Raft down the gently flowing Chilkat River through a bald eagle preserve known for its virgin wilderness and abundant wildlife. Depart from the pier by coach and drive along the Haines Highway, a stretch of road so beautiful it has been designated a National Scenic Highway. The Highway follows the equally picturesque Chilkat River, the location of your rafting adventure. Upon arrival at the launch site, you will exchange your shoes for rubber boots and receive a life jacket. Following a safety briefing, you will board an 18-foot raft and begin slowly floating down the river. Surrounded by the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, the world's largest concentration of bald eagles, you will no doubt be awed by the natural beauty and serenity. The waters here are teeming with salmon that come here to spawn and their sheer numbers provide an endless supply of food for the eagles. You will have a front-row seat to observe this annual rite of nature, which ensures a healthy and abundant eagle population. The Chilkat Valley is home to 200 to 400 bald eagles, and more than 80 nests have been spotted in the preserve alone. You may also see bears and wolves along the riverbank, feasting on salmon. Enormous moose, some weighing up to 1,600 pounds, also frequent the preserve to feed on the summer vegetation. After approximately an hour and a half on the river, you will find yourself back at the launch site where you will disembark your raft and transfer back to the pier in Haines.

Embrace your inner adventurer by exploring the Alaskan wilds by boat, walking through a rainforest and canoeing near the face of an ancient glacier. The adventure begins by cruising the upper Lynn Canal, North America’s longest and deepest fjord. It’s an incredibly scenic area teeming with wildlife, so watch for breaching whales and frolicking sea lions. After disembarking at the beach at Glacier Point, you will drive through a rainforest and then walk through the wonderfully serene woods. Before long, the gentle trail will open up to a panoramic view of the pristine Davidson River and Davidson Glacier. The glacier is even more unforgettable up close, as you will discover by paddling a canoe toward its sheer face. On the approach, the details will sharpen, and you will enjoy a closer view of the intense blue of the ice, the deep crevasses and the mountain’s granite walls that frame the glacier.

Cruise the finger channels of the meandering Chilkat River in a flat-bottom riverboat, while scanning the bordering bald eagle preserve for America’s majestic national bird. The preserve is massive, and a riverboat offers the only means of accessing this remote portion. No roads exist anywhere nearby, making your adventure all the more exclusive and private. The riverboat is equipped with an eco-friendly motor that allows the guide to hold against the current, giving you the very best photo opportunities. Chances are high that you will observe bald eagles. Moose and bears also flourish here in their natural habitats. Throughout the adventure, the backdrop will be pure Alaskan with towering mountains always looming in the distance. The promise of seeing thundering waterfalls and hanging glaciers adds to the excitement, ensuring that your riverboat cruise will be unforgettable.

Take in the natural beauty of Haines while visiting sites that include an historical fort, a wildlife center devoted to bald eagles and Alaska’s oldest cannery. During the driving tour of Fort William Seward, you will hear how it was built in 1902 as a display of power during a border dispute with Canada. Many of its original buildings remain and have been converted into private residences and art galleries. Later, at the American Bald Eagle Foundation, a wildlife center dedicated to the majestic raptors, you will watch America’s national symbol being fed. You will also observe other birds of prey demonstrate their flying skills, see a wildlife film and snack on fresh-smoked salmon, an Alaskan delicacy locally caught and canned. You will then tour Alaska’s oldest cannery, where you will discover how it has been updated with state-of-the-art equipment like blast freezers and machinery so precise it removes even pin-size bones.

Hike an extraordinarily scenic forest trail near Haines that offers wonderful views of the rugged mountains and pristine Lynn Canal. On the way, you will drive through Fort William Seward, a National Historic Landmark. To enhance the experience, a guide will regale you with stories about the history of Haines, its role in the gold rush and the influence of the native Tlingits, who first settled here. You will soon arrive at a trailhead that leads to some of the most spectacular scenery around Haines. The views of Lynn Canal, the longest and deepest fjord in North America, will be breathtaking. The waterway served as the main route to the Yukon, where gold was discovered in 1896. As you make your way down the trail, look for wildlife that abounds in this area, including soaring eagles, playful seals, huge moose and even humpback whales breaching the surface of Lynn Canal.