Introduction
Alaska Travel - Dreaming of a maritime smorgasbord of ice-blue glaciers, countless waterfalls, and snow-covered mountains spiking up from the water's edge? Hoping to see pods of orcas and spouting humpback whales, sea otters, puffins, and eagles? Want to watch dozens of bears feast on wild salmon? Do it on an Alaska cruise. Mt. Denali awaits you. So do 76 million acres of national wildlife refuges, 54 million acres of national parks and preserves, and 23 million acres of national forests. Travel to Alaska, the state that holds fast as America's last frontier and protects the wildness of more than 40% of the state.

Small-ship cruise programs give you the chance to view wildlife, primordial forests, massive cliffs, and the abundant nesting sites of bald eagles, all while enjoying the comforts of small cruise ships.
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Natural History
"Diversity" describes Alaska. From amphitheaters of granite spires to old-growth, Sitka spruce forests to sheltered shorelines and jagged fjords to moose wading chest-deep in clear waters, Alaska presents natural history that stirs the imagination. Whether you dream of whales, brown bears, and bald eagles in their natural habitats or long to feel the vastness of untrammeled landscapes, Alaska cruises offers you the best nature-based journeys north of Canada's Yukon Territory. Let our experienced naturalists show you this awe-inspiring place on our small-ship cruises.

Summers in southeast Alaska, in the waters near Icy Strait and Frederick Sound, show off pods of humpback whales. Humpbacks slap flippers and flukes and feast through "bubble-net feeding" in which the whales cast a net of bubbles around their prey. Grab your rain gear and watch as these huge whales perform explosive half-breaches, lifting their massive forms high above the surface and then crashing with a thunderous blow. A quick reflex can capture such sights on film from the ship's deck.

The water in southeast Alaska is cerulean blue, cold, and chock-full of porpoises, sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters. Hundreds of species of birds decorate the coastline throughout the Inside Passage. Nowadays, almost everywhere you look you spot the once-endangered, majestic American bald eagle, national bird of the United States. Pay attention, and you'll see the colorful puffin with its crests or "horns" and its bright orange beak, a favorite among photographers.

From the Inside Passage, head to the rivers and streams to watch black bears and grizzly bears as they fish for salmon. The color of these bears ranges from cinnamon and blond to blue-gray, black, tan, and brown. Watch for the hump on the grizzly's shoulders to identify this larger bear from the smaller black bears.

Whales and bears are only half the story of a trip that immerses travelers in the spectacular geography and natural and human history of the last frontier. Cliff walls tower thousands of feet above rocky beaches; giant trees seem to tickle the glow of the sun. Botanists can find edible plants and wild medicines along the coastal forests and side channels. Moose and other wildlife roam freely. The barrage of images and sensations overwhelms you in the depths of Alaska's wildlands.

For more information on the natural history of Alaska, see book selections below.
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History
An Athapaskan Indian story tells of a warrior who joined forces with a giant to attack a rival in Siberia. In the end, the rival won. The giant collapsed into the ocean, and his body created a bridge to what is now North America. The Athapaskans trekked across this fleshy ridge with herds of caribou in tow. Over time, the giant's body decomposed, but bones from his skeleton remained above the ocean's surface and formed the Aleutian Islands.

Scientists tell a different story. Some 30,000 to 40,000 years ago, in the Pleistocene period, low water levels in the Bering Sea revealed a land bridge connecting northeastern Asia to the North American continent. The 50-mile-long, 600-mile-wide spine of earth opened a passage for the nomadic peoples of the north to migrate south. Carbon dating on a caribou bone with a distinctive saw-toothed edge has revealed evidence of this from 27,000 years ago.

