10 days Spectacular Alaska! (Tour AJ)
Tour: AJ - 10 Day Tour from Anchorage to Anchorage
From mountains to mammals, everything is bigger in Alaska. In the 20+ hours of summer sunlight a day, even the produce grows to fair-winning proportions. Of course, the 70-pound Matanuska Valley cabbage is just the beginning of the big sights this sun-soaked tour of Alaska has to offer. Just wait until you cruise along the three-mile face of the Columbia Glacier, sail by the calving tidewater glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park and ascend into Denali National Park – home of North America’s highest peak – by way of the world-famous Alaska Railroad. Other big moments include panning for gold at Fairbanks’ Gold Dredge #8, seeing a mushing demonstration at the home of an Iditarod champion, and witnessing the grandest of wildlife from Alaska’s majestic coasts to its monumental crests. While spotting a giant whale, caribou, moose, or grizzly might be “no biggie” to the locals, we think you’ll agree, this Alaska vacation is huge.
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Anchorage, AK | Welcome to Anchorage! Meet your Tour Director between 3 pm and 7 pm in the hotel reception area. |
| 2 | Anchorage - Valdez | Meet your fellow travel companions at this morning’s welcome orientation. Travel through Palmer in the Matanuska Valley, where cabbages can grow to an amazing 70 pounds (32 kg) in the 24-hour daylight. Venture over Tahneta Pass for wonderful vistas of Matanuska and Worthington Glaciers. Continue to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve Visitor Center, the largest National Park in the United States and visit the Ahtna Cultural Center, a place to connect to the Alaska Native culture with exhibits on Ahtna Athabascan history. Stop at Bridal Veil Falls before arriving in the seaside port of Valdez. |
| 3 | Valdez - Cruise on Prince William Sound | This morning, Globus Local Favorite visit the Valdez Museum for a docent-led tour. Then board your boat for a cruise on Prince William Sound. Cruise along the 3-mile face of Columbia Glacier with a watchful eye out for wildlife, including seals, sea otters, birds, and even whales! Before returning to Valdez, see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal, where supertankers are loaded with crude oil from Prudhoe Bay. |
| 4 | Valdez - Delta Junction - Fairbanks | Enjoy great scenery all the way as you travel along Richardson Highway. Stop at Delta Junction Roadhouse, a living history homestead with a museum, original roadhouse, and farm animals. See the longest elevated stretch of the trans-Alaska pipeline, the Tanana Pipeline River Bridge, a 1200-foot span with a unique suspension design. Then, head west on the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks, the state’s second-largest city. Enjoy a free evening. |
| 5 | Fairbanks | Visit Gold Dredge #8 and ride the narrow-gauge railroad. Then, try your luck as you pan for gold. Later today, board the Sternwheeler Discovery for a cruise on the Chena River, with a stop at the Chena Village to learn about Athabascan Native culture. You will also have the chance to meet Iditarod mushers and their famed dog teams to learn about breeding, training, and the big race! This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. |
| 6 | Fairbanks - Alaska Railroad - Denali National Park | Board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a journey through untamed wilderness. Today’s ride ends at Denali National Park, where North America’s highest peak, 20,320-foot Denali, (also known as Mount McKinley) majestically dominates the park’s 6 million acres. The afternoon is free. This evening, enjoy an Globus Local Favorite exclusive presentation on Denali National Park by a Naturalist and dinner at a local restaurant. |
| 7 | Denali National Park | Morning at leisure. Consider an optional photography excursion or a helicopter ride over the park. Then, prepare for an adventure of a lifetime with a Tundra Wilderness tour into the park with a Naturalist Driver Guide. |
| 8 | Denali National Park - Big Lake - Anchorage | Travel south toward Anchorage stopping at Happy Trails Kennels, home of four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser and his dogs. Continue to Anchorage for a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner. Over dessert, enjoy a Globus Local Favorite special presentation by an Alaskan bush pilot. |
| 9 | Anchorage - Excursion to Seward & Kenai Fjords National Park | Witness one of the world’s most scenic drives as you follow the south shore of lovely Turnagain Arm. Upon arrival in Seward, board your vessel for a cruise on the glacial waters of Kenai Fjords National Park. |
| 10 | Anchorage | Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. |