Alaska’s Lodges, Glaciers & Denali

Day 1 Anchorage | Arrival Upon arrival in Anchorage transfer at your own cost to your hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the sights.

Day 2 Prince William Sound 26 Glacier Cruise | Alaska Railroad Depart Anchorage on Alaska Railroad for an adventure into the exciting world of Alaska’s glaciers. In Whittier, board the 26 Glacier Cruise and venture deep into Prince William Sound, finding yourself so close to glaciers that you can “hear” them move and gaze at their brilliant blue hues. Discover several types of glaciers including Alpine hanging, Piedmont and Tidewater, plus watch for glacier calvings (broken pieces of ice that have fallen into the water and become icebergs). Back in Whittier, board Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery train for the final leg of the tour to Anchorage. (Lunch is included onboard)

Day 3 Anchorage to Tutka Bay Lodge | Private Transfer + Water Taxi This morning meet your private driver guide for a day touring Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Travel along the turquoise Kenai River, a world-class salmon fishing area, and continue to Homer with opportunities to stop in historic villages & take photos along the Cook Inlet coastline. Homer is positioned at the end of the Sterling Highway on a 4.5-mile long stretch into Kachemak Bay – the furthest west you can drive in the Americas. Upon arrival transfer to your wilderness lodge via a 20 min water taxi ride. Guided activities include: Sea kayaking, local sportfishing, beachcombing and tidal-pool exploration, coastal touring by boat, nature trail hiking through old growth forests, hiking in the Kachemak Bay State Park Trail System, birding and wildlife viewing. Use of sauna and hot tub, morning yoga classes, massage, cooking classes, wine tasting, paddle boards, dock fishing. (Lunch and dinner included today)

Day 4 Tutka Bay Lodge | Freedom of Choice 1 of 2 Excursions Today you can personalize your day by choosing one of these excursions Option 1. Fly-Out Brown Bear Viewing Journey by float plane across Cook Inlet to the Alaska Peninsula and the largest brown bear population in the world. Landing in a remote mountain lake or river in either Lake Clark National Park or Katmai National Park, your destination depends on the time of summer and vary according to the bears’ food sources. Option 2. Deep sea Salmon | Halibut Fishing This combination of salmon and halibut fishing is the perfect way to enjoy a variety of angling experiences in one day. In Homer, halibut fishing is deep sea bottom fishing with a heavy rod and reel, while salmon fishing is trolling with light tackle and downriggers.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the activities at the Lodge. (Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included today)

Day 5 Tutka Bay Lodge to Talkeetna | Private Transfer This morning return to Homer by water taxi for your private transfer back through Anchorage to Talkeetna. Drive north on the Seward Highway towards scenic Turnagain Arm, a body of water featuring the world’s second highest tides at over 30 feet. Keep an eye out for Beluga whales chasing salmon in the bay or Dall sheep along the highway. Continue on through Anchorage and the agricultural region of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, to the small, picturesque town of Talkeetna. Talkeetna serves as a base camp for Mt. Denali climbers; the community of 857 residents is located at the confluence of the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers. A turn-of-the-20th-century gold-mining centre, the town has retained much of its early Alaskan flavour.

Day 6 Talkeetna to Denali National Park Entrance | Alaska Railroad This morning take the Denali Star, Alaska Railroad’s flagship train, in the Goldstar Railcar to Denali National Park. The afternoon is open for optional activities such as whitewater rafting down the Nenana River, helicopter flightseeing over the Park, landing on a glacier or hiking. (Lunch is included onboard the train today)

Day 7 Denali National Park Backcountry Tour | Coach | Flightseeing This full-day narrated coach trip explores the entire 148 km/92 mi of Denali Park Road on your way to Denali Backcountry Lodge. With multiple stops for wildlife viewing and photography, your experienced driver-guide will help search for grizzly bears, moose, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep while sharing the biology and geology of the area. For the return trip, board a small Alaskan bush plane for a flightseeing tour back to the park entrance where if weather permits, you will fly close to Mount Denali (Lunch & snacks included today between Jun 4 - Sep 12) (Please note during May to Jun 4 this tour does not include the scenic return flight and will be replaced with a shorter 6-7 hour Tundra Wilderness Coach Tour while the road further into the park thaws and dries out.)

Day 8 Denali National Park Entrance to Fairbanks | Alaska Railroad This morning is at leisure to enjoy optional activities such as: whitewater rafting down the Nenana River, helicopter flightseeing over the park, landing on a glacier or hiking. By early afternoon, board Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star Train in the Goldstar Railcar to Fairbanks. Enjoy the late afternoon scenery as you travel north to Fairbanks where your incredible Alaskan adventure ends. (Dinner is included on board the train today)