Day 1
FLIGHT TO JUNEAU • JUNEAU TOUR • MENDENHALL GLACIER:
This morning we are transferred to the
Charlotte airport for our flight to Juneau,
Alaska. We come in by plane and we will leave by boat because there are no roads into Juneau, the capital of Alaska. Today we enjoy a tour of Alaska's capital
including the Mendenhall Glacier, and other points of interest. We spend the night in Juneau.
Day 2
INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE TO
SKAGWAY • FREE TIME IN SKAGWAY:
Early this morning we board the Alaska Ferry for a leisurely and memorable cruise on the blue waters of the Inside Passage. Our ferry cruise to Skagway is yet another opportunity for spectacular coastal sightseeing. The scenery is incredible! Mountain peaks, glaciers, whales, and other natural wonders keep us captivated along our journey. We disembark the ferry in Skagway, which was the main point of departure for gold rushers heading for the Yukon. The name Skagway is said to mean “Home of the North Wind.” It is the oldest incorporated town in Alaska. Within Skagway's downtown district false-fronted buildings and boardwalks dating from gold rush times line the streets. We overnight in Skagway.
Day 3
SKAGWAY • WHITEHORSE:
We'll have time to explore the quaint town of Skagway before we travel toward
the Yukon Territory town of Whitehorse,
for our overnight.
Day 4
BACK TO ALASKA • TOK:
You are in for another treat today as we travel along the Alcan Highway through the land of the moose and bear into the true wilds of the great Northwest. We travel to beautiful Lake Kluane, where you might catch a glimpse of some wild sheep high on the sides of towering Sheep Mountain. We bid farewell to the Yukon and re-enter the great state of Alaska! We continue to Tok for our overnight stay.
Day 5
FAIRBANKS • SALMON BAKE:
Sit back and take in the magnificent views of snowcapped mountains and craggy peaks as we travel to Fairbanks. We will travel through Delta Junction, the official end of the Alcan Highway, and on to Big Delta for our first view of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the Tanana River. We'll take time for a stop at North Pole to shop at the Santa Claus House. You may want to mail a Christmas card home from the North Pole while you are here. Tonight you're in for a traditional Alaska salmon bake.
The food is plentiful, so eat hearty! We spend the next two nights in Fairbanks. (D)
Day 6
TANANA RIVER CRUISE • FAIRBANKS CITY TOUR • DINNER - PUMP HOUSE RESTAURANT:
This morning we board the pioneer Binkley
family's sternwheeler riverboat, Discovery, for a cruise of the Chena
and Tanana Rivers. See an authentic trapper's base camp, Indian fish wheels,
sled dogs, and view homesteaders' riverside log homes. We see where Susan Butcher, four time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion lived until her death in 2006. We'll pass famous Cripple Creek of gold rush fame and learn more about Athabascan Indian culture. This afternoon we enjoy an
interesting sightseeing tour of Fairbanks
and the surrounding area. Learn what it takes to survive in an environment that sees the sun for only a small portion of the year. Also tour the University of Alaska Museum, with Indian artifacts, gold, and an eight foot tall brown bear. Dinner today is in a restored pump house, overlooking the Chena River. D
Day 7
DENALI - DENALI NATIONAL PARK • DOG SLED DEMONSTRATION • DINNER:
After breakfast we board our motorcoach for Denali National Park where accommodations are waiting. Denali is the highest peak on our continent, rising to a height of 20,310 feet. We'll arrive at Denali with time to relax and maybe explore the natural beauty of the park or attend the Dog Sled Demonstration. We enjoy dinner together this evening. We spend the next two nights in Denali. (D)
Day 8
DENALI NATIONAL PARK WILDLIFE TOUR - BOX LUNCH:
Early this morning we board a Denali tour bus for an exciting excursion through our nation's most untamed National Park, Denali. Keep a close watch! Chances are good that you'll spot bear, moose, fox, sheep, and other animals along our
route. Hopefully we'll see the top of Mt.
McKinley, so don't forget your camera!
This afternoon we have some free time
to enjoy Denali National Park and the
surrounding area. (L)
Day 9
ALASKA RAILROAD – TRAIN TO
TALKEETNA • ANCHORAGE:
Enjoy
a leisurely morning in Denali then
climb aboard the Alaska Railroad for a
delightful journey to the historic town
of Talkeetna. Talkeetna is a gathering
place for mountaineers from around
the world to challenge Mt. McKinley.
Our train will pass over Hurricane Gulch
and through Broad Pass before arriving
at the railroad station at Talkeetna. The
bridge at Hurricane Gulch spans 918
feet, some 296 feet over the Chulitna
River. After a brief visit we board our
motorcoach and travel the Parks Highway
to Anchorage by way of Wasilla and
Palmer, the supply center for the fertile
farm-filled Matanuska Valley. This area
yields two-thirds of Alaska's agricultural
products. We overnight in Anchorage,
Alaska's largest city for three nights.
Day 10
SEWARD • KENAI FJORDS
NATIONAL PARK BOAT CRUISE •
LUNCH:
This morning we ride along the
Turnagain Arm and make our way south
to the small coastal town of Seward.
Seward is situated at the head of
Resurrection Bay and is known for its
beautiful scenery and as the gateway to
Kenai Fjords National Park. The town
of about 3,000 residents is named
for William H. Seward, the man who
engineered the purchase of Alaska
from Russia in 1867. The town is the
southern terminus of the Alaska
Railroad, dating back to its origins in
the early 1900's. It is also used by
several major cruise lines as a “turn
around” port for their Gulf of Alaska
Cruises. Here we enjoy a boat cruise
of the Kenai Fjords National Park. We'll
be cruising the fjords and passageways
of the peninsula where we hope to see
killer whales, humpback whales, sea
lions, sea otters and also the tufted
puffins. Beautiful scenery awaits us on
this fully narrated visit to the Alaska
Maritime National Wildlife Refuge along
with a light lunch. After our cruise we
return to Anchorage for the night. (L)
Day 11
ANCHORAGE CITY TOUR •
ALASKA WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION CENTER • ALYESKA
AERIAL TRAM • DINNER:
Today we
tour Anchorage, home to nearly half of
Alaska's population. We visit the Alaska
Wildlife Conservation Center dedicated
to conservation, education, and quality
animal care of Alaska's wildlife. AWCC
takes in injured and orphaned animals
year-round and provides spacious
enclosures and quality animal care.
Animals that cannot be released into
the wild are given a permanent home at
the center. Watch the animals display
their natural “wild” behavior. Wood
Bison plod through 65 acres of tidal flat
terrain, as part of a program that will
one day restore the species to the
Alaskan wilderness. We take the Alyeska
Aerial Tram from The Hotel Alyeska to
2,300 ft in elevation and the top of Mt.
Alyeska. From the tram, it's possible
to see miles in all directions including
views of the Turnagain Arm, up to seven
“hanging” glaciers and endless peaks
deep into the Chugach Mountain
range. We travel back to Anchorage.
This evening we enjoy our last included
dinner in Alaska. (D)
Day 12
FLIGHT HOME:
Early this morning
we board our flight back home.
We arrive late this evening.
