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Horse riding in the mountains
Flying into Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Gustavus Inn
Ma Johnson’s Hotel
Sitka
Sitka, formerly New Archangel, is flanked by
majestic snow-capped mountains and the Pacific
Ocean. Dating back to 1700 it was once the
capital of Russian America when it was chosen
by the Russian trader and coloniser Alexander
Baranof for his headquarters. Today this interesting
city is a pleasant blend of Tlingit, Russian and
American cultures. The Russian Orthodox
Cathedral of St. Michael holds priceless icons and
other religious treasures, and the nearby Russian
Bishop’s House is a rare example of Russian
colonial architecture. The Sitka National Historical
Park has an excellent collection of totem poles as
well as walking trails through old-growth coastal
forest and a museum that tells of the battles
between the Tlingits and Russians.
Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay National Park
Encompassing more than one million hectares,
Glacier Bay is 144 kilometres northwest of Juneau
in a land comprising three distinct micro-climates
and seven different ecosystems that support a wide
variety of plant and animal life. From endangered
humpback whales and Arctic peregrine falcons to
mountain goats, seals, eagles and black and grizzly
bears, the bay is home to a rich diversity of Alaska’s
wildlife. Earthquakes and climatic fluctuations have
caused the 16 tidewater glaciers to retreat in
recent years and the park is perhaps most famous
for prolific glacier calving. Visitors often hear a
tremendous thundering as great walls of ice come
crashing down into the bay, a magical and
humbling sight.
GLACIER BAY LODGE,
GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK
Nestled between the trees of Bartlett Cove,
Glacier Bay Lodge offers the only accommodation
within Glacier Bay National Park. The lodge basks
in stunning views of the Fairweather Mountains
and is the embarkation point for cruises of the
bay. The guest rooms are dotted amongst the
Sitka spruce trees of the Tongass National Forest,
just a short walk from the main lodge. The lobby
has a massive stone fireplace and lies next to the
excellent Fairweather restaurant.
INNS OF GUSTAVUS,
NEAR GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK
Both the Gustavus Inn and Bear Track Inn are
located in the small community of Gustavus,
gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Gustavus
Inn is an historic homestead dating from 1928.
Overlooking Icy Strait, it is owned and run by the
charming Lesh family who provide comfortable
lodging and delicious home-grown food. Bear
Track Inn is a unique two-storey log building with
14 large rooms. The central sitting room has a
massive fireplace and is the focal point of the inn,
with lovely views of the mountains, forests and
lush meadows. The inn is renowned for serving
mouth-watering halibut, Alaskan spotted prawns
and Dungeness crab. Both lodges offer superb
fishing and hiking, kayaking, whale watching and
glacier cruises in the national park.
Humpback whale
Alaska
Telephone: 01993 838 700
Bear Track Inn, Inns of Gustavus
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