Day 1: Anchorage
We'll greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. For your enjoyment, there are a host of optional Anchorage activities that spotlight nearby "must-see" attractions like Portage Glacier and the downtown Anchorage area.
Day 2: Anchorage - Whittier - Anchorage
Travel along the Seward Highway, a National Forest Scenic Byway, to the port of Whittier through North America's longest highway tunnel, the Anton Anderson Tunnel. In Whittier, you'll embark on a full day's excursion into Prince William Sound. Cruise through glacier-carved fjords and see the tidewater glaciers of Barry Arm. Keep on the lookout for whales, sea otters, and a myriad of sea birds while enjoying your lunch onboard. You'll return this evening to Anchorage where you can enjoy an optional evening tour at the Sourdough Mining Company, if you'd like.
Day 3: Anchorage – Denali
Journey between the mountains of the spectacular Alaska and Talkeetna ranges on an incomparable sightseeing experience aboard the McKinley Explorer railcars. Luxurious glass-domed observation cars carry you along the rails of the historic Alaska Railroad. Take in the wide-open scenery as you travel through the Matanuska Valley, a farming region known for mammoth vegetables; past colorful towns like Wasilla, billed as the "Home of the Iditarod;" along scenic rivers like the Susitna, which means "Mother River;" and across Hurricane Gulch, where the train slows to 5 miles per hour to cross over the trestle built over the creek 296 feet below! From the depot, you'll be transferred to your accommodations for an overnight stay at magnificent Denali National Park.
Day 4: Denali – Fairbanks
This morning, get a deeper understanding of one of North America's most remarkable national parks on the famous Tundra Wilderness Tour! Explore the vastness of Denali's taiga forest and expansive rolling tundra. You'll marvel at its awesome beauty and hear colorful stories about the area's cultural and geological history. Later, re-board the train and travel deeper into Alaska's lovely interior. This portion of the route includes many scenic highlights including the town of Nenana, where Nenana Ice Classic competitors attempt to predict the date of ice breakup on the river; and the Mears Memorial Bridge, which is one of the largest single span railroad bridges in the United States. When you reach Fairbanks, you'll be met at the depot and transferred along the George Parks Highway to your hotel for an overnight stay in Alaska's second largest city.
Day 5: Fairbanks
Relive the Gold Rush at its height in Fairbanks. Visit the fully restored Gold Dredge No. 8 to learn how it worked, pan for gold, and enjoy a hearty miner's lunch.
Day 6: Fairbanks - Anchorage
Your tour ends with a transfer from your hotel to the airport and a flight to Anchorage.
This Tour Includes: 5 nights hotel accommodations, Fairbanks to Anchorage flight arrangements Airport and rail transfers, Phillips 26 Glacier cruise, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Discover the Gold Tour This tour is not escorted and does not include meals, Tour price does not include airfare.