Day 1 Anchorage | Arrival
Arrive in Anchorage and transfer independently to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to enjoy Alaska’s largest city, set between Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains. Walk part of the coastal trail, explore downtown restaurants and local galleries, or settle in with mountain views as your Alaska vacation begins.
Day 2 Prince William Sound 26 Glacier Cruise | Coach | Alaska Railroad
Travel from Anchorage toward Whittier, following the scenic Turnagain Arm corridor where mountains, tidal flats and coastal water create one of Southcentral Alaska’s classic journeys. Board the Prince William Sound 26 Glacier Cruise and enter a sheltered marine world of fjords, waterfalls, floating ice and tidewater glaciers. As the vessel travels deeper into the sound, watch for sea otters, seals, whales, seabirds, bears and mountain goats, with glacier faces and icefields rising from the surrounding mountains. After returning to Whittier, board Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery train for the scenic evening rail journey back toward Anchorage. (Lunch is included onboard today.)
Day 3 Anchorage to Stillpoint Lodge | Private Charter Floatplane Flight
This morning meet your driver for a private transfer to Lake Hood Floatplane Base. Board your charter flight for the scenic flight over the Kenai Peninsula to the coastal waters of Kachemak Bay. Your pilot will pull alongside the Stillpoint Lodge dock where you will be met by the lodge host. Experience diverse adventures at the lodge: embark on guided hikes, navigate the waters through sea kayaking and paddleboarding, observe nature with bird and whale-watching, or explore tide-pools. For a serene retreat, indulge in massage therapies and rejuvenate with yoga sessions. (Dinner is included today)
Day 4 Stillpoint Lodge | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 7 Excursions
Choose one of the following excursions and spend the day exploring the remarkable landscapes, wildlife and coastal communities surrounding Stillpoint Lodge.
Option 1. Flyout Bear Viewing | Floatplane or Wheeled Aircraft
Depart on a one-hour scenic flight across Cook Inlet to the Alaska Peninsula, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of brown bears. Depending on the season and the bears’ food sources, land near a remote lake or river in Lake Clark or Katmai National Park. Follow your guide to carefully selected viewing locations and observe bears fishing for salmon, foraging along the shoreline and moving through their natural habitat.
Option 2. Saltwater Fishing | Halibut or Salmon
Step aboard at the lodge dock for a full day of saltwater fishing with a professional local crew. Spend part of the day fishing for halibut before targeting one of the region’s salmon species. Depending on the location and conditions, you may also catch rockfish, Pacific cod or lingcod.
Option 3. Boat, Hike and Kayak | Grewingk Glacier Lake
Travel by boat to a secluded trailhead before hiking approximately 4.8 km/3 mi to Grewingk Glacier Lake, where kayaks await. Paddle among floating icebergs and shorebirds as your guide leads you across the lake toward the blue ice of Grewingk Glacier. Watch for moose, black bears, mountain goats and the many bird species found throughout the surrounding valley.
Option 4. Boat and Bike | Remote E-Biking Adventure
Take a 35-minute boat journey through a scenic ocean passage dotted with islands, rocky outcrops and mountain views. After arriving onshore, begin a guided 16 km/10 mi electric-assisted bike ride along a remote coastal road leading to the charming village of Seldovia.
Option 5. Boat and Hike | Grewingk Glacier Lake
Travel by boat to a secluded trailhead and join your guide for a scenic hike of approximately 1.6 km/1 mi to Grewingk Glacier Lake. Admire floating icebergs, meandering rivers, towering mountains and the impressive Grewingk Glacier rising beyond the lake.
Option 6. Wildlife Photo Safari | Boat Cruise
Explore Kachemak Bay, home to an extraordinary range of marine and birdlife supported by its nutrient-rich waters. Cruise around Halibut Cove while watching for orca, minke and humpback whales, along with sea otters, seals, sea lions and coastal birdlife. The constantly changing wildlife and mountain scenery create outstanding photographic opportunities throughout the journey.
Option 7. Alaska Cultural Experience | Homer or Seldovia
Visit Homer or Seldovia, two distinctive maritime communities offering an authentic look at coastal life in Alaska. Learn about the region’s maritime heritage, local culture and contemporary way of life while exploring a community shaped by the surrounding ocean, wilderness and wildlife.
Return to Stillpoint Lodge and recount the day’s adventures during cocktail hour, over a gourmet dinner or later beside the fire. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.)
Day 5 Stillpoint Lodge | Included Activities and Wellness
Enjoy a flexible day experiencing the included activities and amenities at Stillpoint Lodge. Paddle directly from the dock by kayak or paddleboard, join a guided local adventure or eco-tour, or follow a guide along the panoramic Native Trail. Depending on conditions and the lodge schedule, you may also explore the shoreline, watch for local wildlife or discover the intertidal life of Halibut Cove. During your stay, enjoy one included private wellness session, with choices such as massage, yoga or meditation.
