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SDAN05 Explore Kenai Peninsula Road Trip

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SDAN05 Explore Kenai Peninsula Road Trip

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Kenai  Peninsula  offers  Alaska  experience  including  breathtaking  scenery,  excellent  wildlife  viewing  and  some  of  the  best  fishing  opportunities.  Our  ‘SDAN05–Explore  Kenai  Peninsula  Road  Trip’  makes  you  experience  this  with  a  road  trip  in  8  days.  The  start  for  this  road  trip  is  Anchorage.  With  thousands  of  moose,  very  many  national  parks  nearby  and  60  glaciers  in  a  quick  drive  away,  it's  one  of  the  best  places  to  start  your  vacation.  The  next  stop  is  Cooper  Landing.  Drive  along  Turnagain  Arm  with  the  scenic  Kenai  Mountains  as  a  perfect  backdrop  for  the  drive.  You  do  not  need  to  be  a  seasoned  fisherman  to  enjoy  the  fun  of  salmon  fishing  for  King,  Sockeye  – and  Silver  Salmon  on  the  Kenai  River.  Outdoor  activities  (Sea-Kayaking,  Wildlife  Viewing)  are  plenty  in  Homer  and  the  scenic  Artist  Community  of  Halibut  Cove is a little jewel tucked away in Alaska's first state park, Kachemak Bay.  The Alaska SeaLife  Center  in  Seward - largest  cold-water  marine  search  institute  in  the  world  -  is  an  excellent  experience,  which  can  only  be  topped  by  an  actual  wildlife  and  glacier  cruise deep into  Kenai  Fjords  National Park.  With  the  final  stopover  at Alyeska  Resort,  Alaska premier destination resort you  head  back  to  Anchorage.  Please  read  our  itinerary  to  have  more  detailed  day-to-day  experience.  On  request,  this  trip  can  be  customized  and  can  be  organized  in  a  different  order.

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Rental Car

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

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 restaurant. 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 start point for your journey into Alaska

Anchorage - Kenai / Cooper Landing ( Driving Distance: 110 miles | Overnight: Cooper Landing )

The drive on the scenic Seward Highway offers incomparable vistas of fjords, glaciers and mountains as you follow the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm. Arrive in Cooper Landing, home to the Russian and Kenai Rivers, providing some of the best and most productive salmon fishing in Alaska. Four species of salmon find their way into the rivers and return to where their lives began. The largest King Salmon of all, weighing close to 100 pounds, were caught here. Join a scenic float trip along the Upper Kenai River. Watch out for moose, eagles, Dall sheep, salmon, waterfowl and bears as your guide navigates you through snow-capped mountain scenery. If you are more adventurous, join the thrilling Six-Mile Creek rafting tour instead. Included: Kenai River Float Trip

Cooper Landing - Homer ( Driving Distance: 120 miles | Overnight: Homer )

Continue your self drive journey and follow the Sterling Highway - a designated scenic highway covering miles of spectacular landscape with snowcapped mountains and it's many active volcanoes known as the "Ring of Fire" with Mt. Iliamna, Mt. Redoubt and Mt. Augustine, deep ocean bluffs, excellent salmon fishing opportunities along the Kenai River and a magnificent coastline. Homer is blessed with a view to the south that is stunning in its beauty and grandeur. The rugged Kenai Mountains are spreading across the sparkling waters of Kachemak Bay. Homer is also known as a great fishing hole. King Salmon may be caught here from May to June, while Silver Salmon run during August. Halibut - large as a barn size door are available from May - Sept.

Homer ( Overnight: Homer )

Homer offers incredible panoramic views of mountain ranges, glaciers and famous Homer Spit - a long strip of land that stretches into pristine Kachemak Bay. Use the day to explore the area - kayak to a remote cove, go hiking or fishing. Homer is just a short flight away from Katmai National Park and Lake Clark, one of the most densely populated brown bear areas in the world. A picture-perfect flightseeing trip takes you over Cook Inlet to Katmai Coast. Watch bears digging for clams, wandering the sedge grass, or nursing their young. Another option is the day trip to iconic Brooks Falls in the middle of Katmai, famous for bears swatting at Salmon making their way upstream. In the evening join a cruise to Halibut Cove, have dinner at the "Saltry" and visit art galleries along the boardwalk.

Homer - Seward ( Driving Distance: 170 miles | Overnight: Seward )

Leave Homer for a scenic drive to Ninilchik - the oldest settlement on the Kenai Peninsula. The Russian-American Company established Ninilchik in the 1820s for its elderly and disabled employees, who could not endure the long journey back to Russia. Arrive in Seward, a small fishing community at the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Kenai Fjords is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier. This afternoon you have time to visit Exit Glacier. Short trails lead to the edge of the glacier where you can take a good photo in front of glacier ice. You may spend some time at the Alaska SeaLife Center – the world’s first cold water marine search institute.

Seward ( Overnight: Seward )

This morning board the stable catamaran for a spectacular cruise deep into Kenai Fjords National Park with actively "calving" glaciers and magnificent scenery. Covering 110-miles, the trip is narrated by a National Park Ranger, who is highly adept at spotting wildlife and pointing out the many sights. Kenai Fjords showcase the best of Alaska’s marine world in a compact package. Sea otters float belly-up eating mussels while Harbor seals haul out on icebergs off Aialik and Northwestern Glacier. Look out for Steller sea lions on Chiswell Island as well as Humpback and killer whales. After reaching the tidewater glacier, guests witness "glacier calving" a process by which glaciers shed giant slabs of ancient ice. Included: Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise

Seward – Girdwood / Alyeska ( Driving Distance: 90 miles | Overnight: Girdwood )

You may spend some time at the Alaska SeaLife Center – the world’s first cold water marine search institute with wildlife rehabilitation and public education facilities, try your luck halibut or salmon fishing or attend a kayaking tour from Lowell Point - the choice is yours. On your drive back to Anchorage, stopover at Alaska's Wildlife Conservation Center, providing refuge for orphaned, injured, and ill animals-those that can't survive in the wild. Continue to Alyeska and take the Alyeska Tramway to get a bird's eye view of the surrounding glaciers and the Turnagain Arm.

