Compare Denali Explorer by Alaska Heritage Tours

Day 1: Welcome to Anchorage

This lively city is a great place to begin your Alaska vacation. Anchorage offers all the wonder of Alaska’s unrivaled wilderness with every modern convenience packaged into one booming metropolis. Get started with an insightful tour of the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Anchorage Museum and learn about the rich culture and history of Alaska’s diverse native regions. Watch live dance performances, examine the handiwork of Alaska’s early artisans, and learn some useful native words for the rest of your journey through Alaska. Take a guided tour through authentic native village replicas on the grounds. These unique structures vary greatly by region, each one adapting to a different climate and way of life. Learn more about Alaska’s cultures, history, and art when you move on to the Anchorage Museum. After your tours, enjoy the many attractions of downtown Anchorage. Your comfortable hotel is conveniently located near the hustle and bustle of the exciting town

Day 2: On to Denali

Board a deluxe motorcoach and enjoy a scenic drive north along Alaska’s beautiful highways to Denali National Park. Your narrated tour travels in comfort through lush grasslands, past pristine lakes and across tundra wilderness for expansive views of Alaska’s exceptional landscape. Wildlife can be spotted all along the way to Denali. See eagles perched in the rich green spruce trees and watch moose as they graze through the alders and willows. Let your guide share a wealth of knowledge about the natural history of Alaska’s extraordinary environment. Upon arrival at the entrance to the park, your motorcoach will take you directly to your accommodations. Comfortable lodgings with quality service have been reserved for your stay at Denali National Park. Enjoy an evening of great food and fun entertainment at the famous Cabin Nite Dinner Theater. Take whimsical look at life among the early settlers who came to this region for gold and adventure. Meet pioneer Fanny Quigley and other fun loving characters as you enjoy a delicious family style dinner.

Day 3: Explore the Park

Venture into Denali National Park on a narrated Tundra Wilderness bus tour along Denali’s only access road. This wonderful tour takes you into six million acres of unspoiled tundra wilderness to the natural habitat of Denali’s signature wildlife. Visit Polychrome pass and look for sheep as they traverse the rocky terrain, scan for caribou grazing on the hillsides, and watch for bears and wolves as you travel deep into this northern paradise. Your guide stops at several ideal vantage points along the way for a close look at Alaska’s wildlife and magnificent views of the mountains in Denali National Park. Enjoy a boxed lunch on your journey in the remote wilderness of the park.

Day 4: From Denali to Talkeetna

Before continuing on your journey, visit the Husky Homestead featuring the lively sled dog

team of Iditarod champion Jeff King. Watch how these intelligent animals work closely with

their owners to make the most of each exciting expedition into Alaska’s winter wilderness. Learn

more about Alaska’s beloved Iditarod race and how these athletic sled dogs are a treasured part of the history of the Last Frontier. After spending some quality time with the kennel’s newest husky puppies, board the train for a narrated rail tour south to the charming town of Talkeetna. Along the way, you may happen to see more of Alaska’s favorite wildlife as you gaze out over the vast landscape. Traverse the bridge over beautiful Hurricane Gulch, one of the Alaska Railroad’s greatest engineering feats. The train rolls into Talkeetna to a railway station bustling with activity. After you leave the train, take a courtesy shuttle up to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge overlooking Denali and the Alaska Range. Your stay at the lodge affords exceptional views and a warm atmosphere with a 46 foot tall fireplace in the grand lobby.

Day 5: Out with a Bang

The last day of your vacation package is sure to be a highlight. Take a courtesy shuttle down to the Talkeetna airstrip and take a scenic flight tour over Denali National Park. Soar over endless views of lush forests and glacial fed rivers as you approach the towering peaks of the Alaska Range. Keep an eye on the trees below for signs of moose or bears. As the pilot ascends into the alpine regions of Denali, you enter solitary world of rock and ice. Fly over the world’s deepest gorge and see the massive Ruth Glacier. Soar past fluted peaks that reach for thousands of feet into the sky. Get a close look at North America’s tallest summit, Denali, as you fly over the awesome alpine terrain. Land on this glacier and walk the first steps where many climbers begin their ascent of Denali. After your flight, take an exciting jetboat tour along Talkeetna’s glacial fedrivers. Visit an authentic trapper’s cabin and get a feel for the rustic life of the early settlers of this region. Scan the banks of the river for eagles, moose, and even bears that frequent the area for food and water. See deposits of silt produced by the Susitna Glacier over 100 miles away. After your tour on the river, return to Talkeetna and catch the train back to Anchorage. See more of Alaska’s endless countryside from the windows of Alaska Railroad rail car. A friendly guide narrates your tour through the Knik River valley and along the Chugach Range to Anchorage. Your fabulous vacation package concludes upon your arrival at the Anchorage railroad station. Thank you for coming to Alaska and exploring the wonder of Denali. We hope you will visit again soon.