Alaskan Discovery: Denali National Park & the Kenai Fjords

"The Last Frontier" is a land of unspoiled beauty. It's where you can find verdant fields of green that seemingly blend into mighty mountainous backdrops ... where seas of blue, filled with dancing seals and whales, are encompassed by gleaming glaciers ... and where quiet towns are nestled within vast forests. But while Alaska boasts spectacular landscapes, it is so much more than that. A fascinating heritage and rich history beckon to be discovered as well. When you join us on this Grand Circle Tour, you'll not only discover the majesty of Alaska's natural setting during explorations of Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks, but you'll also feel the warm spirit of America's 49th state as locals eagerly await to share their traditions with you. Hear two sisters in Fairbanks tell you about their dad's life as a gold miner; meet a dog musher in Denali to learn about the evolution of this beloved sport; and let a farmer in Palmer teach you about the musk oxen that reside here. We invite you to travel from Fairbanks to Anchorage with us to experience the beauty of Alaska in all of its glory.

 

DAY 1
Arrive Fairbanks, Alaska
Destination: Fairbanks
Accommodations: Pike's Waterfront Lodge or similar
Activity Note: Depending on your flight schedule, you will arrive in Fairbanks either in the afternoon or evening.

Morning: Fly to Fairbanks, Alaska from your home state.

Afternoon: Upon arrival at the airport in Fairbanks, a Grand Circle representative will meet you and assist with the transfer to your hotel, where you'll meet your Program Director and fellow travelers, including those who took our Juneau, Alaska pre-trip extension. This modern frontier settlement still retains much of its Wild West Gold Rush flavor. Gold dredges and mining camps speckle its outlying areas. Tom Sawyer paddlewheelers still ply the river, sled-dog teams scamper through the long winter nights, and follies-style revues are a nightly occurrence in saloons and at the Alaskaland pioneer village.

Dinner: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend this evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 2
Fairbanks • Trans-Alaskan Pipeline • Gold Rush experience
Destination: Fairbanks
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Pike's Waterfront Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: You'll gather with your fellow travelers for a Welcome Briefing at the hotel. During this briefing, you will introduce yourself to the group and your Program Director will review your itinerary with you in more detail (including any changes that may need to occur). Your Program Director will also discuss logistics, safety and emergency procedures, and answer questions you may have.

After, you'll depart the hotel and set off for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline. The pipeline carries oil discovered in Prudhoe Bay in 1968 some 800 miles to the ice-free port of Valdez. Authorized by former President Richard Nixon in 1977, the pipeline cost around $8 billion to build. Precautions have been taken to minimize the pipeline's environmental impact including building 12 pumping stations that have special radiators in certain sections, which disperse the heat from the pumped oil to prevent the melting of the permafrost upon which the pipeline is built.

Later this morning, enjoy an exclusive Discovery Series event when you meet two sisters who will reveal the "golden heart" of the city to us. They'll show you how to pan for gold so that you can try your luck and possibly bring a little Alaskan treasure of your own home with you. Your hosts will also share their close relationship to the history of Fairbanks' Gold Rush era as their father was a gold miner here. The discovery of a gold field just 15 miles north of Fairbanks fueled a population boom that propelled Fairbanks to become the largest city in Alaska before it was surpassed by Anchorage.

Then, you'll conclude your discoveries here and return to Fairbanks early this afternoon.

Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

Dinner: Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 3
Fairbanks • Explore Nenana • Denali National Park
Destination: Denali National Park
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: Grand Denali Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Free for your own discoveries—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

Lunch: Included at a local restaurant in Fairbanks, featuring traditional cuisine.

Afternoon: Say goodbye to Fairbanks and begin your journey to your next destination: Denali National Park. Along the way, you'll stop in Nenana. Located on the river of the same name, Nenana is a simple town of single-story homes and log cabins where less than 1000 people reside. Drive through the town to see this simple way of life and locals going about their daily routines. Your Program Director will also share details about the town's annual Nenana Ice Classic, a high stakes game in which a wooden pole is frozen into the river and locals bet on when the ice around the pole will break in the spring.

After, continue on to Denali National Park where you'll check into your lodge and you have some time to relax and get settled in.

Dinner: At the hotel, featuring local dishes like Alaskan salmon.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 4
Explore Denali National Park
Destination: Denali National Park
Meals included: B L
Accommodations: Grand Denali Lodge or similar

Activity Note: You'll explore Denali National Park for 6 hours aboard a 55-passenger vintage school bus alongside travelers from other tour groups. Because of the nature of the park and its terrain, traveling by school bus is the only way to explore this landscape. You may travel over uneven and bumpy roads. And depending on weather conditions, it may be difficult to spot Denali's wildlife.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: You'll depart the hotel and board a 55-passenger vintage school bus for a 6-hour exploration of Denali National Park. This experience will surely open your eyes to the true majesty of Alaska's wild wonders as you traverse park roads flanked by verdant fields and rugged mountains. Denali National Park has been designated an international biosphere reserve and was expanded to six million from 3.2 million acres by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. The park stretches out along the north side of the Alaska Range, just 250 miles from the southernmost edge of the Arctic Circle. Looming over it all is the mighty Mount Denali, America's tallest peak soaring just beyond 20,000 feet. On a clear day, you may be able to see the mountain's peak.

