• Seeing the vast expanse of Denali National Park and towering Denali (Mt. McKinley)
  
• Kayaking and hiking on the Kenai peninsula
• Taking the ferry across spectacular Prince William Sound
  
• Staying in the charming town of McCarthy, walking on glaciers, and rafting the Nizina River
• Seeing an amazing diversity of wildlife, including moose, bear, Dall sheep, caribou, whales, sea otters, sea lions and bald eagles
  
• Driving the Denali Highway, Alaska's most beautiful

Alaska is a huge land, known for rugged landscapes, towering mountains, powerful rivers, and immense glaciers. Although exploring all of it would take months, a sampling of its finest can be seen on a road trip that starts in Anchorage and does a big loop through the interior and over to the coast. June is an ideal time to visit Alaska, with generally excellent weather, very long days, and fewer tourists.  

women in moderate physical condition who want to see Alaska. We have designed the itinerary to ensure that there are no entire days of sitting in the van and all activities are moderate. No previous hiking or kayaking experience is necessary. Rating  1  [2]  3  4  5

• Two nights at a motel in Anchorage, AK
• One night at Talkeetna Cabins
• Two nights in cabins at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort
• One night at MacLaren River Lodge
  
• Three nights at Ma Johnson's Hotel in McCarthy
  
• One night at motels in Valdez and Whittier, AK
• Three nights at the Alaska Saltwater Lodge
  

• 14 nights lodging 
• all activities on the itinerary, including rafting, flight-seeing, ferries, and kayaking
• all meals from dinner on June 4 through breakfast June 18 except for one lunch and one dinner
• all transport within Alaska
• entrance fees to sites that are included in the itinerary

Not included: airfare to Anchorage, alcoholic beverages, one lunch and one dinner, guide gratuities, travel insurance, items of a personal nature

Meet at our hotel in Anchorage on June 4 at 5 pm

Anytime on June 18

you can download the complete trip information here (includes detailed packing list)

June 4. SAT Arrive Anchorage. We'll meet at 5 pm at our Anchorage hotel, have a trip orientation and then go out to dinner at a local restaurant. After completing any last minute preparations, we'll get to bed early. D

June 5. SUN : After breakfast at the best breakfast restaurant in Anchorage,  we leave Anchorage for Talkeetna. Along the way we visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where we learn about the past and present cultures of the native Alaskans that make up 16% of the state's population. We then stop for a hike at Eklutna Lake in Chugach Mountain State Park. Chugach is the third largest state park in the US and at over half a million acres, it is half the size of Delaware! We, however, will only see a small part of it as we hike either the Twin Peaks Trail, known for alpine meadows, incredible views, and the bands of Dall sheep that live there; or the Eklutna Lakeside Trail that follows the lakeshore of this magnificent glacial lake. We'll then hop back in the van and continue on to Talkeetna, the main staging area for Denali climbers and fascinating in its own right. Overnight at the Talkeetna Cabins B, L, D

June 6. MON We leave Talkeetna for Denali National Park, stopping to hike the Coal Creek Trail in Denali State Park. This trail offers a beautiful climb to the alpine tundra, starting in lush vegetation and then quickly ascending above tree line to alpine country and amazing views of mountains and glaciers, tundra flowers, and perhaps some bears. We eat lunch on the trail and then continue on our way to Denali Grizzly Bear Cabins, home for the next two nights. If we arrive in time we'll stop by the Denali Visitor Center to get a good overview of the park.  B, L, D

June 7. TUES We'll board the bus today (the only vehicle allowed inside Denali National Park) and take it to Eileson Visitor's Center. More than just a bus ride, the bus provides an opportunity to see the interior of this magnificent park and lots of opportunity to see wildlife, including grizzlies, caribou, moose and dall sheep. The entire round trip is about 7 hours, and if weather cooperates, there are several short hiking options from the Center. We return in time for dinner, after which those who choose can go on a short hike to Horseshoe Lake inside the Park, home to beaver and the occasional moose.  Overnight at Denali Grizzly Bear Cabins. B, L, D

June 8. WED Today we leave open for you to choose what interests you most. How about a helicopter ride with a chance to walk on a glacier? Or perhaps river rafting is more your speed? Other possibilities include going to the dogsled demo in the park, joining a ranger for a naturalist hike, and walking the 2-mile Savage Loop Trail or the 4.5 mile Mt Healy Overlook Trail. We'll leave Denali about 3 pm and start our drive along Denali Highway, widely considered one of the most beautiful highways in the entire US (and for good reason!). Overnight MacLaren Lodge. B, D

June 9. THURS We finish our drive to McCarthy today, stopping for a hike on the MacLaren Summit Trail along the way. The road into McCarthy is an adventure in itself. Originally it was the bed of a railroad that was built into Kennecott for transporting ore. Much o fit was built in the dead of winter and we'll make a couple of stops to read the placards commemorating this amazing feat. McCarthy itself was on the verge of becoming a ghost town until the 1980s, when interest in Wrangell-St Elias park and the energy of some entrepreneurs revitalized it. It's still quiet though- the bridge across the river doesn't support autos so the town and the surrounding area have limited vehicles. It's a charming town and we'll have free time to explore the area before dinner. Overnight Ma Johnson's, where we'll stay for the next three nights. B, L, D

