Alaska's "Classic Route" self drive tour provides an in depth view to Alaska's most differse regions. It features most of the highlights and scenic wonders in the central Alaska region. From Anchorage you’ll travel to Talkeetna where you take a flightseeing tour to the iceworld of Mt. McKinley. Continue to Denali National Park where you observe grizzly bears, caribou and a variety of wildlife in their natural habitat. Your journey continues north to Alaska's interior - Fairbanks with it’s gold rush atmosphere and Chena Hot Springs. Now get to know the ocean region - Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park. Travel onboard the ferry and visit magnificent Columbia Glacier - the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska. See glaciers calving and whales breaching during the Kenai Fjords wildlife and glacier cruise. You have time to try your luck fishing, go kayaking, dog sledding or fly with a helicopter to Godwin glacier.

Departure Day

Daily

9 Nights Accommodation

60 Minute Mt. McKinley Flightseeing Tour

Hotel & State Tax

Denali Wildlife Shuttle Bus Tour to Eielson Visitor Center

10 Day Rental Car (Compact) - Upgrades available

Denali National Park Fee

Unlimited Mileage

Ferry Transfer from Valdez - Whittier / Car

Rental Car Licensing Fee

Rental Car Taxes

Full Day Kenai Fjords Wildlife & Glacier Cruise

Airport Pick up / Drop off fee

Seward Harbor Tax, Kenai Fjords Park Fee

Full Coverage Rental Car Insurance

Tour Documentation

Anchorage
Arrive in Anchorage during the day. Pick up your rental car and drive to your hotel in downtown. Spend the remaining afternoon to visit the sights of the Alaskan City, enjoy a stroll along the coastal trail with views of Mt. McKinley and the "Sleeping Lady". A guided city sightseeing tour can be arranged on request.

Anchorage - Talkeetna (120 miles)
Enjoy sweeping views of snowcapped mountain peaks while traveling from Anchorage on the George Parks Highway via Wasilla (Iditarod Museum) to Talkeetna - the base for most climbing expeditions. This afternoon enjoy a flightseeing tour to Mt. McKinley. This magnificent flight takes you within six miles of Mt. McKinley's summit. As your flight departs, you begin to see how the last ice age has shaped the land. Moments later, you enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier filled valleys. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge. Overnight: Talkeetna

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Talkeetna - Denali National Park (110 miles)
Continue your journey along the Alaska Range through Denali State Park with countless wildlife viewing opportunities. Stopover at Byers Lake and rent a canoe or kayak. Arrive at Denali Village. The parks office provides many informative ranger-naturalist programs, slide shows and sled dog demonstrations. Overnight: Denali National Park

Denali National Park
Early departure (pre-reserved time) for a full day national park and wildlife observation tour within the shadows of 20.320 foot Mt. McKinley to the Eielson Visitor Center or scenic Wonder Lake with a immense view of “ the Mountain”. Watch out for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolf and fox along the ridges and riverbeds or observe one of the 150 different bird species which inherit the park area. From the park road you enjoy great hiking opportunities. Return to the Denali Park entrance anytime during the day. Overnight: Denali National Park

Denali National Park - Fairbanks (120 miles)
Short drive via Nenana (Alaska Ice Classics) to Fairbanks. Fairbanks, known as the Golden Heart City of Alaska, is the gateway to the interior and features almost 24 hours of daylight during the summer months. You are invited to explore the local gold rush history, its vibrant traditional native cultures as well as its abundant wildlife and fantastic scenery. Tucked into miles of unexplored wilderness only 120 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks offers excellent year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. This afternoon you may visit the renown Alaska University Museum featuring Alaska's natural history best collection, Alaskaland or take an authentic sternwheeler on a scenic 20-mile roundtrip cruise down the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Enjoy lively narration, stop at a reconstructed Athabascan Indian Village to learn about native hunting & fishing techniques and watch a dogsled demonstration. Overnight: Fairbanks

Fairbanks
In Fairbanks you have the unique chance to go on a bush mail plane flight to Alaska's vast, roadless interior. Enjoy the scenic flight above the arctic circle and experience how the Gwich'in Athabascan Natives live in "Bush" Alaska. Put your hand in the Yukon River, travel through the wetlands and crest the rounded peaks of the Northern Edge of the Alaska Range looking out for moose and dall sheep. Another option is to drive along Chena Hot Springs road (watch out for moose!), go on a hiking trip and visit Chena Hot Springs Resort. Here you can relax in the large heated indoor pool or the natural outdoor rock lake. Visit the Aurora Ice Museum and grant yourself to a "Appletini" beverage served in an ice glass. Return to Fairbanks.

Fairbanks - Valdez (360 miles)
Heading south, the Richardson Highway passes through stands of white birch and black spruce, often photogenically close to the Tanana River. Soake up the raw beauty of the drive into the central Alaska Range, often paralleled by the Alaska pipeline. Visit the historic roadhouse in Copper Center before the Washington Glacier peeks into view. Arrive in Valdez, gateway to Prince William Sound. A favourite tour is the cruise to the amazing icebergs of the Columbia Glacier. Overnight: Valdez

Valdez - Prince William Sound (Ferry) - Seward (80 miles + ferry)
Scenic cruise through Prince William Sound onboard the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry. Watch out for whales, bald eagles, seals, sea lions and other marine wildlife. In the distance you'll see Columbia Glacier - one of the largest tidewater glaciers in Alaska. Arrive in Whittier and drive to Portage Glacier. After a stop at the visitor center continue to Seward, a small fishing community at the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. This afternoon you have time to visit Exit Glacier. Short trails lead to the Toe of the Glacier where you can climb on the surface of the glacier itself. Overnight: Seward

Seward / Kenai Fjords National Park
In the morning take a Kenai Fjords cruise tour boat for an exciting glacier and wildlife cruise into magnificent Aialik Bay with its calving glaciers and stunning scenery. Covering 110-miles, the trip is narrated by a National Park Ranger, who is highly adept at spotting wildlife and pointing out the many spectacular sights. Wildlife is abundant throughout Kenai Fjords National Park, and the tidewater glaciers are massive. You'll visit the mighty Aialik Glacier where guests witness calving - a process by which glaciers shed giant blocks and slabs of ancient ice. The cruise also offers the good chance to spot whales in Alaska. Overnight: Seward

Seward – Alyeska – Anchorage (130 miles)
You may spend some time at the Alaska SeaLife Center – the world’s first cold water marine search institute with wildlife rehabilitation and public education facilities, try your luck halibut or salmon fishing or attend a kayaking tour from Lowell Point - the choice is yours. On your drive back to Anchorage, stopover at Alyeska. Tucked in a glacier valley between the mountains and the sea, the community is a popular year-round destination. Take the Alyeska Tramway to get a bird's eye view of the surrounding glaciers and the Turnagain Arm. Continue to Anchorage and drop off your rental car at Anchorage airport.

Optional Rental Car Upgrades & Extensions
Rates include Taxes, Fees, Unlimited Miles, Insurance

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