SECRETS OF ALASKA

ESCORTED TOUR

Our land only Alaska tour takes you into deep wilderness where nature reigns supreme. Renew your spirit as you fly past the highest peaks in North America. Rediscover your adventurous side floating down the Matanuska river. Come explore the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Secrets are revealed as you take a leisure hike with time on your side. Leave the pavement for tundra and leave the stress for pure enjoyment!

CLICK HERE TO COMPARE ALL OUR ALASKA TOURS BY ACTIVITY OR DESTINATION

ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS

• Eklutna Native Village
• Iditarod Race Headquarters & Dog team narrated film
• McKinley Flight seeing w/ Glacier Landing
• Talkeetna River Jetboat Safari (Optional)
• Knik Glacier Tour - 3 hour airboat shuttle and tour
• Matanuska Glacier Ice Trekking
• Lion's Head Whitewater Rafting or Glacier Run Slow Float
• St. Elias National Park Flight seeing Adventure
• Wrangell Mountains & Root Glacier Hike
• Alyeska Oil Pipeline Photo Tour
• Prince William Sound Day Cruise
• Alaska Rail Adventure at Turnigan Arm

DAY ONE - Anchorage to Wasilla:
Upon your arrival in Alaska, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions aboard the private luxury transport service, featuring leather captains chairs, 22’ plasma TV, soft drinks, and narrated, escorted Alaskan tour. Leaving the Anchorage area, visit the native village of Eklutna. Enjoy the Russian Orthodox influenced Chapel and native influenced spirit houses, sharing their cultural traditions. Arriving in Wasilla, enjoy comfortable accommodations adding a remote feel to your adventure and all the comforts & conveniences of home. This evening, a dinner stop is provided at one of Wasilla’s finest restaurants with exceptional views.

DAY TWO - Wasilla to Talkeetna:
Today will present one of many highlights of your Alaskan tour. Talkeetna is an Alaskan town sporting the most photographed scenes in our state, featuring the towering peaks of Mt. McKinley & the Alaska mountain range. Only 1 ½ hours north of Anchorage, this town is a hub of international mountain climbers. You will be able to choose one of the following Alaska adventures to enjoy in Talkeetna: (B)

Denali Flightseeing & Glacier Landing: This magnificent flight takes you within six miles of Mt. McKinley's summit. As your flight departs Talkeetna, you begin to see how the last ice age has shaped the land. Moments later you enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier filled valleys. Listen as your pilot describes the natural wonders of Denali National Park. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge (the world's deepest - almost 2 miles from top to bottom). "No visit to Alaska is complete without this experience!" Land on the Sheldon Amphitheater glacier beneath Mt. McKinley. The aircraft are equipped with skis, floats, and voice activated headphones. Passengers, each with comfortable window seats, enjoy narration by an experienced pilot-guide highlighting points of interest including Alaskan geology, wildlife, and history. Flight time is 1.5 hrs and includes a glacier landing. Upgrades for longer flights can be purchased.

2-Hour Riverboat Adventure: Your exciting trip will begin aboard the fifty-one passenger "Talkeetna Queen" as it whisks you into the heart of the Alaskan wilderness in comfort. This is the most technologically advanced river jetboat in Alaska designed to safely navigate rivers that were previously inaccessible. It is glass-domed, environmentally controlled, and has an onboard restroom for your comfort. Upon arriving at our Safari sight you will take a 1/4 mile leisurely nature walk. You will visit an authentic trapper’s cabin and view how trappers lived in "Bush" Alaska at the turn of the century. Your experienced guide will display raw furs from the local area and demonstrate trapping methods. Naturalists will acquaint you with the wildflowers and plants that grow in abundance along the river system and you will learn about the edible plants that were used by the Native Indians for cooking and medicines. As you travel ten miles of river you will have opportunities to view Alaskan wildlife including nesting bald eagles, beaver activity, and moose and you just might see black bear and grizzly bear roaming the shore. Wildlife, folklore, artifacts and a panoramic view of Denali in the Alaska Range combine to make this an unforgettable Alaskan river adventure.



