Yokohama - Seward Pacific Ring of Fire: Hokkaido, Aleutian Islands and Alaska - A true explorer trilogy from Asia to Alaska

The main island of Honshu welcomes you to Japan. With its magnificent flora and fauna, Sanriku Fukko National Park will show you unique natural wonders near Miyako. Your motto for the day: discover Japan in an active way – on a coastal hike¹ along rugged cliffs, in the Ryusendo limestone cave¹ or by boat along the impressive coast of the Kitayamazaki Cliffs¹.
 

Still a blank page unfilled by tourism, the northern island of Japan has a number of unfamiliar facets. Famous for abalones and sea urchins, the rugged, small rocky island of Okushiri lies off Hokkaido. Explore the island’s nature with your experts. From Hakodate, your attention turns to the birds and vegetation of Onuma Quasi-National Park¹. Kushiro is your starting point for explorations in the Akan Mashu National Park¹, known for high volcanoes, clear lakes, great forests and Mount Iou – where you will experience bubbling sulphur fumaroles. You can explore the Kushiro-shitsugen wetland¹ by kayak¹ or on an easy hike¹ along wooden plank paths.

After relaxing days at sea pampered with plenty of service and comfort on board, you will sense joy and excitement in the air. Slowly, the contours of a coastline approaches on the horizon as the HANSEATIC inspiration reaches the Aleutian Islands, an extremely remote island arc in the Pacific. It is lonely, vast and unspoilt on the southern edge of the Bering Sea, and nature is still very pristine in these realms. Look forward to gaining many exciting insights on your shore visits and when the HANSEATIC inspiration cruises nimbly through these waters. Go ashore with your experts to trace the history of Adak Island, a former military base that is now practically a ghost town. Things get somewhat livelier as you cruise off Chagulak Island in the company of thousands of petrels. There is a good chance of spotting sea otters, orcas and humpback whales on your flexible route through the tangled maze of the islands. Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island tells the history of Russian America, as Alaska was called until the middle of the 19th century. A hike on Popof Island takes you to the home of bison.

Alaska will satisfy your longing for great adventures in the vast wilderness. On this unforgettable cruise, dreams of discovery come true in an impressive form. When you arrive on the Alaska Peninsula, you will first meet the locals and gain insights into the life of the residents in the small fishing town of Chignik. Will you spot Steller sea lions and horned lions while cruising off the bird-inhabited Kak Island?

With luck, there may even be bear sightings from deck as the HANSEATIC inspiration cruises through Katmai National Park and sets course for secluded bays.

The main town on Kodiak Island was the second largest settlement in Russian America until 1867. Today, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kodiak History Museum are reminders of this time. Discover the charming small Alaskan town on your own. A transfer will take you to Fort Abercrombie State Park¹ – wander through the moss-covered coastal forest past Arctic flower meadows. With luck, you’ll even spot whales off the coast.

Plenty of time for exciting excursions: the HANSEATIC inspiration will be staying in Homer for two days, the starting point for spectacular bear-watching tours in the great outdoors. A seaplane will take you on a panoramic flight to Brooks Falls¹, where you may be lucky enough to see brown bears fishing for salmon. Or you can fly to Lake Clark National Park¹ – where, on a hike with a ranger, you may be able to witness brown bears in their natural habitat. Departing from Homer, you can also discover the unspoilt nature of Alaska on an active hike¹ to the glacial lake or on a boat trip¹.

While cruising at Aialik Glacier, the deck of the HANSEATIC inspiration will once again become your observation platform before the natural spectacles slowly draw to a close and this cruise from Asia to North America comes to an end in Seward.