A local guide will accompany you on today's explorations, sharing insight into the history and ecological makeup of the park. While spotting Denali's wildlife is dependent on weather conditions and other factors that are out of our control, your guide will do their best to point out any animal sightings during your explorations.

Lunch: A boxed lunch will be provided.

Afternoon: You continue exploring the wilds of Denali National Park before returning to your hotel early this afternoon. Then, you have the rest of the day free for your own discoveries—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent discoveries this evening, with dinner on your own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant recommendations.

DAY 5
Denali National Park • Talkeetna
Destination: Talkeetna
Meals included: B L D
Accommodations: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: You'll visit a local kennel to meet with a professional dog musher for an exclusive Discovery Series discussion about sled dogs and mushing in Alaska, an occupation that predates American colonization of Alaska's territory. Dog sledding was used as a means of transporting goods across the state during harsh winters, but today, it is primarily a recreational activity. In fact, a popular competition, the Iditarod, is held annually, pitting the best sled dogs against each other as they face the elements on a 1000-mile journey from Anchorage to Nome.

You'll learn more about this competition during your visit today, as well as how the musher trains and prepares their huskies for sledding. Then, you'll meet the future generation of sled dog competitors when you have the opportunity to hold husky puppies.

Later this morning, you'll head to the Denali Park Depot to catch a train to Talkeetna.

Lunch: Served onboard the train.

Afternoon: As you ride the rails, make sure to enjoy the views out your window. Witness massive mountains, expansive fields dotted with spruces and aspens, and snaking rivers. Upon arrival, you'll transfer to your hotel to check in and you'll have some free time to get settled.

Dinner: Included at a local restaurant.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 6
Explore Talkeetna • Northern Lights conversation
Destination: Talkeetna
Meals included: B
Accommodations: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Start the morning off with an exclusive Discovery Series discussion in your hotel with a local photographer who specializes in capturing stunning images of the Northern Lights. She'll not only show you her photos of this natural phenomenon, but she'll also explain how and why it occurs. Then, set off on a walking tour of Talkeetna alongside your Program Director. With a little less than 900 residents, Talkeetna radiates the spirit of a small town in every sense. Log cabins can be found nestled within openings in the forest surrounding the town, the main street remains the only part of Talkeetna located on a paved road, and the inviting locals will make you feel like family.

Today, you'll walk along the shores of the Susitn River where—weather permitting—you may catch glimpses of Denali Mountain's snow-capped peak. You'll also visit the Ranger Station where people looking to climb Denali must attain permits. Around 1000 climbers register every year. Discover some of the people who have faced this feat at the station before continuing on to the Talkeetna Historical Society’s museum. Here, you'll discover the Alaska Natives, gold miners, and explorers who made Talkeetna what it is today. Your Program Director will also accompany you to the town's shops where you can see residents going about their daily routines and browse for souvenirs.

Lunch/Afternoon: Yours to do as you please. Your Program Director will be happy to recommend a spot for lunch and free time activities.

Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent discoveries this evening, with dinner on your own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant recommendations.

DAY 7
Talkeetna • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center visit • Seward
Destination: Seward
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Windsong Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Say goodbye to Talkeetna and begin your journey to Seward, via Anchorage. Upon arrival in Anchorage, you'll have the opportunity to explore some of the downtown area.

Lunch: On your own—ask your Program Director for local restaurant recommendations.

Afternoon: Continue on to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, an organization that aims to rehabilitate wild animals that have been injured or abandoned. Spread out over 200 acres of land, you'll have the opportunity to explore this property and witness some of the species that reside here, including black bears, bald eagles, lynx, moose, bison, wolves, reindeer, and more.

After spending a couple of hours at the center, you'll finish the last leg of your journey to Seward, arriving later this afternoon. Situated at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is a picturesque seaside community where colorful homes line the bay's edge, boats bob in the water, and majestic mountains serve as a scenic backdrop. The town was named after William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. Seward negotiated the purchase of the Alaskan territories from Russia for $7,200,000 in 1867.

Dinner: Included at the hotel, featuring traditional cuisine.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 8
Explore Seward • Kenai Fjord National Park cruise
Destination: Seward
Meals included: B L
Accommodations: Windsong Lodge or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: You'll set out this morning to get acquainted with the town as you discover its busy waterfront district and explore its quaint shops. Later, we'll set off for Kenai Fjords National Park where you have the option to begin your discoveries here with a hike along Exit Glacier. You can get an up close view of this icy wonder before your group gathers and takes to the waters for a 6-hour cruise through the park. Kenai Fjords National Park encompasses over 900 square miles of wilderness. Humpback whales and sea lions make their home among the park’s glaciers, otters dart along the water's surface, and bald eagles soar through the blue skies above. A naturalist will be onboard with your group to point out these spectacular creatures during your explorations.

