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, board a courtesy shuttle to your hotel in the heart of the city. Anchorage offers visitors an ideal blend of urban delights, outdoor activities and scenic vistas beyond comparison.
Extended Stay Deluxe Day 02: Anchorage - Seward
Transfer to the Anchorage rail station to board Alaska Rail to Seward. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure in Seward. Situated at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities. Known as the 'Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park' Seward is a picturesque town located 126 miles south of Anchorage.
Holiday Inn
Day 03: Kenai Fjords National Park - Anchorage
Transfer to the harbor where you will enjoy a 6-hour wildlife and glacier cruise into 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! Transfer by taxi to the Seward rail station to board your return train to Anchorage. Arrive Anchorage and shuttle to your hotel for overnight.
Lunch
Extended Stay Deluxe Day 04: Anchorage - Talkeetna
Shuttle to the Anchorage rail station to board Alaska Rail to Talkeetna.
Enjoy a scenic train ride through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to Talkeetna. 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 to Talkeetna rail station to board your train to Denali National Park. 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. Arrive Denali and transfer to your hotel.
Denali Bluffs Hotel Day 06: Denali National Park - Fairbanks
Full day Denali National Park Wilderness Tour, featuring views of Mt. McKinley (weather permitting,) stops en route to stretch your legs and game viewing opportunities. In the afternoon, return to the park entrance and board Alaska Rail to Fairbanks. Arrive Fairbanks this evening and shuttle to your hotel for overnight.
Bridgewater Hotel Day 07: Fairbanks
Enjoy full day tour of Fairbanks. This morning, tour 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. See 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.
