Day 1 Wed. ANCHORAGE.
Our Tour Director is on hand this afternoon to assist with check-in and offer suggestions for your free time in Anchorage. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 2 Thu. ANCHORAGE.
Journey to Whittier and board your deluxe catamaran for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Cruise to College and Harriman Fjords in Prince William Sound and view as many as 26 tidewater and hanging glaciers. There is a good chance you’ll spot whales, seals, and eagles during the cruise. Return to Anchorage in the evening. (L)

Day 3 Fri. ANCHORAGE-TOK.
Travel northeast through Palmer in the Matanuska Valley, a lush farming region where cabbages can grow to weigh more than 70 pounds in the 24-hour daylight. Up over scenic Tahnita Pass with spectacular vistas of Matanuska Glacier. Travel along Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, the largest park in the United States. The area boasts glaciers larger than the island of Manhattan and is home to nine of the 16 highest peaks in North America. Overnight in Tok, the “Dog Sled Capital of the World.”

Day 4 Sat. TOK-WHITEHORSE.
Join the Alaska Highway and follow along the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. Skirt the shores of Kluane Lake, once a meeting place for crews constructing the Alaska Highway. Behold the spectacular vistas of the rugged mountains of Kluane National Park, home to 19,625-foot Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. The next two nights are in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon and the territorial headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Day 5 Sun. WHITEHORSE. VISIT TO SKAGWAY.
Follow the Trail of ‘98 over the same mountains that thousands of determined gold seekers scaled on foot in the dead of winter while heading for the Klondike. From Carcross your Tour Director will suggest an optional train trip on the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway to Skagway. Otherwise continue through the mountains by coach to Skagway. Stroll the wooden sidewalks past charming false-front buildings and colorful saloons. Return to Whitehorse in the late afternoon.

Day 6 Mon. WHITEHORSE-DAWSON CITY.
Head northwest through the town of Carmacks, once an important supply station for gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. A stop at the fiery Five Finger Rapids, a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers that passed this way. Reach Dawson City, the main center of excitement after the first gold strike in the Klondike in 1896, which led to the world’s largest gold rush. By the summer 1898, Dawson had a population of over 30,000 people, making it the largest city north of San Francisco and west of Winnipeg. Tonight you have reservations for the high-flying entertainment of DIAMOND TOOTH GERTIE’S SALOON featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and an old-fashioned casino.

Day 7 Tue. DAWSON CITY. A full day to soak up the exciting history of this gold rush town. Highlights on your morning tour include Bonanza Creek, site of Claim #1, where the first gold strike was made; Robert Service’s cabin; and a photo stop at the SS Keno, the last sternwheeler to run between Dawson and Whitehorse. Suggestion for the evening: attend the Gaslight Follies, a variety show and melodrama typical of the entertainment enjoyed by the turn-of-the-century miners.

Day 8 Wed. DAWSON CITY-FAIRBANKS.
A long day and well worth it, as the scenery is magnificent. Motor over the Top of the World Highway and re-enter the state of Alaska. Travel through the village of Chicken and west along the Alaska Highway. Make a stop at an authentic Alaskan roadhouse before your early evening arrival in Fairbanks, Alaska’s second-largest city.

Day 9 Thu. FAIRBANKS.
Morning sightseeing features the highlights of this historic Alaskan city and includes an up-close visit to the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Board the sternwheeler riverboat Discovery III this afternoon for a leisurely cruise on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Listen as the ship’s guides discuss the wildlife, history, geology, and customs of the region. This evening take the optional outing to Alaskaland, a pioneer theme park, featuring early 20th-century buildings.

Arctic Circle Adventure
An alternative available from Fairbanks on day 9 of your tour. Reservations for this option must be made at the time you book your tour in order to ensure availability.

An award-winning, full-day, guided round trip journey by land and air to the Arctic Circle. The adventure begins early in the day with a ground tour north along the famed Dalton Highway. Experience the northland’s most storied waterway, the mighty Yukon River. Explore up close the amazing arctic tundra. Cross over the Arctic Circle in ceremonious fashion and receive an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. Fly north through the rugged Brooks Mountain Range. Visit the Nunamiut Eskimo village of Anaktuvuk Pass, nestled in the magnificent Gates of the Arctic National Park. Return to Fairbanks by air.

