Discover the unique beauty of Alaska and the Yukon Territory during this invigorating vacation. In Alaska, ride the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park, with its impressive mountains, breathtaking scenery, and amazing wildlife. Denali is home to 130 bird species and 37 species of mammals, including lynx, moose, caribou, wolf, and grizzly bear. During your guided wilderness tour, you’ll have an opportunity to seek out some of these animals. Also enjoy the magnificent scenery during your cruise on Prince William Sound, and watch for eagles, whales, mountain goats, and more.You’ll also have an opportunity to experience some of the most majestic scenery in Canada combined with fascinating history. You’ll visit towns important during the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon—Whitehorse and Dawson City. In Dawson City, step back in time at the site where the first gold strike was made, and learn how gold changed this land forever. Enjoy entertainment at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s, Canada’s oldest gambling hall, complete with can-can dancers, ragtime music, and an old-fashioned casino. In Whitehorse, visit the premier dogsled facility, Muktuk Adventures, to meet the huskies and their trainers.Enjoy a 7-night cruise with ample opportunity to take in Alaska’s awe-inspiring glaciers and remarkable scenery. Explore the remote and rugged beauty of Alaska’s majestic Inside Passage. Watch for spouting whales, soaring eagles, barking seals, and other wildlife. Marvel at glaciers and witness the amazing spectacle of thunder and spray as tremendous slabs of ice break off and “calve” into the sea.This is just a sampling of the wonderful scenery and sights that await you on this marvelous tour to Alaska and the Yukon. Just imagine the memories you’ll create on this spectacular vacation!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Anchorage. Welcome to Alaska! Meet your Tour Director this evening between 5 pm and 8 pm in the hotel reception area.
Day #2 Anchorage–Wasilla–Alaska Railroad–Denali National Park. Traveling north into the majestic wilds of Alaska, visit the IDITAROD HEADQUARTERS, home of the world-famous dogsled race. Arrive in Talkeetna, the jumping-off point for climbers attempting to summit Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet. Board the historic ALASKA RAILROAD for a scenic trip to Denali National Park. Enjoy dinner at the Murie Science Center followed by an exclusive [LF] PRESENTATION on Denali National Park by a local Naturalist. (B,D)
Day #3 Denali National Park. This morning, a GUIDED WILDERNESS TOUR takes you into 6-million-acre DENALI NATIONAL PARK to explore the majestic wilderness and seek out grizzly bear, caribou, moose, and other wildlife! Your afternoon is free for optional adventures such as float trips, a dogsled demonstration, a helicopter ride over the park, or a delicious dinner and rollicking musical comedy performed in a camp house reminiscent of the Gold Rush era. (B,L)
Day #4 Denali National Park–Fairbanks. Travel into the heart of Alaska to Fairbanks, where you will enjoy lunch at the historic Pump House restaurant on the banks of the Chena River. The afternoon and evening are at leisure in Fairbanks. (B,L)
Day #5 Fairbanks. This morning, board the sternwheeler Discovery for a CRUISE on the Chena and Tanana Rivers with a stop at a recreated Chena Indian Village to learn about Athabascan Native culture. Later, visit the UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA–FAIRBANKS MUSEUM during your Fairbanks city tour, and also stop at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. (B)
Day #6 Fairbanks–Dawson City. Continuing the journey into Gold Rush history, motor over the Top of the World Highway and enter the Yukon. Passing through the village of Chicken, today promises to be filled with breathtaking scenery. Tonight, you have reservations at DIAMOND TOOTH GERTIE’S, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and an old-fashioned casino. (B)
Day #7 Dawson City. Today, step back in time at the site of CLAIM #1, where the first gold strike was made. Continue to an old GOLD DREDGE to learn how gold changed this land forever and to try your own hand at gold panning! Next, stop at the DÄNOJÀ ZHO CULTURAL CENTRE for a tour on the First Nations’ traditions and culture over the past 100 years. (B)
