Caribou in Denali National Park

Alaska’s Natural Wonders

from £4207 excluding flights

  • 14 nights
  • May-Aug
Home Destinations Americas Alaska Alaska’s Natural Wonders

Highlights

Wrangell-St Elias National Park

Soar over the wild landscapes of Wrangell-St Elias National Park

Abandoned copper mine at Kennicott

Explore a ghost town in the heart of Wrangell-St Elias National Park

Alaska road trip

Explore at your own pace on an unforgettable road trip

alaska denali national park grizzly bear doll

Take a guided excursion into the heart of Denali National Park

Why this trip...

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Activities included

This itinerary features a range of included activities

Rail track alongside Turnagain Arm how you travel white

How you travel

This holiday features transport that is an integral part of the overall experience

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Tailor made

This itinerary can be tailor made to suit you and is intended to give you a guideline of what is possible in a given timeframe

Overview

Focusing on Alaska’s great abundance of natural highlights, this two week adventure includes excursions in Denali and Wrangell-St Elias National Parks, as well as plenty of free time to experience the natural beauty, wildlife and hidden gems of Alaska in your own way.

Take a guided excursion into the heart of Denali National Park in search of Alaska’s abundant wildlife, and enjoy aerial views over the vast expanse of Wrangell-St Elias National Park, before spending two nights in the abandoned former copper-mining settlement of Kennicott. Days at leisure in Seward, Knik River and Anchorage offer the chance to explore independently, taking advantage of numerous hiking opportunities or perhaps choosing optional excursions such as a cruise in to Kenai Fjords, scenic flight over Denali or a bear viewing tour (additional costs).

Time spent in the cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks provides a good contrast to the wilderness, making this a very comprehensive introduction to Alaska.

Itinerary

Arrive in Anchorage and make your own way to your accommodation. Alaska’s largest city sits on the edge of Cook Inlet and is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, making this the ideal starting point for a wilderness adventure.

Collect your rental car today and drive south to the scenic Kenai Peninsula. Your destination for today is the port town of Seward, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities, with Mt. Marathon rising steeply behind the town.

Today is at leisure to explore Seward and the surrounding area. You may wish to hike at nearby Exit Glacier or visit the Alaska SeaLife Centre. Highly recommended is an optional cruise through the Kenai Fjords. Home to miles of beautiful fjords, glaciers and coastal landscapes, the Kenai Fjords National Park is also known for its abundant wildlife – you may be lucky enough to spot orcas and humpback whales, Steller sea lions, harbour seal and sea otters.

Humpback whale breaching, Kenai Fjords

Make your way north to Girdwood, where you may wish to take a hike through North America’s northern-most temperate rainforest. Alternatively take the Alyeska Aerial Tram to the top of Mt Alyeska for panoramic views over Turnagain Arm and the endless peaks and glaciers of the Chugach Mountain range.

Moose and bear sightings are common around Girdwood, so take a good look around before you head north to the quaint little town of Talkeetna. The town of Talkeetna has retained much of its early Alaskan flavour. Log cabins, a roadhouse and clapboard storefronts line the dirt streets, colourful locals and bush pilots stroll the wooden sidewalks. There are also plenty of activity options on offer here, including scenic flights over Denali National Park – pre-booking is advisable for a memorable introduction to this spectacular wilderness.

Today continue your journey north to Denali Village, just outside Denali National Park.

Enjoy a guided excursion into Denali National Park today. Led by an experienced naturalist driver and guide, you will be provided with an overview of the land and its wilderness as you travel approximately fifty-three miles on the open park road. This vast wilderness is home to bears, moose, wolves and caribou, as well as sparkling lakes, rivers and towering mountain peaks.

Denali
Aerial views over Denali National Park
Admiring the view over Denali National Park

Today you will drive the Parks Highway north to Fairbanks, Alaska’s second largest city. Accompanied by incredible forest and mountain landscapes, drive through the communities of Healy, Nenana and Ester – an old mining camp. A visit to the Museum of the North is highly recommended.

Make the long drive south to Chitina, where you will board an Alaskan bushplane for your flight into the heart of Wrangell-St Elias National Park. This park is the largest in the United States National Parks system and contains several of the tallest mountains in the country, as well as the greatest concentration of glaciers in North America. Together with Glacier Bay National Park, and both Kluane National Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Park in Canada, this area represents the single largest tract of protected land in the world, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your destination is McCarthy, from where you will transfer to the ghost town of Kennicott.

Wrangell-St Elias National Park

This magical location is the furthest road extension in the massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. With only a handful of year-round residents, the area is attracting a growing number of people looking to experience Alaska as they imagine it – a mix of solitude and scenery. Today you will join a 2-hour guided tour of Kennicott’s historic highlights, learning about this former thriving mining settlement which is now abandoned. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Today fly back to Chitina by bush plane while enjoying great views of the Wrangell Mountains. From Chitina continue by car to Knik River, near Palmer.

Today is at leisure for you to explore. Highly recommended is a visit to the Knik River Glacier – at over 28 miles long and 5 miles across, this is one of central Alaska’s greatest rivers of ice.

Knik River Glacier

Today make the short drive back to Anchorage, keeping an eye out for for Dall sheep combing the mountainsides.

Enjoy a full and final day in Anchorage – the city boasts some interesting museums and galleries and great day hikes and bike trails, as well as a choice of shopping and dining options.

Chugach Mountains

Return your rental car at the airport and depart Alaska.

Accommodation Options

With a wide choice of accommodation in Alaska, we can mix and match different grades and styles to suit your personal preference – from motels and hotels to wilderness lodges in stunning locations.

  • sheraton anchorage hotel guestroom
  • tutka bay lodge walkway
  • ramada anchorage downtown guesthouse

Prices and Departures

Price from £4207 excluding flights

Airfares start from around £1,000 per person and are quoted separately to the holiday price. When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
Note: Airfares tend to be cheaper the earlier you book.

What's Included

  • Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom (except for shared bathroom in Kennicott)
  • Midsize car hire including unlimited mileage and loss damage waiver
  • Guided bus tour into Denali National Park with snack
  • 2 hour guided Historical Kennicott Tour
  • Return bushplane flights from Chitina to McCarthy (max luggage allowance 13kgs per person)
  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
  • No surcharge guarantee
  • Full financial protection

Prices

This itinerary starts from around £4,207 per person, based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom in standard hotels, and rental of an intermediate vehicle.

Prices may vary depending on departure date and booking date, as well as any changes to the included components. The final cost of a tailored holiday will be based on the level of accommodation, size of vehicle, included activities, travel season, and how far in advance it is booked. We will confirm the exact price for your holiday in your individual quotation, based on your chosen travel dates and inclusions.

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The World's Great. Pass it On

To mark our 40th anniversary, we've launched our Education Bursary Fund to help disadvantaged school children experience the wonders of travel. A percentage of revenue from every holiday booked will go into the bursary fund to pay for at least 40 students to join one of our school trips abroad.