Safari Endeavour, Northern Passages & Glacier Bay ex Sitka to Juneau

Set sail on a week-long adventure through Southeast Alaska, on our only itinerary that explores the breathtaking Sitka Sound and Peril Strait. You'll visit the charming historic towns of Sitka and Juneau, each rich in culture and natural beauty. The luxurious Safari Endeavour makes for a comfortable home base while experiencing a week filled with exciting outdoor activities and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

Included Highlights:
- Explore the breathtaking Sitka Sound and Peril Strait
- Snorkel in the Alaskan waters
- Visit the charming historic towns of Sitka and Juneau
- Watch pods of orcas and humpback whales bubble-net feeding
- Guided presentations on the region's history, wildlife, flora and fauna
- Endless opportunities for kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking, and more

Day 1: Sitka Embarkation
Welcome to Sitka-by-the-Sea. A quaint fishing town, Sitka is as endearing as it is remote. Once onboard, there’s nothing like a hearty greeting from your crew and some bon voyage bubbly. With all souls settled in on board, you’re underway. The adventure starts now. From the first moment, your expedition team is all hands on deck looking for the first whale spouts of the week. Out on the bow, Southeast Alaska welcomes you with coast and mountain views.

Meals included: dinner

Day 2: Krestof & Nakwasina Sounds
There aren’t many straight lines along Baranof Island. Its western side is spattered with remote, uninhabited islands - endless opportunities for adventure. Secluded coves, windswept shorelines, and cliffs battered by winter storms provide ample habitat for migratory birds. Drop anchor, pick your modus operandi, from kayaking to snorkeling, and get going. Rocky intertidal zones are Alaska’s touch tanks – sea stars and edible kelps abound - turn a stone or two to see what’s underneath. There are no groomed trails here—get out on a guided hike that John Muir himself would approve of.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Baranof Island
Baranof Island is our playground for the day. Glacially carved fjords become more exposed as we approach South Baranof Wilderness. We continue our search for the coastal brown bear and bushwhack up into muskegs that offer sweeping views across Chatham Strait towards Kootznoowoo. Whales transit the coastline in search of schools of herring and salmon that gather here in numbers beyond comprehension. Following the spouts west, we enter Peril Strait – an infamous stretch of water rich in indigenous and Russian history Tight channels and swirling eddies bring marine mammals to the area, here to take their chances at salmon returning to their natal streams. It’s also the perfect time to enjoy an open paddle or stand-up paddle boarding with the calm waters.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Chichagof Island
Welcome to the west coast of Chatham Strait – one of the largest, longest, and straightest fjords on the planet. We’re deep within a nutrient highway, and endless coves and glacial fjords draw unsuspecting lines along the coast. Chichagof Island is home to the coastal brown bear supported by the lush meadows, rich berries, and prolific salmon runs. Each cove and bay hold their very own microcosm of the greater ecosystem – and your guides are getting into the granular details of the connections between place, species, and time. The time of year dictates the destination. Spring meadows are filled with wildflowers. Summer salmon runs bring bears to the freshwater cornucopia of the largest return of nutrients from sea to land on earth. There’s no “good” or “bad” time to visit this place – every season brings new surprises.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Icy Strait
The Pacific Ocean flows into northern Southeast Alaska via Icy Strait. This interface between land and sea is remote and wild. The plan for the day? Whales and marine mammals. The northern coast of Chichagof Island is rugged and filled with life. Spouts and fin slaps are certain giveaways. Sea lions surf in the swell, and birds hover over the water's surface in search of fish. Porpoises and dolphins hitch a ride on the bow of the boat as you move from cove to cove. On land, trees that pre-date the country are tucked just inside the forest edge. Bushwhack through old growth, pausing to appreciate the scope and scale of North America’s Amazon. Skiff along the shoreline searching for intertidal life; paddle along kelp-threaded channels as Stellar sea lions follow your party through blue waters that invoke visualizations of more tropical climes.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Glacier Bay National Park
What a privilege. At 3.3 million acres—this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve is massive. In the calm of the night, the ship’s crew has taken you deep into Glacier Bay National Park. It’s early in the morning – hot coffee and pastries are out in the lounge – and directly off the bow is Margerie Glacier, or Johns Hopkins Glacier, depending on the time of year and ice access. Less than 1% of visitors to the park have the opportunity you are about to have – get on land with, or kayak in front of, a deep blue, mile-wide chunk of ice. The morning is intimate, calm, and inspiring. Tufted puffins, pigeon guillemots and marbled murrelets are just a few possible sightings. Arriving at South Marble Island, you can hear and smell ‘em before you see ‘em—it’s a haul out for sea lions. Watch for mountain goats, and lower along shore, foraging bears. Lounging harbor seals laze on bits of bergs.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Captain's Choice
We’re in the backcountry. The Tongass National Forest is a vast, infinitely discoverable place. Your Captain and Expedition Leader make the call on where we’re headed today. The seasons and movement of wildlife dictate every choice we make about location. The waters are calm and inviting. The guides help you gear up and lead your adventures into the woods or along gentler terrain in back meadows and mellow shorelines. By kayak or paddle board, this is your day to get familiar with the water, enveloped in the vastness of Southeast Alaska’s wilderness. Bald eagles dot the tree tops. Harbor seals bob up for air and slip under the water. Spouts from the humpback whale (or orca, if you’re truly this lucky on day one), pepper the horizon line. This is your introduction to Southeast Alaska, and it welcomes you in to learn and experience more.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Juneau, Alaska Disembarkation
Welcome to Alaska’s Capital City of Juneau. Enjoy your last meal onboard and wish farewell to your crew, traveling companions, friends made along the way. Disembark and transfer to the airport or your UnCruise hotel stay or land tour.

