Itinerary
|
|
|
Destination |
Arrival |
Departure |
|
Fairbanks
|
8/20/2024 |
8/20/2024 |
|
Fairbanks is the focal point for tiny villages scattered throughout the surrounding wilderness and a staging point for North Slope villages such as Barrow and the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. Fairbanks is called "The Golden Heart of Alaska," a reference to the character of her people as much as to the location of Fairbanks in Alaska's interior, or to the discovery of gold in 1902. The Interior has temperatures ranging from 65 degrees below zero in the winter to 90 degrees above in the summer. Gardening is big in the Interior. Alaska Gardens abound. Fairbanks also has very long summer days. The shortest winter day of the year has less than three hours of sunlight, the longest never really ends, though officially it has over 21 hours.
|
|
Denali National Park
|
8/21/2024 |
8/21/2024 |
|
Denali National Park and Preserve defines the Alaskan Experience. Towering above it all is Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America. At 20,320 feet, its summit beckons more than 1,000 climbers each year who brave the elements for the chance to scale its majestic face. Denali encompasses 6 million acres of forests, tundra, glaciers and mountains. Moose, caribou, sheep and bears free to roam a wide area of land untouched by man. There are ample opportunities for animal watching, whether it is a grizzly foraging for berries or a golden eagle soaring through the crisp, clean Alaskan air. Denali is one of the few places where visitors come in contact with the Alaskan tundra - a "vast, rolling, treeless plain." The tundra starts at 2,500 feet and extends up along the massive Alaska Range. Muldrow Glacier, which descends 16,000 feet from the upper slopes of Mt. McKinley, comes within one mile of the road.
|
|
Denali National Park
|
8/22/2024 |
8/22/2024 |
|
Denali National Park and Preserve defines the Alaskan Experience. Towering above it all is Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America. At 20,320 feet, its summit beckons more than 1,000 climbers each year who brave the elements for the chance to scale its majestic face. Denali encompasses 6 million acres of forests, tundra, glaciers and mountains. Moose, caribou, sheep and bears free to roam a wide area of land untouched by man. There are ample opportunities for animal watching, whether it is a grizzly foraging for berries or a golden eagle soaring through the crisp, clean Alaskan air. Denali is one of the few places where visitors come in contact with the Alaskan tundra - a "vast, rolling, treeless plain." The tundra starts at 2,500 feet and extends up along the massive Alaska Range. Muldrow Glacier, which descends 16,000 feet from the upper slopes of Mt. McKinley, comes within one mile of the road.
|
|
Kenai Fjords
|
8/23/2024 |
8/23/2024 |
|
Magnificent Kenai Fjords stirs the souls of artists inspired by locations like this. The ice-sculpted "Alaska's playground" begs to be explored. Long, intricate trails afford some of the best views, including an up-close encounter with scenic Exit Glacier, the most famous of more than 30 glaciers surrounding spectacular Harding Icefield and the crown jewel of Kenai Fjords. This unrelenting blanket of white is punctured by peaks of high, rocky mountains, which are best viewed at the crest of the steep, 4.5 mile-long Harding Icefield Trail. In addition to hiking, nearly every other outdoor activity can be found here, including kayaking, river rafting, mountain climbing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, tours by land, air and sea - even dogsledding. Glacier viewing is popular in the most impressive of the park's seven long fjords - Aialik Bay, where glaciers launch icebergs into the sea. Resurrection Bay holds the perfect opportunity to see humpback whales, orcas, seals, sea lions, otters, porpoises, and puffins. Blue-green Kenai River is perfect for trophy-size fishing.