Girdwood - Anchorage ( Driving Distance: 40 miles )

Spend the morning enjoying outdoor activities like hiking the Winner Creek Trail or exploring other scenic routes near Alyeska Resort. Stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see native animals before returning to Anchorage via the stunning Seward Highway, known for its breathtaking views of mountains and Turnagain Arm. Drop off your rental car to wrap up the day.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 14 - May 31 $2865 $1596 $1219 $1030 $231
June 1 - August 31 $3729 $2029 $1507 $1247 $231
September 1 - September 13 $2865 $1596 $1219 $1030 $231
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 14 - May 31 $3370 $1849 $1412 $1194 $231
June 1 - August 31 $4492 $2410 $1781 $1466 $231
September 1 - September 13 $3434 $1881 $1429 $1203 $231

What’s included

7 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

8 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

Kenai  River  Float  Trip  

6 Hour Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise including lunch

Seward  Port  Fee  

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Tour Departures

 Daily  from  May  10th  –  September  20th

Cooper Landing: Salmon Fishing Trip on Kenai & Russian River

Join a half or full day of guided fishing on the world-famous Kenai River for salmon or trout - whether you're a novice or an avid angler. King Salmon are the largest of all species of Salmon, and it just so happens that the King Salmon entering the Kenai River are among the largest genetic strain of King Salmon in the WORLD! This means that there is always the possibility of catching the next world record, however, your chances of hooking into a fish in the 40, 50 or even 60lb are greater than any river or area in the pacific north west. Fish weighing in from the 30 to 60+ pound range (or larger of course) are what we are after. When a King bites you know it! The rod nearly snaps in half, and the force of that fish pulling on the line can make it seem nearly impossible to hold onto! After you set the hook and you have a good grip on the rod, sit down, tighten the strings and hold on because one of the most thrilling and electrifying tugs of war is about to begin on the end of your line.

More Details & Pricing

 

Cooper Landing: Six Mile Creek Whitewater Rafting Trip

For those seeking a bit of adrenalin pushing adventure, join us for the fun-filled day of exploration into the unspoiled Alaska wilderness that most travelers never see. Prepare to get wet as this pristine river runs thru three consecutive canyons; each more beautiful and more challenging than the last, with narrow routes, steep drops, beautiful pools and adrenaline pumping rapids all in a gorgeous semi-rain forest. Choose between two options: the two and half hour 2-canyon run with predominately class IV rapids or the four hour 3-canyon run which includes class V rapids; both offer hands-on participation in full paddle-boats or paddle-assist for increased maneuverability and power.

More Details & Pricing

 

Homer: Bear Viewing Tour to Katmai Coast or Brooks Falls, Katmai

Your day tour starts with a spectacular floatplane flight across Cook Inlet. We pass Cape Douglas, a group of volcanic mountains which protrude into the mouth of Cook Inlet. During May, June and Augu, we land at the mouth of a river that flows out of a large tidal area. In the early summer, the bears migrate to the coast for the mating season and feed on fresh, juicy sea grasses that sprout in the spring. It is not unusual to see 35 to 40 bears at one time and they can be as close as 50 yards. The Katmai coast is a very scenic place with great opportunities to take photos with 7,000 ft. snow covered mountain peaks as a backdrop. During July and September we choose to fly to Katmai National Park and watch Bears at Brooks Falls.

More Details & Pricing

 

Girdwood: Glacier Dog Sledding & Helicopter Tour

The history of dog sleds in Alaska runs deep. A visit to the last frontier isn't complete without a true dog-sledding experience. During the summer, guests can still partake in the excitement of dog sledding - on a glacier! A perfect combination - spectacular glacier views and adorable Alaska Husky puppies - make for an adrenaline-filled outing. Enjoy a spectacular helicopter flight through the Chugach Mountains to a remote glacier high-camp. Experience the enthusiasm of Alaskan Iditarod Huskies while mushing on an alpine snowfield. Guests will have a chance to ride the dogsled while taking in the grandeur of Punch Bowl Glacier and the Chugach Mountains. The Dog Camp is managed by the Seavey family, renown for raising teams of Iditarod champions. You will learn all about the dogs, a musher's lifestyle, and the famous Iditarod trail. This tour includes plenty of photo opportunities of you driving a dog team surrounded by glaciers and mountain peaks, cuddling with puppies and dressed up like an Iditarod musher!

More Details & Pricing

 

Seward: Seavey Homestead Kennel Tour with dog sled ride

This tour offers guest a wonderful opportunity to learn about the epic Iditarod race and actually ride behind a world champion dog team in the summer. The tour starts with a visit to the Seavey Homestead in Seward, home to three generations of the mushing Seavey family. One of the local guides will take you on a truly Alaskan adventure. Experience the excitement and power of an Iditarod dog team as you mush two miles through spectacular Alaskan wilderness on comfortable wheeled sleds, including pausing for photos in beautiful Box Canyon. Then cuddle with adorable Alaskan Husky puppies, dress as an Iditarod musher, and enjoy incredible stories from the trail.

More Details & Pricing

 
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Maria, OH: We just returned from two weeks in Alaska, visiting several areas of the Kenai Peninsula. We had a wonderful trip and saw so many beautiful places. At the end, we all agreed that our bear viewing tour was our favorite part of the trip. Homer and our bear viewing was the first thing we did, and it was hard to top. It was unreal.