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Grizzly Bear and Cub, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Home Cruises Southeast Alaska Voyage with Paul Goldstein

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Southeast Alaska Voyage with Paul Goldstein

A Steppes exclusive photography voyage where wildlife steers the ship.

  • EXPERT-LED CRUISE
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Start date End date Days
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ex. flights
Single Supplement Tour Expert Group Size Status
02/08/26 13/08/26 12 days £9,650 pp £4,825 Paul Goldstein 11 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place
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Sail southeast Alaska’s ‘panhandle’, the jewel of Alaska’s coastal crown, photographing goosebump-worthy wildlife under the guidance of award-winning photographer, Paul Goldstein.

Guided by Paul, photograph bears at Pack Creek, a protected area for bears for the last 40 years where only 24 people per day are permitted to visit, and Admiralty Island, home to one brown bear for every square mile. Master composition techniques, lighting adaptation, filter use, and capturing moving wildlife with your smartphone or DSLR. Alongside Paul, an expert naturalist will highlight rainforest flora and fauna that would otherwise be missed.

Days are determined by the wildlife, either witnessing humpbacks bubble-net feeding, observing a family of grizzlies feeding on spawning salmon, or watching magnificent tidewater glaciers where harbour seals bask on floating ice, there will be no rush to move on. A ratio of one guide for a maximum of six clients ensures an attentive and relaxed experience throughout the voyage.

Introducing your expert

Paul Goldstein

Paul Goldstein

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Paul is a fierce conservationist, award-winning photographer and guide with a huge following eager for his particular brand of leading. What he always gets are results for his clientele.

The Sunday Times described him as ‘preposterously vivacious, a guide of psychotic gusto’ and they also added ‘no-one will drag you up the wildlife photography ladder quicker.’ The Independent remarked ‘think Gordon Ramsay with cameras, not pots and pans’. A trip with Paul is never dull and always fun, busy and fulfilling.

Why Steppes?

Key Highlights of this Itinerary

Paul Goldstein 1

Expert tuition from Paul Goldstein

Photograph the outstanding wildlife of Alaska’s Inside Passage with the guidance of expert photographer Paul Goldstein.

Grizzly Bear Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska 2

Bear Viewing

Visit Alaska’s best brown bear viewing locations on Admiralty Island and Anan Creek.

Island Roamer, British Columbia, Canada 3

Exclusivity on Island Roamer

With a maximum of 11 clients, access permit-only locations that larger vessels cannot access.

Humpback Bubble-Net Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska 4

Whale Bubble-Net Feeding

Sail through Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait, core feeding areas for humpback whales.

Explore our suggested itinerary

Map View List View

  • Day 1

    Vancouver to Prince Rupert

  • Day 2

    Prince Rupert to Alaska

  • Days 3-5

    Sailing southeast Alaska

  • Days 6-7

    Alaska - Days Onboard

  • Days 8-11

    Sailing southeast Alaska

  • Day 12

    Petersburg to Seattle

Day 1

Vancouver to Prince Rupert

Arrive into Vancouver and make your way to the domestic terminal for your flight to Prince Rupert airport, located on Digby Island. Meet with Paul Goldstein, your guide and host for the next 11 days and overnight on the island.

Day 2

Prince Rupert to Alaska

Travel to Cow Bat Marina this morning to board the Island Roamer. Settle into your cabin and meet with the crew for a short welcome briefing before setting sail towards the islands of Chatham Sounds. The entrance to Portland Canal marks the border between Alaska and British Columbia. Sailing past Misty Fjords National Monument, take in first sights of dramatic snow-capped mountains. Paul will give a welcome briefing and presentation this evening with time for a Q&A.

Days 3-5

Sailing southeast Alaska

Over the next three days, sail through Southeast Alaska, pausing in Ketchikan to clear customs before continuing to Anan Bay, where bears, eagles and seals gather for the salmon run. From the US Forest Service observatory, watch black and brown bears fishing in the river, then spend a day with a local guide at Le Conte Glacier, Alaska’s southernmost tidewater glacier, renowned for dramatic ice calving and its setting near the bird-rich Stikine River estuary.

