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SDAN03 The Nature of Alaska Holiday

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SDAN03 The Nature of Alaska Holiday

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You have six days and you like to enjoy the best of Alaska by road - the highlights of Denali National Park and the Prince William Sound - then the ‘SDAN03 – The Nature of Alaska Holiday’ is the perfect fit. The driving distances / time taken on the road is not a lot but at the same time you get to see very beautiful and popular destinations in Alaska. You start in Anchorage, which is filled with lot of adventures along with metropolitan amenities. With thousands of moose, very many national parks nearby and 60 glaciers in a quick drive away, it's one of the best places to start your vacation. From Anchorage you go on to Talkeetna, which has convergence of three major glacial rivers. Susitna River, just outside the town is a good place to experience. Denali National Park nestling in the shadows of towering 20.320 ft. Mt. Denali will be your next stop. Denali National Park mesmerizes every one with its pristine beauty amazing hikes and great wildlife spotting. From Denali you head over to Girdwood and enjoy the Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise. After Girdwood, you can head back to Anchorage with a highly recommended stop over at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Please read our itinerary to have more detailed day-to-day experience. On request, this trip can be customized and can be organized in reverse order.

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Rental Car

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

Anchorage - Talkeetna ( Driving Distance: 120 miles | Overnight: Talkeetna )

Welcome to Anchorage. Pick up your rental car at the Anchorage airport or downtown. It is a treat to watch the mountain peaks of the Alaska Range crowned with snow caps in the distance while traveling from Anchorage on the George Parks Highway to Talkeetna. On the way you travel across the fertile Matanuska Valley. Because of the immense amount of summer sunlight, vegetables grow to incredible sizes. Stopover at Eklutna Indian village on your way to Talkeetna. While at Talkeetna, the must-do activity is the flightseeing tour to the summit of Mt. Denali. Get a picture perfect view of the Kahiltna and Ruth Glacier with its Great Gorge as well as magnificent ice-falls. Highlight of the flight will be an adventurous glacier landing.

Talkeetna - Denali National Park ( Driving Distance: 160 miles | Overnight: Denali Village )

The journey from Talkeetna to Denali National Park offers a lot of possibilities of wildlife spottings. Even if you are not eagle eyed, a few cars stopped over somewhere means that there could be a possibility of wildlife spotting! Byers Lake on the way offers choice to rent a canoe or kayak. Once you cross Denali State Park, you arrive at Denali Village. The parks office is your rich information chase and it provides details on ranger-naturalist programs, slide shows and sled dog demonstrations. Jeff King’s Sled Dog Kennel is a very popular choice for a personal tour with four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King at his Husky Homestead Kennel. One can also choose a rafting trip on Nenana River as well as an ATV Tour through the backcountry adjacent to Denali National Park.

Denali National Park ( Overnight: Denali Village )

Denali National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and spectacular sceneries. Pick up your tickets, board the bus and watch out for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolf and fox moving along the ridges and river beds. Your driver informs about the history of Denali National Park, its diverse wildlife and flora. Once an animal has been spotted the bus will stop that everyone can watch and take pictures. The bus turns around at Eielson Visitor Center - 66 miles one way/8 hours round trip. You can get off the bus anytime to go for a hike. Return to the Denali Park entrance anytime during the day. Optional: We can extend the transit bus tour to Wonder Lake or exchange to the Tundra Wilderness Tour, Kantishna Wilderness Trails or Backcountry Lodge Tour. Included: Denali Transit Bus to Eielson

Denali National Park - Girdwood | Alyeska ( Driving Distance: 280 miles | Overnight: Girdwood )

Spend the morning at Denali Village and watch a sled dog demonstration presented by the park ranger, join a exhilarating rafting or float trip on the Nenana River or a backcountry ATV tour. Drive south via Anchorage along scenic Turnagain Arm to Girdwood / Alyeska Ski Resort. Tucked in a glacier valley between the mountains and the sea is Alyeska Resort - Alaska's premier destination resort. Offering deluxe accommodations, four-star dining, and year-round activities, they are equipped to spoil you in an unspoiled land. Summertime recreation includes hiking in Girdwood's alpine rain forests, mountain climbing and biking on Girdwood's bike path or the many trails in the valley. Take the Alyeska Tramway to get a bird's eye view of the surrounding glaciers and Turnagain Arm.

Girdwood ( Driving Distance: 47 miles | Overnight: Girdwood )

Enjoy your day on a glacier cruise in Prince William Sound. Drive along Turnagain Arm to the glacier studded Portage Valley. To access the remote community of Whittier, you will travel through North America's longest shared rail - and vehicle tunnel. The Prince William Sound is one of the few places left in the world where a concentration of glaciers can be found in such abundance. On the Prince William Sound glacier cruise, you will explore the serenity of Esther Passage, view the majestic alpine and tidewater glaciers within College and Harriman Fjords covered with ancient ice, observe a large variety of marine wildlife and travel in luxurious comfort aboard a steady catamaran. Your Forest Service Ranger will point out the interesting sites along the way. Included: Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise

Girdwood - Anchorage ( Driving Distance: 40 miles )

