Northeast Passage & Alaska - cruise & land journey

Begin your journey in Anchorage, where a world of spectacular natural landscapes and intriguing culture awaits. Settle in for a one-night stay. This evening you will join your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.

Your adventure starts today with a visit to Anchorage’s Alaska Native Heritage Centre, a gathering place that celebrates, perpetuates, and shares Alaska Native Culture, language, heritage, and tradition. Sit back and watch Native artisans as they work on their crafts and enjoy live traditional dance performances before a private visit with an Alaskan native storyteller, who will bring you into their culture as they share the stories about their history and people. Drive through the scenic Matanuska-Susitna Valley, considered one of the most important agricultural regions in Alaska. The valley is rimmed by three major mountain ranges: The Alaska Range, and the Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains. Indulge in expansive views of alpine peaks and valleys, rivers and streams, and vast spruce and birch forests before arriving at your lodge for the next two-nights. This evening you will have a unique opportunity to meet a local Alaskan, Howard Carbone. Revel in his stories of climbing Denali, nature in the area, and living in Alaska through photographs, videos, and stories.

Freechoice: Enjoy a jet boat ride down the Susitna river with an onboard naturalist and visit a Dena’ina Indian Encampment. Alternatively, set out to explore Talkeetna’s best hiking trails with a naturalist guide on a hike through old-growth forest, alive with songbirds, wildflowers, berries, and mushrooms. Watch for loons and kingfishers on the lakes, moose and bears in the woods and enjoy the view of Denali on the horizon.

Enrich
A classic Alaskan experience awaits. Fly into the heart of Denali National Park, soaring over glaciers and icebergs, keeping an eye out for moose, black bears, Dall sheep and mountain goats. Land on a snow field high on a glacier and take a walk in this remote environment before returning back to your lodge.

Travel aboard luxury dome rail cars from Talkeetna to Denali National Park. Large, panoramic windows allow for mostly unrestricted views of the scenery around you and provide an excellent vantage point for photos. As you approach Denali National Park, journey along the snaking Indian River and enjoy expansive sights of Hurricane Gulch, and make sure to look to your left to view the highest mountain in North America, Denali, and the stunning Alaska Range. On arrival visit the Denali Education Centre and enjoy a talk from a local resident about what it takes to live life in Alaska, before checking into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Freechoice: Discover the spectacular wildlife that call Denali National Park home as you travel 62 miles towards the Stony Hill Overlook. Board a comfortable national park’s tour bus and immerse yourself in a scenic journey of natural wonders, a narrated history of Park Road, and some of the best opportunities to view the park’s inhabitants. Alternatively, enjoy a float trip with class I, II, and III rapids as you journey down the Nenana River on the edge of Denali National Park. This trip is the perfect introduction to rafting in Alaska, with the opportunity to spot bears, moose or Dall sheep along the way.

Today we journey back through scenic mountain scenery to Anchorage. Stop in the small community of Willow for a visit to an authentic sled dog kennel. Meet with a veteran Iditarod musher before an exhilarating and adorable dog sled ride through the property, while safely in an ATV. After your dogsled run, meet the canine athletes that pulled your ATV and interact with the puppies. Following lunch with Vern Halter the owner of the kennel and an Iditrarod champion, continue to Anchorage and your hotel, the Anchorage Marriott Downtown Hotel for a one-night stay. Tonight, relive your experiences at your farewell dinner.

A world of wonder awaits as you step on board your included flight to Nome to join Scenic Eclipse. Raise your glass to toast the start of your luxurious cruise.

Cruise the Bering Sea and cross the International Date Line on your way to Russia. Acquaint yourself with the exceptional range of facilities on board your ultra-luxurious Discovery Yacht. Join a session in one of the fitness spaces or relax in a therapy lounge in the Spa Sanctuary. Tempt your palate at one of the exceptional dining venues or try a wine tasting.  

Nestled against mountain peaks, Provideniya was built for military purposes and played a large part during WWII. It is also the gateway to the Chukotka Peninsula.

Cruise Cape Dezhnev, known as the easternmost point of the world. The only inhabitants are polar bears, walruses and whales. This afternoon visit the rocky, remote corner of Russia in Uelen. Now home to primarily Chukchi speaking native Russians, there are burial grounds that suggest that this area was previously a major settlement during 500 BC to 1000 AD. 

Relaxation beckons, and with so many choices on board you will be surprised how quickly time passes on board. Choose one of the daily activities, join an entertaining discussion in the theatre or relax in the Senses Spa.

