Pacific Northwest
45° 22′ N 121° 41′ W
Columbia and Snake Rivers Journey
Highlights
Sail in the wake of Lewis and Clark and their legendary Corps of Discovery expedition with expert insight from an onboard historian
Take a jet boat into stunning Hells Canyon and sail through the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, where waterfalls plunge from cliffs thousands of feet high
Taste the bounty of the region through their fresh, local, and delectable cuisine and award-winning wines
Choose to experience the region up close at water level, on Zodiac and kayak forays on the Palouse River, or by hiking monumental Beacon Rock
Transit a series of eight locks that lift the ship 700 feet—10 times the elevation of the Panama Canal
Day by Day
Discover this remarkable region on a comprehensive expedition in spring or fall. Spring departures celebrate the region in bloom and include a special visit to the rolling hills of Walla Walla. In the fall, witness the bountiful harvest and the changing leaves as we sail upriver to explore Astoria.
Multiple routes available
Some departures follow a modified itinerary. Please refer to departure dates for exact routing of your departure.
Spring (Eastbound)
Portland, Oregon
Clarkston, Washington
Day 1
Portland, Oregon
Arrive in Portland, on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in the shadow of snow-capped Mt. Hood. This afternoon, board our ship and discover why Portland is nicknamed “Bridgetown” as we sail under eight of the city’s 12 eclectic bridges along the Willamette, the first of five rivers we will encounter on this voyage. Dinner is included this evening.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 1
Portland, OregonArrive in Portland, on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in the shadow of snow-capped Mt. Hood. This afternoon, board our ship and discover why Portland is nicknamed “Bridgetown” as we sail under eight of the city’s 12 eclectic bridges along the Willamette, the first of five rivers we will encounter on this voyage. Dinner is included this evening.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 2-3
Columbia River Gorge / Hood River / The Dalles
Over two days immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels. Explore the Columbia River Gorge with a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum. Take in, or hike, iconic Beacon Rock, the 848-foot basalt column where Lewis and Clark first noticed the tides affecting the water levels in the Columbia River, more than 120 miles from its mouth.
Reflect on Lewis and Clark's enduring spirit of discovery on a visit to the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum, home to one of the largest collections of still-functioning antique cars and planes in the country, or on a trek through the Twin Mosier Tunnels on the historic Columbia River Highway. Experience engineering at a colossal scale as we pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam.
Taste the bounty of the region in the golden Hood River Valley, located in the shadows of Mount Hood. The valley is known for its fruit-growing orchards—including one of the world’s largest pear-growing areas. We'll tour its famous “fruit loop,” dropping in at a local farm to learn about organic farming and meet their charming farm animals.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 2-3
Columbia River Gorge / Hood River / The DallesOver two days immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels. Explore the Columbia River Gorge with a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum. Take in, or hike, iconic Beacon Rock, the 848-foot basalt column where Lewis and Clark first noticed the tides affecting the water levels in the Columbia River, more than 120 miles from its mouth.
Reflect on Lewis and Clark's enduring spirit of discovery on a visit to the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum, home to one of the largest collections of still-functioning antique cars and planes in the country, or on a trek through the Twin Mosier Tunnels on the historic Columbia River Highway. Experience engineering at a colossal scale as we pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam.
Taste the bounty of the region in the golden Hood River Valley, located in the shadows of Mount Hood. The valley is known for its fruit-growing orchards—including one of the world’s largest pear-growing areas. We'll tour its famous “fruit loop,” dropping in at a local farm to learn about organic farming and meet their charming farm animals.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Cruising
Spend the day on the Columbia River traveling through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia Plateau. Our onboard Geologist and Naturalists will discuss the Columbian basalt flows and the Missoula floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago. As we sail by landmarks from the epic journey of the Corps of Discovery, our Historian will relay their many adventures. This is also a great day to unwind with a massage.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
CruisingSpend the day on the Columbia River traveling through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia Plateau. Our onboard Geologist and Naturalists will discuss the Columbian basalt flows and the Missoula floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago. As we sail by landmarks from the epic journey of the Corps of Discovery, our Historian will relay their many adventures. This is also a great day to unwind with a massage.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Walla Walla, Washington
Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. Now, vineyards are also bringing this area world-wide recognition. Early pioneer history and the friction between Cayuse and missionaries take the spotlight at the Whitman Mission, a National Historic Site. Enjoy lunch and a tasting at a local winery.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Walla Walla, WashingtonDrive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. Now, vineyards are also bringing this area world-wide recognition. Early pioneer history and the friction between Cayuse and missionaries take the spotlight at the Whitman Mission, a National Historic Site. Enjoy lunch and a tasting at a local winery.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Palouse River
The still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as we set off on our Zodiac and kayak adventures, weather permitting. Visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. In spring, the falls are at their peak, fueled by melting snows nearby. These falls and the surrounding canyon with its towering cliffs, cavernous holes in the earth, and winding water routes are part of geologically unique channeled scablands created by ancient floods. Afterwards, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Palouse RiverThe still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as we set off on our Zodiac and kayak adventures, weather permitting. Visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. In spring, the falls are at their peak, fueled by melting snows nearby. These falls and the surrounding canyon with its towering cliffs, cavernous holes in the earth, and winding water routes are part of geologically unique channeled scablands created by ancient floods. Afterwards, sail up the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Clarkston, Washington
