To sail into Glacier Bay is to step back in time. A mere few hundred years ago, the area our ship navigated was covered by solid ice for dozens of miles. As we headed north through the bay, massive snowcapped mountains and bare rock faces tell us the story of a land crafted by ice.

During our morning forest walks, we explored impressive forests and later watched dozens of otters as we departed from the dock. Gloomy Knob and South Marble Island were alight with iconic inhabitants of Alaska: mountain goats, brown bears, and tufted puffins, among others.

With a ship as fine as National Geographic Venture as our exploration platform and incredible weather, our visit to this remote national park exceeded all our expectations.