Upon arrival in Anchorage, collect your luggage and pick up your pre-booked car, before driving to your downtown hotel.

After check-in you can explore the city, perhaps stroll along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, overlooking Cook Inlet, or head to the Alaska Native Heritage Centre, to learn about indigenous art, history and culture.

Hilton Anchorage or similar

This morning travel along the Seward Highway towards the scenic Turnagain Arm, a body of water featuring the world’s second highest tides at over 30 feet. Keep an eye out for Beluga whales chasing salmon in the bay or Dall sheep along the highway.

From Porterage travel through mountain tunnels to the port town of Whittier, where you can board the 26 Glacier Cruise and venture deep into Prince William Sound, finding yourself so close to glaciers that you can “hear” them move and gaze at their brilliant blue hues.

Discover several types of glaciers including Alpine hanging, Piedmont and Tidewater, plus watch for glacier calvings (broken pieces of ice that have fallen into the water and become icebergs). Lunch is included onboard.

Following your cruise it is approximately 2 hours’ drive to Seward.

Anchorage > Seward | 127 miles

Seward Windsong Lodge or similar

Today you can personalise your day by choosing one of these day tours:-

Resurrection Bay Kayaking Adventure
Resurrection Bay is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and home to several Alaska state parks that offer abundant opportunities to hike, sea kayak and explore.

Bear Lake Canoe Trip
Canoe or kayak on this scenic local lake with fun and knowledgeable guides. Bear Lake is located just outside Seward and normally offers calm waters and a chance to see Sockeye salmon. On the way you can stop and visit the salmon weir to learn more about the salmon. Whilst on the lake it is also possible to view eagles, loons, and bears around the water’s edge.

Wilderness Dog Sled Ride
Visit the Seavey Family Homestead in Seward, and tour the beautiful tether-free summer camp for Iditarod athletes. Meet the dogs, hear their excitement as teams are hitched to the comfortable summer sleds, then mush for two miles through the scenic rainforest.

Hike to Exit Glacier
This moderate hiking adventure is great for viewing the jewel of the Resurrection River Valley – Exit Glacier. This massive wall of blue ice descends the mountainside from the Harding Ice Field, down to the Resurrection River.

Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise
Treat yourself to an abundance of wildlife viewing with this 3.5 hours Kenai Fjords cruise in Resurrection Bay. Travel 55 miles (round-trip) along the rugged coastline and snap plenty of memorable photos as you sail past Bear Glacier. Sail close to sea lion colonies and seabird rookeries, and keep your eyes peeled for whales, sea otters, Dall’s porpoises, eagles and mountain goats.

Seward Windsong Lodge or similar

Begin your day with a short drive to Exit Glacier to take the easy walk to stand beside this spectacular Glacier.

Next, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre which provides care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife. Here you can safely observe and photograph some of Alaska’s largest land animals including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears and muskox.

Continuing to Girdwood, take the aerial tram up Alyeska Mountain for views of the Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and the endless peaks of the Chugach Mountain Range.

Seward > Girdwood | 89 miles

Alyeska Resort or similar

Drive north from Girdwood along the scenic Turnagain Arm, travelling through Anchorage and the agricultural region of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, to the small, picturesque town of Talkeetna.

Talkeetna serves as a base camp for Mt. Denali climbers and is located at the confluence of the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers. You can visit a turn-of-the-20th-century gold-mining centre and the town has retained much of its early Alaskan flavour.

Girdwood > Talkeetna | 150 miles

Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or similar

This morning, you can embark on a Wilderness Adventure Jet Boat tour. Stand in the splendour of Mount Denali and the great Alaska Range from a spectacular vantage point on the Susitna River.

From your boat, your guide will tell stories routed in Alaskan folklore, show you artifacts and point out the various panoramic views of Denali in the Alaska Range. This an unforgettable and unique Alaskan river adventure.

After your jet boat tour, drive the Parks Highway north to Denali National Park, passing by incredible forest and mountain landscapes. You’ll have as much time as you like to experience the majesty of Denali National Park, take in the sights of the George Parks Highway and arrive at your hotel near the park entrance.

Talkeetna > Denali National Park Entrance | 153 miles

Grande Denali Lodge or similar

Today you can personalise your day by choosing one of these day tours:-

Denali Highway Jeep Excursion
Ranked No. 2 in “Drives of a Lifetime” by National Geographic Traveller magazine, experience the natural wonders of  Alaska’s Denali Highway — this time by Jeep! This 4-hour guided excursion travels along a 135 mile gravel road & takes you off the beaten path in a 4×4 to enjoy scenic views of Denali, the Alaska Range, glaciers and wildlife.

Tundra Wilderness Coach Tour
This half-day tour offers incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road and opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants. Picturesque highlights include the craggy cliffside of Cathedral Mountain, wildlife rich Sable Pass and braided wash of the East Fork River in Denali National Park.

Denali Summit Flightseeing *
Get a closer look at Alaska’s majestic Denali from the comfortable window seat of a small aircraft. Slip on your headset to hear commentary from your guide as you fly over the snow-covered peaks, jagged ridgelines, and glacier carved valleys of Denali National Park, and get within half a mile of the mountain peak.

Denali Glacier Helicopter Landing
Immerse yourself in the vastness of the Denali National Preserve. On your way to the massive Yanert Glacier, your pilot will serve as your guide through this unique glacier-carved environment. Soar over the rolling tundra, keeping an eye out for local residents – caribou, moose, bear and Dall sheep. Snow capped peaks and glaciers abound on this  journey before you set down on a river of ice.

*Additional supplement applies

Grande Denali Lodge or similar

Continue on the George Parks Highway north to Fairbanks. Accompanied by incredible forest and mountain landscapes, you’ll drive through the communities of Healy, Nenana and Ester- an old mining camp.

Upon arrival into Fairbanks your incredible Alaska self drive adventure comes to an end.

Denali > Fairbanks | 123 miles