EXPLORER 16 Days in ALASKA

Nome is a seaport used by freighters and cruise ships, located on the southern side of the Seward Peninsula in Norton Sound, Alaska, just 250km across from Siberian Russia. It was a small Inupiat Eskimo settlement until the discovery of gold in 1898 brought over 20,000 fortune seekers, but most left after 10 years, and today there are approximately 4000 residents with half being Native Americans. Interestingly, Nome is the finish line of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race covering over 1680km across the wilderness from Anchorage. Read more about Nome, USA

Actually the peaks of a submarine mountain range, the Aleutian Islands, part of the U.S. state of Alaska, are now part of the National Wildlife Refuge. They were set aside in 1980 as a 3.3-million-acre unit of the 4.9-million-acre Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Read more about Aleutian Islands, USA

Boston is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts, USA. Calling this quaint and delightful city the 'Athens of America' might seem a bit pretentious, but the city's 19th-century glory radiates through its grand architecture, and its world-renowned academic and cultural institutions. Disastrous 'urban renewal' projects in the 1950s provoked such a furious backlash that Boston now has some of the best preserved historic buildings and neighbourhoods in the country. Read more about Boston, USA

The City of Kodiak is situated on the second largest island in the United States, SW of Anchorage in the Gulf of Alaska. Kodiak Island is famous for huge Kodiak brown bears, elk, Sitka deer (black tail), and mountain goats, all of which invite tourists to the Kodiak Archipelago. The magnificent green that the island turns during the summer is why Kodiak is affectionately called Alaska's Emerald Isle. Read more about Kodiak, USA

Seward is the most often used cruise ship port for Anchorage, Alaska. (Whittier is used by Princess Cruises.) It lies at the head of a fjord that enters the Gulf of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean. Seward is a two to four hour trip by car, bus or train from Anchorage. Read more about Anchorage (Seward), USA

Sitka, the fourth largest city by population in Alaska, is nestled on the west side of Baranof Island, and is thought to be the most beautiful of SE Alaska cities. The flora and fauna of Sitka and its surrounding area are notable attractions. Residents and visitors alike enjoy fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and simply experiencing all this dynamic town has to offer. Read more about Sitka, USA

Sitka, the fourth largest city by population in Alaska, is nestled on the west side of Baranof Island, and is thought to be the most beautiful of SE Alaska cities. The flora and fauna of Sitka and its surrounding area are notable attractions. Residents and visitors alike enjoy fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and simply experiencing all this dynamic town has to offer. Read more about Sitka, USA

Wrangell (pop. 2400) is located on the northern tip of Wrangell Island, an island in the Alaska Panhandle. It lies just south of the estuary of the 610 km Stikine River that empties into the Eastern Passage separating Wrangell Island from the mainland. Read more about Wrangell, USA

Named for the 5th daughter of England's King George III and Queen Charlotte, this rugged outpost provides a gateway into Alaska's outback. Read more about Point Sophia, USA

Vancouver is a sophisticated coastal city located to the south of British Columbia, Canada. The city is linguistically and ethnically diverse as reflected in the fact that 52 percent of its inhabitants do not speak English as their first language. Ranked highly in worldwide ‘liveable city’ rankings for many years and being surrounded by nature’s scenery at its best, makes tourism its second largest industry. Read more about Vancouver, Canada