well as pine forests of the southeastern U.S. and in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
On this departure, Ayres will offer seminars on “The nature of Arctic Nature” and “Ecology, pestilence, and environmental security in the Anthropocene”.