Compare Passport to Southeast Alaska: By Hiking Boot, Kayak & Boat by Road Scholar

Day 1 Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation Juneau, AK

Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program will be led by the Group Leader and local experts unless specified otherwise. Transportation will vary each day between taxis, vans, small buses, or converted school buses. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

In the hotel's meeting space, we will enjoy a buffet including main dishes, vegetable, salad, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, water.

Day 2 Explore Juneau, Hiking, Kayaking, Bonfire Juneau, AK

Getting on/off shuttle; minimal driving. Kayaking at a leisurely pace for approximately 2.5 hours in 2 person kayaks; walking for approximately 1 hour on dirt/sand/gravel paths. Walking up to 2.5 miles in the afternoon. Sturdy, waterproof boots and rain gear are highly recommended for kayaking. We also recommend bringing synthetic gloves, rain hat, and waterproof bag to store valuables and camera gear. Walking poles will be supplied if needed during the kayak trip.

We will divide into two groups for our interpretive hiking and kayaking adventure. We will board our shuttle to meet our kayak outfitter, then transfer to the trailhead where we will being our hike to a remote beach. From here, we'll launch our double kayaks and begin our nature paddle. Following our kayak trip, we'll return to the beach, where we'll have lunch around a bonfire.

We’ll hike back to the trailhead and return to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is ours to enjoy as we please.

At leisure.

In our hotel meeting space, we’ll enjoy a buffet, including choices such as egg dishes, cereals, toast, yogurt, fresh fruit, plus coffee, tea, and water.

We’ll enjoy a meal on the beach featuring Alaskan delicacies harvested by local businesses and Alaskan families. The menu will include dairy, fish, shellfish, and nuts. An alternate menu is not available for this meal.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Day 3 Mendenhall Glacier, Free Time, Flight to Gustavus Gustavus, AK

Getting on/off shuttle; driving about 1/2 hour, 18 miles total. Flight time under 1/2 hour. Walking under 1 mile; hiking approximately 5 miles in length.

We will check out and store our luggage at the hotel. We'll head to the Mendenhall Glacier to explore the area around the glacier’s base. Known as Sitaantaagu, meaning “the Glacier Behind the Town,” it is only 12 miles from downtown Juneau, allowing easy access to the 13-mile long glacier. Mendenhall Lake was created by melting ice and runoff from the glacier, flowing out through the Mendenhall River. We will meet with local experts who will lead us on a hike. Following our field trip, we will return to Juneau.

We'll walk next door to the Alaska State Museum for a self-directed exploration of the museum, which is the repository for the state's history, highlighting the distinct native cultures of Alaska. Afterwards, we'll return to the hotel to shuttle to the airport for our short flight to Juneau. Upon arrival, we’ll check into our hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

In the hotel meeting space, we’ll enjoy a buffet lunch with coffee, tea, water. Other beverages available for purchase.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a late plated meal with choice of appetizer or salad, main course, dessert. Coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Day 4 Glacier Bay National Park Boat Trip Gustavus, AK

Getting on/off 150-passenger, high-speed catamaran with covered areas. Boat trip will take approximately 8 hours. Minimal walking.

We'll board a heated, high-speed catamaran with a National Park Service ranger to spend the day on the waters of Glacier Bay to view tidewater glaciers, snow-capped mountains, whales, stellar sea lions, seabirds, seals, eagles, and possibly some bears along the shore. We'll travel to the face of the Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers, two of the many tidewater glaciers found in the National Park.

We'll continue our exploration through the bay watching for calving glaciers, floating ice, and wildlife. Isn't that what Alaska is all about? After our stunning ride, we will return to shore and walk back to the lodge.

At the lodge, we will meet our kayak instructors for tomorrow’s trip and receive a short orientation for our coming adventures.

At the lodge, we will enjoy an early buffet including a chef's specialty dish, eggs, meats, biscuits, potatoes, oatmeal, cereals, pastries, fruits, plus coffee and juice.

Aboard the catamaran, we’ll enjoy a boxed meal including a sandwich, fruit, cookie, plus coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water.

Lodge plated meal.

Day 5 To Point Adolphus, Kayak Field Trip Gustavus, AK

Getting on/off shuttle; driving under 1/2 hour, 10 miles total. Kayaking for 2.5 hours at a time, split in 2 alternating groups. Non-kayak boat for resting will accompany our kayaks. Extent and duration of free time activities according to personal choice.

We will drive to a water taxi headed to Point Adolphus for our kayak adventure. Once on shore, our experts will provide the essentials to paddle safely and efficiently. We'll paddle out and watch for whales and other wildlife with plenty of time to take photographs, and to enjoy the true Alaskan wilderness. After a great morning of paddling, we'll head back on the water taxi to Gustavus.

Those who kayaked in the morning will enjoy some independent time while the second group kayaks. Our Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure. There will be another opportunity to attend a ranger-led lecture about Glacier Bay if we choose.

Lodge buffet.

En route to Gustavus, we will enjoy boxed lunches including sandwiches.

Lodge plated meal.

Day 6 Free Time, Hike, Transfer to Juneau Juneau, AK

Getting on/off shuttle; driving under 1/2 hour total. Flight time under 1/2 hour. Hiking up to 2 miles over varied terrain.

