Itinerary
- Day 1
Anchorage
You'll arrive in Anchorage and meet your Tour Director between 3 pm and 7 pm at the hotel reception. After checking in, the rest of your evening is yours to explore this Alaskan city on your own.
Optional Activities
- Dinner out in Anchorage
- Day 2
Anchorage to Valdez
Start with a welcome orientation to meet other travelers. Then head through Palmer in the Matanuska Valley, where local agriculture produces unusually large cabbages. You'll cross Tahneta Pass for views of both Matanuska and Worthington Glaciers, then stop at Bridal Veil Falls before reaching Valdez by the coast.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Welcome orientation
- Travel through Palmer in the Matanuska Valley
- Drive over Tahneta Pass
- Stop at Bridal Veil Falls
Optional Activities
- Valdez Flightseeing - Enjoy a flightseeing tour with beautiful views of glaciers and Chugach Mountains, wildlife, waterfalls and multiple glaciers (Duration: 30 minutes - 1 hour, Price Range: Over $150)
Landmarks/POIs Matanuska Glacier Worthington Glacier Bridal Veil Falls - Day 3
Valdez
Meet a local fishing expert who'll explain the industry, equipment, and what life's like for fishermen here. Later, board a boat for a cruise on Prince William Sound. Before heading back to Valdez, you'll see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal where oil tankers get loaded with crude from Prudhoe Bay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Presentation by local Alaskan fishing expert
- Cruise on Prince William Sound
- View of Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal
Landmarks/POIs Prince William Sound Columbia Glacier - Day 4
Valdez to Fairbanks
Drive west along Richardson Highway with nice scenery the whole way. You'll stop at Delta Junction Roadhouse, a living history site with a museum, original roadhouse building, and farm animals. After that, continue on the Alaska Highway toward Fairbanks, Alaska's second-largest city. Your evening is free once you arrive.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Travel along Richardson Highway
- Stop at Delta Junction Roadhouse - living history homestead with museum, original roadhouse, and farm animals
Landmarks/POIs Delta Junction Roadhouse - Day 5
Fairbanks
Start at Gold Dredge Number 8 for a narrow-gauge railroad ride and gold panning. Then board the Sternwheeler Discovery for a Chena River cruise with a stop at Chena Village to learn about Athabascan culture. You'll also meet Iditarod mushers and their dog teams to hear about training and the race. Dinner's at a local restaurant this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Gold Dredge #8
- Ride narrow-gauge railroad
- Pan for gold
- Sternwheeler Discovery cruise on Chena River
- Stop at Chena Village to learn about Athabascan Native culture
- Meet Iditarod mushers and their dog teams
Landmarks/POIs Gold Dredge #8 Chena River Chena Village - Day 6
Fairbanks to Denali National Park
Board the Alaska Railroad for a journey through wild terrain, ending at Denali National Park where Denali peak rises 20,320 feet across 6 million acres. Your afternoon is free to settle in. Later, you'll have dinner at a restaurant followed by a naturalist's presentation about the park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Alaska Railroad journey through wilderness to Denali National Park
- Dinner at a local restaurant
- Exclusive presentation on Denali National Park by local Naturalist
Optional Activities
- Flightseeing over Denali - Stunning views of Alaska Range, ancient glaciers, and towering peaks. Choose from selection of flight experiences, including heli-hiking excursion (Duration: 1 hour - 3 hours 15 minutes, Price Range: Over $150)
- Denali Photography Excursion - Discover how to use your camera as an instrument while exploring the best of Parks and Denali Highways (Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes, Price Range: Over $150)
Landmarks/POIs Denali Denali National Park - Day 7
Denali National Park
The morning is yours to relax or choose an optional photography excursion or helicopter ride over the park (at extra cost). Then join a tundra wilderness tour with a naturalist driver to look for wildlife and see the park's natural features up close.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Tundra Wilderness tour into Denali National Park with Naturalist Driver Guide
Optional Activities
- Photography excursion
- Helicopter ride over the park
Landmarks/POIs Denali National Park - Day 8
Denali National Park to Anchorage