Days 6-7

Alaska - Days Onboard

Over two days, your cruise follows a flexible rhythm designed to maximise wildlife encounters. Early risers might kayak before breakfast, with mornings and afternoons devoted to shore excursions or sailing in search of whales and bears. The yacht pauses whenever wildlife appears, while the crew and naturalist share insights and offer photographic guidance. With no fixed route, each day adapts to conditions and sightings, ending with an evening review of the highlights.

Days 8-11

Sailing southeast Alaska

Over the next four days, sail through Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait, the core feeding grounds of humpback whales, where daily sightings are likely and our naturalist explains their remarkable feeding behaviours. Continue to Admiralty Island National Monument, home to North America’s highest concentration of brown bears and eagles, with evenings spent in sheltered anchorages watching for wildlife along the shoreline. A highlight is Pack Creek, a protected bear-viewing area in a tidewater estuary where only a small number of visitors are permitted each day, offering an intimate and unforgettable encounter.

Day 12

Petersburg to Seattle

Sail into Petersburg, known as ‘little Norway’ where you will disembark for some time at leisure before flying to Seattle and onward travel.

Our travel experts can tailor this itinerary to suit you.

Speak to our experts
Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Bald Eagle, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Bald Eagle, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Grizzly Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Grizzly Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Photograph of Whales taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Photograph of Whales taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Unique Voyage

Exclusivity and Expertise

With the Island Roamer exclusively chartered by us and expert photographer Paul Goldstein as our host, this is a unique and unparalleled voyage that can’t be booked elsewhere. You’ll travel with like-minded Steppes clients all looking for outstanding wildlife encounters. We have deliberately limited the number joining this group to 11 people plus your crew and Paul, ensuring insightful narrative and detailed photography tuition on all the wildlife seen.

Bear and Cub, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Bear and Cub, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Bubble-Net Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Bubble-Net Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Bear Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Bear Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Wilderness and Wildlife

Humpbacks and Bears

See pods of humpbacks bubble-net feeding in Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait, and visit Admiralty Island National Monument which has the highest concentration of brown bears and eagles in North America. Work with Paul to prep your camera for bear-viewing at Anan Creek, only accessible with a valid permit and home to the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska; one of the highlights of the trip. With an Alaskan guide, visit LeConte Glacier, the southernmost tidewater glacier in Alaska where massive ice slabs calve into the ocean. Located by the Stikine River estuary, it’s a vital stop for millions of migratory birds.

Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Humpback Whale, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Grizzly Bear Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Grizzly Bear Salmon Feeding, taken by Paul Goldstein, Alaska
Wildlife-led

Flexible Days

Dedicated to megafauna, this voyage has no fixed schedule and is dictated by the wildlife. The crew will continuously monitor and predict wildlife routes to maximise the time spent viewing and photographing the whales and bears. Each evening, join the ‘chart talk’ when the skipper and naturalist will review the areas visited and species seen throughout the day. During shore or zodiac excursions, the naturalist will point out the coastal plants, animals, birds and marine life of southeast Alaska. Each night, anchor in a different bay, ready for more wildlife viewing the following morning.

Bear near Island Roamer, Photographed by Paul Goldstein, BC
Bear & Island Roamer, Photographed by Paul Goldstein, BC
Island Roamer Salon, Great Bear Rainforest
Island Roamer
Island Roamer Wheelhouse, Great Bear Rainforest, Canada
Island Roamer
Accommodation

Island Roamer

Spend 10 nights on the Island Roamer, a beautiful 69-foot yacht designed to navigate the coastal inlets and fjords around British Columbia and Alaska’s Inside Passage. She is a working yacht, so space inside is cosy but perfectly comfortable. All eight cabins have adequate storage and electricity, allowing you to charge your camera batteries ready for the next day. There are three shared bathrooms, a comfortable salon, a natural history library and a large deck house to maximise wildlife viewing. Access to the onboard kayaks offers additional wildlife viewing in narrow creeks that cannot be reached by the yacht.

Group Tour FAQs

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Why travel with Steppes Travel to see bears in Alaska?

