Alaska Denali & Kenai Discovery - 13 Days

Once you have arrived in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the Kenai, Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges. Known as a gateway to the state’s vast wilderness, Anchorage combines a lively urban setting with easy access to nature.

The city is home to an abundance of wildlife, including over a thousand moose as well as black and brown bears. You may wish to spend some time exploring highlights such as the scenic Coastal Trail, the Anchorage Museum or Ship Creek, where salmon fishing is a popular local activity.

If you have time before the tour starts, you can join the optional World Famous Brooks River Alaskan Brown Bear Viewing in Katmai National Park (available in July). Bear viewing flights in other months visit similar locations. Anchorage is known for its wildlife, like bears, moose and wolves.

This evening, we begin our journey with a welcome meeting at 6 PM, you will then have time to grab dinner.

Please note: The World-Famous Brooks River Alaskan Brown Bear Viewing in Katmai National Park and other bear flight experiences are operated the day prior to the start of the tour

Starting point: 2200 Spenard Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, United States

Anchorage -Exit Glacier - Seward. Today we travel south from Anchorage along the scenic Seward Highway, tracing the edge of Turnagain Arm and passing through the Chugach Mountains en route to Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park.

Along the way, we visit Bear Lake Weir, where spawning salmon gather as they return to their birthplace, offering a unique insight into Alaska’s wildlife and ecosystems.

We then continue to Exit Glacier, where there is the opportunity to hike in this impressive glacial landscape. There are several options available, from an easy walk of around 3 miles to more challenging routes, including ranger-led hikes to areas such as Marmot Meadows or the Cliffs.

After our time at the glacier, we continue on to Seward for the evening.

Seward - Kenai Fjords National Park - Seward. This morning, we head out on a 6-hour wildlife cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park, exploring its glacier-carved coastline by catamaran.

As we travel through the fjords, we look out for humpback whales, orcas, Steller sea lions and a variety of seabirds. We also witness the dramatic sight of calving glaciers, where ice breaks away and crashes into the sea. Throughout the journey, the captain provides detailed commentary, sharing insights into the region’s wildlife, history and geology.

Tonight, we stay in a hotel or cabins with shared facilities.

Seward - Moose Pass. We begin the day with a visit to the Seavey Homestead, where we come face to face with Alaska’s iconic sledge dogs. Here, we experience a 1.5-hour wilderness dog sledge ride and tour, learning about the important role these dogs play in Alaskan life.

Afterwards, we continue to Moose Pass, where we set out on a short paddle across Trail Lake, covering around 1.6 km, followed by a hike of approximately 2.4 km uphill to reach our remote camp overlooking Grant Lake.

Our base for the next two nights is a collection of yurts set in a peaceful wilderness setting. Facilities are simple, with no showers, though there is the option to take a dip in the glacial lake for those feeling brave.

After breakfast, we head out for another day of kayaking and hiking around Grant Lake, making our way towards a local waterfall while taking in the surrounding scenery.

After our paddle, we take time to relax and enjoy the setting, with support from our Moose Pass adventure guides. There may also be the opportunity for additional paddling or hiking later in the evening, making the most of the extended daylight under the midnight sun.

Tonight, we stay in yurts for our final night. in Moose Pass.

Moose Pass - Talkeetna. Over the next 2 days, we make our way to Talkeetna, a small historic town and the main launch point for climbers attempting Denali, North America’s highest peak.

During our time here, you are free to explore at your own pace or choose from a range of optional activities. You may take a flightseeing tour around Denali with the chance to land on a glacier, join a jet boat adventure through Devil’s Canyon, enjoy a float trip along the Talkeetna or Chulitna rivers, or try your hand at salmon fishing.

Talkeetna - Denali National Park. Early this morning, we make our way to Denali National Park, where we board a shuttle to the East Fork River.

As we travel through this vast wilderness, we keep watch for wildlife including grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves, all of which call this region home. Denali spans over 6 million acres, offering one of the most untouched landscapes in North America.

Alongside the shuttle journey, you have the flexibility to choose your own hiking experience, with opportunities to explore different areas of the park at your own pace.

Today, you have further opportunities to explore Denali National Park at your own pace. You may choose to continue hiking through its rugged landscapes or visit key sites such as the Visitor Center, the Murie Science and Learning Center, or see the park’s working sled dog team, the only one of its kind in the US National Park system.

There are also optional activities available outside the park, including ATV tours and whitewater rafting.

Denali National Park - Maclaren River. We depart Denali National Park, continuing through the Alaskan mountain range, where glaciers and wide-reaching vistas define the landscape.

Travelling along the historic Denali Highway, a route used for over 10,000 years, we make our way to Maclaren River Lodge. From here, we board a jet boat and journey 16 km upriver to our remote camp, where we spend the night surrounded by wilderness.

Please note: You will stay in canvas tents with cots, and the property does not have showers.

After breakfast, we enjoy a canoe journey back down the Maclaren River to the lodge. Although travelling downstream, the route requires some navigation, as the braided river channels shift constantly, and we may find ourselves navigating around shallow gravel bars.

Once back at the lodge, we have time to relax and enjoy the surroundings, perhaps sharing stories with fellow travellers or chatting with locals.

Maclaren River - Fairbanks. This morning, we continue along the Denali Highway, connecting with the Richardson Highway as we make our way towards North Pole, in the region known as the Land of the Midnight Sun.

During the summer months, the near-constant daylight brings a unique energy to the area, with locals and visitors making the most of the long evenings for activities such as hiking, running and even late-night baseball.

In the evening, we unwind with a soak in the Chena Hot Springs, where naturally heated mineral water rises from deep beneath the earth’s surface.

Tonight, we stay in a hotel with ensuite facilities and access to the hot springs.

We begin our final day with a hands-on gold panning experience, trying our luck with a bag of paydirt from Fairbanks Gold Co.

As we sift through the material, there is more than just gold to discover. You may uncover ice-age fossils and a variety of minerals, including pyrite, quartz crystals, and garnets. On occasion, even fragments of woolly mammoth ivory have been found.

Our tour will come to an end after 3 PM, where you will make your way to the airport for your onward flight.

If you have time after the tour ends, you can extend your Alaska adventure with a 2-day Bear Viewing add-on out of Anchorage or a 4-day add-on to the Arctic Circle and Arctic Ocean.

End point: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States