Your Itinerary
ARRIVE IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Welcome to Alaska!
Meet your Tour Director between 3 pm and 7 pm in the hotel reception area.FREE TIME TIPS EXPLORE MORE in Anchorage with a dinner out in this iconic Alaskan city. Your Tour Director can point you in the right direction. Tap your GlobusGO mobile app for the best bites, brews, and things to do!
ANCHORAGE–WASILLA–TALKEETNA–ALASKA RAILROAD–DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Riding the Rails
Travel north into the majestic wilds of Alaska to Talkeetna, the starting point for climbers attempting to summit Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet. Board the historic Alaska Railroad for a scenic trip to Denali National Park. Tonight, enjoy a private presentation on Denali National Park by a Local Naturalist and dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHTEPIC RIDE Board the Alaska Railroad train for spectacular views through its panoramic windows designed for soaking in the stunning scenery on this full-day journey that truly showcases America’s 49th state. Keep an eye out for views of Denali —as well as wildlife along the way!
Wilderness Wonders
Journey into the 6-million-acre Denali National Park with a Naturalist Driver Guide on the Tundra Wilderness tour exploring the majestic wilderness. Your late afternoon and evening are free for optional adventures such as float trips, a dogsled demonstration, a helicopter ride over the park, or a delicious dinner and rollicking musical comedy performed in a camp house reminiscent of the Gold Rush era. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHT NATURAL WONDERS Venture deep with a Naturalist into Denali National Park and Preserve in search of fantastic wildlife and natural wonders. Stay alert for wildlife, including Denali’s Big-Five, the grizzly bear, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and the formidable yet elusive wolf. Named for the highest mountain peak in North America, Denali is a natural treasure of pristine and untamed wilderness at its finest.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK–FAIRBANKS
Bites & Brews
This morning, spend a little more time marveling at the wonder of Denali National Park. Then, enjoy a friendly atmosphere during lunch at the [LF] 49th State Brewery to taste local specialties and play Alaska lawn-games. Travel into the heart of Alaska to Fairbanks, where the remainder of the day is at leisure. (B,L)LOCAL FAVORITE LOCAL TASTES Craft brewing as well as great food is a hallmark of Alaskan culture. Savor traditional Alaska cuisine with lunch at the fabulous 49th State Brewing Co. Taste the attention to detail born of glacial aquifers, fine malts and hops, and yeast, served by Cicerone Certified beer servers with proper glassware to accompany various styles of beer, along with a hearty menu to satisfy your appetite.
Native American Traditions
Start the day by boarding the sternwheeler Discovery for a cruise on the Chena River, with a stop at a recreated Chena Native Village to learn about Athabascan culture. Later, during a city tour, visit the University of Alaska–Fairbanks Museum and stop at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURAL GEMS Experience frontier living in an Athabascan village on the Chena River. Here in the Alaskan forests, cabins are made of spruce logs, and the old ways of living with the land are beautifully preserved in the heritage of the Alaska Native culture. Learn about traditions and survival in an unforgiving yet beautiful environment, where generations of Athabascans skillfully survived for over 10,000 years, adapting to village life and Western culture in the past century.
FAIRBANKS–DAWSON CITY, YUKON
Goldminers & Old Timers
Continuing the journey into Gold Rush history, motor over the Top of the World Highway and enter Canada’s Yukon Territory. Passing through the village of Chicken, today promises to be filled with breathtaking scenery. Tonight, you have reservations at Diamond Tooth Gerties, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and an old-fashioned casino. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURAL GEM Get a rush of nostalgia for the old frontier with casino games, nostalgic tunes, and can-can shows at Dawson City’s rip-roaring Diamond Tooth Gertie’s saloon to relive the days of the Gold Rush, prospectors, barkeeps, and piano players in the Wild West.
There’s Gold in the Yukon!