This trip is exclusive to Steppes, so you’ll join like-minded Steppes clients all looking for outstanding wildlife experiences. A unique opportunity to travel to an area with the highest concentration of brown bears in North America and key feeding spots for humpback whales. As well as the wildlife, it’s the expertise of Paul and the crew who really take this trip up a notch, providing context and knowledge that you can’t get from a guide book. We have deliberately limited the number joining this group to 11 people plus your crew and photographic leader, Paul Goldstein, so you can be assured of receiving personalised and insightful narrative on all the wildlife seen.

What wildlife might I see?

Alaska’s Inside Passage is home to humpback whales, moose, bald eagles, and both black and brown (grizzly) bears. In fact, Admiralty Island National Monument has the highest concentration of brown bears and eagles in North America. As with any wildlife viewing, there are no guarantees, however, with an experienced naturalist guide onboard we won’t leave anything to luck.

What happens on a typical day?

Most days will be active, spent in search of wildlife, with plenty of time to photograph wildlife. Early morning and late afternoon light is perfect for photography so there will be some early starts in order to try and get the best sightings and shots. If you are an early riser, there will usually be the opportunity for a morning kayak before breakfast. The crew will explain all the places that you are passing and all the species that you might see flying, swimming, or walking near the vessel. If something is of interest, there will be the choice to slow down or stop as there is no hurry.

Is August a good time to travel to Alaska?

August is an excellent time to see bears in Alaska. Grizzly and black bears gather along rivers and creeks to fish for salmon and forage on wild berries, making encounters especially rewarding at this time of year.

Do you have to be an experienced photographer to join this tour?

Whether you have a simple point and shoot camera or a sophisticated SLR, Paul Goldstein will be on hand to give you tips on how to improve your photography skills. Therefore, you don’t need to be an experienced photographer to join. The maximum group size of just 11 people will allow Paul time to spend time with you at the different locations to help you get the perfect shot and develop your wildlife photography skills.

Do I need to be physically fit to enjoy this tour?

The on-shore terrain may be uneven, so a certain level of mobility is required.

Is this tour suitable for solo travellers?

Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places does provide security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of our tour experts.

If you are willing to share, we will always do our best to match you up with another solo traveller of the same sex so that you do not have to pay for a single room.

If you would prefer the privacy of your own room and would like this guaranteed, then the single room price supplement of £4,675 will apply.

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Includes / Excludes

Important Information

Activity Level
Moderate Activity
Single Supplement

Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.

Flexibility

To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.

What is included

  • Accompanied by expert guide and wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein
  • Domestic flights between Vancouver and Prince Rupert and Petersberg and Seattle
  • 1 night pre cruise bed and breakfast accommodation in Prince Rupert
  • 11 night voyage onboard Island Roamer on a full board basis
  • Onboard expedition leader and expert naturalist guide
  • Carbon offsetting of all your flights via World Land Trust, based on travel in economy class
  • All excursions and landings
  • Port fees and all permits to access visited areas
  • Group transfers throughout

What is excluded

  • International flights
  • Visa
  • Gratuities
  • Travel insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Luggage aboard Alaska Air flight – may be added locally at USD $35 per checked bag
  • Meals in Vancouver

Why a Steppes expert-led group tour

1.Experience matters

We have been running insightful and groundbreaking group tours since our inception in 1989. We have worked with institutions such as the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum and run wildlife tours in conjunction with conservation agencies such as Fauna & Flora International, Wildlife Conservation Society, the Orangutan Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Jane Goodall Institute.

2.Like-minded travellers

Steppes Travellers are like-minded people; interesting, interested and curious. Our group tours, usually consisting of eight to ten travellers, aim to create an easy and informal atmosphere – we have a lot of fun on our tours and many friendships have been formed.

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4.Peace of mind

When you travel on one of our group tours, you will be looked after by our local agents and your tour expert with the back-up of our 24-hour emergency number and duty manager. All our holidays are fully bonded and protected – our ATOL number is ATOL 6495.

3.It’s about who you know

We have developed an enviable pool of expertise from which to choose our tour experts, who we carefully select based on their knowledge, companionship and personality. Often, these experts can use their influence to facilitate private access to sites not typically open to the public.

Other available dates

For further information about any of these tours please call 01285 880 980

Start date End date Days
Prices from
ex. flights
Tour Expert Group Size Status
02/08/26 13/08/26 12 days £9,650 pp Paul Goldstein 11 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place

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