"Alaska" means "great land" or "mainland" and originated from the people of the Aleutian Islands. Alaska, the 49th and largest state in the Union (almost one-fifth the size of the lower 48), was granted statehood on January 3, 1959, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. But the United States purchased the land from Russia on October 18, 1867, spearheaded by the U.S. Secretary of State, William H. Seward. Almost a century before, in 1784, a Russian fur trader settled the first non-native community in Alaska, Kodiak Island. Few paid attention to "Seward's Icebox," as Americans called it after the 1867 purchase. Then, in 1896, the Gold Rush brought waves of settlers to the frontier land when prospectors discovered gold in the Klondike of the Yukon Territory just over the border from Alaska. Over the next few years, thousands of men clambered on ships to Alaska and then traveled overland to the Klondike.

In 1899, diggers unearthed gold near Nome, followed in 1902 by a mother lode discovery close to Fairbanks. People followed the nuggets, and Alaska's population grew. In the early part of the 20th century, the U.S. military claimed bases at Valdez and Eagle. The U.S. stretched telegraph cables across the interior. Railroads connected many widely separated settlements. Copper deposits attracted miners, and thousands of independent explorers survived on their wits and wildlife. Single-track trails widened into pathways for covered wagons. Mail deliveries came more frequently. Settlers arranged limited self-government; in 1905 the capital switched from Sitka to Juneau.

Alaska's first delegate to Congress reached Washington, D.C., in 1906. Alaska became a U.S. territory in 1912. A year later, the first climbers gazed at Alaska from the top of the south peak of Denali (Mt. McKinley). The U.S. established Denali National Park in 1917.

To this day, Alaska maintains an irresistible, almost spellbinding, allure. Booms in fur, gold, salmon, and oil (1968 marked one of the biggest oil discoveries of all time at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coastal plain) crest and subside; each brings swells of entrepreneurs, adventurers, and explorers. They still come. Wildlife viewing, mountain climbing, bicycling, kayaking, hiking, fly fishing, camping, and nature-oriented tourism attract visitors year-round from the world over.

For more information on the history of Alaska, see book selections below.
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Culture
Alaska natives divide into three broad groups: Indians, originally from the southeast and interior; Aleuts, on the Alaska Peninsula; and the Inuits, mostly concentrated along the mainland coast. Languages separate these people into distinct groups. Aleuts speak Aleut. Inuits speak Chugach, Inupiat, Koniag, and Yupik. Indians speak Athapaskan, Eeyak, Haida, Tsimahian, and Tlingit. More than 14 native Alaska languages are still spoken throughout the state. The symbol of Alaskan aborigines, the totem pole, once stood over Tlingit and Haida communities in southeast Alaska; now many of these hand-carved cedar poles reside in museums and parks. The decorative family crests and mythical beings either protected the dead or promoted the living.

The Athapaskans first crossed the land bridge across the Bering Strait at least 12,000 years ago. This first wave of migration followed mastodon, mammoth, and caribou herds across the Bering. The Athapaskans fashioned crude tools from the raw copper they found along the way. Over time, they reached the coast. The Athapaskan-related Tlingits wandered down the Nass River not far from Prince Rupert and then headed north through southeast Alaska. They harvested fish and other seafood from the coastal waters. The forests yielded cedar logs for community houses, totem poles, and dugout canoes. To this day, from interior Alaska to the American Southwest, the Navajo and Apache peoples still speak the Athapaskan language or derivatives thereof.

Today, Alaska remains as diversely populated as its dramatic topography. On Kodiak Island, Alaska cowboys ride a well-worn path. For decades a handful of hardy ranchers tried to raise cattle on the Island of the Bears. When cowhands blamed hungry bears for missing calves, ranchers turned to hunters to rid them of the problem. The U.S. government sided with the bears and established Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge to protect the native predators. Some ranchers are now switching to bison, a less vulnerable livestock.

The U.S. government's most sweeping agreement with native peoples took place in 1971. The act established native regional corporations and village corporations to manage money and land, amounting to 44 million acres and nearly a billion dollars. The negotiation occurred before the 1968 oil discovery at Prudhoe Bay could be exploited. Roughnecks brought a new wave of immigrants to Alaska throughout the 1970s. The production of Prudhoe Bay oil began in 1977; that same year, men started constructing a natural gas pipeline that would cross the state. Many people remained in Alaska after the boom. In 1976, before he left office, President Jimmy Carter restructured over 56 million acres of Alaska's federal lands to include them in the national park system. The parks encouraged recreation in Alaska's great expanse.

