Giants of The Sea

For most, the concept of Alaskan wildlife doesn't extend beyond polar bears and salmon. But those who venture north know there's nothing like the sight of a 40-ton humpback whale breaking the surface of the water for air. During the summer months, more than 2,000 humpbacks are known to feed in the waters off Alaska, offering visitors plenty of chances to enjoy the splendor of these magnificent giants of the sea.

Putting on A Show

Killer (orca) and beluga whales are equally abundant, as are the sociable Pacific white-sided dolphins, which often entertain with their acrobatic leaps and somersaults. In Prince William Sound, seals and sea lions congregate along the shore and on chunks of glacier ice floating in the water. But the animal that seems to be enjoying itself the most is the irresistible sea otter, which often can be seen swimming on its back or hugging a friend as they frolic together in the water.

Salmon-Rich Waters

Another active denizen of the sea is the salmon, famous for its gravity-defying leaps up waterfalls and streams in order to spawn. While this arduous trek only occurs at the end of an adult salmon's life, it never fails to coincide with feeding time for the brown bears that inhabit the Alaska coastline.

Denali Big Five

Grizzly and black bears can be found farther inland, in places like Denali National Park and Preserve, where a plethora of berries keeps these permanent residents well fed. In addition to bears, Denali is an ideal place to observe the wide-antlered caribou, moose, gray wolves and Dall sheep, the latter identified by its curled horns. Together, these wondrous animals constitute the "Denali Big Five," a sightseer's dream.

Denali Untouched

Located 240 miles north of Anchorage, Denali encompasses six million acres of forests, tundra, glaciers and mountains - that's larger than the entire state of Massachusetts. Yet only 90 miles of main road traverses the park, leaving the moose, caribou, sheep and bears free to roam a wide area of land untouched by man.

Wildlife Sightings

A good pair of binoculars helps with ample opportunities for animal sightings, whether it’s a Grizzly foraging for berries beyond or a Golden Eagle soaring above. In autumn, a ready supply of blueberries, cranberries and crowberries keeps the wildlife active; much like the blooming wildflowers during the summer attracts shutterbugs in search of that perfect shot.

Muldrow Glacier Tundra

Denali is one of the few places where visitors can come in contact with the Alaskan tundra. Meaning a "vast, rolling, treeless plain," the tundra starts at 2,500 feet and extends up and along the massive Alaska Range. Crossing a portion of the tundra is the Muldrow Glacier, which descends 16,000 feet from the upper slopes of Mt. McKinley and comes to within one mile of the park road.

Glacier Bay National Park

Spread across an impressive 3.3-million acres, southeastern Alaska’s  coastal islands, narrow fjords and substantial wildlife offer an inspirational glimpse of the pristine beauty of Glacier Bay National Park.

The highest concentration of tidewater glaciers on the planet can be found here. Access to this natural wonderland is extremely limited and not all cruise lines can offer this access. But as a leader in the business, Princess Cruises is proud to include Glacier Bay on every one of our exclusive Voyage of the Glaciers, Connoisseur cruises and Alaska Cruisetours (combined cruise and land tour) plus on some Inside Passage itineraries.

A Changing Landscape

When John Muir discovered Glacier Bay in 1879, he surveyed the unblemished panorama and declared it "still in the morning of creation." Nearly a century earlier, George Vancouver's ships sailed right past it because a wall of ice sealed off the entrance to the bay. But over the last 200 years, the ice has been steadily receding, revealing a stark landscape that is slowly being taken over by vegetation unable to resist the fresh rock and soil. The result is a lush, temperate rainforest of spruces and hemlocks that carpets large portions of the stunning terrain.