Note: The price of this optional excursion takes into account the included sightseeing missed in Fairbanks.

Day 10 Fri. FAIRBANKS-DENALI NATIONAL PARK.
Board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a memorable journey through untamed wilderness. Sit back in comfort and enjoy spectacular scenery through wide windows. Be sure to take advantage of the domed roof car. Today’s ride ends in DENALI NATIONAL PARK. North America’s highest peak, 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, dominates the park’s six million acres of glacial streams, river valleys, and expanses of multicolored tundra. The afternoon is free for exploring on your own. Tonight join our optional “Wilderness Banquet” at an Alaskan cabin, where colorful characters tell tales of Alaska’s past.

Day 11 Sat. DENALI NATIONAL PARK.
A free day for independent activities. A hike along the many wilderness trails might be good fun. Also take advantage of several optional outings, including a wildlife tour to seek out grizzly bear, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a raft trip down the Nenana River; or a helicopter ride over the park. Your Tour Director will have plenty of other suggestions.

Day 12 Sun. DENALI NATIONAL PARK-ANCHORAGE. Continue your exploration of Denali National Park as you head south towards Anchorage. A stop along the way at the IDITAROD HEADQUARTERS, home of the great dog sled race. The coach continues to Anchorage and the Ramada for guests extending their stay in Alaska. The trip ends at Anchorage International Airport for those guests who have homebound flights. (Please schedule flights after 3:30 p.m.)

We can add an Alaska Cruise or

TOUR CAN BE EXTENDED (Ask for details)
Day 13 Mon. ANCHORAGE-BARROW. An included transfer to Anchorage Airport for the flight to Barrow. Departing from Anchorage, take flight for “the top of the world.” Barrow is the northernmost point on the continent, 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and Alaska’s largest Eskimo village. You’ll learn the ceremonies and traditions of the 4,000-year-old native culture as you tour the Inupiat Heritage Center, take part in native dances and see a demonstration of the traditional blanket toss. Your tour includes a chance to examine the unique flora of the tundra up close, view the Arctic Ocean, take a walk on the beach as far north as you’re ever likely to go, and receive a certificate for traveling above the Arctic Circle. Overnight at the Top of the World Hotel.

Day 14 Tue. BARROW-ANCHORAGE. Midmorning flight to Anchorage. The trip ends at Anchorage International Airport. Upon arrival, board your homebound flight. (Please schedule flights after 4 p.m.)

Includes:
In Dawson City, Fairbanks; on tour 8365: in Barrow

Matanuska Valley, Matanuska Glacier, Tahnita Pass, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Kluane National Park, Trail of ‘98, drive along the Top of the World Highway, Denali National Park. Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Saloon with ragtime music and can-can girls in Dawson City.
Inside visits are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges when applicable

Services of a professional Tour Director

Glacier cruise to College and Harriman Fjords, Chena River cruise aboard the sternwheeler Discovery III, journey on the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Denali; on tour 8365: flights include Anchorage-Barrow, Barrow-Anchorage; private deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach while touring

Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling. Listed hotels or equivalent:

ANCHORAGE Ramada (ST); TOK Tok Lodge (ST); WHITEHORSE High Country Inn (F); DAWSON CITY Eldorado Hotel (ST); FAIRBANKS Bridgewater Hotel (F); DENALI N.P. Denali River Cabins (ST/NP); ANCHORAGE Ramada (ST); BARROW Top of the World (ST)
Hotels may change
MEALS
1 lunch (L)

OPTIONALS
Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your own experience will be offered on the tour.

NOTE
Alaska and the Yukon are blessed with exquisite scenery, fascinating attractions, and an extraordinary amount of daylight in the summer months. We take advantage of these extended daylight hours in this vast territory, and therefore some of the traveling days can be long. However, rest assured there are frequent photo and comfort stops.
While wildlife in Alaska is plentiful and frequently seen, early season (May) and late season (September) departures offer even greater opportunities for viewing a variety of wildlife. Fall foliage in Alaska is also spectacular, and departures after mid-August will enjoy blazing colors.