Alaska Road Trip Adventure

Enjoy an early breakfast before departing for a two-hour drive towards Denali National Park. On arrival, you will meet an expert naturalist driver-guide who will escort you on an incredible tour through Denali's pristine wilderness. The greater Denali wilderness is a truly untamed landscape that spans a sprawling 6 million acres, and is home to Alaska's "Big Five": moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, and grizzly bears.

The tour will allow you to spend the day scanning the vast landscape for sightings of the incredible wildlife that live here whilst gaining a better understanding Alaska's sub-arctic ecosystem. You'll also enjoy a fresh, scenic picnic lunch prepared by a local café while your informative guide will reveal fascinating stories about the area.

Embark on a mesmerising coach ride through the expansive, mountainous interior of Denali National Park. Your journey will be led by a knowledgable driver-guide, who will provide fascinating insights into the areas of the park as you pass through them. 

Concluding at the historic gold mining area of Kantishna, the tour will wind across 92 miles of remote roads that wind through pristine valleys and forest-fringed mountainsides, providing spectacular vistas of the majestic Alaska mountain range. You'll stop at multiple spots along the way to capture photographs and observe the wildlife that roam throughout this untouched wilderness.

One of the highlights of the tour is Wonder Lake; on a clear day, the reflection of the towering, snow-capped peak of Mt. Denali is visible in the lake's crystal-clear waters. End the tour with an exploration into the impact that mining had on the area and how it led to the development of the Alaskan interior. Hear stories about the lifestyles and characteristic required by early settlers to withstand the harsh conditions of the frontier, and try panning for gold yourself.

Enjoy a full-day hiking adventure on the glistening Matanuska Glacier. At a length of 27 miles and with a width of 4 miles, Matanuska is the largest glacier accessible by road vehicle in the United States. You'll be collected by your driver-guide for a small group tour that will enable you to learn about the area and stop along the way during the 90-minute drive to the glacier to take pictures of the breathtaking Alaskan landscapes.

At the glacier, you'll gear up and hit the ice, your guide leading the way. Marvel at the ice that formed thousands of years ago high in the Chugach Mountains as you trek carefully over crevasses and peer down into sparkling ice caves, and discover the fascinating behaviours of this icy behemoth, such as how it flows about one foot per day.

Make your way to the Girdwood train stop for a departure aboard the iconic Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic. Your guide will be waiting for you at the station and will accompany you on a full-day rafting or kayaking adventure at the immense Spencer Glacier. During the train ride to the Spencer Whistle Stop, you'll be able to glimpse some truly mesmerising scenery through the train's windows as you pass through valley after valley and beneath the domineering mountains.

Once you arrive, you'll don a pair of rubber boots and a flotation device and join a small group to board a shared raft. Your guide will row the oars and navigate around Spencer Glacier's magnificent icebergs. Relax and enjoy expansive vistas of the encircling mountains and glacial landscapes during a scenic seven-mile river float down the pristine Placer River, one of the most picturesque glacier river trips found throughout Alaska. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can opt in advance to join a small kayaking group and paddle around the icebergs to get a closer look while maintaining a safe distance from the imposing glacier and the massive segments of ice that often fall from its edge into the water below.

After your exploration of Spencer Glacier, you will take a sightseeing train through the most scenic section of the route before making your way back to Girdwood and your hotel.

During your stay on Fox Island, embark on a guided kayaking adventure in Resurrection Bay, keeping a watchful eye out for the wildlife that inhabits the area, including humpback whales, seals, and a myriad of sea birds. 

The next day, you'll go on a guided beach walk where you'll learn about the fascinating history and ecology of the island, before heading inland and exploring some of the hiking trails that weave through the temperate rainforest.