Spend the morning relaxing or doing your favorite outdoor activities. Hike the Winner Creek Trail or other trails around Alyeska Resort. Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, taking in injured and orphaned animals and providing them with a permanent home. The center is beautifully located on the shores of Turnagain Arm, surrounded by mountains and hanging glaciers. It is involved in the Wood Bison Restoration Project, where it is caring for the once thought extinct Wood Bison. Additionally, the center plays host to orphaned black and brown bears, moose, elk, lynx, caribou, muskox and more. Return to Anchorage during the day and drop off your rental car.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2638 $1503 $1152 $977 $219
June 1 - August 31 $3145 $1752 $1315 $1096 $219
September 1 - September 13 $2638 $1503 $1152 $977 $219
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3198 $1772 $1350 $1136 $219
June 1 - August 31 $4376 $2360 $1743 $1435 $219
September 1 - September 13 $3254 $1800 $1369 $1150 $219

 

What’s included

5 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

6 Days Midsize Rental Car (For additional Upgrades and Extras Click Here)

Unlimited Free Mileage

Rental Car Licensing Fees

CFC, State & City Rental Car Sales Taxes

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise including lunch

Harbor Tax

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

 

Tour Departures

 Daily from May 19th – September 14th

 

Denali: Extend Denali Transit Bus Tour to Wonder Lake

The Denali Transit Bus is the official shuttle bus service into Denali National Park. The shuttle is best suited for those visitors who are seeking flexibility in their day trip into the Park and would like to have the option of getting off the bus to hike or explore on your own. Excellent hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities all along the Park Road. Created by retreating glaciers, Wonder Lake offers visitors stunning views of Mt. Denali and the Alaska Range, as weather permits. Along the Park Road, alder and willow carpeted hills are dotted with kettle ponds often frequented by waterfowl and other wildlife. Reflection Pond, an amazing photo stop on a clear day, requires you utilize the Kantishna Transit Bus or hike 2.5 miles from the Wonder Lake turnaround stop.

More Details & Pricing

Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour

The fully narrated 62-mile Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park is led by a certified naturalist driver/guide who will also provide historical and geographical background of the area. The tour will last approximately eight to nine hours and includes ample photo and rest stops. When your tour driver is able, he/she will take video footage of animals along Park Road and project these images onto drop-down video screens, featured only our specially designed tour buses. This way you can get a close-up look at the roadside action. At the end of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase a “Tundra Wilderness Tour” DVD, which will feature some of the video footage shot from your tour! Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

More Details & Pricing

 

Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour

The Kantishna Wilderness Trails tour is the premier Denali Park wilderness bus excursion. Spend the entire day in Denali National Park and discover a piece of Alaska's gold rush history and warm hospitality at the historic Kantishna Roadhouse, located just past Wonder Lake on the banks of Moose Creek. Your 12 to 13-hour fully-narrated excursion to Kantishna travels via a custom motorcoach through 95 miles of Denali National Park's prime wildlife habitat. The last 30 miles allow for full viewing of Mt. Denali, weather permitting. The wilderness backcountry of Denali Park provides diverse habitats which support big-game species such as black bear, grizzly, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolf, and wolverine. Hot beverages and refreshments are included en route to the Kantishna Roadhouse. After a hearty deli style lunch in the dining room at the Roadhouse, relax and visit the Historical Recorder's Cabin and enjoy a dog sled demonstration or gold panning. Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

More Details & Pricing

 

Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Backcountry Adventure Bus Tour

The Denali Backcountry Adventure Tour is another premier Denali Park Wildlife bus excursion. This full-day, 13-hour tour travels 95 miles in each direction to the Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. You'll travel by private bus with a trained naturalist driver/guide giving interpretation along the way helping you search for bear, moose, caribou and other wildlife while pointing out the biology and geology of the region. Several photo and rest stops will be made. Snacks, drinks and lunch are provided. Lunch is served at the exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. Lunch consists of a sandwich bar, soups, fruits, snacks, fresh baked goods and non-alcoholic drinks. After lunch try your luck at gold panning near the lodge or take a guided nature walk before returning to the Park entrance.

More Details & Pricing

 

Talkeetna: Denali Flightseeing Tour with optional Glacier Landing

The 1 hr Denali flightseeing tour takes you within six miles of Mt. Denali's summit. As your flight departs Talkeetna, you begin to notice how the last ice age has shaped the land. Moments later you enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier filled valleys. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge (the world's deepest - almost 2 miles from top to bottom). Add a glacier landing to your flightseeing tour for a one-of-a-kind expedition. Passengers land usually at the 5600 foot level of the Ruth Glacier, located in the Sheldon Amphitheater. Other popular landing spots are the Kahiltna, the Pika, or the Eldridge glaciers. A glacier landing takes an additional 30 minutes (15 minutes of time exploring on foot and 15 minutes for landing and takeoff).

 

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Anna, AL: Denali National Park is one of the most beautiful parts of the world-completely devoid of human habitation - Considering the size of 6 million acres we saw only a fraction of the park - it is absolutely amazing! The overnight at Alyeska Resort was a highlight. All the food we ate was amazing and my husband was willing to try sushi for the first time at Sakura. We were able to go up in the tram and we got some beautiful pictures of the area.