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SDAN12 Gems of Alaska - One Way Tour to Juneau

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SDAN12 Gems of Alaska - One Way Tour to Juneau

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This is one of the most scenic one way driving tours across Alaska and the Yukon from Anchorage to Juneau. Travel on the historic gold-rush trail and visit Whitehorse and Skagway, explore the great northern arctic region from Fairbanks, enjoy excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, discover the vast untamed wilderness and majestic mountain scenery of the Yukon Territory. Additional features include: grizzly bear observation in Denali National Park, Pan for gold, take a ride on the wild-side with the historic White Pass & Yukon Railroad steam train along the famous Chilkoot & White Pass trail. This program may be combined with a visit to famous Glacier Bay. Combine this tour with any cruiseline departures from Juneau or with any independent Inside Passage ferry cruise onboard the Alaska Marine Highway System to Bellingham or Seattle, in Washington State.

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Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Arrive in Anchorage during the day. Pick up your rental car at the airport or in downtown. Nestled along the Chugach Mountains, the coastal city of Anchorage is not the frozen tundra of Alaska you might imagine. You will find it’s brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. Being the largest city in Alaska, it is rich in indigenous culture; spend your day enjoying the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visiting the Anchorage Museum, or browsing through the Saturday Market. Visit the Lake Hood Floatplane base, go for a walk along the Coastal Trail and try out one of Anchorage popular seafood restaurants. With so much of variety of things, for a first time visitor to Alaska or a seasoned traveller, Anchorage has more to offer and is the perfect starting point for your journey into Alaska .

Anchorage – Talkeetna ( Driving Distance: 115 miles | Overnight: Talkeetna )

It is a treat to watch the mountain peaks of the Alaska Range crowned with snow caps in the distance while traveling from Anchorage on the George Parks Highway to Talkeetna. On the way you travel across the fertile Matanuska Valley. Because of the immense amount of summer sunlight, vegetables grow to incredible sizes. Stopover at Eklutna Indian village on your way to Talkeetna which is an Athabascan Indian settlement. While at Talkeetna, the must-do activity is the flightseeing tour to the summit of Mt. Denali. Get a picture perfect view of the Kahiltna and Ruth Glacier with its Great Gorge - over 9.000 ft deep - as well as magnificent ice-falls. You'll also see the Sheldon Amphitheatre - the largest of its kind in the world. Highlight of the flight will be an adventurous glacier landing.

Talkeetna - Denali National Park ( Driving Distance: 150 miles | Overnight: Denali Village )

The journey from Talkeetna to Denali National Park offers a lot of possibilities of wildlife sightings. Even if you are not eagle eyed, a few cars stopped over somewhere means that there could be a possibility of wildlife spotting! Byers Lake on the way offers visitors the choice to rent a canoe or kayak. Once you cross Denali State Park, you'll arrive at Denali Village. The Denali Park office is your rich information chase and it provides details on ranger-naturalist programs, slide shows and sled dog demonstrations. Jeff King’s Husky Homestead Kennel is a very popular choice for a personal tour with four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King and his sled dogs. Visitors can also choose a rafting trip on the Nenana River as well as an ATV Tour in the backcountry adjacent to Denali National Park.

Denali National Park ( Overnight: Denali Village )

Denali National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and spectacular sceneries. Pick up your tickets, board the bus and watch out for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolf and fox moving along the ridges and river beds. Your driver informs about the history of Denali National Park, its diverse wildlife and flora. Once an animal has been spotted the bus will stop that everyone can watch and take pictures. The bus turns around at Eielson Visitor Center - 66 miles one way/8 hours round trip. You can get off the bus anytime to go for a hike. Return to the Denali Park entrance anytime during the day. Optional: We can extend the transit bus tour to Wonder Lake or exchange to the Tundra Wilderness Tour, Kantishna Wilderness Trails or Backcountry Lodge Tour. Included: Denali Transit Bus to Eielson

Denali National Park - Fairbanks ( Driving Distance: 130 miles | Overnight: Fairbanks )

Join this morning the sled dog demonstration hosted by Denali Park Rangers or hike around the Denali Visitor Center. Start your drive on the Richardson Highway and stopover at Nenana. Residents sponsor the Nenana Ice Classic, a nature-based lottery. It is a fundraising event in which individuals attempt to guess the exact time the Tanana River ice will break up. Once you get to dig into it more interesting details emerge! Arrive in Fairbanks, the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, which enjoys 24 hr of daylight during summer. This afternoon board the authentic Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler for a cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers. Highlight is stopover at an Athabascan Indian Village, Susan Butcher's sled dog kennel and a floatplane take off & land.