Untouched by glaciers during the last Ice Age, Wrangel Island looks just as it did when the woolly mammoth roamed here. Today it is a well-known wildlife refuge, and is home to the world’s largest denning ground for polar bears, the largest population of Pacific walruses, and the only snow goose nesting colony in Asia. There is an ancient biodiversity on the island, giving you a glimpse into the Pleistocene Epoch.

Discovery: Join our Discovery Team cruising around pack ice searching for polar bears, ringed seals and walrus, or on land enjoying a kaleidoscope of wildflowers looking for reindeer, arctic fox, musk oxen and woolly mammoth remains.

Sail through one of the most remote locations on Earth. This truly unique voyage explores through sea ice, glaciers and icebergs, over tundra plains and ancient ceremonial sites, along mountain lined landscapes and volcanic spires. Spot wildlife such as large pods of walrus, polar bears, whales and Arctic seabird colonies. On board Scenic Eclipse you will go further than intrepid explorers were ever able to. Due to the extraordinary nature of this very remote Arctic region, our route is dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our experienced Captain and Discovery Leaders will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, with each day a highlight. 

Discovery: Join our experienced Discovery Team for excursions by Zodiac, kayak, stand up paddleboard and onshore landings for nature walks.

The largest of the Eurasian Arctic archipelagos, the rarely visited Novaya Zemlya (‘New Land’) is the third-largest wilderness area in Europe. This long, thin region consists of two main islands, Severny (Northern) and Yuzhny (Southern), separated by the imposing Matochkin Strait. Learn about the interesting and unexpected history while admiring the beautiful mountains and glaciers.

Discovery: Join our experienced Discovery Team for excursions by Zodiac, kayak, stand up paddleboard and onshore landings for nature walks.

The world;s northernmost archipelago awaits. Franz Josef Land is comprised of 191 remote islands lying entirely above the Arctic Circle, and covered 85% in ice. Home to approximately five million sea birds, two Arctic giants – the polar bear and the walrus, and visited by a multitude of whales, you will always be on the lookout to experience this amazing wildlife in their natural environment. Due to the extraordinary nature of the region, the sailing and expedition schedule is flexible. Your experienced Captain and Discovery Leader will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, making the most of the long hours of daylight, weather and ice conditions. You will partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiac, kayak and on nature walks where possible. Discover majestic Arctic scenery, tundra landscapes, and vibrant wildlife and marine life. 

Discovery: Join our experienced Discovery Team for excursions by Zodiac, kayak, stand up paddleboard and onshore landings for nature walks.

Continue exploring the majestic wilderness of Franz Josef Land. Due to the extraordinary nature of the region, the sailing and expedition schedule is flexible. Your experienced Captain and Discovery Leader will use their expertise to design this section of your voyage from day to day. 

Continue exploring the majestic wilderness of Franz Josef Land. Due to the extraordinary nature of the region, the sailing and expedition schedule is flexible. Your experienced Captain and Discovery Leader will use their expertise to design this section of your voyage from day to day. 

Enjoy a relaxed day at sea on board Scenic Eclipse. There is ample time to rejuvenate and a plethora of venues to explore. Choose a class in one of the fitness spaces or relax in one of the therapy lounges in the Senses Spa.

Spend the day at leisure exploring the various amenities of your luxurious Discovery Yacht. Enjoy an educational  discussion with your Discovery Team or tempt your palate at one of the dining experiences. 

Back in Murmansk, we may have a chance to discover the city while the ship goes through clearance procedures. Developed into the world’s largest city above the Arctic Circle, Murmansk has had a tough past. Murmansk was heavily damaged during World War II and became an important port for nuclear icebreakers and submarines during the Cold War. 

Vardo is Norway’s easternmost city. It is known as one of the oldest towns in northern Norway, with people living in the Arctic climate for over a thousand years. Feel the wind from all directions as you admire the steep mountainsides of Hornøya, populated with nesting birds, or the southern side of the Varangerfjord.

Skarsvåg is surrounded by the stark beauty of rolling hills, Arctic fjords and abundant birdlife. Known primarily for its proximity to Nordkapp (North Cape), it also claims to be the world’s northernmost fishing village. Later, cruise the looming cliffs of Nordkapp,the end of Europe’s landmass.

Bid farewell to your new friends, the crew and the Scenic Eclipse. Transfer to the airport for your onward travels.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.