Step back in time at the site of Klondike Gold Rush Claim #1, where the first gold strike was made. Enjoy a presentation by Parks Canada about the Gold Rush Era. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing, shopping, and dining. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTLEGENDARY LIVES Walk in the footsteps of historic figures of the Yukon Gold rush. Stand in the spot where George Carmack and Skookum Jim discovered the first shiny glimpse of gold in Bonanza Creek in 1896 to stake the first gold rush claim in the Yukon. Enter the humble cabin (now a historic site) where bank teller and famed poet Robert Service penned some of the Yukon’s most famous ballads and poems. See the artifacts belonging to this legendary “Bard of the Yukon.”
Roaring Rapids & Rip-Roaring Times
Trace the trail of the gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. View the Five Finger Rapids, which once posed a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers stampeding into the Yukon. Your day concludes in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, for a free evening. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHT NATURAL WONDERS Marvel at the sight of The Five Finger Rapids on the Yukon River. Here, four islands divide the river into five narrow channels of which only the eastern is passable. The Five Finger Rapids is mentioned in Jack London's novel “The Call of the Wild” and posed a significant challenge to the throng of fortune seekers on the hunt for gold.
A Dog’s Life
A city tour stops at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, where you can meet the Ice Age giant mammals that once ruled the ancient subcontinent. See the historic SS Klondike Riverboat and learn about its importance on the Yukon River in the Gold Rush days. Later, head to Whitehorse’s premier dogsled facility, [LF] Muktuk Adventures, where you will meet the huskies and their trainers. Enjoy a special Taste of the Yukon dinner. (B,D)LOCAL FAVORITE CULTURE & TRADITION Get up close and personal to Alaska’s amazing sled dogs and their trainers at Muktuk Adventures. Learn about training and care of the Alaskan champions and the spirit needed to race in world-famous Iditarod and Yukon Quest competitions. A memorable experience that leads the pack!
Depart the Yukon and head to Alaska along the rugged mountains of Kluane National Park, home to 19,625-foot Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. Continue on the Alaska Highway to Tok, the “Dog Sled Capital of the World.” (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHT WILDERNESS TREASURES On your way to Alaska’s dogsledding town of Tok, you’ll drive along the mountains of Kluane National Park and Reserve in the southwest of the Canadian Yukon. Witness a vast wilderness of ice fields, forests, and towering peaks, including Canada’s highest summit, Mount Logan. Here, spectacular sights created by the glacier-fed Alsek River are home to grizzly bears, Dall sheep and more than 100 bird species.
Sights on the Sound
Head to Alaska’s northernmost ice-free port, Valdez, home of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal. As you travel toward some of the highest coastal mountains in the world, enjoy views of Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, and Bridal Veil Falls before arriving in the “Switzerland of Alaska”— Valdez. Visit the Valdez Museum to learn of the areas Native culture, early explorers, 1898 Gold Rush, and 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Free time this evening. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHT NATURAL WONDERS Located near the head of a deep fjord in Prince William Sound, Valdez is a mix of tidewater glaciers, rainforests, majestic mountains, and wildlife on land and sea. Orcas and humpback whales, otters, sea lions, and birds are among the many animals you might spy from this spectacular seaport.
VALDEZ–WHITTIER–ANCHORAGE
True Fish Stories
Board a boat today and get a closer look at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal, the many massive glaciers, and playful sea life of Prince William Sound. Keep your eyes open for eagles, whales, mountain goats, dolphins, and sea lions! Continue to Anchorage for a farewell dinner. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURE & TRADITIONS Go further with a scenic cruise on the spectacular Prince William Sound. Cruise along the 3-mile face of Columbia Glacier with a watchful eye out for wildlife, including seals, sea otters, birds, and even whales!
ANCHORAGE–WHITTIER (EMBARKATION)
Life in the Wild
Travel to Whitter, a remote village nestled along breathtaking Prince William Sound, home to a stunning array of wildlife, including bald eagles, sea otters, and orcas! Embark on a 7-night cruise south through the Inside Passage to Vancouver, BC. (B,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT TRADITIONS & HERITAGE Whittier has the odd distinction of being almost entirely under one roof. No need to get in a car to go to the grocery store, bank, or a friend’s house. All town services are sheltered from the often-inclement weather in this unique and practical way, and virtually all of Whittier’s approximately 220 residents live in the 14-story Begich Towers, originally a Cold War outpost for the U.S. Army.
