National Park Historical Backroads & Wildlife
$2,795 pp – 7 Days
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Drive the Glenn Highway – enjoy wildlife and glacier viewing
Day 1 — Anchorage to Glennallen
- Arrival in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city located at the base of the Chugach Mountains
- Check into a late model rental vehicle in Anchorage (vehicle provided with unlimited mileage)
- Tour the extensive Alaska Native Heritage Center – Enjoy Native Story Telling, Dancers and Native Game demonstrations as they share their indigenous heritage and culture
- Drive the wilderness Glenn Highway from Anchorage to Glennallen (approx. 3-hour drive)
- Enjoy a guided tour of a Musk Ox Farm and learn about these unique Ice Age animals, their fine underwool of Qiviut, and their historical native relationship in the Far North.
- Explore Hatcher Pass, famous for its Wild Blueberries and display of Wildflowers – Visit the historical Independence State Mine
- Glennallen area lodging provided
Take a historical walking tour of the Kennecott Mine
Day 2 — Wrangell St Elias National Park
- Enjoy a 3-hour scenic drive from Glennallen to McCarthy along the Richardson Highway and McCarthy Road through Wrangell St Elias National Park (a wilderness 60-mile dirt road)
- Explore Wrangell St. Elias National Park & the scenic Copper River Valley.
- Visit the quaint villages of McCarthy and Kennecott in Wrangell S. Elias National Park
- Enjoy lunch in Kennecott – Take a guided historical walking tour of the Kennecott Mine
- Glennallen area lodging provided
Kayaking at the Valdez Glacier
Day 3 —Glennallen to Valdez
- Enjoy a scenic drive on the Richardson Highway from Glennallen to Valdez (approx. 2-hour drive)
- Explore Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass, and Blueberry Lake – famous for mountain vistas and wildflowers
- Arrive in the small city of Valdez, located on the shores of the Prince William Sound.
- Choose between a 5-hour guided kayak tour of the Valdez Glacier or a 6-hour Glacier & Wildlife Cruise to the Columbia Glacier in the Prince William Sound.
- Valdez lodging provided
Explore Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield
Day 4 — Valdez to Seward
- Ride the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry across the Prince William Sound from Valdez to Whittier (6-hour ferry ride -passenger and vehicle transportation)
- Drive from Whittier to Seward (approx. 2 hours of drive time)
- Visit Portage Glacier Valley, known for its display of wildflowers & hanging glaciers.
- Arrive into the picturesque small bayside village of Seward – the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park Visit Exit Glacier and the Harding Ice field
- Seward lodging provided
Enjoy wildlife viewing in the Kenai Fjords Nat’l Park
Day 5 —Kenai fjords National Park
- Enjoy a full day of wildlife and glacier viewing aboard a high-speed catamaran – explore Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Fjords National Park with a National Park Ranger on board – a deli-style lunch and hot beverages provided
- In the early evening explore the Caines Head Trail where it is common to see Bald Eagles and Marine Wildlife along the shores of Resurrection Bay
- Seward lodging provided
Bear viewing in Lake Clark National Park
Day 6 —Seward to Soldotna
- Drive the scenic Seward and Sterling Highway from Seward to Soldotna (approx. 2-hour drive)
- Take a float-plane flight across the Cook Inlet to a remote location to watch the grizzlies feed off of salmon (6-hour tour)
- Soldotna lodging provided
Enjoy wildlife viewing at Potters Marsh
Day 7 — Soldotna to Anchorage
- Enjoy another opportunity to drive the scenic Sterling & Seward Highways from Soldotna to Anchorage (approx. 2.5 hours of drive time)
- Explore the Kenai Wildlife Refuge – enjoy wildlife viewing
- Visit a wildlife conservation center to learn about animal research, conservation and animal care
- Take a tour of a historic gold mine and try your luck at gold panning
- Return rental vehicle in Anchorage, transportation provided to the Anchorage Airport