BRINGING THE KIDS
Special Offers
We believe sharing an expedition with your kids or grandkids is a life-enhancing experience. So take $500 off for each child under the age of 18.
Powerful wildness, First Nations history, and charming coastal towns
Discover the wilderness and warm charm of the Pacific Northwest over a wide-ranging week in the San Juan Islands and British Columbia. Venture to spectacular, remote islands and sail through channels that teem with sea life, plus visit picturesque towns and First Nations heritage sites. This National Geographic Venture voyage sails one-way between Seattle and Vancouver, allowing ample time to venture far north into Alert Bay and Desolation Sound, with remote stops in the San Juan and Gulf Islands. On the wild side you’ll explore isolated bays and islets by kayak and hike meadows and lush green forest trails. And in charming cities like Victoria you may walk the picturesque town’s streets, mixing with locals in the art galleries, coffee shops, or pubs.
Sail among the more remote San Juan Islands to kayak or hike where seals, sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, and killer whales congregate
Go through Desolation Sound, on the north end of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, a mecca for kayakers with its calm, sheltered waters and outstanding natural beauty
In Alert Bay visit the U'Mista Cultural Center to see a stunning collection of potlatch masks created by the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples
Search for killer whales in the region where they’re most reliably found in the Northern Hemisphere
In lovely Victoria tour private gardens, take a bike ride, and enjoy a private evening event at the Robert Bateman Centre
See less highlights
Duration
8 Days
Price
From $5,290 per person
Dates
Sep
Oct
Next departure
10/2/2021
Special offers
BRINGING THE KIDS
COMBINING OFFERS
BACK-TO-BACK SAVINGS
TRAVELING AS A GROUP
$500 AIR CREDIT ON SELECT DATES
SOLO OFFER
EARLY BOOKING SAVINGS
PRODUCT CODE
PNW
Pacific Northwest
Day By Day
Venture to the remote corners of the Pacific Northwest’s wild archipelagos to kayak, hike, and search for wildlife including killer whales, seals, and bald eagles. Then delve into the First Nation’s heritage and charming, picturesque towns along the coast on a perfectly paced voyage. You’ll walk, hike, kayak, or Zodiac cruise—or, if you’d prefer to take an afternoon off, you’re welcome to grab a good book and relax on our ship’s sundeck. Explore with a top team who illuminate all you see—go with an expedition leader, several naturalists, a historian, a cultural interpreter, plus a certified photo instructor and a wellness specialist.
Current
Embark
Seattle, Washington
Disembark
Vancouver, British Columbia
Reverse
Embark
Vancouver, British Columbia
Disembark
Seattle, Washington
Special Offers
Special Offers
Dates, Rates & Cabins
Travel on this itinerary from $5,290 per person
Browse our team directory to discover the full cast of expedition staff
View DirectoryDaily Expedition Reports
Oct 19
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National Geographic Venture
Sucia Island and Cruising San Juan Islands
We concluded our expedition in the Pacific Northwest by exploring picturesque Sucia Island, one of the many islands that make up the San Juan Archipelago. Comprised entirely of sedimentary rock and nearly entirely forested, it provided a perfect setting for our last operations of the week. Setting out in almost all directions on the well-manicured trails of this State Park, and from the driftwood strewn beach, we launched our kayaks in the protected waters of Shallow Bay. Still others set out by Zodiac to examine the many nooks and crannies of the shoreline and witness the current and windswept seas bringing productivity to the fish and birds that call these waters home. After wrapping up our morning outings we set out in search of wildlife, cruising the many channels that wind their way through the various islands in the Salish Sea. As luck would have it, we came across a group of 9 Biggs (transient) killer whales. These largest members of the dolphin family are common in these waters but are constantly on the move in search of prey such as harbor seals, porpoises, and Steller sea lions. It would appear this tight-knit family group had just recently made a kill as they were being very playful at times, breaching, tail lobbing, and spy hopping, as well as rolling along the surface in close contact with each other, likely portioning their recent kill. It was a truly grand performance and an iconic and fitting conclusion to our expedition in this rich and diverse area of the world.
Oct 19
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National Geographic Venture
San Juan Islands & Gulf Islands
Today we awoke dockside in the port of the small town of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. San Juan Island is the second largest island in the archipelago, and is enjoyed for its beautiful scenery and marine and terrestrial wildlife. Tours of the island took guests to San Juan Island National Historic Park and Lime Kiln State Park, where they explored some of the most scenic overlooks in the Salish Sea on foot. Others visited a biodynamic organic farm and learned how locals take sustainability into their own hands by eating locally. In the afternoon we cruised through the San Juan/Gulf Island Archipelago spotting wildlife and enjoying the intermittent showers.
