Alaska Up Close | Prince William Sound to the Kenai Peninsula

Upon arrival in Anchorage, travel on your own by shuttle to the hotel. With most flights arriving late into the evening, your group will meet for orientation the next morning.

After breakfast and orientation, begin your Alaska exploration by meeting with our friends at the nearby Audubon Alaska office for a talk on Audubon Alaska's conservation initiatives and a short hike. After an early lunch on own, shuttle transfer to the airport in time for your afternoon flight to Cordova. Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to the lodge, enjoying some initial sights along the way, including swan nests on the delta and the Cordova docks and town center. After dinner and program, engage in an evening talk on plate tectonics and changes in recent decades, with a discussion on global warming.

After breakfast, head to Sheridan Glacier for a kayaking excursion. Sheridan Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in Alaska, and after a short hike through the moraine, you will be able to see the dramatic frozen river of ancient ice! After a brief orientation on kayaking, hit the waters to view crystal blue caves and jagged crevasses amid an ever-changing terrain. Have a picnic lunch on shore or on a small island. After lunch, return to town and visit the Cordova Historical Museum and Eyak Museum and Cultural Center. These museums provide a greater sense of the rich history and livelihood of this thriving fishing community.

After breakfast, take a boat trip to the panoramic Orca Inlet, where you will have the opportunity to see the world's largest population of sea otters and observe their interaction within the pod. Your guide for the day has been involved in sea otter studies for 15 years. Afterward, stop at a remote beach for a short hike to explore tide pools. Next head to Hinchinbrook Island, where you will enjoy your lunch at another beautiful, remote beach. After lunch, visit a kittiwake colony to observe these nesting sea birds. In the late afternoon, take part in a discussion of the life cycle of salmon and their importance to the economy.

After Breakfast you will depart for a full day tour of the Copper River Delta. Keep an eye out for Moose, Eagles, Beaver, and the occasional bear as you travel the historic Copper River Highway. You are transported on the old railroad bed for the Copper River & Northwestern Railroad as you take in the expansive views of marsh and wetland. See the wooded Haystacks jutting from the delta as your guide shows you examples of uplift and subsidence from the 1964 earthquake and how it affected this area. Search for wildlife on your trek "out the Road" to view the Mighty Copper River. We'll explore the dunes of the Copper River and learn about the Salmon habitat and commercial fishing seasons. Afterwards visit the site of the Sacred Eyak Village site of Alaganik where you can almost hear the activity around the old trading post, longhouses and Shaman’s Cave that used to inhabit this spot. Gain insight into medicinal uses from local plants with handouts provided to identify plants. Our highlight this afternoon is a float tour by canoe on the Alaganik Slough where birding and wildlife viewing experiences abound. See areas where the USFS attempted to help restore the Dusky Canada Goose and Tundra Swan populations by anchoring nest islands in the ponds.

After breakfast, kayak the tranquil waters of Orca Inlet, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and home to sea otters and seals. This afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight to Anchorage where you will be met by a new guide & driver. Transfer to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. Time permitting, enjoy a brief hike on a nearby trail with majestic views.

Today take a 6 hour boat journey into the Kenai National Park to explore the classic Alaskan sights including wildlife, mountain peaks and tidewater glaciers. Keep an eye out for puffins, otters, whales and seals who are thriving in this ecosystem. Lunch is included on board, dinner will be on own this evening.

Today visit Exit Glacier, one of the most accessible glaciers in all of Alaska and is the only part of Kenai Fjords National Park that is accessible by road. Enjoy a 2.4 mile hike and learn about the geology and biology of beautiful Resurrection Valley and see how Exit Glacier has receded in the last century. This afternoon head out to the Seward Brewing Company to learn about local beermaking, followed by a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, depart for the Alaska Sealife Center, the state's premier public aquarium and only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility. Enjoy a private talk with a museum staff member to learn about efforts to rescue, treat, and release stranded animals back into the wild. Travel back to Anchorage for lunch on own, then a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The center features art, tools, clothing and other items from each of the five major culture groups. Afterwards, transfer to the airport in time for your flight home.

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