June 10. FRI On Saturday we meet our local guide for a 4-6 hour hike out onto the Root Glacier. We will learn how to use crampons (pointy spikes that we strap onto our shoes) to stay steady on the ice, and enjoy a walk around the ice to see features such as crevasses, blue streams and pools, and moulins (holes drilled in the ice by flowing water). We'll have a picnic lunch on the ice and return to Kennecott by mid-afternoon. After a short break, we will spend 2.5 hours touring the 14-story mill building, where we will get a chance to see the original machinery used in the milling process and learn in detail about the history and mining processes found in Kennecott during its heyday as a copper mining town. There are a couple of fancy restaurants in town and this is the night to try one if you're interested.  B, L 

June 11. SAT We totally change gears today! We will meet our rafting guides in the morning to get geared up and head down to the river. The first part of the river-rafting trip is splashy and fast with spectacular views of the Stairway Icefall. After a big, hearty lunch, we head into the mighty Nizina Canyon, where the river is squeezed tightly between limestone cliffs that cause it to surge around the corners in an impressive show of power. At the end of the canyon we stop for a short hike near the banks of the Chitina River, then cross the river to the sandspit where our bush plane picks us up. For a spectacular ending to the day, we enjoy a flight back up the river and over the Kennicott and Root Glaciers with marvelous views of Mt. Blackburn, the Stairway Icefall, and the tiny towns of McCarthy & Kennecott. B, L, D

June 12. SUN We leave McCarthy today and drive to Valdez, a small but important port on Prince William Sound that was completely destroyed by a tsunami following the 1964 earthquake and was rebuilt inland. During the drive we often catch glimpses of the Alaska pipeline, the incredible 800 mile pipe that carries oil from the North slope down to the port of Valdez. Stopping along the way to hike Goat Trail and Wagon Road, we stretch our legs on this moderate five-mile hike. We also stop for a look at the Worthington Glacier before arriving in Valdez, where the lodging is basic and a local restaurant is surprisingly excellent.  B, L, D

June 13. MON Today we take the ferry across the spectacular Prince William Sound, which became a household word with the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. Our journey is enhanced by a naturalist on board who willingly shares her knowledge of the area. There is no evidence of damage to the casual observer and the chance to be surrounded by wild beauty and look for wildlife, including whales and puffins, make it an unforgettable day. We'll arrive in Whittier early afternoon and you can choose whether to spend a couple of hours exploring this small town, doing your laundry., and/or going for a short, steep and spectacular hike to Portage Pass. Whittier has been called the strangest town in America and not without reason. Overnight Whittier. B, L, D

June 14 TUES After traveling through the Whittier tunnel, we'll make a stop at the Portage Pass Visitor Center. Portage Pass is unique for its geology and climatology and the Visitor Center does an outstanding job explaining it in a movie and exhibits. We continue on to the Kenai Peninsula for a hike along the Lower Russian River Trail. This 2.6 mile trail leads to a beautiful falls where, with any luck, the salmon will be running. Nature, of course, is never predictable but the hike is so lovely that it is worth doing regardless. We then continue to Seward, one of the most beautiful towns in Alaska, and our lodging for the next three nights, the Alaska Saltwater Lodge. The lodge is right on the bay and a peaceful place to relax or walk along the beach. Overnight Seward. B, L, D

June 15  WED Today we will take a small boat on a wildlife and glacier cruise to Aialik Bay. Aialik Bay is stunning with towering snow capped mountains, deep green forests, and glaciers. Sure we've seen glaciers by now, but not tidal glaciers that come right down to the sea and are a half mile across. With luck we will see them "calving", large chunks of ice breaking off with a tremendous roar and splash. And we may not have seen puffins, whales, seals, and sea lions yet. Unlike the large tour boats that carry 100 to 200 people and adhere to a rigid schedule, our boat will take time to pursue whatever wildlife opportunities present themselves, and we can position the boat so everyone gets a perfect view. One time we stayed in one place for 40 minutes as orcas breached all around the boat.  We're staying at a lodge about 2 miles outside of town so at the end of the cruise we can take you back or you can enjoy a pleasant walk alongside Resurrection Bay. Overnight Seward B, L, D  

June 16 THURS A morning kayak trip in Resurrection Bay is the perfect beginning to the day. We start with basic kayak instruction so you can enjoy the paddle without getting overly tired. We'll kayak down to a small beach and walk through to a beautiful waterfall. After returning to our lodging for lunch, we'll offer several options: a hike back along the Bay where you have kayaked (it looks completely different from land); a hike at Exit Glacier along the Harding Icefield Trail, a strenuous and stunning trail that quickly ascends above treeline to an overlook of Exit Glacier; or time to explore the town of Seward (there will also be time for this the next morning).  Alternatively you may choose just to relax: watching the bald eagles and sea otters from the deck of our lodge is endlessly fascinating.

June 17 FRI Today we sadly pack up. There will be a couple of hours in the morning to explore the town of Seward if you haven't had time yet. The Alaska SeaLife Center is always popular, as are the many interesting shops. Resurrect Art and Coffee House is always one of our favorites. We drive back to Anchorage along another gorgeous highway that follows along Turnagin Arm. We'll stop for one last hike on the Kenai Peninsula and plan to arrive back in Anchorage for showers before going out to share a Farewell Dinner.

June 18 SAT Our hotel has an airport shuttle and you are free to leave anytime you want. However there is both a Solstice Festival and a Saturday Market near our hotel, and if you don't mind taking a red eye home you may want to hang around a bit longer to drink in the last drop of Alaska's unique ambience.