Oct 19
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National Geographic Venture
Victoria, British Columbia
Today we awoke in the heart of Victoria, a beatiful and vibrant city here on the south end of Vancouver Island. Today we took in all the city had to offer; historical and architectural walks, bicycle tours, trips to the Royal British Columbia Musuem, garden tours, all culminating in a private reception at the Robert Bateman Center and Gallery. A fantastic final day here in Canada.
Oct 19
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National Geographic Venture
Cruising Strait and Wallace Island
Guests aboard National Geographic Venture were treated to a late start, and a late morning brunch. We cruised through the Georgia Strait looking for wildlife such as a humpback whale. In the afternoon we dropped anchor and went ashore on Wallace Island for afternoon operations.
Oct 19
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National Geographic Venture
Alert Bay and cruising Black Fish Sound
Early this morning National Geographic Venture arrived at the Government Dock on Cormorant Island in the community of Alert Bay. It was extremely calm, not a breath of wind and high clouds moving in slowly from the north. After the gangway was lowered and secured, everyone onboard made their way down the dock and walked a short distance to the Namgis traditional burial grounds. We were greeted by Trevor Issac from the U’mista Cultural Center. The ‘Namgis original burial grounds is more than one hundred years in age and is the ancestral burial grounds that have been located on Cormorant Island for many generations. Trevor presented much information about totem pole commemorating deceased members of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Figures on the poles depict family crests and these were the bulk of the questions many of us had for Trevor. He went into much detail about the origin of crests and how families trace their ancestry through those crests. From the burial grounds, we could either walk the one mile to the U’mista Cultural Center or take one of two small vans to the center. The U’mista Cultural Center was established in the early 1980s. It houses an exceptional collection of traditional and ceremonial masks and artifacts all vital regalia for the Potlatch. This system of governance and ceremony has been the central foundation of the cultural lives for the people of the Northwest Coast for thousands of years. After seeing the Potlatch collection, we saw a short film about the continuum of potlatching. Afterwards we were introduced to Chief Bill Cranmer who leads the Board of Directors for the U’mista Cultural Center. Born and raised in Alert Bay he has spent nearly all of his eighty years involved in many central issues of the lives of his people. He has spent much of his life fighting for the retention of Indigenous languages throughout British Columbia. A quiet man but fiercely observant he stepped forward and gave just a glimpse into the life and value of elders in the world of Indigenous peoples. Bill answered many questions, opening our eyes to the current issues faced by Indigenous peoples up and down the Northwest Coast. After spending some time looking at many of the exhibits and visiting the gift shop where many local artists bring their work we gathered once again in the lobby of the U’mista Cultural Center and began making our way a short distance to the Big House of Alert Bay. Just last night the Big House had been filled with hundreds of people finishing a two-day potlatch. The fire had been relit, the benches swept and the sand/dirt floor had been raked and made ready for our time for Cultural Sharing. Eli Cranmer, Bill Cranmer’s son came forward, welcomed us, and explained some of what we would be seeing for the next hour. He is well known within the Big House culture as an extremely valued drummer and singer with knowledge of over 200 Potlatch songs! As Eli sat down at the drum log the other worldly nature of being inside the Big House took hold on everyone. A welcome dance brought many members of the T’sasala Cultural Group onto the floor. From elders to the youngest female member, their robes swaying, and the buttons and ornaments on the robes glowed in the fire light of the central fire. We were treated too many dances performed during a full potlatch all abbreviated to our time constraints. The customary fun dance was enjoyed by all at the end of the Cultural Sharing and then we were introduced to the entire T’sasala Cultural Group. One of the drummers stood at the beginning of the song and invited any men in our audience to join the drummers at the log for the fun dance. Because National Geographic Venture’s visit was the last for the season in Alert Bay, a group of our officers attended in full uniform and presented gifts and a lovely thank you for another wonderful season of visits to Alert Bay. We were then feasted as is customary during a Potlatch and Cultural Sharing! Five long tables were set up in front of the drum log. As we lined up for the buffet, we saw the bounty of this land being presented, only affirming the basis of resources that have created the foundations of a stro ng and rich culture through out the Northwest Coast. Wild salmon in three different dishes, clam fritters, deep-fried halibut, eulachon or candle fish battered and fried, steamed prawns, steamed fresh crab, banoc or fry bread with homemade jams, steamed rice and three different salads! What a feast, as is the tradition in the Big House. All too soon, it was time to return to our waiting ship and continue our voyage. We were at the most northern point of our travels and we would now return south exploring other areas along the way. Community members had informed us that a big storm was coming towards us from the north and as National Geographic Venture released her lines from the Government Dock, everyone noticed the wind was building. Our bridge officers docked the ship into the slightly protected waters of Black Fish Sound. There we found several humpback whales lunge feeding on pockets of prey fish that were close to the surface of the sea, due to deeply grey skies….it was truly a grey on grey day with shades of dark green as we slowly returned to our journey south through the waters of the Pacific Northwest Coast.