Day #8 Dawson–Whitehorse. Today, trace the trail of the gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. View the Five Finger Rapids, which once posed a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers stampeding into the Yukon. Your day concludes in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon. (B)
Day #9 Whitehorse. A city tour stops at the YUKON BERINGIA INTERPRETIVE CENTRE, where you can meet the Ice Age giant mammals that once ruled the ancient subcontinent. Stop at the SS KLONDIKE RIVERBOAT and learn about its importance on the Yukon River in the Gold Rush days. Later, head to Whitehorse’s premier dogsled facility, [LF] MUKTUK ADVENTURES, where you will personally meet the huskies and their trainers. Here, learn about the training and care of Alaskan huskies, as well as the lifestyle required to race in world-famous competitions such as the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. Afterward, enjoy a special Taste of the Yukon dinner (B,D)
Day #10 Whitehorse–Tok. Return to Alaska, traveling through the rugged mountains of KLUANE NATIONAL PARK, home to 19,625-foot Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. Continue on the Alaska Highway to Tok, the “Dog Sled Capital of the World.” (B)
Day #11 Tok–Valdez. Head to Alaska’s southernmost ice-free port, Valdez, home of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal. As you travel toward some of the highest coastal mountains in the world, enjoy views of Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, and Bridal Veil Falls before arriving in the “Switzerland of Alaska”—Valdez. Visit the unique VALDEZ MUSEUM late this afternoon. (B)
Day #12 Valdez–Whittier–Anchorage. Board a BOAT today and get a closer look at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal, the 3-mile face of Columbia Glacier, and the playful sea life of PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND. Keep your eyes open for eagles, whales, mountain goats, dolphins, and sea lions! This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at the Alyeska Hotel before returning to Anchorage. (B,L,D)
Day #13 Anchorage–Seward (Embarkation). Transfer to the pier to embark on your Holland America cruise ship, the MS Statendam or MS Zaandam. (B,D)
Day #14 Scenic Cruising: Gulf of Alaska. Enjoy breathtaking scenery as we travel the route of Alaska’s Marine Highway. The entire shoreline of the Gulf of Alaska is a rugged combination of forests, mountains, and tidewater glaciers. Be on the lookout for Alaska’s wildlife including whales, seals, otters, puffins and more. (B,L,D)
Day #15 Scenic Cruising: Glacier Bay National Park. This Biosphere Reserve and UNES CO World Heritage Site protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in an ever-changing glacial landscape. Here, witness an amazing spectacle of thunder and flying spray as tremendous slabs of ice break off and “calve” into the sea— making for lasting memories. National Park rangers accompany the ship to add expert commentary to the day’s events. (B,L,D)
Day #16 Haines. Nestled on the shores of America’s longest fjord, Haines enjoys a spectacular setting. You may choose to fill your day with a float trip through Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, home to the largest annual gathering of bald eagles, the nation’s avian symbol. Or, visit the Sheldon Museum, art galleries, and local shops in town. (B,L,D)
Day #17 Juneau. Visit one of the most scenic and remote capital cities—Juneau. Accessible only by air and water, Juneau is located at the base of two towering mountains in the heart of Alaska’s Inside Passage, and is home to a rich Gold Rush history, Native culture, wildlife, and a wealth of natural wonders. Step ashore to shop for gold nuggets; visit the stately Governor’s Mansion; saunter through the swinging doors of the Red Dog Saloon, the city’s famous watering hole; or visit mighty Mendenhall Glacier, an impressive river of ice that is 12 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. (B,L,D)
Day #18 Ketchikan. Experience Native Alaska firsthand. Meet the spirits of the raven, whale, and eagle as you view the largest collection of totems in the world at Saxman Totem Park or Totem Bight State Historic Park. Or, explore Creek Street, now home to contemporary art galleries and quaint boutiques. (B,L,D)
Day #19 Scenic Cruising: Inside Passage. Sit back and relax as you cruise through the beautiful and awe-inspiring scenery of the Inside Passage. Keep your cameras ready for spouting whales, soaring eagles, barking seals, and other wildlife. (B,L,D)
Day #20 Vancouver (Disembarkation). Airport transfers are provided. Please schedule flights after Noon. (B)