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L' Aus Tral - Guests

Alaska And Its Fur Traders

Nome Alaska to Vancouver

Follow the steps of trappers and of the indigenous peoples of Alaska, during a 15-day expedition voyage aboard L'Austral. From Nome to Vancouver, discover a remote territory still wild and unknown, landscape from infinite tundra to glittering lakes, wide spaces, gigantic glaciers, steep mountains and temperate rainforest. During your trip, witness the unique wildlife at some of the sites that have marked the history of Alaska.


 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Shore visits in Zodiac inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
  • Hiking opportunity.
  • Visit traditional villages and encounter the indigenous peoples of the Far North: the Aleuts, Tlingits, Kwakwaka'wakws, Yupiks, and Haïdas.
  • Landscapes: fjords, tall mountains, huge glaciers, primary forest, jagged cliffs.
  • Wildlife: brown bears, grizzlies, Arctic terns, common seals, whales and orcas.

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD


ITINERARY

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023 - NOME, ALASKA
Located along the Bering Strait at the westernmost point of Alaska, Nome offers the rustic charm of a former gold-mining town, set in the middle of magnificent wilderness. As you weave in and out of the brightly coloured houses, you will discover the pioneering legacy that still marks local traditions. Fishing, reindeer rearing, sledge-racing... People here live from their manual labour. The surrounding plains provide stunning vantage points for observing Arctic fauna.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023 - AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship's upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 - ST MATTHEW ISLAND
Saint Matthew island is right in the middle of the Bering Sea, between Siberia and Alaska. Classified as a National Wildlife Refuge by the United States, this island covered in wet tundra corresponds to the northern boundary of the polar bear's range during winter. It is home to many birds, including the McKay's bunting, an endemic species whose population is estimated at 6,000 individuals. We can also find Arctic foxes there. Although populated by the Aleut during prehistoric times Saint Matthew Island is uninhabited today.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 - SAINT PAUL ISLAND, PRIBILOF ISLANDS
Part of the Earth's History was written between Alaska and Russia. We invite you to discover a unique environment that seems to stretch out to infinity. Lost in the middle of the Bering Sea, the Pribilof archipelago is made up of four volcanic islands where nature has crafted exquisitely beautiful landscapes. Here, on the islands of Saint Paul and Saint George, you will find majestic volcanoes, lava deserts and crater lakes, offering travelers a magnificent vantage point from which to observe a fauna composed almost exclusively of fur seals. The archipelago is also renowned as a paradise for birds, especially on Saint Paul, as more than 240 different species of seabirds take flight from the top of its majestic cliff.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 - DUTCH HARBOR, UNALASKA
During your cruise, discover an exceptional site: Unalaska Island and its port, Dutch Harbor. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, on the Aleutian Islands, Dutch Harbor is the only deep water port in the archipelago. As for the island itself, it offers you unique landscapes: volcanic summits swept by the wind and surrounded by the sea, lush green valleys, sometimes covered with bright summer flowers, sometimes with deep winter snow… Unalaska is not only an island with astonishing nature and very varied wildlife, it is also rich in history, where ancient indigenous cultures and remains from World War II can be seen and their tales be told.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 - UNGA ISLAND, ALASKA
After a short zodiac journey between the rocks in the company of your naturalist-guides, you will land in a former village of which many vestiges remain: run-down wooden houses scattered around a flowery meadow, a church with crumbling walls but a roof that still stands, a cemetery… Originally called Ougnagok by the Aleuts, this small hamlet, which was home to some 100 inhabitants in the 19th century, was renamed Delarof, after Evstratii Ivanovich Delarov. While working for the Shelikhov-Golikov Company, he was the first Greek mariner to discover the Aleutian Islands. These days, this small ghost-village now overrun by willowherb is called Unga.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023 - GEOGRAPHIC HARBOR, ALASKA
Here you are in the heart of Katmai National Park and Preserve. Here, the rocky cliffs are punctuated with white marks. These are the remains of ash deposits that accumulated following a volcanic eruption in the past. A little further south, you will explore every part of Geographic Harbor and its tall cliffs covered in vegetation and plunging into the sea.


SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 - AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship's upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 - TSAA FJORD, ICY BAY, ALASKA
Formed by the retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall glaciers over the past 100 years, Icy Bay is one of those timeless places where silence reigns supreme. Let yourself be enthralled by landscapes of breathtaking beauty, enhanced by magnificent views over the Saint Elias Mountains, visible in the background. The bay, several kilometres wide, is often scattered with icebergs sliding on clear and deep waters. It will let you access several sounds, among which are the Tsaa fjord, very close to the Guyot glacier. Many marine mammals and sea birds have chosen to live on this territory with very few visitors in the south of Alaska.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 - SITKA, ALASKA
Formerly a Russian colony located on Baranof island, to the west of the Alexander archipelago, Sitka is brimming with history. The historical national park of Sitka shelters totems carved out of red cedar, a tree that is omnipresent in the region. These totems are testimonials of the former presence of Tlingit Indians. This place is full of natural wonders too. You just have to look up to admire the mountain range around the port. In the distance, the snow-peaked Edgecumbe volcano stands majestic. Numerous islands scattered around Sitka stretch out before you in a vision of preserved Alaska.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 - KAKE, ALASKA
Discover the small Tlingit village of Kake, around 60 kilometres west of Petersburg. Located on Kupreanof Island, it houses a community of over 500 inhabitants. Kake is paradise for salmon, which spawn in the Gunnuk River near the village. Bald eagles often make an appearance, as do black bears, which come to enjoy the fish. Another singularity of these parts: the presence, on a hill, of a totem pole standing over 60 metres tall, considered the highest in the world.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 - PRINCE RUPERT
Wild and extraordinary, Prince Rupert is a dynamic town where the open spaces are "larger than nature". Located on the remote Kaien Island, off the coast of British Columbia, this little town founded in 1910 witnessed the history of the North West Pacific with the birth of American Indian nations, such as the Haida and Gitksan. During this port of call, make a point of admiring its grandiose landscapes where more than 300 pairs of bald eagles have made a home here; its picturesque residential districts where the sea mist often lingers; and its famous Museum of Northern British Columbia, home to a large collection of ancient totems.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 - AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship's upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

OCTOBER 1, 2023 - ALERT BAY
Right near the north coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, hides the small wooded island of Cormorant. Surrounded by pebble beaches, it offers wonderful opportunities for hikes and for whale watching. The surrounding waters are also home to harbour seals, orcas, Steller sea lions, dolphins, and a multitude of seabirds. When your ship calls at Alert Bay, a small sheltered fishing port located in the island's south, set off to discover the indigenous culture and its traditions. The 'Namgis community, which is part of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations, lives here in harmony with the other village inhabitants.

OCTOBER 1, 2023 - SAILING IN THE JOHNSTONE STRAIT
Along the north-east coast of Vancouver Island, Johnstone Strait is a 100 km-long channel formed by an old glacier bed, dotted with a string of lush islands. Sailing amid this wilderness offers fantastic opportunities to observe the wildlife. Indeed, blue whales, humpback whales and the world's largest population of orcas can be found in the cool and sheltered waters of the strait, and you can try to spot some from your ship's deck.

OCTOBER 2, 2023 - VANCOUVER
Verdant and cosmopolitan, Vancouver is one of Canada's most multi-cultural cities. Located in British Columbia on Canada's west coast, it's surrounded by mountains and outdoor activities are popular. In the city, you can immerse yourself in the Asian atmosphere of bustling Chinatown, shop for pashminas and silk saris at the Punjabi Market Indian district and explore the historic area of ?Gastown. Vancouver Art Gallery is known for works by regional artists, while the Museum of Anthropology houses important First Nations collections. Granville Island Jetty is a fascinating revitalised industrial area that hosts galleries, restaurants and a huge produce market.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

For your serenity, PONANT selects flight and organises transfer between the airport and the port. This package is included in your cruise fare.

  • Embarkation Day - Seattle/Nome
  • Flight Seattle/Nome selected by PONANT.
  • Approximate flight duration: 5h00.
  • We highly recommend you arrive in Seattle the day before this flight.
  • We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure.
  • Meet & greet at the airport by our local English-speaking representative.
  • Transfer to the pier for embarkation.

This programme includes:

  • Flight Seattle/Nome selected by PONANT in economy class.
  • The transfer mentioned in the programme.
  • English-speaking assistance.

This programme does not include:

  • Personal expenses.
  • Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:
The flight included in the programme is as of today, operated in economy class, on a European airline.
Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
For passengers in transit in Seattle, we recommend staying one night in Seattle after this flight.
Programme and flight schedule are subject to change without prior notice.

 

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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person, subject to availability and can change at any time