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SDAN14 Golden Circle Alaska & Yukon Road Trip

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SDAN14 Golden Circle Alaska & Yukon Road Trip

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Explore the magic and the mystery of Canada's Yukon Territory and Alaska as you follow the historic Gold Rush Trail Mileposts from Skagway, Whitehorse, Dawson City, Tok to Fairbanks. Visit magnificent Denali National Park, Anchorage and the tidewater glacier of Prince William Sound, observe grizzly bears, moose, wolf and whales and enjoy spectacular nature and scenery. The best of Alaska and Northern Canada. 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

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Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Arrive in Anchorage during the day. Pick up your rental car at the airport or in downtown. Nestled along the Chugach Mountains, the coastal city of Anchorage is not the frozen tundra of Alaska you might imagine. You will find it’s brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. Being the largest city in Alaska, it is rich in indigenous culture; spend your day enjoying the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visiting the Anchorage Museum, or browsing through the Saturday Market. Visit the Lake Hood Floatplane base, go for a walk along the Coastal Train and try out one of Anchorage popular seafood restaurants. With so much of variety of things, for a first time visitor to Alaska or a seasoned traveller, Anchorage has more to offer and is the perfect starting point for your journey into Alaska .

Anchorage - Denali National Park ( Driving Distance: 240 miles | Overnight: Denali Village)

The grandness of the nature starts right from Anchorage itself and driving every mile on the Parks Highway gets even better. It is a treat to watch the mountain peaks crowned with snow caps in the distance. On the way you travel across the fertile Matanuska Valley. Because of the immense amount of summer sunlight, vegetables grow to incredible sizes. Feel free to stop at the designated photo stops to enjoy more panoramic views. It is possible to stopover at Talkeetna for a flightseeing tour to Mt. Denali or a canoe tour on Byers Lake. Travel across Denali State Park and arrive at Denali Village. This evening visit Jeff King’s Sled Dog Kennel - Join an intimate group for a personal tour with four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King and his sled dogs at his Husky Homestead Kennel.

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 Transfer Bus to Eielson Center

Denali National Park - Fairbanks (Driving Distance: 130 miles | Overnight: Fairbanks )

Join this morning the sled dog demonstration hosted by Denali Park Rangers or hike around the Denali Visitor Center. Start your drive on the Richardson Highway and stopover at Nenana. Residents of Nenana sponsor the Nenana Ice Classic, a nature-based lottery. It is a fundraising event in which individuals attempt to guess the exact time the Tanana River ice will break up. Once you get to dig into it more interesting details emerge! Arrive in Fairbanks, the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, which enjoys 24 hr of daylight during summer. This afternoon board the authentic Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler for a cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers. Highlight is stopover at an Athabascan Indian Village, Susan Butcher's sled dog kennel and a floatplane take off & land.

Fairbanks ( Overnight: Fairbanks )

The allure of crossing the Arctic Circle becomes a possibility once you reach Fairbanks. Guided van tours along the Dalton Highway or flight tours to the Arctic Circle and Yukon River is a super popular choice. Join a bushplane flight to Fort Yukon to understand as well as experience how the Gwich'in Athabascan Natives live in "Bush" Alaska. As mentioned earlier Fairbanks becomes a hub for very many activities and the list keeps going on. Visiting Chena Hot Springs Resort can be added to the 'To-Do' List! Chena Hot Springs Resort offers a large indoor heated pool and a natural outdoor rock lake for relaxation. The on-site Aurora Ice Museum is a special attraction and was created from over 1,000 tons of ice and snow, all harvested at the resort.

Fairbanks - Dawson City ( Driving Distance: 390 miles | Overnight: Dawson City )

Take the Richardson Highway south to Delta Junction - a telegraph station established in 1904. The intersection, marked by an oversized white milepost for Mile 1422, is known as the Triangle. Travel past Tok and continue your journey on the Top of the World Highway with endless views into spectacular alpine valleys. If you travel after the first hard frost - usually in mid August, the hills turn colors so brilliant that it seems almost unreal. Stopover in the quirky town of "Chicken" for lunch and photos. You'll cross the mighty Yukon River and arrive in Dawson City. The legendary capital of the 1898 Gold rush is a living relic. After 100 years, miners are still digging for gold. Please Note: We can add an overnight in Tok if you wish to drive the distance in two days.

Dawson City ( Overnight: Dawson City )

A full day to explore the goldrush town Dawson City and the gold fields: Visit the historical buildings, Jack London and Robert Service cabins and old stores that were the pulse of the gold rush capital in its hey-days. As you walk through the heart of Dawson City, your imagination will run to the likes of Klondike Kate, Arizona Charlie Meadows and Diamond Tooth Gertie strolling down Dawson's boardwalks. Their spirit is as alive today as it was in 1898. From the one-time capital of the Yukon you'll follow history up Bonanza Creek (pan for gold) to Discovery Claim and Grand Forks once boasted a population of 10,000 where the Eldorado Creek and Upper Bonanza come together. Take a guided tour of the Gold Dredge #4 and visit the Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall for evening entertainment.

