Travel Itinerary:

01 Anchorage
Alaska’s largest city offers an amazing array of activities to choose from. Explore the shops and galleries downtown. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Centre and the Anchorage Museum.
Hotel: Hawthorn Suites.

02 Denali National Park
Depart on the George Parks Highway. The route follows the coastline to Wasilla. A visit to the Iditarod Msueum is recommended. From there the route takes you inland to charming Talkeetna, well worth a visit. Denali National Park is home to North America’s tallest peak Mt. Denali (Mt. McKinley) 20320ft. Though the park is closed to road traffic during the winter, you can still visit the visitors centre and learn more about this amazing refuge. Your final destination today is Healy, located just north of the park entrance. The lodge is located just above treeline in a large alpine plain. The views are stunning and the landscape serene.
Hotel: Earthsong Lodge.

03 Denali
Today ou’ll learn the basics of dog sledding and even drive your own along the Northern border of the park. The area is ringed by mountains and wildlife abounds. Caribou, moose and wolves call the area home in winter. Your guide, Jon, is a former Iditarod musher, National Park Ranger, author and Denali backcountry expert. You’ll be in great hands! Return to the lodge in the late afternoon.
Hotel: Earthsong Lodge

04 Denali – Fairbanks – Chena Hotsprings
Departing the wonderful Denali wilderness behind, you’ll travel North along the Parks Highway through the transportation hub of Nenana, where rail and river meet in summer. You’ll have time to visit Alaska’s 2nd largest city in the afternoon. The award winning University of Alaska Museum is definitely worth a visit, as are the shops and galleries of downtown Fairbanks. The driving time to Chena Hot Springs is about 1 hour. The deliciously hot water will feel wonderful after a day on the highway. Dine at the resort this evening and visit the springs again later this evening to watch the Northern Lights soaring overhead.
Hotel: Chena Hotsprings Resort

05 Chena Hotsprings
Day free to relax, sleep in, enjoy the Hotsprings or try some of Alaska’s favourite winter activities. Cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding are all available at the resort.

06 Chena Hotsprings – Fairbanks - Paxson
Return to Fairbanks. You’ll need to stop in at one of the local supermarkets to stock up on some groceries for the nest couple of days as services are limited in Paxson and at Sheep Mountain Lodge. Your route today takes you to Delta Junction, the official end of the Alaska Highway, where you join the Richardson Highway. The route travels over the stunning 3000ft Isabel Pass and then follows the Gulkana River valley to Paxson Lake. This is the Alaska you came to see. Remote, rugged and stunningly beautiful. Relax over dinner in your cabin, or take a stroll along the closed Denali highway. Great Northern Lights viewing in the evening.

07 Paxson – Sheep Mountain Lodge (Matanuska Pass)
You’ll continue along the Gulkana River to the town of Glennallen. To the east is the stunning Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Mt. Drum Mt., Mt. Sanford and Mt. Wrangell range from 12,000-14,000 ft and dominate the town. At Glennallen, you turn west on the Glenn Highway and travel along the Chugach National Forest border to Sheep Mountain Lodge. Open for over 50 years, Sheep Mountain sits in full view of the beautiful Matanuska Glacier. Great snowhoeing is available on the many groomed trails in the area.

08 Anchorage
Return to Anchorage along the Parks Highway. Visit eclectic Talkeetna and stop in Wasilla, home of the Iditarod. Tour ends on arrival.

 

DATES:

Tour departs each Sunday from Jan. 6 – March 30th.