August 29 – September 10, 2012

Alaska is one the world’s most diverse environments, with whales, puffins, brown bears, sea otters and wolves all calling it home. So do a lot of tourists in the summer. But our tour takes to the Alaska less discovered: bigger, wilder, more amazing than you’ve imagined – and away from the crowds.

• Accommodations including a lodge on a private island and one nearly 100 miles deep into the heart of Denali National Park.
• Observe bears up close from safe platforms with unobscured views.
• Explore of glaciers and ice fields from a private yacht, in search of marine life.

Trip Itinerary

The dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. Please consult our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss your best flight options.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012: Fairbanks, Alaska
Meet in Fairbanks, a modern city that retains its frontier flavor with pioneer saloons, paddle wheelers and outlying mining camps. SpringHill Suites (D)

Thursday, August 30 through Saturday, September 1: Denali
Denali National Park – larger than the state of Massachusetts – is one of the world’s great wilderness preserves. Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, towers over the tundra and taiga below, habitat for wolves, grizzlies, moose and caribou. From your historic base 90 miles inside the park, you have time and space to encounter the wilderness. Hiking, nature walks, biking, fishing and optional flightseeing are available. Early morning and evening offer the best possible opportunities to see wildlife in the lodge environs. Kantishna Roadhouse (B,L,D)

Sunday & Monday, September 2& 3: Denali / Girdwood
Depart Denali by train on a journey through Alaska’s rugged interior, over Broad Pass and along the Susitna River to Wasilla. From here drive south to Alyeska Resort, Alaska’s premier ski area that is replete with summer activities, too. Set in a lush glacial valley in the Chugach Range near the coast, Alyeska offers nature and luxury in tandem. Streamside trails lined with wildflowers beckon at the base, or board the tram to the summit, where you may choose to dine at Seven Glaciers, a five-star restaurant with vistas of the ice-bound peaks and Turnagain Arm far below. Explore this magnificent area with your expedition leader, or participate in one of the many optional activities offered here. Alyeska Resort (B,L daily, D Sunday)

Tuesday, September 4: Fox Island
Fox Island, a private island bordering the Kenai Fjords, reveals the pristine side of Alaska most visitors miss, providing accommodations for just 18 guests in comfortable beachfront cabins. The region is famed for sea kayaking, and an easy paddling trip may unveil some of the area’s prolific marine life. Kenai Wilderness Lodge (B,L,D)

Wednesday, September 5: Kenai Fjords
Cruise through a land where the ice age still lingers. Traveling aboard a small private yacht allows you to approach wildlife more intimately, and Kenai Fjords National Park provides unparalleled opportunities for viewing humpback and orca whales, porpoises, sea otters and a large colony of puffins. Here, glaciers pour into the sea, and you may observe icebergs calving with a crash. Overnight in Seward, on Resurrection Bay. Breeze Inn (B,L,D)

Thursday, September 6: Kenai Peninsula / Anchorage
The mountain ranges of the Kenai Peninsula rise one after another on your drive to Anchorage. Time permitting, stop at Exit Glacier for a close-up look at this active river of ice. Spend the night in Anchorage, having dinner on your own. Historic Anchorage Hotel (B,L)

Friday, September 7 & Saturday, September 8: Brooks Falls – Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park is home to the world’s largest population of brown bears. Fly by small plane to King Salmon, then by floatplane to world-renowned Brooks Lodge, one of the best places to view these coastal grizzlies in their natural habitat. From the safety of platforms built over Brooks Falls, observe this classic spectacle up close, as the bears fish vigorously for salmon swimming upstream to spawn. Brooks Lodge (B,L,D)

Sunday, September 9: Katmai / Anchorage
After morning activities in Katmai, return to Anchorage. Historic Anchorage Hotel (B,L,D)

Monday, September 10: Anchorage / Home
Transfer to the airport for flights home. (B)