|
|
Kenai Fjords
|
8/24/2024 |
8/24/2024 |
|
Magnificent Kenai Fjords stirs the souls of artists inspired by locations like this. The ice-sculpted "Alaska's playground" begs to be explored. Long, intricate trails afford some of the best views, including an up-close encounter with scenic Exit Glacier, the most famous of more than 30 glaciers surrounding spectacular Harding Icefield and the crown jewel of Kenai Fjords. This unrelenting blanket of white is punctured by peaks of high, rocky mountains, which are best viewed at the crest of the steep, 4.5 mile-long Harding Icefield Trail. In addition to hiking, nearly every other outdoor activity can be found here, including kayaking, river rafting, mountain climbing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, tours by land, air and sea - even dogsledding. Glacier viewing is popular in the most impressive of the park's seven long fjords - Aialik Bay, where glaciers launch icebergs into the sea. Resurrection Bay holds the perfect opportunity to see humpback whales, orcas, seals, sea lions, otters, porpoises, and puffins. Blue-green Kenai River is perfect for trophy-size fishing.
|
|
Anchorage
|
8/25/2024 |
8/25/2024 |
|
Located at the upper end of Cook Inlet in the Gulf of Alaska, Anchorage is Alaska's largest community. This popular tourist destination and crossroads for global air travel is only minutes away from the recreational areas bordering the Gulf of Alaska.
|
|
Juneau
|
8/26/2024 |
8/26/2024 |
|
Juneau is one of America's most beautiful state capitals, with the looming summits of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts providing a gorgeous backdrop. Once part of Alaska's Gold Rush, the city boasts natural and manmade attractions. Downtown is filled with many vibrant buildings, including must-see St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, which houses artwork and artifacts dating back to the 18th century. From the bright mural in Marine Park to the carvings in House of Wickersham, downtown is filled with Alaska's own unique brand of culture and architecture. Often hailed as Juneau's most impressive sight, nearby Mendenhall Glacier is approximately 12 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. See the glacier on a float trip or a "flightseeing" adventure, or hike up one of its trails for a closer inspection. For a bird's-eye view, the Mt. Roberts Tramway offers a short, six-minute trek to the top of Mt. Roberts, 1800 feet above the city. If wildlife is your passion, scenic Admiralty Island has the world's highest concentration of brown bears.
|
|
At Sea
|
8/27/2024 |
8/27/2024 |
|
No information currently available.
|
|
Haines
|
8/28/2024 |
8/28/2024 |
|
Alaska's heritage comes alive in the handcrafted artistry of the Tlingit Indians and in the lively performances of the Chilkat Dancers, with their brightly painted tribal masks. Get a glimpse of the town’s gold-rush history in local museums. Visit the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve—Haines boasts the world’s largest concentration of the magnificent birds, drawn to the area by the salmon-rich waters. Take a boat trip on Lake Chilkoot or a glacier country flightseeing trip.
|
|
Skagway
|
8/29/2024 |
8/29/2024 |
|
This "Gateway to the Klondike" watched as fortune-seekers headed to Chilkoot and White Pass Trails during Alaska's Gold Rush. Today, feel like a prospector in Skagway, as you walk along its rustic boardwalks and frontier-style storefronts. This cozy town offers a pleasant respite from the hustle and bustle of most cities. With classic cars and one of the oldest narrow-gauge railroads in the world, the city retains the flavor of days gone by and remains an important link to Alaska's history. A stroll down Broadway is a must. Highlights include Arctic Brotherhood Hall. Other buildings like the Trail of '98 Museum, Corrington's Museum of Alaskan History and the Alaskan Wildlife Adventure and Museum present different facets of prospecting times. Before hitting famous Chilkoot Trail, there are other well-marked trails to try. Hiking to Lower Dewey Lake is an easy, 20-minutes, and there are more adventurous trails to remote Sturgill's Landing, Upper Dewey Lake and Devil's Punchbowl. The White Pass Scenic Railway and Eagle Preserve Wildlife Quest provide additional options.
