Jewels of Alaska (Summer, Small Groups)

Highlights

• Anchorage: Get acquainted with Alaska's largest city on an immersive city tour. Discover how this urban landscape enriched with culture came to be as you explore the historic downtown.
• Alaska Railroad: Enjoy a Relaxed Start this morning before boarding the world-famous Alaska Railroad train for a spectacular journey over swift-rushing streams, toward Denali National Park and Preserve. View the majestic surroundings from the comfort of your glass-domed railcar.
• Denali National Park: Meet a local climber at a private reception and hear first-hand about their experience climbing the tallest land-based mountain in the world. A Denali climb begins deep in the heart of the Alaska Range and takes around 17-18 days round trip from the base – to hear the tales about such a trek from someone who has experienced it firsthand is truly captivating.
• Denali National Park: Embark on an exhilarating journey through the awe-inspiring road corridor, immersing yourself in the heart of Denali's wilderness and seizing unparalleled opportunities to witness its captivating wildlife. Travel to the Murie Cabin nestled near the East Fork River, where you'll walk in the footsteps of pioneering naturalist Adolf Murie.
• Whittier: Travel to Whittier to board the 26 Glacier Cruise for a 100-mile boat tour of Prince William Sound and into the College Fjord where you will come up close and personal to the glaciers. Visit with the Captain in the wheelhouse and enjoy an included lunch.
• Matanuska Valley: This afternoon, depart Anchorage and travel through the fertile Matanuska Valley making a stop at a local farm to see how the long summer days and glacial silt create the perfect environment for growing GIANT award- winning vegetables and flowers. Even through the growing season is months shorter than the rest of the country, Alaska’s farmers grow some of the largest vegetables in the world. The photosynthetic boost also makes the produce sweeter – a fascinating and insightful experience that shows a different side of Alaska.
• Big Lake: Meet four-time Iditarod winner, Martin Buser. Learn about the challenges of competing in the 1,049-mile (1,688 kilometer) race and enjoy lunch at his home.
• Anchorage: Enjoy an exclusive Agutak (Inuit ice cream) making demonstration during a visit to the renowned Alaska Native Heritage Center. Learn how this culinary treat establishes a link to the past, inspires a sense of pride and spurs a dialogue about an ancient people’s remarkable ability to survive.
• Anchorage: Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers to savor Alaskan flavors over dinner.
• Denali National Park: For tonight's dinner with wine, the choice is yours between a charming local brewery or your lodge's rustic restaurant during your Dine-Around evening.
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What's this trip about?

Explore the wild and wonderful Alaskan wilderness during this 1-week guided tour. Begin your adventure in Anchorage with a sweet treat: Taste agutak — Inuit Ice Cream — after an exclusive demonstration by Alaska's Indigenous people at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Board a jet boat for a tour along the Chulitna River to a trapper’s cabin, where you will learn about the lifestyle of hunting and trapping in the state. Ride along the world-famous, glass-domed Alaskan Railroad toward Denali National Park, where the country’s tallest peak, Mount McKinley, will greet you. Meet the champion dog team of a four-time Iditarod winner and allow him to regale you with tales of the 1,049-mile dogsled race over lunch at his home. From Whittier, take a 100-mile boat tour of Prince William Sound and the see the glaciers of College Fjord.

Accommodation