Denali National Park and Preserve

This itinerary starts BEFORE the accompanying cruise itinerary.

Transfer from the airport to Pike's Waterfront Lodge. Meet your fellow travelling companions and your Exploration Leader for a casual wine and cheese reception and an overview of the next few days.

At a little more than 125 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks truly can be considered the end of the road. After a brief tour of historical Fairbanks we will make our way to the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and pay a visit to the highly acclaimed museum. Newly completed expansion of the museum has created one of the finest collections of artifacts from Alaska's rich history, explanations of the indigenous cultures and displays of the natural wonders of this part of the world. You'll be greeted at the door by Otto, the 8 foot, 9 inch tall grizzly bear that is the museums mascot. You won't want to miss the mummified remains of Blue Babe a 36,000 year old Alaska steppe bison on display. We'll then take an authentic sternwheeler ride on the Chena River before getting back into our motorcoach and heading off to the mountains. We'll be following the George Parks highway on our way to Denali. Finished in 1971, the highway links the major communities of Anchorage with Fairbanks and presents picture postcard views at nearly every bend. En route you'll enjoy spectacular sweeping vistas. When we reach Nenana, a large village at the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana Rivers, you will see how the river systems of Alaska's Interior are comparable to highways, considering the amount of freight that is moved on barges to the small villages. We'll climb the rolling hills north of the Alaska Range. These imposing mountains create a rain shadow in this area as the moisture that blows inland from the Gulf of Alaska precipitate on the south side of the mountains, leaving this area relatively cold and arid. You may notice the stunted and scattered vegetation and learn of the significance of the great expanse of permafrost. Those short sickly looking trees you'll see are actually hundreds of years old. Just past the town of Healy we will follow the Nenana River as it cuts through Healy Canyon and then its up to the village of Denali. Enjoy a privately catered dinner and hear an exclusive presentation by the Denali Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to the education and preservation of the natural wonders of Denali National Park. The Denali Foundation naturalists will provide you with information on the history, ecology and biology of this stunning place.

When you book your Alaska land adventure, you will choose one of three optional Denali sightseeing excursions. The Denali Natural History Tour travels almost 20 miles into the park, including a stop at the Wilderness Access Center and includes a light snack and beverages. With this tour lasting approximately 5 hours, the History Tour leaves you more time for other optional excursions in Denali. The Tundra Wilderness Tour takes visitors to the Tablet River 54 miles into the park and leaves time for optional excursions as well. The Kantishna Wilderness Trails excursion journey 95 miles into the park with the last 30 miles allowing for full viewing of Mt. McKinley, weather permitting. At about 12 hours in length, the Kantishna Tour is the longest Denali Park wilderness excursions.

One of the many highlights of this day is the opportunity to take in the breathtaking scenery aboard your luxury domed railcar. This segment of the Alaska Railway is considered by far the most scenic portion of the trip and takes travellers farther away from the Parks Highway and deeper into the virtually untouched wilderness. Moose, bears and bald eagles can often be sighted along the route and at certain times of the summer the salmon can be spawning in the streams. Of the many spectacular sights along the way, perhaps the most magnificent is Hurricane Gulch, where a bridge spans 914 feet and rises 296 feet above the creek below. In Talkeetna board a motorcoach for the drive to Anchorage, following the Talkeetna Mountains on our way to the town of Wasilla. We will be tracing the first leg of the world famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Each year mushers from around the world come to take part in the Last Great Race on Earth. Just past Wasilla, the highway drops down into the Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge. This area is a migratory stop for birds from all over the planet as well as a wintering ground for moose. Look for bald eagles and other birds of prey soaring above the flats or perched in trees. Arrive in Anchorage, the largest state in the union. Choose between tour of Anchorage's finest dining establishments and overnight at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel.

In the morning enjoy Anchorage sightseeing and a visit to the Anchorage Museum of History and Art before you transfer to the Anchorage airport for your included flight to Juneau. In Alaska's capital city, overnight at the Goldbelt Hotel near the downtown Juneau waterfront.