Dawson City - Whitehorse ( Driving Distance: 330 miles | Overnight: Whitehorse )

The Klondike Highway often parallels the Yukon River as it winds its way to Whitehorse. Water in the Yukon River travels more than 3,000 km from headwaters near the Chilkoot Pass to the mouth at the Bering Sea. Stop at the Five Finger Rapids and hike down to the shore of the Yukon River. Continue to Carmacks, home of the Little Salmon/ Carmacks First Nation at the junction of the Yukon and Nordenskiold rivers. The Tagé Cho Hudän Cultural Centre has many exhibits depicting the lifestyle of the Northern Tutchone-speaking people of this region. Stop at Montague Roadhouse, a monument to the trials of travelling in an open stage during the cold Yukon winters. There were roadhouses every 20 miles to rest the horses and to refresh. Arrive in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon..

Whitehorse - Skagway (Driving Distance: 110 miles | Overnight: Skagway )

Time to explore the sights of Whitehorse: The McBride Museum, SS Klondike and the Yukon Beringia Center. During the last ice age, a land bridge joined Asia to Alaska and the Yukon, forming a subcontinent known as Beringia. Bordered on all sides by glaciers, Beringia was once home to woolly mammoths and other fascinating Pleistocene-era animals. This museum presents the archaeological and paleontological past of Beringia, with life-size exhibits of ice-age animals, multimedia displays and dioramas on its prehistoric ecosystems. The South Klondike Highway winds through the subalpine landscape of Tormented Valley to Tutshi Lake, Tagish Lake and the much photographed Emerald Lake. It offers some spectacular scenery as it descents by 11 percent grade from the White Pass to Skagway.

Skagway – Alaska Ferry to Haines - Haines Junction ( Driving Distance: 170 miles | Overnight: Haines Junction )

Haines Junction Spend this morning in Skagway and explore the old town buildings. Take the afternoon Alaska Ferry to Haines. It is a spectacularly scenic and relaxing ferry ride along the Lynn Canal, a fjord that is as beautiful and pristine as any in the world. Arrive in Haines, located in the Valley of the Eagles. The Haines Highway winds from Haines over the Chilkat Pass - the highest summit on this highway. You pass Klukshu, a native summer fishing camp offering great photo opportunities. Arrive in Haines Junction, gateway to Kluane National Park. The Kluane area covers the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Visit the sheep mountain visitor center with its interpretive programs about the flora and fauna. Viewing telescopes are available where you can spot dall sheep on the mountain slopes.

Haines Junction - Tok ( Driving Distance: 290 miles | Overnight: Tok )

This morning go on a short hiking trip before driving north along the shores of beautiful Kluane Lake. Stopover at Sheep Mountain and look out for dall sheep gracing alongside the mountain slopes. Your journey continues on the famous Alaska Highway through endless wilderness areas with occasional wildlife spotting on the way. Feel free to stop at the designated photo stops to enjoy more panoramic views. Cross the Canadian/US border and arrive in Tok, often referred to as the "Dog Mushing Capital of Alaska". Tok was born as a construction station on the highway. With its location at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and the Glenn Highway to Anchorage and Prince William Sound, the town has built an economy of gas stations, gift stores, cafes, and hotels to serve highway travelers.

Tok - Valdez ( Driving Distance: 250 miles | Overnight: Valdez )

Your journey continues on the Glen Highway, offering an impressive view of the Wrangell Mountains - Mt. Deborah, Mt. Sanford and Mt. Drum. Once you have reached the Richardson Highway stopover at the historic roadhouse in Copper Center and watch native fish wheels at the nearby Copper River, providing an excellent salmon run. Shortly afterwards the Worthington Glacier peeks into view where a boardwalk leads to the face of the glacier. Drive through scenic Keystone Canyon, take pictures at the "Bridal Veil Falls" and arrive in Valdez - also known as “the Switzerland of Alaska”. The small fishing community is the gateway for salmon fishing trips and narrated cruises to magnificent Columbia Glacier - one of the most active and largest tidewater glacier in Alaska.

Valdez - Alaska Ferry Transfer to Whittier - Seward ( Driving Distance: 90 miles | Overnight: Seward )

Scenic cruise across Prince William Sound onboard the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry. Prince William Sound is an area famous for its scenery and wildlife. Dotted with islands, this 70-mile-wide gulf extends 30 miles north and west from the Gulf of Alaska to the Kenai Peninsula, bounded to the southeast by Montague and Hinchinbrook islands. To the north: a rugged, glaciated coastline and the Chugach Mountains. Watch out for whales, bald eagles, sea lions and other marine wildlife. Arrive in Whittier and drive to Portage Glacier. After a stop at the visitor center continue to Seward, a small fishing town at the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Spend some time to visit Exit Glacier. Short trails lead to the edge of the glacier where you can take a good photo in front of glacier ice.

