7 Night Columbia and Snake Rivers Food Wine and History Cruise from Clarkston

Transfer from the airport to Clarkston for embarkation.

Today, explore the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers, more than 450 miles from the sea. Travel by comfortable jet boat into spectacular, 125-mile Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge, mostly inaccessible by road. Observe remnants of the Nez Perce tribe, including ancestral horse trails along the hillsides and petroglyphs on rock formations, while keeping an eye out for the stately and nimble Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

The still water of the Palouse River is the perfect mirror for the surrounding basalt cliffs as you set off on your Zodiac and kayak adventures. Visit Palouse Falls, where waters plunge 200 feet into a churning pool. 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 down the Snake River, enjoying a taste of local specialties.

Drive through some of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, with bright, rolling green and purple fields of sprouting wheat, asparagus, and famous Walla Walla sweet onions. In the morning, discover the thriving art scene on a guided tour, or choose to visit the Whitman Mission, a standout National Historic Site where friction between Native Americans and white missionaries erupted into an event that continues to reverberate in American culture. After lunch at a local winery, explore charming downtown Walla Walla at your leisure, perusing local galleries, sampling sweets at the country's #1 candy store, or popping into cozy tasting rooms.

Spend the day cruising through some of the most scenic and geologically interesting stretches of the Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau. Your geologists provide fascinating insight on the glacial floods that sculpted the landscape 13,000 years ago, as your food and wine expert illustrates the expression of such unique terrain through its tastes and tannins. Relive the historic tales of the Corps of Discovery through the eyes of a historian as you sail by important landmarks. Or unwind with a massage in preparation for an exciting day ahead.

Enjoy a private event at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Take in 15,000 years of cultural history, including indigenous art, and a massive working steam engine. Immerse yourself in natural and man-made marvels as you explore the scenic Columbia River Gorge and pass through Bonneville Lock and Dam. Take a steaming cup of coffee to the bow where your naturalists offer honest perspectives on the controversial history of dams along the river. Make a stop at neck-craning Multnomah Falls before an optional hike of iconic Beacon Rock, a basalt column towering 848 feet above the Columbia River.

Today, navigate the Columbia to the mouth of the river at Astoria. At Cape Disappointment, take in the dramatic scenery where Meriwether Lewis saw the Pacific for the first time in 1805. Walk or enjoy a scenic hike to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center to learn more. In the afternoon, there are several options to explore Astoria-visit the maritime museum to learn about this estuary's navigational hazards and history of shipwrecks, take a shuttle to the Astoria Column, or explore the shops and restaurants on your own. Back onboard, enjoy local beer and oysters provided by Buoy Beer Company.

Arrive in Portland, located in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood, where you'll disembark the ship.