Lunch: Onboard during your cruise.

Afternoon: You'll continue your cruise well into the afternoon before returning to Seward. You are free to make your own discoveries—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent discoveries this evening, with dinner on your own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant recommendations.

DAY 9
Seward • Anchorage
Destination: Anchorage
Meals included: B L
Accommodations: Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Depart the hotel and set off for the Alaska Sea Life Center. Here, you'll learn about the marine research that is being conducted to better understand Alaska's underwater ecology. You'll also come face-to-face with some of the incredible creatures that reside here, including harbor seals, puffins, and jellyfish.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Seward.

Afternoon: You'll then travel to your next and final destination on this itinerary: Anchorage. Make sure to take a look out your window during your travels to watch the spectacular scenery of Alaska unfold before your eyes. Mountains seemingly rise out of the endless fields and forests that mark your route. Upon arrival in Anchorage later this afternoon, you'll check in at your hotel and the rest of the day is free for your own discoveries—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

The city is home to nearly half the state's population. Russian fur trappers lived here and traded with the local natives when Captain James Cook arrived in 1778 on his search for the Northwest Passage. Anchorage sits on the inlet named after Cook against a backdrop of the spectacular Chugach Mountains. The Gold Rush of the 1880s and the construction of the Alaska Railroad authorized by Woodrow Wilson in 1915 brought more settlers. The city's modern-day expansion resumed after World War I with the arrival of the military bases and installations during World War II and more defense spending during the 1950s. Alaska earned its statehood in 1959, but disaster followed on Good Friday 1964 when the epicenter of an earthquake shook Anchorage. Rebuilding commenced immediately and the discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay, and the construction of the TransAlaska Pipeline provided the fuel for exponential growth throughout the 1970s and beyond. The construction of the Anchorage International Airport in the 1970s cemented the geographic importance of Anchorage in US-Asian and international trade, as the city is almost exactly half way between New York and Tokyo.

Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent discoveries this evening, with dinner on your own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant recommendations.

DAY 10
Anchorage
Destination: Anchorage
Meals included: B D
Accommodations: Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa or similar

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Set off for the picturesque city of Palmer where you'll visit a musk ox farm. These bearded beasts appear to be straight out of the Ice Age with their thick fur coats, massive hoofs, and intimidating horns. Because of the nature of their appearance, these mammals thrive in colder climates and are primarily found in Alaska and Siberia. Today, you'll tour the farm and learn more about the history of musk oxen—these furry creatures may even approach you to greet you as they are known for their friendly demeanor.

Next, you'll move on to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Dedicated to enriching your knowledge of Alaska Natives, the center includes full-scale models of typical dwellings and demonstrations of local customs, traditions, and handicrafts. Today, Alaska is home to five main tribes: the Northwest Coast Indians, Inupiaqs, Yupiks, Aleuts, and the Athabascans. These indigenous people represent 16% of the state's population. While here, you'll have the opportunity to see members of these local tribes dressed in authentic garb performing traditional dances. Afterward, you'll cap off your discoveries and head to downtown Anchorage.

Lunch/Afternoon: Yours to do as you please. Your Program Director will be happy to recommend a spot for lunch and free time activities.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Anchorage. Savor the flavors of Alaska and toast to your discoveries during this Farewell Dinner.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Program Director for recommendations.

DAY 11
Depart Anchorage
Meals included: B L

Activity Note: If you are arranging your own airfare, we recommend departing in the evening or the following morning in order to participate in today’s included activities. Our Travel Counselors can help you arrange a day room or overnight accommodations. If you choose to join us on our post-trip extension, then you'll depart the hotel this morning and board a motorcoach set for Valdez, Alaska. The activities that the rest of the group will be participating in today, will be included on Day 4 of this optional extension.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Travelers joining us on our post-trip extension will depart the hotel this morning and begin their journey to Valdez, Alaska. The rest of the group will discover what life is like for an Alaskan bush pilot at the Aviation Museum. The location of the museum—on the shores of Lake Hood—sees the most seaplane traffic in the world with around 85,000 departures and arrivals annually. Today, you may see some of the planes in action, and you'll also get a glimpse of air travel in Alaska when you see photographs, films, and antiques depicting aviation throughout Alaska's history.

Next, travel to Mount Alyeska, where you’ll board a tram for a scenic ride to the mountain’s peak. You’ll ascend more than 2,000 feet to the summit, the gorgeous scenery of Alaska unfolding beneath you as you rise. Enjoy panoramic views of expansive glaciers, snowcapped peaks, and lush forests stretching into the horizon. If you’re lucky you might even be able to spot bears, moose, and other wildlife going about their business in the landscape below.

Lunch: Enjoy an included lunch at the top of the mountain, with panoramic views of the landscape below as your backdrop.

Afternoon: Return to your hotel in Anchorage, where you can take care of any remaining business before your trip home.

Evening: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.