T R AV E L E R F AV O R I T E
C O L U M B I A A N D S N A K E R I V E R S V O YA G E
8 D AY S F R O M $ 5 , 5 9 0
• Retrace Lewis and Clark’s trailblazing expedition through the Pacific Northwest. • Explore the shoreline of the stunning Palouse River by kayak or Zodiac. • Enjoy springtime blooms or fall foliage in Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest gorge.
Center at Cape Disappointment, where the explorers first sighted the Pacific in 1805. Enjoy views of the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and the north jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River. At the Columbia River Maritime Museum, learn about the history of navigation on the river. Venture into downtown Astoria and explore this historic city, the first permanent United States settlement on the Pacific coast. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D
DAY 1 I PORTLAND, OREGON After boarding our ship, cruise the lower reaches of the Willamette River through downtown Portland, passing under the city’s 12 eclectic bridges. National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Quest, or National Geographic Sea Bird for the entire voyage Meals: 1D DAY 2 I ASTORIA Sail to the mouth of the Columbia River at Astoria. Explore the Lewis and Clark Interpretive
DAYS 3–4 I COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE/ HOOD RIVER Continue east on the Columbia River, which forms the border between Washington and Oregon. Deepening canyons signify the beginning of the hundred-mile stretch known as the Columbia River Gorge. Spend two full days in the heart of the gorge and nearby Hood River, located at the foot of majestic Mount Hood. Learn about the region’s natural and cultural history at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Hike up Beacon Rock, where Lewis and Clark first noted the effect of the ocean’s tides on the river on their way west. Enjoy the fruits of the valley’s orchards at a farm-to-table lunch; then choose to visit the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, home to one of the largest collections of stillfunctioning antique cars and planes in the
Expedition Cruise
Light
country, or take in the stunning river vistas while walking through the twin Mosier Tunnels on the Historic Columbia River Highway. Meals: 2B, 2L, 2D DAY 5 I COLUMBIA RIVER/SNAKE RIVER Today we cruise through some of the most scenic stretches of the Columbia River, including the Columbia Plateau. Hear from our onboard geologist and naturalists about the cataclysmic floods and basalt lava flows that sculpted the landscape between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago. We then sail up the Snake River, the Columbia River's largest tributary, which is over a thousand miles long. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAY 6 I PALOUSE RIVER Explore the calm waters of the Palouse River—a tributary of the Snake River—by Zodiac or kayak (conditions permitting). Disembark for a closer look at the steep basalt cliffs and the 200-foot cascade of Palouse Falls. The surrounding canyon is part of the Channeled Scablands, geographical features carved by the periodic Missoula Floods that once swept across the region. Enjoy onboard talks by our naturalists, photograph stunning landscapes from the top deck, or unwind with a massage from our wellness specialist. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D
Clockwise from above: The Vista House Observatory sits high above Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge; a male bighorn sheep can be identified by its large, curled horns; travelers approach Oregon’s spectacular Multnomah Falls; snowcapped Mount Hood towers above the Hood River Valley.
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