Today we find ourselves at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular Hells Canyon, which is mostly inaccessible by road. Carved by the Snake River, this 125-mile canyon is North America’s deepest river gorge. The earliest known settlers here were the Nez Percé tribe. As we travel up the river, we will see remnants of their ancestral horse trails along with pictographs and petroglyphs on rock formations. This evening a local winemaker joins us for a wine tasting and an informative discussion about the unique terroir of the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA, the newest Viticultural Area in the United States.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Clarkston, WashingtonToday we find ourselves at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular Hells Canyon, which is mostly inaccessible by road. Carved by the Snake River, this 125-mile canyon is North America’s deepest river gorge. The earliest known settlers here were the Nez Percé tribe. As we travel up the river, we will see remnants of their ancestral horse trails along with pictographs and petroglyphs on rock formations. This evening a local winemaker joins us for a wine tasting and an informative discussion about the unique terroir of the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA, the newest Viticultural Area in the United States.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Clarkston / Disembark
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for connecting flights home. Choose to fly from nearby Lewiston, Idaho, or travel though the picturesque landscapes of the Palouse to Spokane, Washington, two hours away. Breakfast is included today.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Clarkston / DisembarkAfter breakfast, transfer to the airport for connecting flights home. Choose to fly from nearby Lewiston, Idaho, or travel though the picturesque landscapes of the Palouse to Spokane, Washington, two hours away. Breakfast is included today.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Dates & Rates
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Ships
National Geographic Quest
Guests
100
Cabins
50
National Geographic Quest: Designed for Adventure
Built in 2017, National Geographic Quest is ideal for the fast-moving channels and shallow coves of the Pan-American waters. Her design and engineering were informed by our nearly 40 years of experience in the narrow straits of Alaska, the coast of Costa Rica, and into the gray whale nursery lagoons of Baja.
Examples of features unique to Lindblad Expeditions include twin boarding platforms that enable our team to load two Zodiacs at once, so our guests can get off the ship quickly to take advantage of wildlife sightings and maximize exploring time. She also features a shallow draft, allowing her Captain to navigate the inner reaches and provide more intimate experiences.
Modern, clean-lined, with large expanses of glass to take in the extraordinary views, National Geographic Quest enables guests to see, do, and experience the best of her geographies.
National Geographic Sea Lion
Guests
62
Cabins
31
A U.S.-flagged vessel, she and her sister National Geographic Sea Bird discover domestic waters
Before they built the National Geographic Venture and National Geographic Quest, U.S. shipbuilder Nichols Brothers built the twin ships National Geographic Sea Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird. Nimble, reliable, and intimately scaled, they both continue to sail the waters of the west coast of North America and Central America.
National Geographic Sea Lion accommodates just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins. Her inviting public spaces foster a sense of shipboard life where everyone is integral to the adventure, engendering a rewarding sense of community and esprit de corps. National Geographic writer Andrew Evans called National Geographic Sea Lion the “closest thing to Cousteau’s Calypso” he’s ever had the pleasure to be on.
National Geographic Sea Bird
Guests
62
Cabins
31
American-flagged, she and her sister, National Geographic Sea Lion, are ideal for discovering domestic waters
Before they built the National Geographic Venture and National Geographic Quest, U.S. shipbuilder Nichols Brothers built the twin ships National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion. Nimble, reliable and intimately scaled, they both continue to sail the waters of the west coast of North America and Central America.
With a shallow draft and small size, she can easily reach places inaccessible to larger ships. She can venture into fast-moving channels where whales come to feed, transit a series of locks in the Pacific Northwest, nose up to waterfalls in secluded coves, and sail into protected anchorages in small bays perfect for snorkeling and kayaking.
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Expedition Extensions
Lewiston History and Wine Post-Voyage Extension
2 Days
From
$790
/ per person
Lewiston History and Wine Pre-Voyage Extension
3 Days
From
$990
/ per person
Portland City & Willamette Valley Wine Tour Post-Voyage Extension
2 Days
From
$660
/ per person
Portland City & Willamette Valley Wine Tour Pre-Voyage Extension
2 Days
From
$660
/ per person
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Over 50+ years of exploring, Lindblad Expeditions’ veteran staff and the quality companionship they provide has established the company’s reputation. From expedition leaders to naturalists, most hold advanced degrees and are established authorities in their fields. Some join a few expeditions each year to explore the same sites, some of them spending some time in the field away from rigorous academic work. And others lead expeditions all around the world—with many guests saying, “Where you’re going, we’re going,” and returning time after time to travel with them. Browse our team directory to discover the full cast of expedition staff.
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Travel along the Columbia and Snake rivers as early explorers, settlers, and indigenous peoples did—by waterways that stretch far inland from the Pacific Ocean. Experience the region’s history, harvests and landscapes, as well as fantastic wineries. Enjoy spectacular scenery including views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. Tour museums and historic sites, taste local produce and wines, and actively explore by foot, kayak, Zodiac, and jet boat. A top team—including naturalists, a historian, and a geologist—will illuminate all we see. Take it all in from the unmatched perspective of a nimble, fully-equipped small ship.
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Does not include flight
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View our brochure for more details
Talk to an Expedition Specialist
+1.800.397.3348From
$5,880
/ per person
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
View our brochure for more details