Excursion Endicott arm fjord and glacier explorer tour at Tracy Arm

Discover the incredible Tracy Arm Wilderness Area, as you explore Endicott Arm, a high-walled and spectacular 30-mile fjord studded with bright blue icebergs and waterfalls. Prepare to have your breath taken away as you get up close to the Dawes Glacier, which gleams with a bright cobalt blue only found in this dreamy landscape of Alaska.

Designated in just 1980, the Tracy Arm Wilderness Area covers over 653,000 acres and consists of two major fjords, Tracy Arm and the Endicott arm, both over 30 miles long. In the summer season the fjords are filled with floating ice that ranges from a softball to a three-story house.

Make the transfer to your specially-designed, highly maneuverable boat at the entrance to the Endicott Arm and embark on your glacier exploration for three hours. Because of the abundant wildlife and awe-inspiring views of thousand-foot waterfalls, bright blue icebergs and stunning cliffs, your captain stops regularly to take time for photographs and simply taking in what you see with amazement.

As you journey, there is the option to stay on deck or retreat to the comfortable, heated cabin with plenty of window views as you receive commentary by captain and crew. Your onboard naturalist and crew are available for explanation and narration as you travel amidst the glacially-carved fjords.

There is a total of three hours to explore the full-length of this ice-carved wonderland; tracing the bases of cliffs that rise 4,000-feet above the jade-colored sea, as the onboard naturalist provides a wealth of information about the area. There is a comfortable heated cabin below deck, but be sure to spend as much time as possible out on deck to see all there is to see. Feel the mist on your face as the captain skillfully guides the vessel up to a plunging waterfall.

Enjoy the boat stopping to view Bald Eagles, Harbor Seals and if you are really lucky even Bears and Mountain Goats. Your smaller vessel allows you to get especially close to the Dawes Glacier. Travel past recently-calved icebergs with dozens of seals resting atop them. Stop near the face of Dawes Glacier where you may hear (or even see) the calving of new ice as it breaks in a sound known as the "White thunder."

Disembark your tour vessel and transfer to the ship.

Note

Please note: This tour involves extensive activity and is not wheelchair accessible. While there is little walking required, participants must be able to negotiate transit of a narrow, moderately steep gangway with only minor assistance to embark and disembark the tour vessel. Guests suffering from motion sickness are recommended to take Dramamine well in advance of tour. Guests are recommended to wear warm wool or fleece layers, a waterproof jacket, hat, gloves and comfortable shoes for walking, and to bring camera and cash or credit card for food or souvenir purchases. Wildlife sightings are likely but not guaranteed. This tour operates in a remote wilderness area, where weather and ice conditions can alter both the duration and route of the journey, including shipside embarkation/disembarkation areas.