Day 1 – Fly to Anchorage: Your flight to the “Land of the Midnight Sun” takes you to Anchorage, Alaska, where your Tour Manager greets you at the hotel at 6:00 p.m. The first day of travel will come to a quiet close as you explore the new surroundings and prepare for our adventure.
Day 2 – Alaska Railroad and Alaska Cabin Nite: This morning, climb aboard the Alaska Railroad for a scenic ride to the quaint town of Talkeetna. Watch for glimpses of McKinley and the rest of the Alaska Range through the stands of spruce and pine. Enjoy lunch on your own in this sleepy frontier town which is the jumping off point for those climbers wishing to tackle Denali. Later, continue up the George Parks Highway to Denali National Park. Arrive at Denali with time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the park. Later, sample Alaskan cuisine at Alaska Cabin Nite where you’ll enjoy an all-you-can-eat dinner. Then sit back for a hilarious show of tall tales, fun songs and foot-stompin’ music. Meals: B, D
Day 3 – Denali National Park: An experienced local guide conducts today’s Natural History Tour of Denali National Park. Weather permitting, see North America’s tallest mountain - Mt. McKinley. Be on the lookout for the caribou, moose, grizzlies, wolves and Dall sheep that inhabit the park. You’ll learn about Denali’s varied and interesting collection of birdlife as well as the over 650 species of flowering plants. Meals: B, Box Lunch
Day 4 – Denali Optional Tours and Alaska Salmonbake Dinner with Show: This morning is free in Denali to take advantage of the optional excursions available here. You may wish to take an optional “flightseeing” trip on a helicopter through Denali National Park, or a river float trip on the Nenana River. Later, continue up the George Parks Highway to Fairbanks. Dinner tonight takes place at Pioneer Park. A delightful array of Alaskan specialties are served featuring king salmon and halibut. Entertainment this evening is at the Palace Theater with a musical revue presenting Golden Heart Review. Meals: B, D
Day 5 – Fairbanks: This morning, tour the city of Fairbanks. Enjoy the colorful past and exciting present in Alaska’s second largest city. Then, cast off aboard Riverboat Discovery, the only authentic sternwheeler in Alaska. Your narrated cruise takes you to Old Chena Village where native Alaskan guides show the culture and lifestyle of the original Alaskans. After lunch, you can join a group on an optional visit to the El Dorado Gold Camp for a rail journey through an old mining camp. Here you’ll be able to try your hand at gold panning in an authentic setting. Meal: B
Day 6 – Alaska Highway to Valdez: Leave Fairbanks this morning and travel south along the Alaska Highway toward Valdez. Follow the route of the Alaska Pipeline and stop at historic Rika’s Roadhouse. This well-known gathering place for long-ago traders, gold miners and trappers offers modern-day travelers a glance into Alaska’s past. Admire the towering Chugach Mountains as you travel through Thompson Pass on your way to Valdez. Stop at Worthington Glacier for a close look at this massive ice floe before arriving at your hotel for the next two nights. Meal: B
Day 7 – Prince William Sound Cruising: Valdez, known as the “Switzerland of Alaska,” is the southern terminus of the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Today, cruise through the glacier-carved fjords and passageways of Prince William Sound aboard the Valdez Spirit. Enjoy lunch on board as you view sea lions, whales and puffins along the majestic beauty of Alaska’s rugged shoreline. Meals: B, L
Day 8 – Anchorage: After breakfast, travel to Anchorage via the Glenn Highway. Sandwiched between two mountain ranges, the Talkeetna to the north and the Chugach to the south, this highway is filled with scenic beauty. Pass through the agriculturally rich Mat-Su Valley before arriving in Anchorage. A brief city tour introduces you to Alaska’s largest city. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner, which provides an opportunity to reminisce about your exciting journey. Meals: B, D
Day 9 – Anchorage: Today you’ll say good-bye to Alaska – land of mountain peaks, mighty rivers and spectacular glaciers. Share your memories of Alaska The Great Land with your family and friends at home. Meal: B |
