Travel south to Valdez, Alaska for this remote kayaking and camping adventure. Explore Prince William Sound and Heather Bay as you paddle around some pristine scenery filled with wildlife. Paddle up to the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound, the Columbia Glacier. Keep your eyes peeled for sea otter and seal sightings. You may even get lucky and spot an orca whale in these waters! Spend two nights camping in this remote area and paddle around exploring at your leisure each day. This Alaska kayaking trip is easily combined with other backcountry camping experiences and time in Anchorage. Or opt to travel the Alaska railway north to visit Denali National Park.
Highlights
Kayak up to the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound
Explore Heather Bay and Columbia Glacier as you camp out along the shore
Spot wildlife in the bay including sea otters, seals, and orca whales!
Activities that provide a reasonable level of physical challenge and elevate the heart rate. Focused on more active pursuits including multisport tours. Travelers may be active 5-7 hours total each day. Recommended for travelers with active lifestyles.
Fly from Anchorage or another connecting town with Ravn Air to Valdez. Settle into your hotel this evening.
Day 2: Heather Bay | Columbia Glacier
1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Meet up with your guide in town this morning for a safety briefing and orientation. From here board the water taxi for a cruise out to Heather Bay, the access point to the majestic Columbia Glacier. This glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in Prince William Sound. Embark on your multi-day kayaking tour today, paddling first through the massive floating icefield among towering icebergs to the island overlooking the glacier. Paddle away from Columbia Glacier keeping watch for a variety of marine mammals including harbor seals, sea otters, and maybe a rare glimpse of an orca! Tonight camp in Heather Bay and settle in for some tasty camp cuisine prepared by the guides.
Day 3: Columbia Bay
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Set out from Heather Bay again this morning to explore Columbia Bay in more depth. Cross the main channel of ice escaping over the glacier's moraine. Keep your eyes open for wildlife throughout the day, as it is common to see large groups of sea otters or harbor seals hauled out on the ice in this area or spot an orca trying to find his next meal! Paddle the western coastline of Columbia Bay with a visit to Granite Cove. Camp here if conditions allow.
Day 4: Glacier Island
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Enjoy breakfast this morning and a short hike in the area before setting out on kayaks towards Glacier Island. Explore the bays located along the north side of the island and take advantage of the numerous short hike and beach-combing locations. You can opt to climb one of the ridges for an impressive view of Naked Island, Columbia Glacier, and possibly the snowy peaks of Montague Island. Your guides will prepare a delicious hot meal before camping for the night.
Get an early start today paddling around the corner of Glacier Island to Bull Head. Here you will find a colony of Stellar Sea Lions which can be seen feeding, sleeping and swimming. These great mammals were once thought to be extinct. Also, be on the lookout for puffins and cormorants along the rugged coastline. Stop at one of the beaches for lunch and a hike up through the rainforest. After this break to stretch your legs, paddle off to Chamberlain Bay for more kayaking before your water taxi picks you up to take you back to Valdez this evening. Settle back into Valdez Harbor Inn for the evening.
Day 6: Fly Anchorage | Return Home
Take a local flight this morning to Anchorage. Connect with your flight home or continue with your independent Alaska travels. We would suggest a Denali Backcountry trip to top off your adventures!
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$1,8292-3 travelers
Notes
Select a Date
Rates based on pooled small group tour, max 8 people.
Initial deposit is 30%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. Final payments by credit card may be subject to a 3% surcharge or a maximum $20,000 charge
This was my first experience with Adventure Life - and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. The guides and local staff in both Buenos Aires and Uruguay were terrific - extremely helpful and accommodating. I really enjoyed meeting the friendly staff in Buenos Aires in person (I left my bags with them for the afternoon).
Karen Snider
TrustScore 4.8 | 187 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 187 reviews on
21 hours ago
Adventure Life set us up with great guides and locations, seamless transportation, and good advice. Will work with them again. Thanks
Scott Sepsy
2 days ago
Amazing trip and the best customer service
Liz
3 days ago
Hannah and Nur got the gist of what we wanted our trip to be. They got us in hotels that were located centrally to historic tours. Tours and excursions that were significant, enriching and enjoyable. We had drivers that were on time/reliable. We got from location to location with ease. I would never have been able to plan this myself. I would not have known enough to ask for what we needed. This was above and beyond what I expected. Well done!
Kelly Mattingly
4 days ago
This is at least the fifth trip we have booked with AdventureLife. Jess has always had excellent ideas.