T4: Denali and Kenai Fjords Spring Wildlife Tour

Tour Overview

After a welcome dinner in Anchorage, we ride the Alaska Railroad through the mountains and past glaciers to coastal Seward where we will cruise among the glaciers, whales, puffins, and sea otters in Kenai Fjords National Park. After a night in Seward, we head back to Anchorage, visiting the resident bears, moose, caribou and others at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center along the way. Then we head north to Denali National Park for a wildlife viewing bus safari deep into the park. The trip concludes in Fairbanks where we will visit the fabulous University of Alaska Museum of North.

 

Ask us about optional excursions and extra nights of lodging if arriving early.

Logistics

• Fly to Anchorage (FAI) and depart from Anchorage (ANC).

• Tour begins at 06:00 pm, Monday May 24, at our lodging in Fairbanks.

• Tour ends with breakfast, monday May 31 in Anchorage.

Highlights

• City Tour of Fairbanks, Alaska’s Golden Heart City
• Visit the fabulous University of Alaska Museum of the North
• Explore Denali National Park including its Visitor Center
• Wildlife viewing excursion into Denali National Park
• Look for bears, Dall sheep, moose, and caribou
• Several opportunities to see Denali (Mt. McKinley), North America’s tallest mountain
• Cabin accommodations in Denali along a rushing alpine stream
• Alaska Railroad journey along the coast and past glaciers to Seward
• 1 night at beach front Fox Island Wilderness Lodge out in Kenai Fjords
• Spectacular, premium day cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park to see glaciers, whales, puffins, eagles, sea otters, and more.
• Visit to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park
• See wildlife up close at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Tour concludes in Anchorage
• Optional hiking throughout the trip
• Locally owned and operated lodging and dining (LGBT owned when possible)
• See Alaska’s highlights while avoiding the crowds of tourists

Optional Activities

Anchorage Optional Tours and Activities

 

Bicycle along Anchorage’s Coastal Trail - $15+
Rent a mountain bike and helmet and explore Anchorage’s fabulous Tony Knowles Coastal Trail along Cook Inlet.

 

Alaska Native Heritage Center - $24.95
Experience and learn about the rich heritage of Alaska's eleven cultural groups drawing upon the lifeways of long ago, the wisdom of our elders, and the traditions that endure.

 

Knik Glacier Tour - $100
Fly over the water on an airboat upriver to the Knik Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in south central Alaska. See icebergs and the face of the glacier, before returning to civilization.

 

Float-plane Glacier flight Seeing Tour - $235
Take an exciting float-plane flight over the rugged Chugach Mountains to see glaciers and look for moose. Flying time about 1.5 hours.

Fly-out Bear Viewing Tour - $595
Depart from Lake Hood, the busiest float plane airport in the world for a scenic flight across Cook Inlet to Redoubt Bay. Your naturalist guides will take you in a covered pontoon boat through a chain of lakes where spawning salmon attract numerous brown and black bears. This half day trip includes lunch.

 

 

Denali Optional Tours and Activities

Whitewater rafting - $82

Raft the exciting class 3-4 rapids of the Nenana River Canyon, which borders Denali National Park. This glacier fed river features huge waves up to twenty feet! Guests are outfitted with wet suit booties and a drysuit, which protects you from the chilly water.

 

Denali (Mt. McKinley)– Flightseeing Tours

Circle Denali Flight - $350
This flight follows the spine of the Alaska Range, taking you (weather permitting) as close as 1 mile away from Mt. McKinley. View colossal glaciers and magnificent peaks. Fully narrated by the pilot, detailing the geography and wildlife of Denali National Park. Flights average about an hour in length. All seats are window seats!

Denali Glacier Landing - $450
Enjoy a breath-taking flight along the peaks of the Alaska Range to Mt. McKinley! Your pilot will take you through the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier (the world’s deepest gorge) and cap the experience by landing on the glacier with skis! Marvel at the mass of frozen ice and towing cliffs before your plane takes off from the glacier and makes the scenic return trip. Total flying time is about 100 minutes.

 

Helicopter Flightseeing Tours

Denali Excursion - $335 - Tour Length: 2 hours - Total Flight time: 50 min.
This flightseeing tour offers a panoramic view of Denali National Park. Travel along the spine of the Alaska Range through unexplored backcountry of towering peaks and ancient glaciers. View the impressive Cantwell Glacier as it cascades over a 900-foot cliff, while North America’s Highest peak, Mt. McKinley, towers on the horizon. Keep an eye out for park residents, such as bear, moose, and Dall sheep.