Fairbanks ( Overnight: Fairbanks )

The allure of crossing the Arctic Circle becomes a possibility once you reach Fairbanks. Guided van tours along the Dalton Highway or flight tours to the Arctic Circle and Yukon River is a super popular choice. Join a bushplane flight to Fort Yukon to understand as well as experience how the Gwich'in Athabascan Natives live in "Bush" Alaska. As mentioned earlier Fairbanks becomes a hub for very many activities and the list keeps going on. Visiting Chena Hot Springs Resort can be added to the 'To-Do' List! Chena Hot Springs Resort offers a large indoor heated pool and a natural outdoor rock lake for relaxation. The on-site Aurora Ice Museum is a special attraction and was created from over 1,000 tons of ice and snow, all harvested at the resort.
Staying at a Cabin in Tok

Fairbanks - Tok  ( Driving Distance: 200 miles | Overnight: Tok )

Travel southeast from Fairbanks along the Richardson Highway (#2), passing through the town of North Pole, known for its Santa Claus House. Continue onward with views of the Alaska Range in the distance. Arrive in Delta Junction, where the Richardson Highway meets the Alaska Highway at the historic “Triangle,” marked by the symbolic Mile 1422 post. Originally established as a telegraph station in 1904, Delta Junction is also the gateway to the Delta Bison Sanctuary, home to a free-roaming herd of more than 500 wood bison. The route offers impressive views toward peaks such as Mount Hayes and Mount Moffit on clear days. Continue east on the Alaska Highway (#1) toward Tok, traveling through remote wilderness and classic Interior Alaska scenery.
Brown Bear feeding on grass

Tok - Haines Junction ( Driving Distance: 200 miles | Overnight : Haines Junction)

Your journey continues on the famous Alaska Highway through endless wilderness areas. Drive south along the shores of beautiful Kluane Lake and stopover at Sheep Mountain and look out for dall sheep gracing alongside the mountain slopes. Arrive in Haines Junction - Gateway to Kluane National Park, encompassing the largest non-polar icefield in the world. This afternoon you can go on a short hiking trip with a park ranger. If you yearn for the wild beauty of an unspoiled Canadian landscape, Kluane National Park is for you. Explore mountains, lakes, rivers and forests that have been home to Southern Tutchone people for thousands of years and discover the heart of their traditional culture and way of life. The park is also home to Mount Logan with 19.545 ft - Canada's highest peak. 
Spawning Salmon River Haines

Haines Junction - Whitehorse  ( Driving Distance: 150 miles| Overnight: Haines )

The Alaska Highway, completed in 1942, connects Haines Junction with Whitehorse through a wide, open landscape shaped by glaciers and northern rivers. Leave Haines Junction and continue east, passing along the shores of Dezadeash Lake, a prime spot for birdlife. The landscape gradually softens into rolling forest and river plains as you approach Whitehorse, following the historic corridor of the Yukon River. Time to explore the sights of Whitehorse: The McBride Museum, SS Klondike and the Yukon Beringia Center. During the last ice age, a land bridge joined Asia to Alaska and the Yukon, forming a subcontinent known as Beringia. Bordered on all sides by glaciers, Beringia was once home to woolly mammoths and other fascinating Pleistocene-era animals. 

Whitehorse - Skagway ( Driving Distance: 110 miles| Overnight: Skagway )

The South Klondike Highway winds through the subalpine landscape of Tormented Valley to Tutshi Lake, Tagish Lake and the much photographed Emerald Lake. The highway offers spectacular scenery as it descents by 11 percent grade from the White Pass to Skagway. This town is home of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park including 100 buildings from the gold rush era. Board the historic narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Railway and ride along the White Pass Trail to White Pass Summit. The steamer pulls the train a couple of miles, then diesels take the cars - some of them originals more than 100 years old - up steep tracks that were chipped out of the side of the mountains. In the afternoon walk around the historic townsite and visit the grave of "Soapy Smith".

Skagway – Alaska Ferry Transfer to Juneau ( Overnight: Juneau )

Board the Alaska Ferry to Juneau. Juneau, the capital of Alaska, is situated in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Nestled at the base of towering mountains overlooking the Gastineau Channel, the community's rich culture and history is displayed throughout the town. Juneau has a vibrant urban feel with great dining, shopping and lodging, while being surrounded by jaw-dropping scenic vistas. Choose hiking miles of scenic trails through temperate rainforest, tidal beaches and up mountains capped by alpine meadows, or take to the air for stunning views of the Juneau Icefield. Helicopters and floatplanes give visitors an exhilarating view and make it possible get a sense of the vast wilderness. Backcountry camping, bird watching, bear viewing and berry picking can all happen in the same trip!