After our last few days full of adventure, take some time for rest and relaxation with a morning at leisure. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions for independent exploration around the lodge. We'll check out of the lodge this morning and store our luggage for our transfer in the afternoon.

We'll get moving again with a beautiful hike on the Nagoonberry Loop Trail led by our Group Leader. After our hike, we will transfer to the airport for our late afternoon return flight to Juneau. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel and check in.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

At the lodge, we will enjoy a plated meal including appetizer or salad and main course. Coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

We will enjoy a buffet dinner in the hotel's meeting space including main course, sides, salad, dessert. Coffee, tea, water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Day 7 Fast Ferry to Haines, Alaska Indian Arts Haines, AK

Getting on/off ferry; riding for 3 hours. Walking up to 3 miles along even terrain.

We’ll transfer to the dock where we’ll board the fast ferry. We’ll enjoy educational commentary during the journey from Juneau to Haines, as well as make stops for wildlife viewing. We may be lucky enough to see eagles, whales, sea lions, and harbor seals. Along the way, we will also make a stop at the Eldred Rock Lighthouse, built in 1905 and the oldest original lighthouse in Alaska.

We’ll arrive in Haines and check in to our hotel. We’ll then explore the area at Fort William H. Seward with a local expert to learn about the history of the fort, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978. It was authorized by President William McKinley in December 1898 to house infantry until it was closed in 1945. Currently, the fort houses an art colony. We will then walk to the nearby Alaska Indian Arts, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Coast Native Tribes. A local expert will lead as we observe totem poles and a carving studio. This will be followed by time on our own to explore the town. Our Group Leader will offer some suggestions.

We'll depart for an evening scenic drive with an expert naturalist. We'll experience the incredible natural beauty and wildlife along the river.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet featuring a variety of hot and cold options.

On the ferry, we will enjoy salmon chowder along with sourdough bread, cookie, coffee, tea, water. Other snacks and beverages available for purchase on the ferry.

At the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a plated meal featuring creative and unique main dishes prepared from locally caught and grown ingredients, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Day 8 Bald Eagle Preserve, Klukwan Village, Afternoon Hike Haines, AK

Getting on/off shuttle; driving about 1.5 hours total. Getting in/out of rafts; rafting 1.5 hours total. Hiking up to 4 miles on mostly flat, groomed paths.

Our expert naturalists will give a safety briefing at the hotel. We will then board our 16-foot oar rafts and heading out on the Chilkat River. We will be joined by a naturalist, who will discuss topics like local ecology, the history of Haines, and more. From the Alaska Department of Natural Resources: “The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve was created by the State of Alaska in June of 1982 to protect the world’s largest concentration of Bald Eagles and their critical habitat.” The preserve consists of 48,000 acres of river bottomland formed by the intersection of three rivers and is home to Klukwan, the mother village of the Tlingit Nation. After our float, we will pull out at the site of a Klukwan village, where elders will provide a presentation about Tlingit culture and history. We will view the historical collection of the Whale House Clan. They will go on a walkthrough of the Traditional Knowledge Camp, where we will learn about adze carving for tribal canoes and smoking salmon. We’ll then listen to historical storytelling presentations We will then return to the hotel by shuttle.

Our expert naturalists for today's adventure will meet us at the hotel and lead us on a hike through the rainforest, over boardwalks, bridges and creeks to Battery Point. Full of wildflowers in the early summer, it is bordered by the Chilkat River with views of the snowcapped mountains and Lynn Canal. We will then return to the hotel.

At leisure to rest and relax or take a walk through town.

At the hotel, we’ll enjoy an early plated breakfast at the hotel including eggs, breakfast meats, English muffin, fruit, coffee, juice, water.

At the hotel, we will have boxed lunches with a pre-selected sandwich.

At the hotel, we'll enjoy a plated meal.

Day 9 Fast Ferry to Juneau, Mount Roberts Tramway Juneau, AK

Getting on/off ferry; riding 3 hours. Hiking on groomed trails. Distance based on personal preference.

We'll check out and transfer to the dock, where we'll board our fast ferry that will take us back to Juneau. We'll enjoy interpretation from an expert and keep our eyes peeled for wildlife sightings. When we arrive in Juneau we'll transfer to our hotel.

We'll make our way to downtown Juneau, where we’ll have a chance to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway. In operation since 1996, the Mt. Roberts tram makes a six-minute ascent of 3,819-foot Mount Roberts from the docks to a height of about 1,800 feet. At the top, we will enjoy expansive views of Juneau and Gastineau Channel and have some time for exploration at the Mountain House, Chilkat Theater, and Raven Eagle Gifts & Gallery.

We'll have a program wrap up sharing our favorite memories with our fellow Road Scholars. Take the rest of the evening to relax and prepare for your departure the next day.

Hotel buffet.

In the hotel meeting space, we'll enjoy a buffet meal. Coffee, tea, lemonade, water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

In the hotel meeting space, we'll have a buffet meal. Coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Day 10 Program Concludes Juneau, AK

Hotel check out by 11:00 a.m.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet breakfast with coffee, tea, water, juice. This concludes our program.