11 Day Alaska's Natural Beauty

From

$5649

Land Only

$6079*

Air & Land


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Featured Hotels

Alaska's Natural Beauty
Pike's Waterfront Lodge Fairbanks, AK
Denali Park Village Denali National Park, AK
Young's Motel Tok, AK
Totem Hotel & Suites Valdez, AK
Knik River Lodge Palmer, AK
Alyeska Resort Girdwood, AK

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Book By Dec 16, 2021 & Save!

2022 Dates & Prices Single Supplement: $2100
Dates

Not Included:
Gratuities.


Additional Information:
Land only price includes flights Gulkana-McCarthy & McCarthy-Chitina. Land only price does not include arrival transfer, but does include the group departure transfer to Anchorage Airport on Day 10. There will be two group departure transfers on Day 10.

Some domestic flights arrive late at night on Day 1.

Due to the use of small passenger planes (3, 4, 6 or 15 seat small planes), there is a weight restriction for luggage of 30 pounds per person (including hand luggage) for flights. Please pack your belongings in a soft-sided duffel bag. Traditional suitcases with rigid frames or hard plastic sides should not be used.

The route and program may vary according to weather condition, season changes and safety issues.


Accommodation Details:
Triple rooms consist of two double/queen beds for three persons; where available, a fee may be charged by the hotel for the addition of a cot/rollaway.

Entry Requirements:
Passengers traveling abroad require a passport valid for six months beyond their travel dates. All travelers are responsible to check if a visa is required for all countries on their itinerary. For visa information, check our Visas page.


Is This Trip Right for You?

This itinerary is very active and will require walking five or more miles over uneven surfaces or up and down steep slopes. This adventurous trip includes several early morning starts, full-day excursions and many different modes of transportation, including bush plane, railroad, ship and tram car, which require agility to embark and disembark. Bus access to Denali National Park is regulated by the National Park Service and only authorized buses are allowed to operate within the park. These buses are school buses with bench seats and no restrooms on board. This program covers a lot of ground each day, and you spend most of your time driving over roads that are often rough and bumpy. The Denali Highway is partially paved with gravel and one of lesser traveled highways. There is a significant amount of walking areas visited during the trip. This itinerary is designed for those who are interested in a faster-pace, adventure-filled experience. Hotels in National Parks provide limited amenities. Some hotels in Denali, Tok and Girdwood are built in the traditional local style and have no air-conditioning. During heat waves, these hotels can become uncomfortable. This tour is not recommended for people who have difficulty walking, sitting, or who have heart conditions. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Route and program may vary according to weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety issues and wildlife. During this tour, you may come into proximity of wild animals whose actions can be unpredictable. Certain inherent risks are involved which should be considered at your own discretion. This is a Small Group program. For more information, click here.

Accommodation Details




Room 1


  • Requests are not guaranteed and are subject to each hotel's discretion and availability

Additional Nights

Flight Details



Package Includes

  • Small groups of maximum 22 travelers guaranteed
  • Flights Seattle-Fairbanks, Anchorage-Seattle
    Other departure cities available. Click on date of departure for selection and prices
  • Airline taxes & fuel surcharges
  • All intra-flights: Gulkana-McCarthy* & McCarthy*-Chitina
  • 10 nights accommodations
    • 2 nights Fairbanks
    • 2 nights Denali
    • 1 night Tok
    • 2 nights Valdez
    • 1 night Palmer
    • 2 nights Girdwood
  • Hotel taxes, fees & service charges
  • Hotel porterage
  • Group departure transfer
  • Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned vehicles
  • 18 meals: 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners (including welcome & farewell dinners)
  • Deluxe Dome Rail from Fairbanks to Denali National Park
  • Services of English-speaking tour manager
  • Comprehensive, guided sightseeing and entrance fees per itinerary
  • Active itinerary with unique cultural features


*Small passenger planes (3, 4, 6 or 15 seat planes) are used for flights to and from McCarthy

Tour Highlights

  • Our most complete tour of Alaska featuring its most popular attractions, ample wildlife viewing opportunities and rarely visited sites including remote, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. This tour is designed for guests who want to spend part of their time far from the crowds in a small-group setting.
  • Visit Gold Daughters, to learn about the gold rush in Fairbanks
  • Dinner at a local musher's who enlightens you about the legendary Iditarod race
  • Travel in deluxe Dome Rail to Denali National Park
  • Enjoy a breathtakingly beautiful day in Denali National Park on the Tundra Wilderness Tour
  • Visit the Kennecott Mines abandoned copper mining camp named a National Historic Landmark
  • Cruise on majestic Prince William Sound, boasting the densest concentration of tidewater glaciers in the world
  • The spectacular Wrangell-St. Elias National Park will take your breath away
  • Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to view some of Alaska's famous wildlife up-close!
  • Ascend 2,300 feet by tram to the peak of Mt. Alyeska for stunning panoramic views

Is This Trip Right for You?

