Best of Alaska, Trains, Wildlife & Denali - Cruise Connector

Day 1 Seward or Whittier to Anchorage Option 1. Seward Cruise Ship Terminal to Anchorage | Small Group Tour Disembark the ship and begin your adventure with a short and easy walk to see views of Exit Glacier. Next, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which provides care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife. Here you can safely observe and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land animals including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears and muskox. Take an aerial tram up Alyeska Mountain for views of Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and the endless peaks of the Chugach Mountain Range, then continue to Anchorage to arrive late afternoon. (Lunch is included today) Option 2. Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal to Anchorage | Small Group Tour Disembark the ship to tour north through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel – the longest highway tunnel in North America. Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre which provides care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife. Here you can safely get close, observe, and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land animals including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears, muskox. Then take an aerial tram up Alyeska Mountain for views of Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and the endless peaks of the Chugach Mountain Range. Continue on to Anchorage to arrive late afternoon. (Lunch is included today)

Day 2 Anchorage to Denali National Park Entrance | Alaska Railroad Early this morning take the Denali Star, the Alaska Railroad’s flagship train, in the Goldstar Railcar with service to Denali National Park. Watch for views of Denali and keep an eye out for wildlife. Arrive mid-afternoon; the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy an optional activity. (Breakfast & lunch is included onboard the train today)

Day 3 Denali National Park Backcountry Tour | Coach | Flightseeing This full-day narrated coach trip explores the entire 148 km/92 mi of Denali Park Road on your way to Denali Backcountry Lodge. With multiple stops for wildlife viewing and photography, your experienced driver-guide will help search for grizzly bears, moose, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep while sharing the biology and geology of the area. For the return trip, board a small Alaskan bush plane for a flightseeing tour back to the park entrance where if weather permits, you will fly close to Mount Denali (Lunch & snacks included today between Jun 4 - Sep 12) (Please note during May to Jun 4 this tour does not include the scenic return flight and will be replaced with a shorter 6-7 hour Tundra Wilderness Coach Tour while the road further into the park thaws and dries out.)

Day 4 Denali National Park Entrance to Fairbanks | Alaska Railroad This morning is at leisure to enjoy optional activities such as: whitewater rafting down the Nenana River, helicopter flightseeing over the park, landing on a glacier or hiking. By early afternoon, board Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star Train in the Goldstar Railcar to Fairbanks. Enjoy the late afternoon scenery as you travel north to Fairbanks where your incredible Alaskan adventure ends. (Dinner is included on board the train today)

Day 1 Fairbanks to Denali | Alaska Railroad This morning, board the Denali Star, Alaska Railroad’s flagship train, in the Goldstar Railcar for a scenic journey to Denali National Park. Arrive late morning; the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy an optional activity. (Breakfast included onboard the train today)

Day 2 Denali National Park Backcountry Tour | Coach /Flightseeing This full-day narrated coach trip explores the entire 148 km/92 mi of Denali Park Road on your way to Denali Backcountry Lodge. With multiple stops for wildlife viewing and photography, your experienced driver-guide will help search for grizzly bears, moose, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep while sharing the biology and geology of the area. For the return trip, board a small Alaskan bush plane for a flightseeing tour back to the park entrance where if weather permits, you will fly close to Mount Denali (Lunch & snacks included today between Jun 4 - Sep 12) (Please note during May to Jun 4 this tour does not include the scenic return flight and will be replaced with a shorter 6-7 hour Tundra Wilderness Coach Tour while the road further into the park thaws and dries out.)

Day 3 Denali to Anchorage | Alaska Railroad This morning is open for optional activities such as: whitewater rafting down the Nenana River, helicopter flightseeing over the Park, landing on a glacier, or hiking. At midday, board the Alaska Railroad and travel by Goldstar Railcar for the day trip to Anchorage. As you travel along the Susitna River, you may catch a glimpse of the majestic Mount Denali or grizzly bears & moose along the banks of the river. (Lunch & dinner included onboard the train today)

Day 4 Anchorage to Seward or Whittier Option 1. Anchorage to Seward Cruise Ship Terminal | Small Group Tour Today’s scenic journey takes you along Cook Inlet to the glacier-filled Chugach Mountains. Take an aerial tram up Alyeska for views of Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless peaks, then visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which provides care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife. Here you can safely observe and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land mammals including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears and muskox. If time allows, stop at Exit Glacier for magnificent views before arriving in Seward where you’ll be transferred to the cruise ship terminal. (Lunch is included today) Option 2. Anchorage to Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal | Small Group Tour Today’s scenic journey takes you along Cook Inlet to the glacier-filled Chugach Mountains. Take an aerial tram up Alyeska for views of Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless peaks, then visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to observe and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land mammals. Finally, drive through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel – the longest highway tunnel in North America— to arrive in Whittier where you’ll be transferred to the cruise ship terminal (Lunch is included today)