Meals included: breakfast

*Please note: This cruise runs from Sitka to Juneau or Juneau to Sitka depending on the date.

Polished, unwavering, and upscale, the Safari Endeavour may be the workhorse of the fleet but it’s her zest-for-life persona that’s remembered most. She looks sharp—a nod to the crew who work hard to keep her that way. Wood fixtures and accents shine and artwork highlights the warm and cool waters where she sails. No other UnCruise vessel covers more territory, and like her namesake, Captain Cook’s Endeavour, both the ship and crew are true explorers. Her roomy lounge, dining room, and sun deck are undisputed, but the Safari Endeavour claims to have the biggest heart, too.

CHOOSE TO UNCRUISE
Wilderness, wildlife, and exploration; or history, tours, and wine. Our innovative adventure and river cruises provide an unbeatable combination of activity, expertise, service, and exclusive encounters. Uncover your small ship cruise, then pack, go, and discover! Alaska, Columbia & Snake Rivers, Central America, Galápagos, Hawaiian Islands, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, and the Pacific Northwest.
Unrushed. Uncrowded. Unbelievable.

Adventure Cruising
Focused on experiencing life on the outside—rain or shine—we offer different destinations, a mix of price points (some generously inclusive), and an exciting range of multi-sport activities. Kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), hiking, snorkeling, inflatable skiff excursions, and cultural encounters top the agenda. Our experiential cruise vacations are delivered from a variety of platforms, and depending on your choices, will accommodate from 22 to 84 like-minded guests. We provide the adventure, equipment, opportunities, fun, expert crew, expedition guides, and the vessel—the rest is up to you.

Equipped for action, adventure cruises are delivered from aboard our expedition vessels and yachts:
Wilderness Adventurer; Wilderness, Discoverer; Wilderness Explorer; Safari Endeavour; Safari Explorer; Safari Quest

River Cruising
Traveling nearly 1,000 miles upriver and down, our inclusive river cruises provide the best value available on the Columbia, Snake, and Willamette Rivers—included shore excursions, a complimentary massage, wellness program, onboard historians and guest experts, living history programs, visits to boutique wineries, exclusive one-on-one interactions with locals, no long lines or hours on a bus, and you’re never far from the riverbank. While exploring the cultural traditions, unspoiled lands, and the history and evolution of life along the rivers, you’ll enjoy a stimulating heritage voyage of colorful places and fascinating people.

Traveling aboard our 88-guest replica turn-of-the-century steamer—a style of vessel that has been on these rivers for over 100 years—offers you the conveniences of today with the feel of yesteryear. Enjoy the old-world charm of our newly-refurbished: S.S. Legacy