Gulf Dreams
Scenic cruising through the Gulf of Alaska. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT EPIC RIDE Go deeper into the unmatched beauty of the Last Frontier with a scenic cruise on the Gulf of Alaska so explore just a part of this nearly 600,000 square-mile gulf reaching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west and Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage to the east.
CRUISING: GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK
Ice Dancing
Cruise through Glacier Bay National Park (A UNESCO World Heritage Site). (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT WILD DISCOVERIES Cruise to Glacier Bay where the sounds of creaking groans of living ice in constant flux, the shrill calls of gulls and soaring eagles, and the splash of breaching humpback whales are likely to greet you. Frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park), and marine wildlife are main attractions, but every discovery in this dynamic biosphere is unique. With the serene majesty of snow-flecked and forested mountains defining its shores, Glacier Bay National Park offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. Keep your binoculars and camera handy as you cruise Glacier Bay to the mile-wide Margerie Glacier for the chance to witness ice calving. Wildlife abounds in Glacier Bay, and you never know when you might spy the fluke of a humpback rising out of the water or spot a lone brown bear patrolling a windswept beach.
The Rush for Gold
At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, the port town of Skagway served as the primary gateway to the legendary gold fields, and quickly grew into Alaska’s largest settlement. It was a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons, and guesthouses. As the gold rush faded into the 1900s, so did Skagway—but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor: those looking to explore Alaska’s colorful history, pristine wildlife, and unrivaled natural beauty. Note: Haines may be an alternative port and will be determined by Holland America onboard. Free time. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHTLEGENDS & LORE At every turn, you’ll find yourself immersed in gold rush lore in the town of Skagway, from the infamous Red Onion Saloon that keeps a pistol Wyatt Earp left behind on his way to the Klondike, to the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, traversing rugged mountains, waterfalls, and towering glaciers on its course to Whitehorse deep in the Yukon.
The Wild Places
Cruise to Juneau, Alaska and visit the most remote state capital in the United States. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT ICONIC SIGHTS Surrounded by water, forest, and mountains, Juneau is known for its outdoor recreation, fresh seafood, and fine dining, but the real highlight of a visit to Juneau is tracking down some wildlife. You can hike up Mount Roberts to chance upon wild deer and bald eagles. Most sightseeing and whale-watching tours head north to Auke Bay—bring good binoculars to get the best view of these graceful giants! If you prefer land mammals, catch a floatplane to a nearby wildlife reserve such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island to spy some bears. The sleepy, misty city of around 32,000—mostly fishermen and small-business owners—has a frontier town vibe that’s hard to resist.
Port of Call
Experience an adventure in Ketchikan, Alaska where the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage welcome you to explore the First Nations vibrant history and pause to taste fresh caught seafood. Ketchikan clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows while flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHT LOCAL TASTES & TRADITIONS Ketchikan has long been an important hub of the salmon-fishing and packing industries. Indulge in fresh seafood at a local restaurant and explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan Nations of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Marvel at the intricately carved totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center and Totem Bight State Park and take in the beautiful culture of the Tlingit people at Saxman Village, where traditional carvers and dancers share their heritage in the clan house. Explore the sights in the town including historic Creek Street, a boardwalk built over the Ketchikan Creek, where you can shop for souvenirs, smoked salmon, and local art, while exploring gold rush era treasures like Dolly’s House Museum.
Ice Sculptures
Alaska’s Inside Passage is a protected network of waterways that wind through glacier-cut fjords and lush temperate rain forests along the rugged coast of Southeast Alaska. One of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. (B,L,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHTALASKAN ADVENTURE Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orcas plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.
VANCOUVER, BC (DISEMBARKATION)
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Schedule flights departing from Vancouver International Airport after Noon. (B)
