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.