Seward ( Overnight: Seward )

This morning board the stable catamaran for a spectacular cruise deep into Kenai Fjords National Park with actively "calving" glaciers and magnificent scenery. Covering 110-miles, the trip is narrated by a National Park Ranger, who is highly adept at spotting wildlife and pointing out the many sights. Kenai Fjords showcase the best of Alaska’s marine world in a compact package. Sea otters float belly-up eating mussels while Harbor seals haul out on icebergs off Aialik and Northwestern Glacier. Look out for Steller sea lions on Chiswell Island as well as Humpback and killer whales. After reaching the tidewater glacier, guests witness "glacier calving" a process by which glaciers shed giant slabs of ancient ice. Included: Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise

Seward - Anchorage ( Driving Distance: 130 miles )

Spend some time in the morning at the Alaska SeaLife Center – the world's largest and first cold water marine search institute with wildlife rehabilitation and public education facilities, try some outstanding halibut or salmon fishing within Resurrection Bay, book a half day kayak tour from Lowell Point to Holgate Glacier or hike the scenic Exit Glacier Trail - the choice is yours ! Take the Seward Highway north towards Anchorage. Feel free to take a break at the designated photo stops to enjoy the panoramic views over Cook Inlet. Arrive in Anchorage later in the day and drop off your rental car at the airport or in downtown.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 11 - May 31 $5343 $2912 $2198 $1836 $450
June 1 - August 31 $6541 $3511 $2587 $2127 $450
September 1 - September 15 $5357 $2919 $2202 $1838 $450
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 11 - May 31 $6003 $3242 $2413 $1994 $450
June 1 - August 31 $7252 $3866 $2824 $2297 $450
September 1 - September 15 $6100 $3290 $2441 $2011 $450

What’s included

14 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

15 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

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Valdez - Whittier / Car

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Valdez - Whittier / Passengers

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Skagway - Haines / Car

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Skagway - Haines / Passengers

6 hr Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise

Seward Port Fee

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Tour Departures

Daily  from  May  11th  –  September  15th

Anchorage: Bear Viewing Tour Day Trip to Brooks Falls / Katmai National Park

Take off from Anchorage to an all day bear viewing expedition past glaciers and volcanoes - within the land of the giant animals: the brown bear country of southwest Alaska. You'll fly to Katmai's - worlds famous Brooks River Falls where brown bears feed on salmon. Each year millions of sockeye salmons burst from the Bering Sea into lakes and streams of the Katmai National Park. These fish provide the primary food source for the worlds largest population of brown bears. As many as 50 bears may be viewed up-close-and-personal from elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms fishing along the 1 1/2 mile Brooks River during peak season (July). Local National Park Rangers are answering all of your questions about this incredible park during the self guided full day tour. Lunch is included at Brooks Lodge.

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).

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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).

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Fairbanks: Guided Arctic Circle Van Tour

On this tour you will travel from Fairbanks along the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle in the Brooks Mountain Range. Enjoy the first-hand experience of the Earth’s northernmost circle of latitude in one of our climate-controlled vans. Here, in the summer, the sky is completely light for 24 hours a day! Travel along the famous Dalton Highway and spot wildlife (no guarantee) as you cross the Yukon River. When you arrive, learn about the area’s indigenous culture, take a walk with your guide, snap photos of the arctic landscape, and enjoy lunch amidst the incredible surroundings. You’ll take home an official Arctic Circle certificate to commemorate this amazing Alaska experience.

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Fairbanks: Guided Arctic Circle Fly/Drive to Coldfoot & the Yukon River

Cross the Arctic Circle on this one day guided roundtrip journey by air and land. This tour takes visitors deep into the Arctic tundra within Alaska’s Far North region. The adventure begins with a scenic flightseeing tour from Fairbanks. Gain a birds-eye view of the Gates of the Arctic National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on your way to the mining community of Coldfoot, a remote pipeline camp nestled in the Brooks Mountain Range. Your journey continues on the return drive to Fairbanks via the Dalton Highway, a roadway made famous during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Experience the grand Yukon River and learn about its storied past and visit the Arctic Circle Trading Post in Joy, Alaska where you will receive an official certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle!

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Skagway: White Pass & Yukon Railroad Summit Excursion

Take an unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" to the White Pass summit. Begin your excursion as you board the train in Skagway and travel 20 miles from tidewater, to the Summit of the White Pass - a 2,865-foot elevation! On this Skagway train tour, relax in vintage passenger coaches as you retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles, and historic sites along the White Pass Railroad. See the original Klondike Trail of 1898 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune. This tour takes about 3 to 3.5 hrs.

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Seward: Extend Kenai Fjords Cruise and include a dinner on Fox Island

Spend your day aboard the most popular wildlife and glacier cruise in Alaska. Explore the wildlife and glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park. Then, dock at the magical Fox Island for an all-you-can-eat prime rib and Alaska salmon buffet. What a day!

More Details & Pricing

 

Lori, Boston: Good evening, sorry is has been somewhat busy since arriving home from an amazing BUCKET list trip. First off, me and Dean wanted to compliment on how smooth everything went. We would give it a 9.5 out of 10 or almost 10 out of 10. Koodoo’s to all involved in the planning. We have never been on a tour where all excursions were picked, planned and paid for – the way to travel for sure. No worrying about what and when should we add this and that – do we have enough time etc etc.