Head south toward Anchorage with a stop at Happy Trails Kennels, home of four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser and his dogs. You'll then visit the Alaska Native American Heritage Center once you reach Anchorage. Your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner this evening with a presentation from an Alaskan bush pilot sharing real adventure stories.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner with dessert and presentation by Alaskan bush pilot)
Included Activities
- Stop at Happy Trails Kennels - home of 4-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser
- Watch demonstration on mushing with mock Iditarod checkpoint
- Play with the sled dogs
- Visit Alaska Native American Heritage Center
- Farewell dinner
- Presentation by Alaskan bush pilot
Landmarks/POIs Happy Trails Kennels Alaska Native American Heritage Center - Day 9
Anchorage to Seward
Drive south along Turnagain Arm, one of Alaska's most scenic routes. Upon arriving in Seward, board your cruise vessel for a journey on the glacial waters of Kenai Fjords National Park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Drive along Turnagain Arm
- Cruise on Kenai Fjords National Park
Landmarks/POIs Turnagain Arm Kenai Fjords National Park Harding Icefield - Day 10
Seward to Whittier
Travel to Whittier, a remote village on Prince William Sound where wildlife like bald eagles, sea otters, and orcas live. Say goodbye to your Tour Director and Driver, then board your ship for a 7-night cruise south through the Inside Passage toward Vancouver, BC.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Travel to Whittier, Prince William Sound
Landmarks/POIs Whittier Prince William Sound Begich Towers - Day 11
Gulf of Alaska
Spend the day cruising through the Gulf of Alaska with scenic views from the ship.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Scenic cruising through Gulf of Alaska
Landmarks/POIs Gulf of Alaska - Day 12
Glacier Bay National Park
Cruise through Glacier Bay National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). You'll hear ice cracking, see gulls and eagles, and watch for humpback whales breaching. The ship heads toward Margerie Glacier, which is about a mile wide, for chances to see ice calving from the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through Glacier Bay National Park
Landmarks/POIs Glacier Bay National Park Margerie Glacier - Day 13
Skagway
Arrive at Skagway, a port town that was the main gateway to Klondike Gold Rush fields. Once a rough frontier town full of trading posts and saloons, it's now a place to explore Alaska's history, wildlife, and natural landscapes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Skagway's gold rush history
Landmarks/POIs Skagway Red Onion Saloon White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad - Day 14
Juneau
Cruise to Juneau, Alaska's capital, surrounded by water, forests, and mountains. The city is known for outdoor activities, fresh seafood, and dining. Wildlife spotting here includes wild deer, bald eagles, and potentially bears.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise to Juneau
Optional Activities
- Hike up Mount Roberts
- Whale-watching tours to Auke Bay
- Floatplane to nearby wildlife reserves such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island
Landmarks/POIs Juneau Mount Roberts Auke Bay - Day 15
Ketchikan
Arrive at Ketchikan, called Alaska's 'First City' because it's the first major stop for most cruisers on the Inside Passage. The town sits along the Tongass Narrows with green forests around it. You can explore Native Alaskan cultural sites, carved totem poles, Tlingit heritage, historic Creek Street, and local seafood restaurants.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise to Ketchikan
Optional Activities
- Indulge in fresh seafood at a local restaurant
- Explore Totem Heritage Center
- Visit Totem Bight State Park
- Visit Saxman Village - traditional carvers and dancers sharing Tlingit heritage in clan house
- Explore Creek Street - historic boardwalk over Ketchikan Creek with shops for souvenirs and local art
- Visit Dolly's House Museum
Landmarks/POIs Ketchikan Totem Heritage Center Totem Bight State Park Saxman Village Creek Street Dolly's House Museum - Day 16
Inside Passage
Spend the day cruising Alaska's Inside Passage, a protected waterway winding through glacier-carved fjords and rain forests. Watch for humpback whales, orcas, bald eagles, and brown bears as you sail past Misty Fjords National Monument and other natural landmarks.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Scenic cruising through Inside Passage
Landmarks/POIs Inside Passage Misty Fjords National Monument Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve - Day 17
Vancouver
Have breakfast on board, then the ship arrives in Vancouver, BC. You'll have time to arrange flights departing from Vancouver International Airport after noon to end your trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Vancouver