You may also enjoy your included private wellness session today, with choices such as massage, yoga or meditation. Relax in the hot tub or sauna, walk the labyrinth, explore the Zen garden, take out a rowboat or SeaCycle, or enjoy the firepit and lawn games. Specialty equipment and adventure gear, including rain gear and rubber boots, are available for use. End your final evening at Stillpoint Lodge with cocktail hour, a gourmet dinner and time beside the fire. Overnight at Stillpoint Lodge. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.)
Day 6 Stillpoint Lodge to Anchorage | Private Charter Floatplane Flight
Spend one last leisurely morning at the lodge, then meet your chartered flight at the dock to board the scenic flight over the Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage. Upon arrival we have included a private transfer to your hotel. (Breakfast is included today)
Day 7 Anchorage to Talkeetna | Alaska Railroad | Denali Flightseeing with Glacier Landing
Depart Anchorage aboard Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star and travel north into the broad, open landscapes of Southcentral Alaska. From your GoldStar dome seat or private outdoor viewing deck, the city quickly gives way to forest, wetlands, braided rivers and mountain horizons. The route follows the Knik Arm area before crossing river country near the Eklutna, Knik and Matanuska rivers, with the Chugach Mountains behind you and the Talkeetna Mountains rising to the north. Continue through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where open sky, distant ridgelines and long stretches of wilderness create a powerful sense of Alaska’s scale. On clear days, watch for Mt. Susitna, known locally as Sleeping Lady, and possible views of Denali as the train approaches Talkeetna and the Susitna River. (Breakfast is included onboard the train today.) Arrive in Talkeetna, a historic Alaska rail town and one of the best gateways for Denali flightseeing. This afternoon, take to the air for an unforgettable Denali Flightseeing experience with a glacier landing, weather permitting. Fly toward the Alaska Range, where rivers, forests and foothills give way to vast glaciers, ice-carved valleys, granite walls and snow-covered peaks. From the aircraft, the scale of Denali and the surrounding mountain world becomes truly dramatic. Land on a glacier for time on the ice, surrounded by the silence, height and beauty of one of Alaska’s most powerful landscapes, before returning to Talkeetna for the evening.
Day 8 Talkeetna to Denali National Park Entrance | Alaska Railroad
Rejoin Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star and continue north from Talkeetna toward Denali National Park Entrance. This is a wilder, more remote stretch of the rail journey, where the line moves beyond the main highway corridor into backcountry landscapes of river valleys, forest, mountain views and open northern sky. Watch for views toward the Alaska Range as the train travels through country shaped by rivers, glaciers and long Alaska winters. On clear days, Denali and the surrounding peaks may appear above the horizon before you arrive near the entrance to Denali National Park. (Lunch is included onboard the train today.)
Day 9 Denali National Park | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 4 Excursions
Today, enjoy a full day in the Denali region and choose the experience that best matches your travel style. Travel the legendary Denali Highway, journey into Denali National Park by coach, or upgrade to flightseeing over the Alaska Range or a helicopter glacier landing.
Option 1. Denali Highway Jeep Excursion | Self-Drive Guided 4x4 Excursion
Ranked #2 in “Drives of a Lifetime” by National Geographic Traveler magazine, experience the natural wonders of Alaska’s Denali Highway - this time by Jeep. This 4-hour guided excursion travels along a 217 km/135 mi gravel road and takes you off the beaten path in a 4x4 to enjoy sweeping views of Denali, the Alaska Range, glaciers, tundra and possible wildlife.
Option 2. Tundra Wilderness Tour | Coach Tour
Travel into Denali National Park on a narrated coach tour along the park road, where the landscape opens into tundra, braided rivers, mountain valleys and wildlife habitat. Watch for moose, caribou, Dall sheep, bears and other wildlife while learning about the park’s geology, ecology and wilderness character.
Option 3. Upgrade Option: Denali Summit Flightseeing | Small Aircraft
Fly toward Denali and the surrounding Alaska Range for a dramatic view of snow-covered peaks, glacier-filled valleys and rugged ridgelines. From the window seat of a small aircraft, this upgrade gives you a powerful sense of the scale of North America’s tallest mountain.
Option 4. Upgrade Option: Denali Glacier Landing | Helicopter
Fly by helicopter across the Denali region toward the Yanert Glacier, passing tundra, mountain terrain and glacier-carved valleys along the way. Land on the glacier for a spectacular high-alpine Alaska experience.
Day 10 Denali National Park Entrance to Fairbanks | Alaska Railroad
Enjoy a relaxed morning near Denali before boarding Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star for the final rail journey north to Fairbanks. The scenery changes again as the train leaves the mountains around Denali and travels into Interior Alaska, where broad river valleys, boreal forest, open sky and northern light give the landscape a quieter, more expansive feel. Settle into the GoldStar dome car, step onto the outdoor viewing deck and watch the route unfold through river country, small communities and remote forest before arriving in Fairbanks, where your Alaska journey comes to an end. (Dinner is included onboard the train today.)