Juneau ( Overnight: Juneau )

Juneau offers a wide range of activities that showcase the region’s natural beauty and cultural diversity. Visit Mendenhall Glacier - a half-mile wide ice field - for many the most accessible and breathtaking glacier in Alaska. The Mount Roberts Tramway takes guests up to an observation deck, providing arguably the best picture-taking opportunities. Another option is the full day bear viewing tour to Admiralty Island, home to the largest concentration of brown bear in the world. Admiralty Island, also known as the "Fortress of the Bears" is the location for some of the finest brown bear viewing in Southeast Alaska. Depending on when you go, you’ll see bears foraging for clams or fishing for salmon.

Juneau ( Overnight: Juneau )

Journey through one of the most dramatic wilderness areas in Alaska — the Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness Area. This protected region features two spectacular glacial fjords: Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm, each stretching more than 30 miles through towering granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and floating ice. Travel in comfort aboard a high-speed expedition vessel as you explore the stunning Endicott Arm Fjord, cruising deep into this glacier-carved landscape toward the majestic Dawes Glacier. Along the way, pass brilliant blue icebergs as your captain navigates as close as conditions safely allow to the glacier’s face. Watch for harbor seals resting on the ice, bald eagles soaring overhead, and mountain goats clinging to the cliffs. Included: Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Glacier Cruise

Juneau

Spend the morning relaxing or doing your favourite outdoor activities. Sample the city’s local fare is a big part of any vacation and a visit to Juneau delivers tastes that delight the senses. From Alaska salmon, halibut and crab to sourdough bagels, homemade fudge, and award-winning coffee and beer, Juneau can satisfy even the most discriminating palate. One of the local favourites is Tracy's King Crab Shack in downtown Juneau. Return your rental car at Juneau Airport.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $6822 $3700 $2794 $2331 $538
June 1 - August 31 $7751 $4164 $3104 $2567 $538
September 1 - September 15 $6822 $3700 $2794 $2331 $538
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $7355 $3966 $2904 $2377 $538
June 1 - August 31 $8539 $4566 $3309 $2684 $538
September 1 - September 15 $7517 $4055 $2968 $2429 $538

What’s included

13 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

14 Days Midsize Rental Car (For additional Upgrades and Extras Click Here)

Unlimited Free Mileage

Rental Car Licensing Fees

CFC, State & City Rental Car Sales Taxes

One Way Rental Fee

Denali Transfer Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Skagway to Juneau / Car

Alaska Ferry Transfer from Skagway to Juneau / Passenger

Juneau Tracy Arm - Fords Terror Glacier Cruise

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Tour Departures

Daily  from  May  11th  –  September  15th

Anchorage: Bear Viewing Tour Day Trip to Brooks Falls / Katmai National Park

Take off from Anchorage to an all day bear viewing expedition past glaciers and volcanoes - within the land of the giant animals: the brown bear country of southwest Alaska. You'll fly to Katmai's - worlds famous Brooks River Falls where brown bears feed on salmon. Each year millions of sockeye salmons burst from the Bering Sea into lakes and streams of the Katmai National Park. These fish provide the primary food source for the worlds largest population of brown bears. As many as 50 bears may be viewed up-close-and-personal from elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms fishing along the 1 1/2 mile Brooks River during peak season (July). Local National Park Rangers are answering all of your questions about this incredible park during the self guided full day tour. Lunch is included at Brooks Lodge.

More Details & Pricing

 

Talkeetna: Denali Flightseeing Tour with optional Glacier Landing

The 1 hr Denali flightseeing tour takes you within six miles of Mt. Denali's summit. As your flight departs Talkeetna, you begin to notice how the last ice age has shaped the land. Moments later you enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier filled valleys. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge (the world's deepest - almost 2 miles from top to bottom). Add a glacier landing to your flightseeing tour for a one-of-a-kind expedition. Passengers land usually at the 5600 foot level of the Ruth Glacier, located in the Sheldon Amphitheater. Other popular landing spots are the Kahiltna, the Pika, or the Eldridge glaciers. A glacier landing takes an additional 30 minutes (15 minutes of time exploring on foot and 15 minutes for landing and takeoff).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour

The fully narrated 62-mile Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park is led by a certified naturalist driver/guide who will also provide historical and geographical background of the area. The tour will last approximately eight to nine hours and includes ample photo and rest stops. When your tour driver is able, he/she will take video footage of animals along Park Road and project these images onto drop-down video screens, featured only our specially designed tour buses. This way you can get a close-up look at the roadside action. At the end of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase a “Tundra Wilderness Tour” DVD, which will feature some of the video footage shot from your tour! Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour

The Kantishna Wilderness Trails tour is the premier Denali Park wilderness bus excursion. Spend the entire day in Denali National Park and discover a piece of Alaska's gold rush history and warm hospitality at the historic Kantishna Roadhouse, located just past Wonder Lake on the banks of Moose Creek. Your 12 to 13-hour fully-narrated excursion to Kantishna travels via a custom motorcoach through 95 miles of Denali National Park's prime wildlife habitat. The last 30 miles allow for full viewing of Mt. Denali, weather permitting. The wilderness backcountry of Denali Park provides diverse habitats which support big-game species such as black bear, grizzly, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolf, and wolverine. Hot beverages and refreshments are included en route to the Kantishna Roadhouse. After a hearty deli style lunch in the dining room at the Roadhouse, relax and visit the Historical Recorder's Cabin and enjoy a dog sled demonstration or gold panning. Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Fairbanks: Guided Arctic Circle Van Tour

On this tour you will travel from Fairbanks along the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle in the Brooks Mountain Range. Enjoy the first-hand experience of the Earth’s northernmost circle of latitude in one of our climate-controlled vans. Here, in the summer, the sky is completely light for 24 hours a day! Travel along the famous Dalton Highway and spot wildlife (no guarantee) as you cross the Yukon River. When you arrive, learn about the area’s indigenous culture, take a walk with your guide, snap photos of the arctic landscape, and enjoy lunch amidst the incredible surroundings. You’ll take home an official Arctic Circle certificate to commemorate this amazing Alaska experience.

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Fairbanks: Guided Arctic Circle Fly/Drive to Coldfoot & the Yukon River

Cross the Arctic Circle on this one day guided roundtrip journey by air and land. This tour takes visitors deep into the Arctic tundra within Alaska’s Far North region. The adventure begins with a scenic flightseeing tour from Fairbanks. Gain a birds-eye view of the Gates of the Arctic National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on your way to the mining community of Coldfoot, a remote pipeline camp nestled in the Brooks Mountain Range. Your journey continues on the return drive to Fairbanks via the Dalton Highway, a roadway made famous during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Experience the grand Yukon River and learn about its storied past and visit the Arctic Circle Trading Post in Joy, Alaska where you will receive an official certificate for crossing the Arctic Circle!

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Skagway: White Pass & Yukon Railroad Summit Excursion

Take an unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" to the White Pass summit. Begin your excursion as you board the train in Skagway and travel 20 miles from tidewater, to the Summit of the White Pass - a 2,865-foot elevation! On this Skagway train tour, relax in vintage passenger coaches as you retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles, and historic sites along the White Pass Railroad. See the original Klondike Trail of 1898 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune. This tour takes about 3 to 3.5 hrs.

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Juneau: Pack Creek Bear Viewing Tour to Admiralty Island

The Pack Creek Bear Sanctuary on Admiralty Island is one of Alaska’s most accessible, and yet most wild, bear viewing areas. After the scenic floatplane flight from Juneau, walk on the same ground as the bears. Human visitation is limited, allowing us to enjoy a wilderness bear viewing experience. Pack Creek is ideal habitat for Alaska’s massive coastal brown bears (grizzlies). Starting in the spring, brown bears come to the meadows to feed and also to pursue mates. This makes it one of the best places to see bears during May and early June. While some Pack Creek bears head into the nearby mountains in mid-June, following fresh green vegetation, some stick around. By the end of June, bears are congregating at the creek, waiting for the first pacific salmon to arrive. From July through early-September, bears can be seen feeding on salmon. This tour is a premium guided and fully-outfitted package. Explore some of the most prime bear country on earth and to observe these amazing animals in the protected Kootznoowoo Wilderness on Admiralty Island. While July and August are the peak of bear activity related to salmon, Pack Creek is an excellent place to see bear activity in May, June and September as well.

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Mary, Vancouver: We've just returned from our Alaska trip and have to tell you we had a great time! Everything went smoothly and we were well taken care of. Thank you so much for everything you did for us! One highlight of the tour was the Tracy Arm glacier cruise. Seeing the glacier was amazing, but we really loved seeing all the wildlife too. We saw humpback whales, orca, a black bear, mountain goats, bald eagles, and seals. There was also an earthquake (we didn’t even know that there had been one!) the night before, so the glacier was calving a lot while we watched. Very exciting and spectacular!