Day 1 Anchorage

Welcome to Anchorage! Meet your Tour Director this evening between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the hotel reception area.

Day 2 Anchorage–Valdez

Meet your fellow traveling companions at this morning’s Welcome orientation. Travel through Palmer in the Matanuska Valley, where cabbages can grow to an amazing 70 pounds in the 24-hour daylight, up over Tahneta Pass with wonderful vistas of Matanuska and Worthington Glaciers. Stop at Bridal Veil Falls before arriving in the seaside port of Valdez, often referred to as the “Switzerland of Alaska.” (B,D)

Day 3 Valdez - Cruise on Prince William Sound

Board your boat for a cruise on Prince William Sound and along the 3-mile face of Columbia Glacier, keeping a watchful eye out for wildlife, including seals, sea otters, birds, and even whales! Before returning to Valdez, see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal where super tankers are loaded with crude oil from Prudhoe Bay. (B,L)

Day 4 Valdez–Delta Junction–Fairbanks

Great scenery all the way as you travel along the Richardson Highway. Stop at DELTA JUNCTION, a living history homestead with a museum, original roadhouse, and farm animals. Then head west on the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks, the state’s second-largest city. (B,D)

Day 5 Fairbanks

Visit the EL DORADO GOLD MINE, then ride the narrow gauge railroad and head inside the mine’s permafrost tunnel. Try your luck as you pan for gold. Later today, board the sternwheeler Discovery for a CRUISE on the Chena and Tanana Rivers with a stop at the Chena Indian Village to learn about Athabascan Native culture. You will also have the chance to meet Iditarod mushers and their famed dog teams to learn about breeding, training, and the big race! (B)  Arctic Circle Adventure. An option available from Fairbanks on Day 5. Additional price: In order to ensure availability, reservations for this option should be made with your travel agent at the time you book your vacation. Included in the price: guided tour (fly to and from the Arctic Circle); a wilderness community; Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate; salmon bake. Fly north through the rugged Brooks Mountain Range, crossing the Arctic Circle, to the amazing arctic tundra. Here, visit a wilderness community and learn about the way of life in this rural area. Return to Fairbanks by air where you will be awarded an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. You will also experience a traditional salmon bake at Pioneer Park during your Arctic Adventure.

Day 6 Fairbanks–Denali National Park

Board the world-famous ALASKA RAILROAD for a journey through untamed wilderness. Today’s ride ends at DENALI NATIONAL PARK, where North America’s highest peak, 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, majestically dominates the park’s 6 million acres. The afternoon is free. This evening, enjoy song, dance, and delicious food at the DENALI DINNER THEATER. (B,D)

Day 7 Denali National Park

Morning at leisure. Optional activities include a float trip down the Nenana River and a helicopter ride over the park. Then dress comfortably for a wilderness expedition into Denali National Park to seek out grizzly bear, caribou, moose, and more. (B)

Day 8 Denali National Park–Anchorage

Continue your exploration of Denali National Park as you head south toward Anchorage. Stop along the way at the IDITAROD HEADQUARTERS, home of the famous dogsled races. Upon arrival in Anchorage, take a CITY SIGHTSEEING TOUR. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special FAREWELL CELEBRATION DINNER. (B,D)

Day 9 Anchorage–Seward–Cruise

After your cruise of KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK, transfer to the pier to embark on your Holland America cruise ship. (B,L,D)

Day 10 Cruising: College Fjord

Cruise through breathtaking College Fjord and see four, five, even six glaciers at once! (B,L,D)

Day 11 Cruising: Glacier Bay

In Glacier Bay National Park, witness an amazing spectacle as tremendous slabs of ice break off into the sea. (B,L,D)

Day 12 Cruising: Haines

Nestled on the shores of America’s longest fjord, Haines is located in a spectacular setting. Fill your day with a float trip through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve which protects the habitat of the nation’s avian symbol, or visit the Sheldon Museum, art galleries, and local shops in town. (B,L,D)

Day 13 Cruising: Juneau

Visit America’s most remote capital city—Juneau. (B,L,D)

Day 14 Cruising: Ketchikan

Ketchikan offers an opportunity to experience native Alaska first-hand. View the largest collection of totems in the world at Saxman Totem Park and Totem Bight State Historic Park. (B,L,D)

Day 15 Cruising: Inside Passage

Cruise through the awe-inspiring scenery of the Inside Passage. Keep your cameras ready for spouting whales, soaring eagles, and other wildlife. (B,L,D)

Day 16 Vancouver

The vacation ends this morning. Guests depart on individual schedules; airport transfers are provided. Please schedule flights after 11:30 a.m. (B)

---