Discover
The Last Frontier

Day One: Anchorage

We begin the day at 8:00 am with a tour of the City of Anchorage and surrounding area. Some of the sites visited include Earthquake Park and a discussion of the impact of the 9.2 earthquake experienced in 1964; Flat Top Mountain which offers a great view of the whole Anchorage area; Potter’s Marsh and Bird Sanctuary where there are bald eagles, an occasional moose, migrating ducks and salmon swimming in the streams; Lake Hood, the worlds busiest seaplane base and then a visit and driving tour of downtown Anchorage.

After lunch, we are off to see the the Alaska Native Heritage Center. This is “a renowned cultural center in Anchorage and an exciting place where all people can come to expand their understanding of Alaska’s first people. Here we share the rich heritage of Alaska’s eleven cultural groups drawing upon the life ways of long ago.”

“Visitors to Alaska are introduced to Native traditions and customs of both the past and present. The Welcome House is a celebration of contemporary Alaska Native cultures while the outdoor facilities and sites allow the exploration of ancient tradition and the presentation of stories from the past.”

Dinner and lodging in Anchorage that evening.

Day Two: Talkeetna and drive to Denali

After breakfast, we begin our drive towards Denali approximately four hours away.

We make a brief stop in Wasila for pictures with the local10 foot tall grizzly bear and take you to see the lake near where Sarah Palin lives.

As we travel, we hope to get a great view of Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet.

Along the way we want to stop in the small community of Talkeetna, the gateway to Mt. McKinley. Once we arrive, we take a wilderness jet boat ride on the nearby Susitna River. In past tours, we have seen bear, eagles, beaver and moose. Part of the tour also involves visiting an Athabascan Indian fishing village

Lunch will be on your own is this unique and colorful old mining town. The nearby bakery is famous for their raspberry rolls which is a must for all to enjoy.

In the afternoon, we continue another hour or so towards Denali National Park. After checking into our hotel near the park and refreshing ourselves, we head for the nearby Alaska Dinner Show and theater. Previous guests have loved this fun filled look back at Alaska’s colorful history presented in a comedy format. The food is really good as well (usually salmon and ribs).

Day Three: Denali National Park

We take an extensive bus tour (appx.10 hours) 90 miles deep into Denali National Park. Here, we will have our best opportunity to see and experience Alaskan wildlife. We often see grizzly bears, caribou, wolves, moose, mountain goats, foxes, etc., while on this ride, so keep your fingers crossed. Binoculars are a must. In our 2013 tour, we saw 17 grizzlies including a mother and two cubs next to the roadway as well as many of the other animals listed. Lunch is at the Kantishna Roadhouse.

Dinner and lodging will again be next to Denali National Park.

Day Four: Anchorage Museum

We drive back to Anchorage ( approximately four hours away). We have a second chance to see Mt. Mckinely which is a good thing as it is only free from clouds a third of the time. Once we arrive in anchorage, we visit the Anchorage Museum, a must see when in town. There is time in the afternoon to visit a number of downtown shops and stores for souvenir shopping. Dinner and ;’Lodging will be in Anchorage.

Day Five: Alaska Railroad to Seward and the Sea Life Aquarium

This early morning, narrated, three hour train ride on Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Seward will be one of the highlights of the tour. Wonderful views of ocean shores, rivers, lakes, forest covered mountains, and water falls, are there to enjoy. Don’t be surprised if you see a moose or bear along the way.

Once we are in Seward and check into our hotel, we will visit Alaska’s Sea Life Aquarium.

“Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center is celebrating ten years on the shores of Resurrection Bay. Visitors to this “window on the sea” have close encounters with puffins, octopus, sea lions and other sea life while peeking over the shoulders of ocean scientists studying Alaska’s rich seas and diverse sea life.”
Lodging is in Seward.

Day Six: Kenai Fjords National Park

We begin our day taking a boat tour into the Kenai Fjords National Park. You are going to love this experience.

“Welcome aboard for an Alaska glacier and wildlife cruise experience of a lifetime. Imagine pulling up close to otters, sea lions, puffins and whales for that perfect picture opportunity, or drifting slowly by the face of a massive silvery blue glacier, sparkling in all its glory. Breathe in the fresh air from the viewing deck of one of our large, comfortable tour boats and listen as a uniformed Ranger explains the dynamic habits of the surrounding wildlife.”

A scrumptious seafood buffet lunch is provided and they spend quite a bit of time next to a glacier so we get to hear and see large chunks of ice crashing into the water.

Lodging is in Seward for the second night.

Day Seven: Dog Sled Ride, Exit Glacier Hike and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

After breakfast, we drive a short distance to the Seavey’s Iditarod Race Center for a Wilderness dog sled ride and tour.
”Your real Alaskan adventure begins with a two-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of our amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to our comfortable wheeled sleds. The intrigue of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, also known as Alaska’s Super bowl, comes alive as you mush through the Alaskan wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek. Your Iditarod veteran guide will thrill and excite you with stories from the trail as you experience the raw power of 13 Iditarod sled dogs.

Upon return to the kennel, tour our beautiful kennel facilities, laugh as a guest is dressed up as an Iditarod musher, and cuddle adorable husky puppies. Our guides are all Iditarod racers, and offer a delightfully humorous, behind-the-scenes look at the Seavey family’s training for the most demanding race on earth. Guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your vacation, this tour was chosen as one of Alaska’s Top Twenty Attractions, and is a must-do for all visitors to the Great land.”

Nearby, there is the opportunity to hike a couple of miles to the Exit Glacier. Really an interesting experience to walk up to the face of a glacier and learn from several interpretive signs how glaciers are formed and function.

After lunch, We depart for the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
“Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through public education. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center.  AWCC provides visitors with the opportunity to view Alaskan wildlife. It’s a great place to see bears, moose, eagles, elk, musk oxen and even buffalo up close.”

This is a very enjoyable place to visit.

We spend time doing some last minute shopping in downtown Anchorage, have dinner, and then return to the airport for a late flight back home.

We would provide the vehicle (15 pass van pulling a trailer), guide, lodging (3 star hotels), meals as indicated, fees for all the listed activities, park entrance fees, water and snacks. Our minimum size group is 8. Price does not include airfare, meals other than those indicated, items of a personal nature i.e., room service, liquor, etc.