When you arrive in Gustavus, a friendly staff member of our team will pick you up at the airport and bring you to the lodge and take your luggage to your room(s). You will arrive in the afternoon and most guests really enjoy this time, they breathe in the fresh air and decompress from the travels while enjoying the afternoon snack time that we offer at the lodge. This afternoon period is great as you unpack, eat a snack, and become familiar with our accommodations and lodge property while you wait for dinner time.

Join us on The Baranof Wind Glacier Tour, an 8 hour cruise aboard a 149 passenger high-speed catamaran. The tour itinerary covers the west arm of Glacier Bay National Park and highlights the natural history, wildlife, geography, and tidewater glaciers of the area. Spend the day on the waters of Glacier Bay and see magnificent tidewater glaciers, towering snow-capped mountains, spectacular wildlife, whales, sea lions, rare birds, black bear, brown bears, seals, eagles, and much more along mile after mile of pristine coastline. A knowledgeable Park Naturalist narrates the tour and answers your questions. This is a wonderful family trip! Lunch is included and served on board with additional snacks and beverages available from the concessionaire.

Explore the beautiful outer coastal waters of Glacier Bay National Park on a 40 ft private vessel. On this full day tour you will venture out of Glacier Bay proper, and head up through North Pass and past Dundas Bay, scanning the beaches along the way for bears, wolves, moose, etc. along the shore.

Near the North Inian Islands we will visit the sea lion rookery and observe the abundant marine wildlife in the area. If you’re interested, we may stop at George Island to hike up the trail beginning at Granite Cove up to the old WW2 cannon still perched on the hillside.

After passing the Cape Spencer Lighthouse we may cruise along Dick’s Arm in search of marine and land wildlife. We’ll enjoy the flora and fauna near Graves Arm and if weather permits, we’d enjoy the beautiful area of the Boussole Bay inner lagoon followed by the spectacular rock formations off the Astrolabe Peninsula. Weather permitting we’ll enjoy the beautiful sights of the Brady Glacier and Ice Fields along with the stunning views of the Fairweather Mountain Range towering over the ocean.

On the return journey, if time permits, we could make a brief stop in Elfin Cove to enjoy a short tour of the small community and then continue our return to Bartlett Cove.

Combining a private tour of Glacier Bay National Park along with kayaking through the icebergs and to the McBride Glacier is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity not many get to enjoy and one you don’t want to miss.

Departing Barrtlet cove we load the kayaks onto the boat and head into the park. Soon leaving the main channel and the many cruise ships that venture into the west arm of the park we venture into the less traveled east arm to give you a chance to see the park with few other human travelers.

Passing through the many beautiful sights and the wildlife of the park we soon arrive at the entrance to the McBride Glacier where we anchor the boat and launch the kayaks. If our timing is good we leisurely  kayak with  the incoming tide through the ice stopping often to explore the many shapes and brilliant blue colors of the floating ice past the harbor seals. Through the canyon walls left behind from the receding glacier and past the water cascading from the mountain into the bay to the magnificent Glacier itself. Staying a safe distance from the glacier we wait to hear the thundering sounds of the ice falling from the glacier and crashing into the water. Often turning what was a calm bay into a washing machine of small waves as they bounce off the rocky sides of the canyon.

Unfortunately, at some point, the adventure must come to an end. You will be taken to the airport and checked in for your flights by a staff member.  We will help you load your luggage and any fish boxes you may be taking home. The flight from Gustavus to Juneau is scenic and enjoyable.