This itinerary is very active and will require walking five or more miles over uneven surfaces or up and down steep slopes. This adventurous trip includes several early morning starts, full-day excursions and many different modes of transportation, including bush plane, railroad, ship and tram car, which require agility to embark and disembark. Bus access to Denali National Park is regulated by the National Park Service and only authorized buses are allowed to operate within the park. These buses are school buses with bench seats and no restrooms on board. This program covers a lot of ground each day, and you spend most of your time driving over roads that are often rough and bumpy. The Denali Highway is partially paved with gravel and one of lesser traveled highways. There is a significant amount of walking areas visited during the trip. This itinerary is designed for those who are interested in a faster-pace, adventure-filled experience. Hotels in National Parks provide limited amenities. Some hotels in Denali, Tok and Girdwood are built in the traditional local style and have no air-conditioning. During heat waves, these hotels can become uncomfortable. This tour is not recommended for people who have difficulty walking, sitting, or who have heart conditions. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Route and program may vary according to weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety issues and wildlife. During this tour, you may come into proximity of wild animals whose actions can be unpredictable. Certain inherent risks are involved which should be considered at your own discretion. This is a Small Group program. For more information, click here.
Watch our video!

DAY 1, Wednesday - Arrive in Fairbanks
Arrive in Fairbanks, Alaska, and transfer to your hotel. Time to rest, relax and acquaint yourself with the "Golden Heart City," second largest city in Alaska
Overnight: Fairbanks