|
|
Glacier Bay
|
8/30/2024 |
8/30/2024 |
|
Spread across an impressive 3.2 million acres in southeast Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve offers an inspirational glimpse of what Mother Nature does best. The head of Glacier Bay is Tarr Inlet, where scientists have found exposed rock believed to be more than 200 million years old. The Tarr Inlet is home to Grand Pacific Glacier, an active body of ice slowly making way toward Margerie Glacier, which it last touched in 1912. Johns Hopkins Inlet is home to no less than nine glaciers. Framed by rocky slopes stretching skyward more than 6,000 feet, these wondrous bodies are eclipsed only by mighty Mount Fairweather, which at more than 15,300 feet is the highest point in southeast Alaska. In northeast Glacier Bay, the snow-covered Takhinsha Mountains feed active Muir Glacier. The brilliant blue glow of a calving glacier and the thunderous roar of ice crashing into the water below are sights and sounds to remember for the rest of your life. With such diverse landscape, the park provides a variety of habitats for animals.
|
|
Petersburg
|
8/31/2024 |
8/31/2024 |
|
Petersburg owes just about everything to the fishing industry. From its Tlingit origins as a fish camp, Petersburg has grown into one of the busiest Alaska seafood centers. It got its modern start when Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian immigrant, arrived in the 1890s and founded the Icy Strait Packing Co. cannery, a sawmill and a dock by 1900. He shipped halibut and salmon and ice from the handy LeConte Glacier -- the continent's southernmost tidewater glacier. Shrimping is also important to the Mitkof Island town of 3,200. The state's first shrimp processor was founded in 1916 as Alaska Glacier Seafoods and now is known as Petersburg Fisheries, a part of Icicle Seafoods. More than a thousand people are employed by the processing industry. To keep the salmon engine running, the state runs the Crystal Lake Hatchery. Scandinavian heritage is celebrated each May during Little Norway Festival. Petersburg is a town so picturesque it was used as the prototypical fishing town in the movie "Ice Palace".
|
|
Wrangell
|
9/1/2024 |
9/1/2024 |
|
Wrangell, a hidden jewel in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, is the third oldest community in Alaska and the only community to be ruled by 4 nations: the indigenous Tlingit nation, Russia, Great Britain and the United States. The island is rich in native heritage as evidenced by the rock carvings at Petroglyph Beach as well as the totems seen around town. Walk in the steps of John Muir amidst historic buildings that will take you back to the unhurried pace of yesterday, and enjoy the beauty of the Stikine River and the surrounding wilderness.
|
|
Tracy Arm
|
9/2/2024 |
9/2/2024 |
|
Located about 45 miles south of Juneau, Tracy Arm, a classic fjord located in the heart of the Tracy Arm-Fjords Terror Wilderness, stands out as a "must see" for any Alaska vacation. The icebergs are framed by sheer mountain peaks reaching to 7,000 feet. Waterfalls flow from ice covered mountains to the jade colored inland sea. Tracy Arm is the summer home for pigeon guillemots, kittiwakes and arctic terns. Usually mountain goats are seen on the rocky slopes near Sawyer Glacier. They have been known to come down near the water. The best bear viewing is along the shores of Stephens Pass or Holkham Bay, and there are whales and seals.
|
|
Juneau
|
9/3/2024 |
9/3/2024 |
|
Juneau is one of America's most beautiful state capitals, with the looming summits of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts providing a gorgeous backdrop. Once part of Alaska's Gold Rush, the city boasts natural and manmade attractions. Downtown is filled with many vibrant buildings, including must-see St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, which houses artwork and artifacts dating back to the 18th century. From the bright mural in Marine Park to the carvings in House of Wickersham, downtown is filled with Alaska's own unique brand of culture and architecture. Often hailed as Juneau's most impressive sight, nearby Mendenhall Glacier is approximately 12 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. See the glacier on a float trip or a "flightseeing" adventure, or hike up one of its trails for a closer inspection. For a bird's-eye view, the Mt. Roberts Tramway offers a short, six-minute trek to the top of Mt. Roberts, 1800 feet above the city. If wildlife is your passion, scenic Admiralty Island has the world's highest concentration of brown bears.
|
|