Most Alaska towns attract hardscrabble people who retain a bit of the pioneer's will and the Indians' spirit. Some joke that the local logo ought to show a blue pickup truck with a Siberian husky in it. But much of Alaska is inaccessible by road and many people travel by floatplane, bush plane, and boat. Along the coast, fishing propels the economy; elsewhere, oil powers it. Everywhere, people rely on each other to get through the long, dark winter months.

For more information on the culture of Alaska, see book selections below.
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Dos and Don'ts
Alaska Travel Tips:

Don't expect to find your own way. Let expert guides show you the hidden wonders of Alaska, the endemic plants, the secluded alcoves, and the granite-walled gorges carved deep into the state's jagged edges. Don't underestimate the forces of nature. Remember mosquito repellant. and bring rain gear to cover you from head to toe and plenty of clothes to layer on when the wind blows and peel off when the sun peeks through the mist. Alaska's varied terrain has some of the country's best scenic routes. For the easiest way to enjoy wildlife, tote powerful binoculars and remember to ask your guides if they carry spotting scopes. Heed the bears, don't feed them. Don't feed any wild animals; Alaska is not a zoo.

Bone up on the stories and history of the regions you plan to visit. Be conscious of the fact that quaint towns are living communities. Listen to the fishermen, roughnecks, artisans, bush pilots, prospectors, guides, and business owners. Listen closely and you will hear Alaskan voices reveal the rugged splendor of the land. Learn to listen, to observe, and to reflect. Take pictures. Let your journey develop slowly, like film in a chemical basin, until the wholeness of Alaska comes into clear view.
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Weather
Between May and September, Alaska's southeastern waterways generally enjoy mild temperatures. Expect light rain, mist, and clouds. The temperature ranges from the high 50s to the low 80s.
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Best Time to Go
May - September
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Temperature Range
May - September
50° - 80ºF
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Books
Guide to the Birds of Alaska, by Robert Armstrong
Field Guide
A photographic field guide to Alaskan birds, all 443 species illustrated.

Marine Mammals of Alaska, by Kate Wynne
Field Guide
A sturdy field guide with range maps, color plates, photographs, and a brief text. Introduction to whales and seals. Designed for field use. Perfect for on the deck!

The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush, by Pierre Berton
History
Berton captures the spirit of the rowdy days of old with thoughtful, descriptive detail.

Alaska’s Southeast: Touring the Inside Passage (7th edition), by Sara Eppenbach
Guide Book
A practical guide to lodging, food, and excursions, with a good general overview of natural history, culture, and geography. Maps and over 100 photographs.

Going to Extremes, by Joe McGinnis
History
A portrait of greed, corruption, and waste during Alaska's oil prospecting era.

Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast, by Hilary Stewart
Art
An illustrated look at the diverse art produced by Pacific Northwest native peoples. It focuses on the spiritual/cultural meanings of motifs in carvings, weavings, and masks.

Alaska, by James A. Michener
General Interest
A great read any time of year!

Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
Exploration
The true, gripping story of a young man on a solo journey into the Alaskan wilds in 1992.

Coming Into the Country, by John McPhee
Culture
An outstanding portrayal of Alaskan frontier life in 1970s. An even-handed look at environmental issues with a humorous portrait of some unforgettable Alaskan characters.

Alaska by Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide to the Alaska Cruise Experience, by Anne Vipons
Guide Book
A must-have reference for any Alaska cruise.

Insight Guide Alaska, by Insight Guides
Guide Book
An illustrated overview of Alaska with essays on natural history and cultures.

Travels in Alaska, by John Muir
Exploration
A wonderful book that includes John Muir's discovery of Glacier Bay.

Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers, by Verna Pratt
Field Guide
248 full-color photographs of the most common Alaskan flowers.

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