Experience the wonders of Glacier Bay the ideal way—on a private expedition vessel with kayaks aboard! This awesome landscape of fjords, glaciers, and towering mountains is simply glorious, and we’ll feel as if we have it all to ourselves as we anchor in hidden coves, walk on massive tidewater glaciers, and kayak through pristine waters. The wildlife is as spectacular as the scenery, with Steller sea lions congregating on rocky islands, harbor porpoises feeding along the shores, and bald eagles peering down at us from giant spruce trees at water’s edge. After each day’s adventures, we return to the cozy welcome of our 6-guest ship, watching for wildlife from the deck during the long Alaskan twilight.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Gustavus / South Marble Island / Margerie, Grand Pacific, and Lamplough Glaciers

Embarking from Bartlett Cove, we set off into Glacier Bay, John Muir’s “icy wilderness unspeakably pure and sublime.” Our first stop is usually South Marble Island, where we view a large Steller sea lion haulout and a seabird nesting rookery. This is a significant nesting area for a large number of seabirds, including puffins and kittiwake gulls. We voyage past the Margerie, Grand Pacific, and Lamplough glaciers, with their incredible walls of ice. Exploring by skiff among the floating iceberg bits in the calm, mirrored waters here is fantastic. We also explore ice caves, hunt for unusual ice worms, and learn about the ebb and flow of glaciers. At day’s end we return to the welcome of our ship for a glass of wine and a delicious dinner (fresh seafood, of course!).

Day 3
Johns Hopkins Glacier / Reid Glacier

We cruise into the mouth of Johns Hopkins Inlet for a look at the Johns Hopkins Glacier, the fastest advancing glacier in the park, listening for the crackle and boom of impending calving.  We drop our kayaks into the water and get a new perspective as we paddle amid seals lounging on floating icebergs. A skiff ride ashore and a walk along glacier streams and moraine brings us to Reid Glacier and its towering grounded icebergs.

Days 4-5
Bartlett Cove / Dundas Bay / Elfin Cove

After stopping in at Bartlett Cove to replenish our water supply and visit the Glacier Bay Visitor Center, we head to Dundas Bay for a paddle or a beach walk and a chance to learn about the native Tlingit people who once made their home here. The next day we visit the tiny fishing community of Elfin Cove, accessible only by floatplane or boat.

Days 6-7
Idaho Inlet / Mud Bay / Gustavus

Paddling the placid waters of Idaho Inlet, we encounter sea otters and watch for bears feeding in the stream. We then cruise to Mud Bay, where we can go tidepooling or paddle our kayaks in the calm waters to peer into a fascinating world of sea stars and sea urchins. On our last morning, we cruise to the rich waters off Point Adolphus to search for the humpback whales who call this home in summer. Arriving in Gustavus in the late afternoon, we bid farewell to our captain and crew and depart on Day 7.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 1+, Easy to Moderate, but could be slightly more challenging on some days due to possible weather conditions. You should be able to comfortably get in and out of the kayaks as well as the skiff that brings us to the beaches. Each day we kayak or walk for 1-4 hours and explore remote shores and fjords, then retreat to the comfort of the boat in the evening for good food, fine company, and a comfortable bunk. The boat travels a maximum of five hours, and the rest of the time we enjoy our sea kayaking and nature walks. We spend each evening in a different remote anchorage along our journey, and our expedition vessel serves as our mobile base camp.

We cruise a glorious stretch of pristine glacial wilderness, where glaciers crackle in lovely fjords and the sea is filled with whales, orcas, porpoises, and sea lions. Kayaking and shore activities are as active as you like. If you want to kick back and relax on board, that is always an option. Our kayaks are very stable double kayaks and on our kayaking excursions, we are usually very quiet as we like to become part of the landscape so we can view wildlife at their eye level. We also carry a skiff to ferry folks to the beach. The shore landings are either “dry” (where there are rocks or wooden piers to step onto when you disembark from the skiff) or “wet” (which involves stepping out of the skiff into a foot or so of water and wading to shore). Getting out of the skiff for a dry landing is occasionally tricky because the skiff is moving with the waves and the rocks you step onto may be slippery.                                 

Our shore walks are nature walks following the tracks of wolves, bears and moose, learning about our plants and even nibbling on a few. Glacier Bay’s weather is variable but each change in temperature and precipitation brings different adventures. As long as you have rain gear and knee-high rubber boots, you will be ready for whatever the skies bring. Our trips are scheduled for the peak of summer season, when the days are longest, allowing for an incredible range of activities and discoveries.

Explanation of Trip Levels