In the late afternoon, embark your ship and cruise the lower part of the Willamette River, passing under the many bridges and through the center of picturesque Portland, before reaching the Columbia River.

Begin your journey by navigating the Columbia to the mouth of the river at Astoria. At Fort Clatsop, where the explorers hunkered down for the wet winter of 1805-1806, walk through the full-scale reconstructed fort. Visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum, which chronicles the history of river navigation and this port town. In the afternoon you can choose to visit Cape Disappointment or Zodiac and kayak in the Lewis and Clark Wildlife Refuge, conditions permitting.

Immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels as you explore the scenic Columbia and pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam. Take a steaming cup of coffee to the bow where the naturalists offer honest perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river. In the afternoon, make a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls before an optional hike of iconic Beacon Rock, a basalt column towering 848 feet above the Columbia River. Later, enjoy a private cultural and culinary event at a museum.

Today you'll spend the day cruising through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. The geologists provide a fascinating insight into the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as the food and wine expert illustrates the expression of such unique terrain through its tastes and tannins. Relive the historic tales of the Corps of Discovery through the eyes of a historian as you sail by important landmarks. Or unwind with a massage in preparation for an exciting day ahead.

Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green and purple fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. Wine lovers can spend the day on a taste exploration of this world-renowned area, including a private vineyard tour and a downtown wine walk. Or opt to visit museums, including the Whitman Mission, a standout National Historic Site where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that reverberates in the culture today.

The still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as you set off on the Zodiac and kayak adventures. Visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. These falls and the surrounding canyon with its towering cliffs, cavernous holes in the earth, and winding water routes are part of geologically unique channeled scablands created by ancient floods. Afterward, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.

Today you find ourselves at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into the spectacular, 125-mile Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, mostly inaccessible by road. Observe remnants of the Nez Perce tribe, including ancestral horsetails along the hillsides and petroglyphs on rock formations. In the evening you are joined by a Nez Perce storyteller, and a local winemaker hosts the final tasting as you toast an unforgettable journey before a special final dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for connecting flights home. Choose to fly from nearby Lewiston, Idaho, or travel through the picturesque landscapes of the Palouse to Spokane, Washington, two hours away.