Denali Glacier Landing Expedition - $435 - Tour Length: 2 hours - Total Flight time: 50 min. (also 15-20 min. of glacier exploring)
Fly over the Yanert Valley and view how the Pacific and North American tectonic plates have collided with each other. Highlight your flight seeing adventure by landing on the Yanert Glacier. Step out onto the ancient ice and explore the glacier with your pilot/guide. Glacier walking boots are provided for your added safety on this tour.

 

Back Country ATV Adventure - $85
Join your guide as you drive your own 4-wheel all terrain vehicle (ATV) on a truly exciting journey! This experience takes you back on old coal mining trails and spills you out onto the Dry Creek river bed where Athabascan Indian artifacts have been found. Your trek takes you high up on Black Diamond Peak where you can view the entire Healy Valley.

 

 

Fairbanks Optional Tours

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center – Free!
This fabulous facility includes the Fairbanks Visitor Bureau, the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, and Tanana Chiefs Cultural programs. Stop here first for visitor information, beautiful displays and dioramas, plus cultural events.

 

Arctic Circle Drive Adventure - $189
Guided ground tour up to the Arctic Circle and back

 

Arctic Circle Air Adventure - $389 (7pm) or $419 (1pm)
Scenic flight north of the Arctic Circle to the rugged Brooks Range. Enjoy a fascinating tour of Wiseman an very remote gold mining community.

 

Anaktuvuk Pass Adventure - $499
Amazing scenic flight north of the Arctic Circle through the Brooks Range to the native village of Anaktuvuk Pass (in the heart of Gates of the Arctic National Park). Learn about the history and culture of these rugged people – the only inland Inupiaq Eskimos.

 

Print the Tour Details

T4: Denali and Kenai Fjords Spring Wildlife Tour

Day 1 - Monday, May 24 - D

“North to the Future” is the motto of the state of Alaska. Our adventure begins in Fairbanks: Alaska’s Golden Heart City, the gold rush town that beat the odds.

 

Arrive in Fairbanks by 4pm today. Hop in a taxi out front of the beautiful new Fairbanks airport and make the short 15 minute ride downtown to the comfortable accommodations (TBA) where our group is spending the night.

 

• 06:00 pm Group orientation – meet and greet over a glass of wine
• 07:00 pm Welcome Dinner

Day 2 - Tuesday, May 25 - (meals included today): B, L

We will spend our first morning together exploring a few of Fairbanks’ highlights such as the Large Animal Research Station and Reindeer Research Farm before heading to the newly redesigned and highly acclaimed University of Alaska Museum of the North. After lunch we will head south to Denali National Park.

 

• 08:00 am Breakfast
• 09:00 am Meet guides, depart lodging
• 11:00 am University of Alaska Museum of the North
• 01:00 pm Lunch
• 04:00 pm Arrive Denali, visit the Denali National Park Visitor Center
• 05:00 pm Check into lodging – the rustic, but charming Perch Cabins located along a scenic mountain stream

• Dinner at your own pace (there is great restaurant where we are staying, or we can head somewhere else together)

Day 3 - Wednesday, May 26 - B, L, D

Today we start with a relaxing morning and then spend the day exploring the remote wilderness of Denali on a wildlife bus safari.

Breakfast
• 10:00 am Depart Lodging
• 11:00 am Wildlife bus tour in Denali National Park. Bag lunch (no food nor water is available for purchase inside the park)
• 07:00 pm Return to Denali Park entrance
• Group Dinner

Virtually the only way to enter Denali National Park is the park’s shuttle bus system. This is a long bumpy trip on a gravel road in a modified school bus, yet it is an incredible journey through the alpine wilderness of Denali. While wildlife and mountain sightings are never guaranteed, bears, Dall sheep, caribou and moose are often seen from the bus. In fact, this bus trip is the best chance to see bears in the wild without going on a spectacular, but expensive ‘bear viewing tour’. For many previous Out in Alaska guests, this wildlife safari in Denali was the highlight of their entire trip. Don’t forget your camera and binoculars!

