Tour Overview
If there is a place in your mind's eye that can clearly picture the perfect Alaska - and you yearn for it- then come with us to Alaska. It is all here, exactly as you pictured it: hundreds of square miles of impossible beauty and bounty; a seemingly endless expanse of rolling forests, mountain meadows, hidden lakes, whispering streams, turquoise glaciers - and all of it teeming with rare species of North American wildlife. The Alaska Railroad stretches 470 miles from Seward on the south-central Kenai Peninsula, to the northern "golden heart" city of Fairbanks. Along the way, the train travels through some of the most scenic and rugged territory in Alaska, including Denali National Park, Denali State Park, and Chugach National Forest.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Anchorage, AlaskaArrive Anchorage Airport and transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to the hotel for check-in and overnight. Anchorage offers visitors an ideal blend of urban delights, outdoor activities and scenic vistas beyond comparison. Anchorage’s newest hotel located in the heart of downtown brings luxury and first-class comfort, which makes it the perfect host for both business and pleasure travelers.
Extended Stay Deluxe Day 02: Anchorage - Seward
Transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to the Anchorage train station to board the Alaska Rail to Seward. Arrive Seward, transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy the balance of your day at leisure in Seward. Seward offers a great selection of tours, cruises and activities to choose from. By far the most popular trip is a day-cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. Abundant marine wildlife and awesome glaciers make this an Alaska cruise you do not want to miss. Other list toppers include a stop at Exit Glacier, kayaking and a visit to the 52 million dollar Alaska Sea Life Center. Seward is also a great place to do some fishing. Monster halibut weighing over 300 pounds are caught each year in nearby waters, and the town is host to the popular Seward Silver Salmon Derby held each year in mid-August.
Holiday Inn Express Day 03: Kenai Fjords National Park - Anchorage
Morning transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to Small Boat Harbor and embark on a 6-hour wildlife and glacier cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park. Within the crystal green waters of the Fjords is an abundant array of tidewater and piedmont glaciers. Marine wildlife includes otters, sea lions, harbor seals, humpback and Orca whales, porpoises, puffins and kittiwakes. This is Alaska's most popular wildlife and glacier cruise! Return transfer to Seward train station by taxi to board the Alaska Rail to Anchorage. Upon arrival in Anchorage, transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
Lunch
Extended Stay Deluxe Day 04: Anchorage - Talkeetna
Transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to the Anchorage train station to board the Alaska Rail to Talkeetna. Enjoy a scenic train ride through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to Talkeetna. Arrive Talkeetna and transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge features 200 rooms with scenic mountain and forest views, a stunning 'big timber' lobby building complete with a three-story river rock fireplace, and expansive decking offering spectacular panoramic vistas of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range. This afternoon, enjoy a 2-hour Jetboat Safari on the Talkeetna River. The safari offers opportunities to view nesting bald eagles, beaver activity, moose and bear in their natural habitat. On the safari you will see how trappers lived at the turn of the century and visit an authentic trappers cabin with its rustic furnishings. Your guide will display raw furs from the local area and demonstrate trapping methods. Naturalists will acquaint you with the wildflowers and plants that grow in abundance along the river system.
Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge Day 05: Talkeetna - Denali National Park
Transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to the Talkeetna train station to board the Alaska Rail to Denali National Park. Arrive Denali and transfer to via hotel courtesy shuttle to your hotel for check-in. Denali National Park is home to North America's highest mountain, Mt. McKinley, towering over 20,300 feet tall. The 6 million acre park will also give you one of your best opportunities to see Alaska's wildlife such as grizzly bear, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and caribou. The Denali Bluffs Hotel is a 112-room mountainside property located one mile north of the Denali Park entrance at mile 238.4 of the Parks Highway. Every room is decorated with an Alaskan theme, and the main lodge features a large stone fireplace surrounded by a relaxing sitting area.
Denali Bluffs Hotel Day 06: Denali National Park - Fairbanks
Enjoy the Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park. The park is inhabited by lots of different animal species. With some luck you may see bears, caribou, moose, mountain sheep, wolves and a variety of birds. Mt. McKinley can be seen if the weather is clear today. In the afternoon, return to the park entrance and transfer to train station via hotel shuttle to board the Alaska Rail to Fairbanks. Arrive Fairbanks and transfer via hotel courtesy shuttle to your hotel for check-in. The Bridgwater Hotel features scenic view rooms, restaurant, comfortable lounge, and friendly staff awaits you.
Bridgewater Hotel Day 07: Fairbanks
Enjoy a full day tour of Fairbanks. This morning, enjoy a tour of the historical downtown area, Alaska oil pipeline and gold mining dredge. This afternoon, board the authentic sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III for a fully-narrated 3 1/2 hour cruise along the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Alaskan Native guides will take you ashore to an authentic Athabascan Indian village where you'll discover traditional Native lifestyles, enjoy the work of an Athabascan beadwork artist and meet Susan Butcher's famous Iditarod sled dog team. Afterward, enjoy a bush pilot demonstration, watch a fish wheel in operation, and see the 'Wedding of the Rivers' where the Chena and Tanana Rivers converge.
Lunch
Bridgewater Hotel Day 08: Fairbanks - Depart
Transfer to the Fairbanks Airport to board your homebound flight.
