Itinerary

Arrive in Anchorage, pick up your hire car from the airport and drive to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure in Anchorage.

Highlights of the city include Alaska Heritage Museum with exhibitions on Alaska’s First Nations cultures, and Anchorage Museum, charting the state’s history and showcasing local artwork.

There are some great hiking trails on the edge of the city, including the steep three-mile hike up Flattop Mountain for views of Chugach State Park.

Travel along the Seward Highway towards scenic Turnagain Arm, a body of water featuring the world’s second highest tides at over 10 metres. Keep an eye out for beluga whales in the bay and Dall sheep along the highway.

From Porterage, travel through mountain tunnels to the port town of Whittier. Board the 26 Glacier Cruise and venture deep into Prince William Sound. Discover several types of glaciers including alpine hanging, piedmont and tidewater, and watch for glacier calvings (broken pieces of ice that have fallen into the water and become icebergs). Lunch is included onboard. Following your cruise, it is an approximate two-hour drive to Seward.

Arrive in the harbour town of Seward, named after the man who arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia. Seward has an idyllic location on Resurrection Bay, backed by towering mountains and gigantic glaciers.

· 204km to Seward.

Personalise your day in Seward by choosing from a selection of five excursions, one of which is included in your tour.

These include kayaking in Resurrection Bay, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and several Alaska state parks that offer abundant opportunities to hike.

Alternatively, go kayaking or canoeing on Bear Lake just outside Seward. Enjoy calm waters that are home for sockeye salmon. Eagles, loons, and bears are often seen on this excursion.

Embark on a Wilderness Dog Sled Ride from the Seavey Family Homestead. Meet the dogs, then mush on comfortable summer sleds for two miles through rainforest.
Another great option is the Exit Glacier Hike. This moderate hiking adventure takes you to Exit Glacier, a massive wall of blue ice descending the mountainside from the Harding Ice Field to the Resurrection River.

Alternatively, embark on a Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise. This 3.5-hour Kenai Fjords cruise offers plenty of wildlife viewing. Travel 55 miles (round-trip) along a rugged coastline, sail past Bear Glacier, close to sea lion colonies and seabird rookeries, and watch out for whales, sea otters, porpoises and eagles.

Continue your journey and follow the Sterling Highway, a designated scenic highway covering miles of spectacular landscapes of snow-capped mountains, deep ocean bluffs and active volcanoes including Mt. Iliamna, Redoubt and Augustine. There are also excellent salmon fishing opportunities along the Kenai River.
Arrive in Homer, known as the “Halibut Capital of the World”, a haven for anglers in a stunning location with incredible panoramic views of mountain ranges, glaciers and the famous Homer Spit jutting out into Kachemak Bay.
· 270km to Homer.

Use the day to explore the Homer area. Kayak to remote coves or take a scenic cruise and spot wildlife including whales, seals, sea otters and shorebirds.

If you’d love to observe brown bears up close, take an optional flightseeing tour to the Katmai coast. Katmai National Park is home to more than 2,000 Alaskan brown bears. Many of these remarkable animals gather in summer on Brooks River Falls to feed on summer salmon runs, so this one of the best spots in Alaska to watch bears from viewing decks. Katmai’s Valley of 10,000 Smokes is also fascinating to visit, a harsh but spectacular volcanic landscape.

Fly from scenic Homer across the Cook Inlet to either Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park to view brown bears, volcanoes, and glaciers. You’ll be accompanied by an experienced bush pilot as your guide. Land on a remote beach, just a short walk away from brown bears in their natural habitat. The best time to view bears is mid-May to mid-September.

This morning, drive north on the scenic Sterling and Seward Highways back towards Girdwood.

Along the way, admission is included to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which provides care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife. Here you can safely get close to, observe and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land animals including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou and bears.

Continuing to Girdwood, take an aerial tram up Alyeska Mountain for views of Turnagain Arm, seven hanging glaciers and the Chugach Mountains. At the base of the tram is your overnight accommodation at Alyeska Resort.

· 297km to Girdwood.

Drive north from Girdwood towards Anchorage. You could choose to stop off for some hiking in Potter Point Park along the ocean. Keep an eye out for beluga whales making their way towards the Cook Inlet, and Dall sheep combing the mountainsides.

Arrive in Anchorage. Drop off your hire car because from here you’ll be travelling by train! Explore Anchorage’s museums or take a hike in the surrounding hills.
· 62 km to Anchorage.

Depart early on the Denali Star Train by Goldstar Railcar to Talkeetna. This itinerary includes Gold Star Dome Service. The railcars feature large, curved glass windows that run the full length of the car, allowing excellent 360-degree viewing plus a private outdoor viewing deck. The service is inclusive of all meals that are served in the lower-level dining room.
Talkeetna is best known as base camp for climbers attempting Mount Denali and for stunning views of this famous mountain. This small, picturesque town is located at the confluence of Talkeetna and Susitna rivers. An early 20th century gold mining centre, the town has retained much of its early Alaskan culture.
Take a stroll down the main street for river views, local brews and restaurants (breakfast is included onboard the train today).

This morning take the Denali Star, Alaska Railroad’s flagship train, in the Goldstar Railcar to Denali National Park. Lunch is included onboard the train today.
The afternoon is open for activities. Choose from a range of four excursions, one of which is included in your tour.
Ranked as one of the top Drives of a Lifetime by National Geographic Traveller magazine, the Denali Highway Jeep Excursion is a four-hour guided tour along a 217km gravel road, going off the beaten track to enjoy wonderful views of Denali, the Alaska Range, glaciers and wildlife.

The half-day Tundra Wilderness Tour offers incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road and opportunities to view wildlife. Highlights include the craggy cliffside of Cathedral Mountain, Sable Pass and the East Fork River.

Continue exploring amazing Denali National Park and choose from a range of excursions. These include those listed in day 9.

Other options include seeing Denali from above on a Summit Flightseeing tour from a small aircraft. Fly over the snow-covered peaks, jagged ridgelines and valleys carved by glaciers, passing within half a mile of the mountain.

Another great excursion is the Denali Glacier Landing (Upgrade Option), a helicopter trip to the massive Yanert Glacier. Soar over the rolling tundra, keeping an eye out for caribou, moose, bear and Dall sheep, before landing on the ice.

This morning is at leisure to enjoy optional activities (see those listed in days 9 and 10).
By early afternoon, board Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star Train in the Goldstar Railcar. Enjoy the late afternoon scenery as you travel north to Fairbanks where your incredible Alaskan adventure ends – or you could extend your stay here for a day or two. Dinner is included on board the train today.
Spend the evening exploring Fairbanks, a city of stunning contrasts, famous for the Midnight Sun in summer and the Northern Lights the rest of the year. Attractions in the city include Pioneer Park and University of Alaska Museum of the North, while the nearby Chena River State Recreation is popular for hiking, canoeing, paddle wheeler cruises, as well as nearby hot springs and Aurora Ice Museum.

Take your flight home from Fairbanks airport.