Day 1 Anchorage to Seward | Alaska Railroad | Kenai Fjord Cruise
Board the Coastal Classic Train in the Goldstar Railcar for a breathtaking ride to Seward. This scenic journey takes you along Cook Inlet and into the glacier-filled Chugach Mountains. Upon arrival in Seward, transfer by shuttle to the small boat harbour for a 6-hour cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park. The park boasts abundant wildlife, alpine and tidewater glaciers, and breathtaking scenery. As you cruise through Resurrection Bay, keep watch for Steller sea lions, seals, puffins, eagles and whales. Cruise past the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, home to a large variety of birds, on your way to either the Holgate or Aialik Glacier. You will stop in front of the glacier to hear it moving and possibly see ice fall into the ocean. Enjoy lunch onboard. (Breakfast & lunch is included today)
Day 2 Seward | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 11 Excursions
Today you can personalize your day by choosing one of these excursions
Option 1. Tonsina Point Resurrection Bay Kayaking Adventure
Resurrection Bay is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and home to several Alaska state parks that offer abundant opportunities to hike, sea kayak and explore!
Option 2. Bear Lake Kayak | Canoe Trip
Kayak or canoe on this scenic local lake with fun-loving guides. Bear Lake is located just outside Seward, Alaska and normally offers flat calm waters, and a home for Sockeye salmon. On the way there is a stop to visit the salmon weir and learn about their life cycle. Eagles, loons, and bears are often seen while on this adventure
Option 3. Wilderness Dog Sled Ride Tour
Visit the Seavey Family Homestead in Seward and tour the beautiful tether free summer camp for Iditarod athletes! Meet the dogs, feel their excitement as teams are hitched to comfortable summer sleds, then mush for two miles through the scenic rainforest.
Option 4. Resurrection Bay Wildlife Tour
Admire the icy blue waters of Resurrection Bay as your boat glides past glaciers, snowcapped mountains, and dramatic cliffs. On this 5-hour Kenai Fjords cruise, watch for whales, puffins, and otters with a wildlife guide. Visit Fox Island for a delicious lunch at a private lodge and enjoy skipping stones at a pebble beach. Learn about the area’s natural history during this unforgettable Resurrection Bay adventure.
Option 5. Exit Glacier Hike
This moderate hiking adventure is great for viewing the jewel of the Resurrection River Valley - Exit Glacier. This massive wall of blue ice descends the mountainside from the Harding Ice Field, down to the Resurrection River.
Option 6. Upgrade Option: Guided Walking Salmon Fishing - Seward Area
Experience the thrill of a guided walking salmon fishing tour in Seward, Alaska. Stroll along scenic rivers and streams with an expert guide who will help you reel in the catch of the day. Learn about local fishing techniques while surrounded by stunning Alaskan wilderness. Perfect for all skill levels, this adventure offers an authentic taste of Alaska’s fishing heritage in one of its most picturesque settings.
Option 7. Upgrade Option: Bear Glacier Iceberg Kayaking Adventure
Explore the massive icebergs deposited by Bear Glacier, the largest glacier of the Harding Icefield, from the comfort of your kayaks. Enjoy the stability of your boats as you glide through the glacier’s calm lagoon, navigating a maze of floating ice. The lagoon’s features change daily, and your guide will select the best route. Wildlife sightings, including harbor seals and black bears, are also likely on this adventure.
Option 8. Upgrade Option: Helicopter Bear Glacier Flight with Landing
Fly into Kenai Fjords National Park for a breathtaking flight over Bear Glacier, showcasing its massive crevasses and iceberg-filled lagoon. Land on the shore to spend 35 minutes exploring with a pilot/guide. This is a unique opportunity to explore a remote Alaskan beach, hear and see the actively calving glacier, and interact with icebergs near the shore. Moose, Dall sheep, marine wildlife, and black bears are often spotted on this tour.
