Arrive in Portland, on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in the shadow of snow-capped Mt. Hood. This afternoon, board the ship and discover why Portland is nicknamed “Bridgetown” as you sail under eight of the city’s 12 eclectic bridges along the Willamette, the first of five rivers you will encounter on this voyage. Dinner is included this evening.  

Over two days immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels. Explore the Columbia River Gorge with a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum. Take in, or hike, iconic Beacon Rock, the 848-foot basalt column where Lewis and Clark first noticed the tides affecting the water levels in the Columbia River, more than 120 miles from its mouth.

Reflect on Lewis and Clark's enduring spirit of discovery on a visit to the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum, home to one of the largest collections of still-functioning antique cars and planes in the country, or on a trek through the Twin Mosier Tunnels on the historic Columbia River Highway. Experience engineering at a colossal scale as you pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam.

Taste the bounty of the region in the golden Hood River Valley, located in the shadows of Mount Hood. The valley is known for its fruit-growing orchards—including one of the world’s largest pear-growing areas. Tour its famous “fruit loop,” dropping in at a local farm to learn about organic farming and meet their charming farm animals.

Spend the day on the Columbia River traveling through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia Plateau. The onboard Geologist and Naturalists will discuss the Columbian basalt flows and the Missoula floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago. As you sail by landmarks from the epic journey of the Corps of Discovery, the Historian will relay their many adventures. This is also a great day to unwind with a massage.  

Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. Now, vineyards are also bringing this area world-wide recognition. Early pioneer history and the friction between Cayuse and missionaries take the spotlight at the Whitman Mission, a National Historic Site. Enjoy lunch and a tasting at a local winery.

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, weather permitting. Visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. In spring, the falls are at their peak, fueled by melting snows nearby. 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. Afterwards, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.  

Today find yourselves at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular Hells Canyon, which is mostly inaccessible by road. Carved by the Snake River, this 125-mile canyon is North America’s deepest river gorge. The earliest known settlers here were the Nez Percé tribe. As you travel up the river, you will see remnants of their ancestral horse trails along with pictographs and petroglyphs on rock formations. This evening a local winemaker joins for a wine tasting and an informative discussion about the unique terroir of the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA, the newest Viticultural Area in the United States.   

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