DAY 2, Thursday - Highlights of Fairbanks, Visit Gold Daughters, Welcome Dinner
Meet your fellow travelers and Tour Manager at this morning's orientation meeting about the spectacular experiences and discoveries that await you in Alaska. Take a city tour of Fairbanks featuring the 48-inch wide trans-Alaska oil pipeline, a man-made wonder of the Last Frontier, traversing nearly 800 miles of frozen tundra, forests, rivers and rugged mountain ranges. Continue with a visit to Gold Daughters to learn about the gold rush in Fairbanks. Experience real Alaska gold panning and get a chance to pan for gold. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a local musher's where you gain knowledge about the legendary Iditarod, often called the "Last Great Race on Earth". Meet his sled dog team and hear about this annual Alaskan race that travels over 1,049 miles of extreme terrain that includes mountain ranges, frozen rivers and miles of windswept coast
Overnight: Fairbanks
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 3, Friday - Deluxe Dome Rail to Denali
Fabulous vistas lie ahead today as you travel on world-famous deluxe dome rail on an extraordinary scenic journey to Denali National Park. After breakfast on board, enjoy the relaxing ambiance and magnificent panoramas of untamed wilderness. Arrive in Denali and visit the Denali Visitor Center. Tonight, attend a Welcome to Denali talk, ahead of tomorrow's exploration of the park
Overnight: Denali
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4, Saturday - Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour
The day begins deep in Denali National Park on the Tundra Wilderness Tour. On a clear day, you can see the 20,310 foot Denali up-close! Look out for the most impressive animal in the park - the Alaskan moose, largest in the world, weighing up to 1,600 pounds. As you travel over mountain passes, the high point offers expansive views of the Alaska Range on the horizon. A box lunch will be provided during the tour
Overnight: Denali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 5, Sunday - Denali Highway, Wrigley Farms, Tok
The drive today on the famed Denali Highway promises fantastic unending vistas. Much of the route lies above timberline, so the amazing panoramas go on forever. The mountains and glaciers of the Alaska Range form a majestic backdrop, with miles of rolling tundra punctuated by shallow lakes. This path takes you through some of Alaska's most fascinating wilderness, with possible animal sightings along the way. Continue to Delta Junction and along the Alaska Highway to reach Wrigley Farms. Visit this 1700-acre farm, the only commercial flour mill in Alaska, where they mill home grown wheat and barley. Later, on to Tok with its amazing views and warm and friendly hospitality for dinner and overnight
Overnight: Tok
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 6, Monday - Flight to McCarthy, Kennecott Mill, Travel to Valdez
This morning, head to Gulkana where you board your flight to the remote community of McCarthy. Upon arrival, visit the Kennecott mines, an abandoned copper mining camp designated a National Historic Landmark. Tour several mining buildings to learn the history of one of the richest copper strikes in history. View mining equipment and personal artifacts left as they were in the early 1900s. Join your fellow travelers for lunch at the main lodge. Afterward a scenic flight takes you to Chitina. Your travels then take you on the route to Valdez, surrounded on three sides by snow-capped mountains. Valdez offers the most dramatic mountain views in Prince William Sound and is the southern terminus for the trans-Alaska pipeline. Situated less than 25 miles east of the Columbia Glacier, its location makes it justly an outdoor paradise
Overnight: Valdez
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 7, Tuesday - Prince William Sound
This morning, spend free time exploring Valdez independently. Later, embark on a cruise into majestic Prince William Sound, boasting the densest concentration of tidewater glaciers in the world. Glide through the calm waters of the sound, admiring the awe-inspiring coastal scenery of cascading waterfalls and glaciers calving onto the ocean. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, otters, seabirds and occasionally whales. Enjoy lunch during your cruise. Afterward, return back to Valdez
Overnight: Valdez
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 8, Wednesday - Wrangell-St. Elias Park, Palmer
Depart Valdez this morning and travel to Matanuska area, offering panoramic mountain views and wildlife spotting opportunities. Continue to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, America's largest national park. You will be surrounded by soaring peaks of mountain ranges, massive glaciers, and mighty rivers. Stop at the visitor center before heading to the picturesque town of Palmer. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for dinner
Overnight: Palmer
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 9, Thursday - Independence Gold Mine, Hatcher Pass, Reindeer Farm
Today's exploration begins with a visit to the Independence Mine State Historical Park, a 761-acre park that was established in 1980. It is the site of an abandoned gold mine that used to employ over 200 workers and their families. Learn about life at the mine and Alaska's mining days during your tour. Scenic drive to Hatcher Pass, a stunning alpine passage that cuts through the Talkeetna Mountains. Later, visit the Reindeer Farm. On this unique Alaskan experience, hear stories about these gentle animals, get an up-close look and even feed the reindeer. Lunch is at a local farm. Continue to the resort town of Girdwood for overnight
Overnight: Girdwood
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 10, Friday - Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Mount Alyeska
This morning, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, set on the shores of Turnagain Arm and surrounded by the breathtaking Chugach Mountain Range. The center's mission is to provide refuge for orphaned, injured and ill animals that cannot survive in the wild and educate visitors about Alaskan wildlife. Animals that cannot be released are given a permanent home here. Continue to Mt. Alyeska. Ascend 2,300 feet on a tram to the peak for panoramas of majestic mountains, sparkling streams, and towering spruce. Balance of the day is at leisure. Tonight at the Farewell Dinner, bid goodbye to your newfound friends, Tour Manager, and to your remarkable discovery of Alaska
Overnight: Girdwood
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 11, Saturday - Return Home
After breakfast, transfer to Anchorage Airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast

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Discovery Tours itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.
Pike's Waterfront Lodge, Fairbanks, AK
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This tourist class hotel is a friendly, family run hotel located on the banks of the Chena River.

Hotel Details
Denali Park Village, Denali National Park, AK
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This tourist class lodge is situated nearby the Nenana River.

Hotel Details
Young's Motel, Tok, AK
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This budget class hotel is located in the town of Tok.

Hotel Details
Totem Hotel & Suites, Valdez, AK
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This tourist class hotel is located in the heart of Valdez.

Hotel Details
Knik River Lodge, Palmer, AK
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This tourist class cabin complex is located in the Knik River Valley, surrounded by nature and beauty, near the spectacular Knik Glacier.

Hotel Details
Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, AK
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This first class hotel is located in Girdwood, tucked amid the Chugach Mountains on Alaska's south central coast.

Hotel Details
Book your Optional Tours before you travel. See more, save time, save money.
  • Tours purchased while travelling may cost an extra 10% or more
  • Tours often sell out. Avoid disappointment
  • Save your cash. Credit card processing may not be possible locally
  • Travel insurance only covers services purchased prior to departure
  • Book Online or call to book these tours up to 1 week before your departure
  • The day the optionals operate varies by the day of the week