Advertorial – Alaska has long been one of the ultimate travel adventures, an unparalleled experience of spectacular natural beauty and fascinating history. She is one of Mother Nature’s finest works of art, with mighty glaciers calving and crashing into the sea, and humpback whales playing along the Inside Passage. Wildlife roams through dense wilderness and barren mountains rise from the waters. However, with recent changes in climate, a visit to the Last Frontier is perhaps more relevant today than ever before. Alaska is certainly changing, and for anyone wanting to experience this magical destination, the sooner you experience it, the better.
Alaska has a fascinating origin story as a US state, and an even more interesting geological history that explains its natural magnificence. The US purchased the region from Russia in 1867, paying only $7.2 million, which averages out to about two cents per acre. Alaska contains seventeen of the twenty highest peaks in the United States, with the imposing Mt. McKinley being the tallest mountain at 20,310 feet. People have inhabited Alaska since 10,000 BCE. At that time, a land bridge extended from Siberia to Western Alaska, and migrants followed herds of animals across, settling in what is now North America. Of these migrant groups, the Athabaskans, Aleuts, Inuit, Yupik, Tlingit and Haida still reside there.
For many years, cruise lines have made it easy and luxurious to experience all of Alaska’s magnificence while ensuring to protect the waters and coastlines they sail. If a one-week vacation is all the time you have to experience Alaska’s rugged grandeur, then a seven-night cruise from Vancouver along the Inside Passage will provide a scenic week away. The Inside Passage is a popular shipping route that consists of a 1,500-km-long stretch of protected ocean. Much of the Inside Passage was covered in ice during the last ice age, and advancing glaciers carved massive fjords into the coastline. Its rich marine environment is teeming with wildlife including orcas, humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions, and millions of fish, seabirds and invertebrates.
If time permits, a longer and more in depth adventure might be on your agenda, where you can fly to Anchorage and tour northern Alaska by coach for eight days. You’ll see both the Canadian and American Rockies, venture through Denali National Park, explore the city of Fairbanks, and take a step back in time into the gold rush city of Dawson. After the land segment of our journey, you’ll embark on a gracious cruise ship in Skagway. During the four-night cruise, enjoy views of the beautiful coastal landscape on your way to Glacier Bay and southbound along the tranquil Inside Passage towards Vancouver.
Alaska is stunning, no matter which way you choose to explore it, and with the threat of climate change looming, we recommend a journey to this remarkable arctic environment sooner, rather than later. With its breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife sightings, rich history, and vibrant local culture, it’s time to experience the grandeur of Alaska for yourself this summer. Contact one of Craig Travel’s Cruise Specialists today for more information and to book your Inside Passage cruise departing August 12th or your land and sea exploration of Alaska, Denali and the Yukon departing August 7th. Call 1-800-387-8890 today! Reserve your cruise early for the best choice of staterooms.
