Compare Natural Wonders of Alaska by Titan Travel vs Alaska: The Great Exploration by Discover Corps

Day 1 London - Anchorage
Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow or Gatwick, for a scheduled Icelandair flight to Anchorage via Reykjavik. Upon arrival we transfer to the Hilton Anchorage (3T) for an overnight stay.

Day 2 Anchorage - Valdez
Today we travel north through the glacier-carved valley of Matanuska-Susitna where the enormous vegetables of Alaska are grown in the 24-hour daylight. We follow the Matanuska River upstream into the mountains where we spend the afternoon travelling through the spectacular mountain passes as we drive by mighty glaciers. On our approach to our next stop we witness the majestic waterfalls crashing at the side of the road. On arrival in Valdez we transfer to the Best Western Valdez (3T) for a two-night stay.

Day 3 Prince William Sound - Columbia Glacier
This morning we take a step back into the history of Copper River Valley with a visit to Valdez Museum. The rest of today is dedicated to the natural wonders of Alaskan sea life, beautiful fjords and magnificent glaciers as we take the included cruise into Prince William Sound, following the path of British explorer Captain James Cook. We will have the opportunity to observe sea life up close, watch for seals, otters, sea lions and porpoises. Cruise into the vast fjord created by Alaska’s iconic Columbia Glacier and view the dramatic cascade of ice into the ocean.

Day 4 Valdez - Wrangell-St Elias National Park - Fairbanks
We depart Valdez and continue our journey to the impressive sights and spectacular mountain scenery of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wrangell-St Elias National Park. We make a stop at the visitor centre which provides information of the park in its entirety, including a 3D interactive map display and the chance to meet a park ranger. We continue to Fairbanks, Alaska’s second largest city at the end of the Alaska Highway, where we check in to the Bridgewater Hotel (3T), our home for the next two nights.

Day 5 Fairbanks
Located 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle, during the summer months we can enjoy as much as 21 hours of daylight, with high temperatures. Our day begins with a city tour where we learn about its gold-mining heritage and visit the University of Alaska Fairbanks Museum of the North, where you can discover fascinating stories about Alaska’s people. A cruise on board a sternwheeler riverboat then combines the colourful history of the river and native traditions. Our Riverboat Discovery cruise is guided by local Fairbanks families and includes a visit to a local village, recreated by Athabascan Indians. This evening is at leisure.

Day 6 Fairbanks - Denali
We transfer to Fairbanks train station where we join the Alaska railroad for a memorable rail journey through some of the most scenic and rugged terrain in Alaska, winding through dramatic canyons as we approach Denali. On arrival, we transfer to the Denali Park Village Lodge (3T) for the next two nights. This afternoon and evening will be at leisure.

Day 7 Denali
A day at leisure to relax, enjoy some of the activities available in Denali or perhaps take in one of the Denali National Park Service Programmes. Your tour manager will be on hand to assist you.

Day 8 Denali - Wasilla
This morning is at leisure in Denali before we travel down the Parks Highway to Wasilla, where, weather permitting, you will get a view of Denali (formerly Mount McKinley). Our overnight stay is at the Grandview Inn (2T), Wasilla where we can relax and enjoy spectacular views of the Chugach Range.

Day 9 Wasilla - Hatcher Pass - Anchorage - Seward
This morning we travel up to Hatcher Pass, a mountain pass named after Robert Hatcher, a prospector and miner, situated in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, a beautiful alpine valley with a spectacular glacier view. We continue to Anchorage before heading towards the harbour town of Seward along the picturesque Seward Highway. Brimming with waterfalls, blue glaciers, mountains, tranquil ponds and stormy ocean fjords, this highway is like a destination in itself. We arrive at the Seward Windsong Lodge (3T+) for an evening at leisure and an overnight stay.

Day 10 Seward
Our day starts with a visit to the Alaska SeaLife Center, a world-class marine research and rehabilitation facility for sick and injured marine animals including endangered Stellar sea lions and harbour seals, as well as sea birds. Situated on the shores of beautiful Resurrection Bay, there will be free time to explore here before returning to our hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Maybe visit the Seward Museum which displays the town’s history through photos and documents, from its first native inhabitants through to the devastating earthquake of 1964.

Day 11 Seward - Anchorage
We travel to Anchorage, stopping en route at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center where a local expert will take us on a guided tour educating us on the land mammals of Alaska with the chance of viewing bears, moose and caribou in their natural setting. After a brief city tour, we transfer to the Hilton Anchorage (3T) for our overnight stay. The rest of the day is at leisure, with further opportunities for a fantastic wildlife adventure.

Day 12 Anchorage - In flight
Morning at leisure. Perhaps enjoy a local walking trail or some last-minute shopping before transferring to Anchorage Airport for a scheduled Icelandair flight to London via Reykjavik.

Day 13 London
Arrival at London Heathrow or Gatwick, where you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.

Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage

Meals: Dinner

Our Alaskan adventure begins in its charming city of Anchorage. Arrive into Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and meet your local Alaskan guide. We’ll get a brief introduction to the area before settling into our accommodations at a boutique inn in downtown Anchorage. Dine alongside locals at a brewhouse and get to know one another as we gear up for the week ahead.

Day 2: Learn about Alaska's History and Meet a Member of the Beluga Whale Alliance

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today's adventure takes us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. As Alaska’s largest living cultural center, we’ll get the unique opportunity to explore a village of authentic and traditional structures from Alaska’s many native cultures. We’ll also be treated to a range of performances including native dancing led by a community dance group, or athletes demonstrating World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games skills. In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch and guided hike into the snow capped mountains of the Chugach State Park. Stop along the way to discuss the stunning geography of the area while learning about Alaska history as you gaze over aerial views of Anchorage.

Before dinner, we’ll get a visit from a member of the Beluga Whale Alliance to discuss the declining Beluga Whale population of nearby Cook Inlet and their effort to sustain the species by volunteer driven data collection. Enjoy dinner with a view overlooking the Cook Inlet, named after Captain James Cook during his search for the Northwest Passage.

This hike is all abilities level and will be based on group pace with 3 different routes to choose between.

Day 3: Ride a Glass-Top Train to Seward & Explore Kenai Fjords National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Rise early for an adventure down the Alaskan coast. Hop aboard the Coastal Classic train and venture from Anchorage to Seward in style. Often ranked as the top ten train rides in North America, you’ll wind along Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range plunge directly to the sea before entering into the backcountry wilderness. Take in the panoramic vistas of Alaska’s beauty under the glass dome ceiling railcars. This 4.5 hour scenic ride will offer plenty of photo opportunities of wildflowers, rivers, and possible wildlife sightings so be sure to keep your camera handy! Arrive into the quaint, fishing town of Seward where you’ll go from train to boat for an afternoon of wildlife and glacier viewing in the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park. Keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, the stellar sea lion, and more as we cruise through Aialik Bay towards the mighty Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. We will spend time in front of the glacier to watch for calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. The tour is fully narrated by a National Park Ranger

Day 4: Join the Alaska Sealife Center for a Puffin Experience before a Dog Sled Tour Through the Wilderness

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Wake to the sounds of fishing boats departing for the day and views of towering Mt. Marathon and Mt. Alice outside your window. Today we will head to Alaska’s only marine rescue and research facility, The Alaska Sealife Center. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about how the center is protecting marine wildlife through rescue and rehabilitation. Go behind the scenes with researchers and learn about a range of animals from stellar sea lions, ringed & spotted seals as well as the giant pacific octopus. Join staff in a privately led deep dive into the characteristics and traits of a puffin. Learn first hand why their bright orange beaks change colors during the year and how they’ve earned their nickname, clowns of the sea!

In the afternoon, visit a local homestead kennel for a look into Alaska’s Iditarod dog sledding family, The Seaveys. Get to know their beloved team of huskies, a tether-free environment, and how mushing runs deep within the family line and their way of life. Your adventure begins with a 2-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of these amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to comfortable wheeled sleds on this hour and a half dog sled tour. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek.

Day 5: Head to Homer & Meet with the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies for "Belly Biology"

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, we will hit the road and head to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula stopping along the way in the old gold mining town of Cooper Landing. We’ll arrive in Homer and visit the Wynn Nature Center at the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies, whose mission is to protect the unique marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship. Get to know the 150 acre wildlife corridor with a habitat that includes spruce, black cottonwood, and alder trees and is the epicenter for a range of birds from the Black-capped Chickadee to the Orange-crowned warbler. The preserve is located on top of a bluff 1200 feet above Kachemak Bay. After touring the grounds, head down to the Homer Marina with a trained naturalist guide as you explore marine invertebrate life living on & around the Homer Harbor Docks in an activity called, belly biology.

Day 6: Visit a Local Oyster Farm

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Rise for a delicious breakfast followed by some free time to explore the small shops & cafes on the boardwalk along the Homer Spit. In the afternoon, we will board a boat for yet another engaging ocean experience. This time we will explore Kachemak Bay stopping at a local oyster farm to enjoy a tasting! Learn about ocean research by participating in a plankton tow, viewing them under a microscope and using an underwater remote operating vehicle to explore the ocean bed and all the creatures that call this place home! We’ll stop at the secluded Peterson Bay Field Station & visit Intertidal Creature Touch Tanks. Later in the evening, we’ll come together for a memorable Farewell Dinner to cap off our great Alaskan adventure!

Day 7: Explore the Homer Spit before Returning Home or Continuing to Denali

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a relaxing final morning in Homer. Head into town for souvenir shopping or beach combing along the oceanfront. In the afternoon, we’ll drive back to Anchorage for evening flights out. Those who opt for the Denali Extension will bid the rest of the group farewell and take a domestic flight from Homer to Anchorage then onwards to Denali National Park.