Day 4 - Thursday, May 27 - B, L

This morning we head south on the scenic drive to Anchorage. If we are lucky enough to hit a clear day, we will enjoy amazing views of Mt. McKinley along the drive. Locals call the mountain, Denali – a native Athabascan word meaning ‘the high one.’ At 20,320 feet, Denali is the tallest mountain in North American, but is only visible about 20% of the time in summer. There are a couple of scenic overlooks to stop at and view Mt. McKinley if the mountain is ‘out’. Depending on group desires, we can go for a short hike along the way, or we can arrive early in Anchorage for shopping and relaxing.

 

• 08:00 am Breakfast
• 10:00 am Depart Denali for Anchorage
• Picnic Lunch
• Possible day hike in Denali State Park
• 06:00 pm Arrive Anchorage (if we stop and hike)

• Dinner on your own tonight

Day 5 - Friday, May 28 - B, L, D

Today we rise early to take the scenic Alaska Railroad along Turnagain Arm and through the mountains to coastal Seward. Upon arrival, we head immediately to a Kenai Fjords tour boat that will whisk us out to our island home for the night. We will be welcomed out at Fox Island with a hearty grilled salmon lunch and then the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the island’s beaches or forest trails, relax, or join a kayak tour of the island (additional cost).

 

• Coffee and brown bag (to go) breakfast
• 05:45 am Transfer to the Anchorage Depot
• 06:45 am Train departs (watch for glaciers and wildlife)!
• 11:05 am Arrive Seward, shuttle to harbor
• 12:00 pm Short cruise to Fox Island Lodge
• Salmon BBQ lunch, cabin check in
• Afternoon Explore, relax, join a National Park Ranger led walk, or paddle around in a sea kayak
• 06:45 pm Dinner cooked by Fox Island’s private chef
• Accommodations are comfortable cabins right on the beach of beautiful Fox Island

Day 6 - Saturday, May 29 - B,L

We begin the day with a lovely breakfast cooked by the gourmet chef at Fox Island Lodge and then pack up for the day and check out of our rooms. For the rest of the day, we join Kenai Fjords Tours’ preeminent cruise out to remote Northwestern Fjord in Kenai Fjords National Park. Keep your binoculars and cameras handy for sightings of whales, seals, sea otters, puffins, bald eagles, and glaciers.

• 08:00 am Breakfast
• 09:45 am Full-day wildlife and whale-watching cruise to glacier-clad Northwestern Fjord
• Lunch on board
• 06:30 pm Arrive Seward
• Check into hotel in Seward
• Dinner

Day 7- Sunday, May 30 - B, L, D

Today we return to Anchorage as quickly or slowly as we like. There are many interesting sights along the way beginning with Exit Glacier, which is close to our hotel and the Alaska Sea Life Center on the Seward waterfront. Half-way back to Anchorage, we can stop in at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for an up close and personal view of some of Alaska’s most famous residents.

 

Guests taking our “Cruise 1” south to Vancouver, Canada (YVR) will stay in Seward today and board Holland America’s luxurious MS Ryndam in the afternoon.

 

• 08:00 am Breakfast
• Visit Exit Glacier (Kenai Fjords National Park)
• Lunch, drop off guests taking cruise, depart Seward
• Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• 05:00 pm Arrive Anchorage
• 07:30 pm Farewell Dinner
• End of guided portion of Out in Alaska Trip 14
• Optional drinks together at Mad Myrna’s Bar

 

Flights home can be scheduled any time after 11pm today.

Day 7- Monday, May 31 - B

Our adventure has come to an end. Let us know if you would like us to arrange additional nights lodging or additional activities and tours for you.

 

• Breakfast at our lodging
• 09:00 am End of tour

 

Print the Itinerary

T4: Denali and Kenai Fjords Spring Wildlife Tour

Date

May24-31

Price

$2675 per person, double occupancy

($3270 single)

 

Optional activities

• Here comes an additional activity

 

This trip includes

• Accommodations: 7 nights of comfortable, eclectic lodging (gay B & Bs, locally owned lodges, unique cabins, etc.). All lodging has private bathrooms.
• All activities and transportation as described above: All ground and boat transportation during the trip. Airport transfers are not included.
• Meals:7 Breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 4 dinners (alcoholic beverages and espresso drinks not included).
• Taxes: All local taxes are included

 

Items of a personal nature are not included.
Gratuities (for hotel maids, guides, etc.) are not included.

 

All information subject to change due to weather, current conditions, road closures, or other reasons!

 

For more information and to inquire about a trip contact us: (907) 374-9958 or info@outinalaska.com

Print the Date & Prices

T4: Denali and Kenai Fjords Spring Wildlife Tour

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