Option 9. Upgrade Option: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsled
Experience the thrill of mushing your own sled-dog team on real snow in summer. Begin with a helicopter ride over glaciers, spotting wildlife like moose and bears. Land on a glacier and enjoy an hour with an Alaskan Champion dogsled team, operated by 6-time Iditarod Champion Dallas Seavey.
Option 10. Upgrade Option: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsled with Bear Glacier Tour
Experience the thrill of mushing your own sled-dog team on real snow in summer. Begin with a helicopter ride over glaciers, spotting wildlife like moose and bears. Land on a glacier and enjoy an hour with an Alaskan Champion dogsled team, operated by 6-time Iditarod Champion Dallas Seavey. Then, soar across Resurrection Bay into Kenai Fjords National Park to explore Bear Glacier, with its massive icebergs and calving glacier
Option 11. Upgrade Option: Helicopter Bear Glacier Iceberg, Kayaking Adventure
Experience the ultimate Alaskan adventure by escaping the crowds and discovering an untouched gem. Start with a scenic helicopter ride over mountains and glaciers, then kayak through a freshwater lagoon filled with monumental icebergs. Bear Glacier, one of the largest off the Harding Ice Field in Kenai Fjords National Park, offers a unique and dynamic environment, where seals and bears can be spotted. Routes vary based on current ice conditions, ensuring each trip is a one-of-a-kind experience.
Day 3 Seward to Anchorage | Private Transfer | Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise | Alaska Railroad
This morning set off on a private transfer to Whittier. Along the way, we will experience the famous Anton Memorial Tunnel - the longest one-lane highway tunnel in North America which is shared with Alaska Railroad. In Whittier, board the 26 Glacier Cruise and cruise deep into Prince William Sound where you will see 26 named glaciers and many more unnamed. Get face to face with these towering masses of ice, so close you can “hear” the glaciers move and gaze at their brilliant blue hues. On the 26 Glacier Cruise, you’ll see several types of glaciers, including Alpine hanging, Piedmont and Tidewater. Glacier calvings (when broken pieces of ice fall into the water and become icebergs) are normally seen on each cruise. Lunch is included onboard. Back in Whittier, we board the Alaskan Railroad’s Glacier Discovery for our final leg of the tour to Anchorage.
Day 4 Anchorage | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 10 Excursions
Today you can personalize your day by choosing one of these excursions
Option 1. Anchorage Brew Tour
Get the inside scoop on Anchorage’s beer culture and brewery history on a half-day guided tour. Sample six tasty offerings at three different venues, including three classic breweries that you’re sure to enjoy.
Option 2. Turnagain Arm Wildlife Tour with Alyeska Tram
This full day tour from Anchorage includes an aerial tram ride up Mt. Alyeska, fresh lunch in Girdwood and tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center home to moose, brown and black bears, wolves, bald eagles, musk oxen, and reindeer, giving guests an opportunity to view each species up close.
Option 3. Hatcher Pass Hike and History Tour
This half-day afternoon excursion from Anchorage includes a local guide, a tour at Independence Mine State Historical Park, gold panning and an interpretive hike along the Mill Loop Trail (an easy .9-mile train with 177-feet of elevation gain). Travel along the Knik Arm, ascend into the Talkeetna Mountains and witness the breathtaking alpine area known as Hatcher Pass.
Option 4. Anchorage Flightseeing Safari
View Alaska’s largest city from above! On this 30-minute introductory flight, you’ll launch from Lake Hood and fly to some of the most scenic sites in the area. Options include the stunning backdrop of Anchorage, the Chugach Mountain Range, Turnagain Arm or the Cook Inlet – all with great opportunities to spot wildlife from the air. Please note that wheeled planes may be used early and late season.
