Haines never disappoints! Our guests were welcomed this morning with wonderful weather and great temperatures for our all-day stop in the small town of Haines, Alaska. Located on the mainland and surrounded by vast, stunning, glacially-carved valleys, Haines offers long hikes, spectacular bike rides, and eagle-abundant fly fishing opportunities for all our guests.

Some guests ventured up Mount Riley with a six-mile trek that rewarded us with an overlook of the endless beauty of the surrounding valleys. Others biked along the shoreline to Chilkoot Lake where the tree line was riddled with bald eagles. A bus conveyed our largest group to the Klukwan tour and river raft excursion; this showcased the rich native history of the Tlingit people and swept guests down the silty outflowing of glacial water that runs toward Icy Strait.

For some, today was already the highlight of the trip — and that was before they saw the caviar displayed during our “Taste of Alaska” showcase at cocktail hour. What better way to top it all off than with our famous crab feast, followed by a presentation from seasoned naturalist Sharon Grainger on the history of trade beads along the Pacific Northwest coast.

It’s only day two with our guests aboard National Geographic Sea Lion, and we can’t wait for to see what is in store for the journey ahead!