DAY THREE - Knik Glacier & Hatchers Pass:
Hatchers Pass & Independence Mine / Knik Glacier:
Join our small group tour on one of the most scenic drives starting in the Mat-Su valley and winding up the side of Hatcher Pass. Home of Independence Mine, you will learn about "turn of the century" mining for Alaskan gold. This area boasts plentiful local wildflowers for the botanist in all of us. The views from the top are stunning. Try your hand at gold panning for that all elusive nugget. A lunch stop is provided at the MotherLode Lodge. This afternoon, enjoy an up close & personal visit to the Knik Glacier and the ice bergs that calve off this stunning glacier. Lake George and the Knik river will treat you to an airboat ride of your life. This evening, after dinner with your new friends, overnight at your chalet in Wasilla. (B)

DAY FOUR - Chickaloon to Copper Center:
This morning brings one of the most dramatic drives in Alaska. As your Alaskan tour heads north to Chickaloon, the Knik Glacier reveals its full glory. The Matanuska River winds its way north beside us, cutting a cavern of beauty through the Matanuska Valley. As we arrive in Chickaloon, you will enjoy a river raft trip. The Glacier Run features close up photo opportunities of the Matanuska Glacier. This easily negotiable class II-III water makes it a great way to experience rafting and the great outdoors. This raft excursion lasts 2 ½ hours. You can also choose a white water raft experience for more thrills based on available water levels. After the raft trip, appetites should be huge, so off to the Long Rifle Lodge, where views of the Matanuska Glacier are unrivaled. After an hour for lunch, we will continue sightseeing through the Eureka Summit area. Keep your binoculars handy for Alaskan wildlife. This area is home to dall sheep, caribou and bear. Continuing on, this evening will bring us to the Copper Center Lodge & home to the infamous Copper River Red Salmon. (B)



DAY FIVE - Kennicott & McCarthy:
Awake in one of the most scenic National Parks of America. This morning offers a Wrangell Alaska tour led by a Wrangell National Park ranger, sharing flora and fauna details of this boreal forest area. Lunch stop will be at the Copper Center "Nummys". Known for their homemade deserts, this is a local hot spot. This lodge is on the National Register of Historic Roadhouses and is now considered the jewel of Alaskan roadhouses. This afternoon, enjoy a scenic drive to the native village of Chitina. A photo opportunity at Liberty Falls will keep your shutters clicking. As part of this Alaska vacation, you will participate in a flightseeing adventure tour over the Wrangell St. Elias National Park, twice the size of Massachusetts. The vistas are incredible. This area is very remote and few visitors ever experience the thrill of this national park. Arriving in McCarthy, sightseeing is at your leisure. Tour the Kennicott Mine or hike the back trails of the remote area. Culinary delights will amaze you at this remote Kennicott Lodge. Overnite and escape into Alaska’s past.

DAY SIX - Keystone Canyon & Valdez:
Morning brings a famous breakfast at the Kennicott Lodge. This morning is at leisure to experience more of McCarthy. The lore of this area is preserved featuring early turn of the century living. Choose to hike out to Root Glacier, take a Kennicott tour or take a walk up silk stocking trail. Around noon, the group will make its way to McCarthy. With a local museum and quaint shops, time will pass quickly until this afternoon's flight back. Part of your Alaskan tour is having the opportunity to view wildlife and glaciers on your flightseeing tour back to Chitna. Travel to Valdez through scenic Copper Basin & Thompson Pass. Make sure to have enough film or digital cards on this day. Thompson features peak mountains, glaciers, panoramic viewing at it's best. Keystone Canyon next offers a great photo safari featuring Alaska's most beautiful waterfalls. Arriving in Valdez, relax at journey’s end. After a quick clean-up, a dinner stop will be provided at one of Valdez's fine restaurants. Overnite in local accommodations.

DAY SEVEN - Prince William Sound & Whittier:
This morning you will begin the beautiful Passage of the Prince William Sound by ferry. As you tour Alaska, you will pass Columbia Glacier and the waterfalls that the sound is famous for. You will be able to whale watch, as well as take in the pristine wilderness of this vast ocean inlet. With glaciers names after the famous Ivy League East Coast Colleges, you will see why this is so aptly named College Fjord. As you arrive in Whittier, you have the afternoon for sightseeing at your leisure. This small fishing town is Alaska’s newest port. Choose to have some infamous pie, or take in the grandeur of the mountains of this sleepy town. Your Alaskan tour ends here.

For guests taking a southbound cruise, here you will board your ship. For guests flying out of Anchorage, you can choose to board the Alaska railroad at 6 PM for your return to Anchorage. Portage Glacier and salmon spawning grounds will be in full view. As you head north, watch for dall sheep on the cliffs winding their way along the Turnigan Arm of the Cook Inlet. Arrive at the train station at 9:15 PM. Add $90 pp for rail to Anchorage.