Option 5. Sunset Photo Safari
Chase the best light of the day, which during summer in Alaska can last for several glorious hours before sunset. You’ll be transported to scenic locations around Anchorage and Chugach State Park to shoot a variety of enchanting subjects. The itinerary is flexible and allows for spontaneous stops to photograph wildlife enroute. Along the way, you’ll be offered creative and technical support from your Alaska Photo Treks guide
Option 6. Anchorage Scenic City Tour
Embark on a historical tour starting in downtown Anchorage, where you’ll explore the origins of the city at Ship Creek. Witness Chinook salmon in the world’s only urban King salmon fishery. Discover Dena’ina heritage, visit Earthquake Park, and experience the world’s busiest seaplane base at Lake Hood. Conclude with panoramic views from Anchorage’s Hillside, where wildlife sightings, including moose and eagles, are possible.
Option 7. Instalaska Smartphone Turnagain Tour
Experience a thrilling smartphone photography tour that takes you from downtown Anchorage along the scenic Seward Highway. Capture stunning panoramas of Turnagain Arm, surrounded by towering mountains. Discover a variety of photo opportunities, from breathtaking landscapes to iconic Alaskan wildlife like Dall sheep, moose, and beluga whales. Grab your selfie stick and join us for an unforgettable adventure!
Option 8. Upgrade Option: Alaska Bear Viewing Tour
Enjoy a half day guided tour with an opportunity to see Alaska’s black and brown bears in their natural habitat. Depending on the time of year and where the bears are foraging for food, you will fly southwest of Anchorage by float plane to either Lake Clark National Park, Redoubt Bay or Chinitna Bay. Here you can view Alaskan resident brown bears up close.
Option 9. Upgrade Option: Fly-in Guided Fishing Excursion
Experience some of the world’s best salmon and trout fishing in Alaska’s back country, only 35 minutes away from Anchorage by seaplane. The entire day is a not to be missed fishing & wilderness adventure. Fishing trips cater to both the experienced and novice fisherman.
Option 10. Upgrade Option: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsled Excursion
Start this adventure with a spectacular helicopter ride over glaciers and icebergs. We often see moose, black bears, Dall sheep, and mountain goats. Land on a huge snowfield high on a glacier and enjoy a whole hour with Alaskan sled dogs and their mushers. Take the dog team for an exhilarating dogsled ride through real snow
Day 5 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 6 Denali | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 4 Excursions
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 135 mi (217 km) gravel road & takes you off the beaten path in a 4 x 4 to enjoy scenic views of Denali, the Alaska Range, glaciers and wildlife.
Option 2. Tundra Wilderness Tour | Coach Tour
This half day tour offers incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road and opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants. Picturesque highlights include the craggy cliffside of Cathedral Mountain, wildlife rich Sable Pass and braided wash of the East Fork River in Denali National Park.
Option 3. Upgrade Option: Denali Summit Flightseeing | Small Aircraft
Get a closer look at Alaska’s majestic Denali from the comfortable window seat of a small aircraft. Slip on your provided headset to hear commentary from your guide as you fly over the snow-covered peaks, jagged ridgelines, and glacier carved valleys of Denali National Park, and get within half a mile of the mountain peak.
Option 4. Upgrade Option: Denali Glacier Landing | Helicopter
Be immersed in the vastness of the Denali National Preserve. On your way to the massive Yanert Glacier, your pilot will serve as your guide through this unique glacially carved environment. Soar over the rolling tundra, keeping an eye out for local residents – caribou, moose, bear, and Dall sheep. Snow capped peaks and glaciers abound on this journey before you set down on a river of ice.
Day 7 Denali to Anchorage | Choose 1 of 2 Options
Option 1. Denali to Anchorage | Coach
Early this morning depart Denali aboard a comfortable motorcoach. The driver will provide narration as you travel on the nationally recognized Parks Highway through Alaska’s spectacular scenery and small historic towns. Arrive in Anchorage mid-day where your incredible Alaskan adventure comes to an end.
Option 2. Denali to Anchorage | Alaska Railroad | Upgrade option
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 black bears along the banks of the river. Arrive in Anchorage this evening where your incredible Alaskan adventure comes to an end. (Lunch & dinner included onboard the train today)