Alaska Cruise - from Vancouver - 119933

With a population of almost 500,000 Vancouver in British Columbia is the most important port at the Pacific. It is considered to be one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world and, on account of its sheltered location, it has a mild climate all year round. A special attraction at the northern edge of the city is Vancouver's Hausberg Grouse Mountain, which can be reached by a cable-car and has excellent facilities for winter sports and hillwalking as well as a wonderful view of the city. Capilano Suspension Bridge, measuring 137 m in length and suspended 70 m above a river gorge, which visitors can cross, is also nearby. Sights include: Gastown, Stanley Park, Chinatown, Science World, Vancouver Aquarium, Harbour Centre with its viewing platform, the waterfront with a sea bus.

This area measures around 890,000 ha of wilderness and is around 35 km (as the crow flies) from Ketchikan. The wilderness of Alaska is part of the natural heritage of the United States of America. The fjords, with steep cliffs stretching around 900 m high, many turquoise-blue mountain lakes, countless rivers and formidable waterfalls are similar to those found in Scandinavia. The area also boasts a vast variety of wildlife - mountain goats, black and brown bears, river otters, porpoises, whales and sea-lions and many species of birds which can all be found in the thick forests and clear waters off the coast.

The town of Wrangell in South-East Alaska has kept its historic appearance with building facades in the original style. The port is an important centre of trade and transport and represents the gateway to Wrangell Saint Elias National Park, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 19th century the borough was shaken by the second wave of the Gold Rush and served as a way station on the route to inland Canada. Today, the rather quiet town of Wrangell is a destination for nature lovers keen to experience first hand the Le Conte and Shakes glaciers as well as the untouched wilderness of Alaska. In April, the largest population of eagles in North America gathers at the Stikine river delta. Stone carvings (petroglyphs), some of which are around 8,000 years old, can be found not far from Wrangell. Visitors can also marvel at the six totem poles in Wrangell's Totem Park.

Sitka, founded by the Russians in 1804, was the capital of Russian Alaska for a long time. A dormant volcano rises around 1,000 m over the town surrounded by small islands. Sights such as the Russian-Orthodox church and the Russian bishop's house are a reminder of the Russian influence. In the Sitka National Historical Park visitors can see a collection of totem poles, a fort and a reconstruction of the battlefield of 1904. The Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Centre is also situated in this park. Here you can see local artists and craftsmen at work. The Sheldon Jackson Museum provides an insight into the culture of the native peoples and how they have survived the bitter cold climate through the ages. In the Alaska Wildlife Centre meanwhile you can see many native species of animal at close quarters.

The Icy Strait is the most biodiverse marine ecosystem in Alaska and is not far from Glacier Bay National Park, which lies in the south-east of Alaska. Icy Strait is known for its rich diversity of fish species; visitors can watch hump-backed whales, sea-eagles, Steller sea-lions, sea otters and killer whales.

The city by the Bering Sea is famous for two things: first, in the context of the Gold Rush with many relicts from that time bearing silent witness to the era. One very interesting destination is the Inuit village of Teller, where many artefacts dating from the time of the Gold Rush have been preserved. Second, Nome has gained importance in connection with the famous sled-dog race "Iditarod", since it is here that the winner crosses the finishing line with his team of dogs, following around nine or ten days racing. As soon as the winner draws near to the finishing line, a bell rings and all of the town's residents rush out to greet the victor. More than 50 teams of dogs from all over the world take part in the race from Anchorage to Nome.