Alaska road trip

Alaska and Yukon Highlights

from £3365 excluding flights

  • 14 nights
  • May-Aug
Home Destinations Americas Alaska Alaska and Yukon Highlights

Highlights

Worthington Glacier from Richardson Highway

Explore vast wilderness areas at your own pace by self-drive

Dawson City

Discover the Yukon's Gold Rush history

Humpback whale breaching, Kenai Fjords

Encounter the marine wildlife and glaciers of Kenai Fjords

Denali

Marvel at North America's highest peak, Denali

Top of the World Highway

Drive scenic routes including the Top of the World Highway

Kluane National Park, Yukon

Take an optional sightseeing flight over Kluane National Park

Why this trip...

Cabot Trail explore at leisure white

Explore at leisure

With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore

canada forest trail istk well researched route white

Well-researched route

We've put our years of experience into creating this well-paced itinerary that includes the places we know you'll enjoy

Aoraki Mt Cook National Park tailor made white

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

This comprehensive round-trip itinerary from Anchorage takes in the very best of Alaska and Canada’s wild Yukon Territory, including Denali, Kenai Fjords and Kluane National Parks.

Two weeks’ exploration of the Yukon and Alaska offers a vast range of incredible landscapes, from the highest mountain peaks to pristine glaciers, mighty rivers and thundering waterfalls. During your self-drive holiday you’ll have the opportunity to spot a variety of wildlife, experience Gold Rush and First Nations history, and visit Alaska’s biggest cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks.

This leisurely paced self-drive itinerary includes the chance to drive the evocatively named ‘Top of the World’ Highway, explore Denali National Park, cruise the Kenai Fjords (cruise not included) and enjoy Dawson City’s quirky architecture and colourful nightlife. This really will be a journey of epic vistas and lasting memories!

Itinerary

On arrival in Anchorage make your way to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore Alaska’s largest city.

Anchorage skyline

Collect your rental car this morning and start your journey north via Talkeetna towards the vast wilderness of Denali National Park.

Today you will enjoy a guided bus tour into the heart of Denali National Park (approx. 4-6 hours in duration). Some of this areas most iconic large mammals, such as grizzly and black bears, wolves, caribou, moose and Dall’s sheep, can be seen by lucky visitors. The more-often seen small mammals include arctic ground squirrels, red squirrels, foxes and marmots can also be spotted. The bird life of Denali is also varied and impressive. Golden eagles are often seen as well as ravens, mew gulls, gray jays and occasionally bald eagles.

Caribou in Denali National Park
Guided tour, Denali National Park
Denali National Park

Continue north to Fairbanks, Alaska’s second largest city, situated at the confluence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Relaxed, quiet and perfect for strolling, Fairbanks offers a nice contrast to the vast wilderness of the previous days’ drives.

Allow plenty of time for today’s drive along the Alaska Highway to Tok. As you follow the course of the Tanacross River, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife such as moose and bears.

Set out on one of the truly great wilderness drives of North America. The stunning Top of the World highway traverses mountain tops and ridges as you cross the international border into Canada.

Top of the World Highway
Bald eagle
Grizzly bear

Enjoy a day immersing yourself in the fascinating history of Dawson City. Colourful Dawson was the centre of the greatest gold rush that the world had ever seen at the turn of the 20th century, and the town still features many of its original wooden buildings. Drive out to the nearby goldfields, visit Bonanza Creek and try your hand at panning for gold. An evening’s entertainment back in town at historic Diamond Tooth Gerties, a casino and dancehall, is highly recommended to complete the Dawson experience!

Dawson City
Panning for gold
Dawson City

We advise an early start for today’s long drive south. Follow the Yukon and Stewart River valleys, passing the Five Finger Rapids and other scenic viewpoints as you approach the ‘wilderness city’ of Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory.

Continuing south you will cross back into the USA as you arrive at the port town of Skagway. The town’s clapboard buildings take you back to the early gold rush days; it was from here that the fortune seekers started their arduous journey over White Pass to reach the Yukon River en route to the Klondike gold fields.

Take the highway and cross back into Canada en route to Haines Junction. Haines Junction is the gateway to Kluane National Park – an optional sightseeing flight over the park offers spectacular views and provides a true sense of the immense scale of this glacier-filled mountain wilderness.

Kluane National Park
Hiking in Kluane National Park
Kluane National Park, Yukon

Another early start is recommended, as you re-enter the USA today and head back to Tok.

Follow the spectacular Glenn Highway today, skirting the edge of the vast Wrangell St Elias National Park.

Wrangell-St Elias National Park

Pass through Anchorage as you make your way to Seward. The dramatic journey along the Seward Highway climbs through the mountains that form the spine of the Kenai Peninsula, providing breathtaking views and unbeatable lakeside picnic spots. Beyond Seward’s harbour the waters are rich in marine life, whilst a backdrop of glaciers, steep fjords and mountain peaks provide countless photo opportunities.

Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and a cruise to see glaciers and marine wildlife is highly recommended today. Later, make your way back along the Seward Highway to Anchorage for your final night in Alaska.

Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm
Kenai Fjords cruise
Humpback whale breaching, Kenai Fjords

Your tour ends as you drop off your rental car at the airport.

Accommodation Options

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

  • denali backcountry lodge superior cabin
  • sheraton anchorage hotel guestroom

Prices and Departures

Price from £3365 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
  • Midsize car hire including unlimited mileage and loss damage waiver
  • Guided bus tour into Denali National Park (approx. 4-6 hours)
  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
  • No surcharge guarantee
  • Full financial protection

Prices

This itinerary starts from £3,365 per person, based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom in standard hotels, with rental of a midsize vehicle. Prices may vary depending on departure date. Please contact us for a detailed quote based on your preferred travel dates, vehicle category and style of accommodation, or to tailor this itinerary.

Tailor made trips

As independent destination specialists, we are able to tailor make holidays to suit you, be that customising the itineraries shown on this website or creating something bespoke.

pillars

Travelling sustainably

We believe travel is about finding the right balance between minimising our impact on the environment and broadening minds through new experiences and cultural interaction.