Our journey to the “Land of the Midnight Sun” begins in Seattle, Washington, where our Tour Manager greets us at the hotel. The first day of travel will come to a quiet close as we prepare for our adventure.
This morning we board our waiting motorcoach for the transfer to Vancouver, British Columbia. Here, we board our ship, the Norwegian Sun to begin the unforgettable cruise portion of the tour. Dinner onboard
Cruise the Inside Passage, a 1,000-mile-long sea corridor from British Columbia to Alaska, the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Its scenery is as grand as that of Norway. Be on the lookout for orcas and humpback whales as you take in the sheer cliffs, massive glaciers and snow-capped mountains. All meals onboard
A popular destination along Alaska's famed Inside Passage, Ketchikan is teeming with Native American culture. Known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” it is home to the largest concentration of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people in the state. All meals onboard
Our port of call this morning is the Alaskan Capital of Juneau, considered by many to be the most beautiful capital city in the nation. Founded during the gold rush in 1880, the former gold mining town counts among its riches some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery. The terrain is hilly and winding, and narrow streets present a small-town quaintness existing side-by-side with cosmopolitan sophistication. All meals onboard
As our ship approaches Skagway, we see the town resting peacefully at the base of a river valley bordered by the Coast Mountains. When gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon Territory, it resulted in the historic Gold Rush of 1898. As thousands of gold-crazed adventurers sought the best jumping-off spot for their trek, they found the deepest penetration by boat was at the northern tip of the Lynn Canal. This is how Skagway was born. All meals onboard
This spectacular national park and preserve displays massive glaciers that stretch 3.3 million acres from the St. Elias and Fairweather mountain ranges to the ends of the fjords. It is home to an amazing world of marine life, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises and harbor seals. It also possesses the highest concentration of tidewater glaciers on the planet. At the head of a Glacier Bay is the Tarr Inlet, where scientists have found exposed rock that is believed to be more than 200 million years old. All meals onboard
With its endless miles of shoreline, scenic archipelagoes of tidewater glaciers and abundance of wildlife such as otters, seals, bears and eagles, this is some of the most beautiful and fascinating country in these United States. Enjoy cruising today and be amazed. All meals onboard
The Norwegian Sun arrives in Seward this morning where our motorcoach awaits to begin the land portion of the tour. We pay a visit to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park to see a real glacier. For those who wish a closer view, the half-mile trek to Glacier View lookout offers amazing views of this natural wonder. Then we continue to Anchorage, often called the “Metropolis of the North,” and home to almost half of Alaska’s population. A local guide joins us for a panoramic tour of Alaska’s most “cosmopolitan” city before we settle into our hotel. Breakfast onboard
Watch for a glimpse of Mount McKinley through stands of spruce and pine en route to Wasilla where a stop at the Iditarod Trail Headquarters is planned. In Talkeetna, we board the Talkeetna Queen for an exciting wilderness Jetboat adventure along the Susitna River. Visit a Dena’ina Indian encampment and an authentic trapper’s cabin and watch for the abundant wildlife from the comfort of your glass-domed and environmentally controlled river jetboat. Later, we continue to our hotel located just outside the entrance to Denali National Park. Enjoy some free time to enjoy your scenic surroundings. Tonight, sample Alaskan cuisine at Alaska Cabin Nite and enjoy an all-you-can- eat Alaska dinner. Then sit back for a hilarious show of tall tales, fun songs and foot-stompin' music. Dinner
We are up early as an experienced local guide conducts this morning’s Natural History Tour of a Denali National Park. Weather permitting, see North America’s tallest mountain, Mt. McKinley. Learn about Denali’s varied and interesting collection of birdlife as well as the over 650 species of flowering plants. In the late afternoon, we climb aboard the Alaska Railroad’s flagship The Denali Star for the trip to Fairbanks. The track cuts through the northern boreal forests of the interior on a journey where sparkling salmon streams, stands of aspen and birch and carpets of purple fireweed create a dramatic landscape. Enjoy dinner on the train. Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
We cast off aboard the Riverboat Discovery, the only authentic sternwheeler in Alaska. Your narrated cruise takes you to Old Chena Village where native Alaskan guides show the culture and lifestyle of the original Alaskans. The afternoon is free to enjoy Alaska’s second largest city at your own pace or you may wish to join us on an optional visit to the El Dorado Gold Camp for a rail journey through an old mining camp. Here you will be able to try your hand at gold panning in an authentic setting. Dinner this evening is a sumptuous all-you-can-eat feast of grilled salmon, prime rib or deep-fried halibut and cod. Afterwards, enjoy humorous skits and songs about early Fairbanks in the Palace Theatre’s production, Golden Heart Review. Breakfast and dinner
Day Thirteen — Home After breakfast prepare for your group motorcoach transfer to the airport with a new appreciation of Alaska's mountain spires, mighty rivers and glaciers. Breakfast
a National Park visit during the 2016 Centennial
Marriott Hotel, Seattle, Washington
Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Sun
Hilton Hotel, Anchorage, Alaska
Denali Park Resorts, Denali National Park, Alaska
Wedgewood Resort, Fairbanks, Alaska
