Alaska: A Tailor-Made Journey featuring an Inside Passage Cruise

Arrive in Vancouver and meet your private driver for the transfer to your hotel. You'll have the rest of the day to relax and begin exploring this vibrant, cosmopolitan city. We recommend visiting English Bay for sunset if the weather allows. (B)

During a leisurely morning, consider renting a bike for a ride through Stanley Park, a leafy peninsula with lovely coastal paths. In the afternoon, set out on a private food tour of the gastronomic district of Gastown, sampling local foods paired with wines and beers from the region. (B)

After a final free morning to explore Vancouver’s wonderful museums and gardens, make your way to the waterfront to board your luxury cruise ship. Settle into your suite and take in views for Vancouver as the ship sets sail toward Alaska this evening. All meals and non-premium drinks are included on board and on daily shore excursions  (B,L,D)

Follow the rugged coast of British Columbia, navigating lush, forested islands along the way. Keep an eye out for marine life—humpback whales and orca are often seen in these waters. As you approach Alaska, watch the shoreline transform into soaring mountains and creaking glaciers. (B,L,D)

Enter the narrow waterways of the Inside Passage and go ashore at the quaint fishing town of Ketchikan, once considered the “salmon capital of the world.” At the Totem Heritage Center, see a fascinating collection of Haida and Tlingit totem poles and learn about Alaska’s Indigenous cultures. In the wilderness surrounding Ketchikan, look for brown and black bears on shore and whales and seals in the water. (B,L,D)

Venture further into an extraordinary landscape of narrow fjords and wild islands and arrive in Juneau. Alaska’s isolated state capital is nestled between the sea and a crest of rocky peaks and surrounded by the expansive glaciers of the Juneau Icefield. Choose from a wide range of guided excursions, including a hike to Mendenhall Glacier, a whale-watching cruise by local boat, or a visit to a summer camp for Iditarod dogs. (B,L,D)

Glide between snowcapped mountains on Lynn Canal on your way to the colorful gold rush town of Skagway. The narrow-gauge White Pass railroad was constructed here in the 1890s to allow prospectors access to the goldfields of the Yukon's Klondike region. Board the train to ride a section of the fabled route past thundering waterfalls and rugged peaks, or opt for a wildlife excursion to a river near town where brown bears come to fish for salmon. (B,L,D)

Sail on to the former Russian outpost of Sitka, where a curious mix of Russian and Indigenous cultures endures. Set out on a rafting or sea kayaking adventure; go hiking in the rainforest; or seek out sea otters, brown bears, sea lions and whales on a wildlife cruise. If you wish, take a tour of Sitka’s art galleries and see local craftsmen at work. (B,L,D)

On the final day of your cruise, encounter Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America, spanning six miles where it meets the sea. Learn about this active glacier’s geology and watch for enormous icebergs calving into Disenchantment Bay. Take in beautiful scenery as you sail toward Chugach National Forest this afternoon. (B,L,D)

Disembark in Seward, set at the end of an inlet on the Kenai Peninsula and surrounded by towering mountains and glaciers. Transfer by shared coach to downtown Anchorage, or upgrade your experience by traveling by train. Check in to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day to explore the city as you wish. (B)

Mt. McKinley (Denali) rises 20,310 feet, yet North America’s tallest peak is often hard to see from the ground. You’ll have the chance to take in unforgettable aerial views on a scenic flight over Denali National Park and Preserve, and land on a lake or in Talkeetna to photograph the mountain looming over the landscape. During free time in Anchorage this afternoon, consider a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center or the Anchorage Museum, home to the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center. (B)

Make your way from your hotel to Anchorage Airport in time for your onward flight. (B)