ALASKA’S INSIDE PASSAGE

• Get up close to icebergs and wildlife, exploring by kayak and Zodiac.

• Search for bears while hiking in the Tongass National Forest by special permission.

• Meet members of the Alaska Whale Foundation to learn about the local pods.

DAY 1 I JUNEAU, ALASKA

Arrive in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city, in the early afternoon, and embark your ship in time for cocktails and an introduction of the vessel staff and crew.

National Geographic Venture or National Geographic Quest for the entire voyage

Meals: 1D

DAY 2 I TRACY ARM-FORDS TERROR WILDERNESS

Voyage into Tracy or Endicott Arm, both spectacular glacially carved fjords. See the soaring South Sawyer or Dawes Glacier up close, and take a cruise in a Zodiac for an unbeatable view of sculpted icebergs. Keep an eye out for harbor seals, porpoises, and arctic terns.

Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

Island, founded more than a hundred years ago by Norwegian fishermen. Explore Southeast Alaska’s muskeg, an area with stunted trees and carnivorous plants. Stretch your legs with an optional bike ride around town, before enjoying a crab feast for dinner this evening.

Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

Day 4 I Frederick Sound And Chatham Strait

On your trip, be on the lookout for... humpback whales, brown bears, bald eagles, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, mountain goats, puffins, and more.

Day 3 I Petersburg

Search for humpback whales as we head toward the small town of Petersburg on Mitkof

These waters often offer great whale watching. Take a walk with naturalists along a quiet forest trail, or kayak in the area’s tiny coves. Meet members of the Alaska Whale Foundation (schedules permitting)—whose work is supported by a grant from the Lindblad Expeditions–National Geographic Fund—and discuss some of their recent discoveries about the region’s marine mammal population.

Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

DAY 5 I INIAN ISLANDS/ICY STRAIT

Cruise among the Inian Islands, where an upwelling of undersea organisms attracts an abundance of marine life. Hike nearby islands, kayak, or search for marine mammals in the rich waters off Icy Strait. Conditions permitting, we’ll lower the ship’s hydrophone to listen in on whale communications. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

Day 6 I Glacier Bay National Park And Preserve

By special permit, explore Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve today. See glaciers that end abruptly at the water’s edge, and observe them calving—when tons of ice crash into the sea. Wilderness abounds here—mountain goats and brown bears patrol the shore; and sea otters, Steller sea lions, and puffins swim in these icy waters. Learn about the rich cultural history of Glacier Bay from a native Tlingit interpreter on board. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

DAY 7 I ALASKA’S ISLANDS, BAYS, AND FJORDS

Today, nature is our guide. We may go beachcombing and tide pooling, hike the trails of the stunning Tongass National Forest by special permission, or watch for wildlife in a secluded meadow. Sightings of bald eagles are very common. If conditions permit, we’ll go kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, always watching for marine and terrestrial life.

Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

Day 8 I Sitka

After breakfast, disembark in Sitka, Southeast Alaska’s only oceanfront town. Visit the Alaska Raptor Center, enjoying a close view of species normally seen at a distance. Then take a walk in Sitka National Historic Park, where Tlingit and Haida totem poles tower over coastal trails. Later, drive to the airport for your flight home. Meals: 1B

Your Expedition Team

A diverse expedition team, including an Expedition Leader and local guides, will accompany this trip.

INFORMATION

This trip is operated in collaboration with Lindblad Expeditions.

Dates: This expedition is offered from May through September.

Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and vary by cabin category. Single supplement applies; please see our website. Airfare is not included in the price. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars, and subject to change. This itinerary is for informational purposes only, and is subject to change at any time without notice.

ADD TO YOUR EXPERIENCE

Land Of The Polar Bears

• Search for iconic wildlife: polar bears, reindeer, walruses, seals, and arctic foxes.

• Discover unusual flora and tidewater glaciers, by Zodiac and on foot, with naturalists.

• With a National Geographic Photography Expert, document wildlife in the midnight sun.

DAY 1 I OSLO, NORWAY

Arrive in Oslo, and check in to your hotel. On an afternoon tour of this charming city, visit the Fram Museum to learn about early Norwegian polar expeditions and stroll Vigeland Sculpture Park, home to more than two hundred life-size human figures by native sculptor Gustav Vigeland. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail reception and then the evening is free to explore Oslo with dinner on your own.

Hotel Bristol

Meals: 1L, 1D

Day 2 I Longyearbyen

Depart Oslo on a private charter flight, and enjoy breathtaking vistas en route to Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard. On arrival, visit the Svalbard Museum to learn about the natural and cultural history of Svalbard, and the Arctic, from 17th-century whaling to modern scientific research. Longyearbyen is home to

10 DA YS FROM $13,526 a diverse community of scientists from Russia, Germany, Thailand, and beyond, stationed on the island to study the Arctic environment, or employed in nearby mining operations. Later, settle into comfortable accommodations aboard the ship, your floating base for exploration over the next six days.

National Geographic Endurance or National Geographic Resolution through Day 9 I Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D

DAYS 3–8 I SVALBARD

A high Arctic archipelago situated between Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is a place of deep fjords, snowcapped mountains, and massive sheets of ice. Your travel in the Svalbard Archipelago is exploratory by design; making the most of your days, keeping a flexible schedule to take advantage of the opportunities that arise. The ice-class ship— purpose-built for polar exploration—features a rooftop observation deck and state-of-the-art

Zodiac loading bays for rapid response to wildlife sightings. Set out from the ship to search for Svalbard’s amazing wildlife in the water and on the ice. Alongside a photography expert, capture walruses, bearded and ringed seals, and the legendary creature of the north: the polar bear. Curious polar bears have been known to approach the ship, offering exceptional opportunities to observe and photograph these magnificent denizens of the ice. Explore serene fjords in Zodiacs, gliding beneath tidewater glaciers and cruising around beautiful icebergs.

As we travel north of the Arctic Circle, a team of experts will bring exceptional depth and insight to the experience. With a seasoned captain, crew, and Expedition Leader at the helm, navigate local ice and weather conditions with expertise. Learn about glaciers in conversation with a geologist. An undersea specialist brings back images of the deep, revealing the marine life beneath the ice, and experts are always on the lookout for wildlife that may be observed from the deck of the ship.

Meals: 6B, 6L, 6D

DAY 9 I LONGYEARBYEN/OSLO

Disembark in Longyearbyen, and enjoy time at leisure to glimpse life above the Arctic Circle. Visit a nearby wilderness camp, where you will enjoy local refreshments, and meet some of the friendly sled dogs that reside here. Fly back to Oslo in the afternoon, and relax at your hotel. Radisson Blu Airport Hotel I Meals: 1B, 1L

Day 10 I Oslo

After breakfast, transfer to the Oslo airport for your return flight home. Meals: 1B

Nick Cobbing focuses on the intersection of science and personal stories in the Arctic region. He has accompanied many polar research expeditions, and his story on the future of Arctic sea ice appeared in the January 2016 issue of National Geographic . His work has been shown worldwide, including to the U.S. Congress and the Stockholm Parliament. Find the departure(s) Nick will join on our website.

INFORMATION

Dates: This expedition is offered in May and June. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and vary by cabin category. Single supplement applies; please see our website. Airfare is not included in the price. Internal flights are an additional cost. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change. This itinerary is for informational purposes only, and is subject to change at any time without notice.