RMSE04 Alaska’s Arctic Exploration - Post cruise tour from Seward

RMSE04 Alaska’s Arctic Exploration - Post cruise tour from Seward

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Let yourself be swept away by the awe-inspiring Alaska’s coastal and arctic region on this unforgettable rail and coach combo tour. The port town Seward is a great location to start your vacation after arriving by the Alaska ferry or cruise ship. Board the comfortable motorcoach in Seward and enjoy the scenic transfer along Turnagain Arm via Anchorage to Talkeetna. The Seward and Parks Highway offers spectacular scenery and you will appreciate the comfortable seating, generous legroom, and large picture windows of the custom motorcoaches. Your knowledgeable bus driver-guide will offer tour highlights along the route, and ample photo and restroom stops will be made. Overnight in Talkeetna, the base for all mountaineering activities and flightseeing tours to Mt. Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley). Get a once in a lifetime view of some of the world’s largest and most incredible glaciers, glacial ice falls and sheer vertical cliffs. Board in Talkeetna the last full-service railroad in North America and choose between the “Adventure Class” seating in the one-storey railway car or the “Deluxe Dome Railcar” on board the Alaska Railroad or with one of the privately operated trains. All train cars feature large panorama windows ensuring unobstructed views around every bend of the majestic beauty of the glaciers, mountains and Alaskan wildlife. Spend two days at Denali National Park which is the natural habitat for many types of wildlife including caribou, moose, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles, and the mighty grizzly bears. The name ''Denali'' means ''The Great One'' in the native Athabascan language. At 20,310 feet above sea level Denali is the highest peak in North America and is surrounded by one of the world's most spectacular wildlife sanctuaries. Your train journey continues to Fairbanks, the bouncing-off point for trips into Alaska’s remote villages, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Gates of the Arctic National Park. The last part of this tour is the guided van tour along the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle and on to Coldfoot. Experience the famous northern arctic region above the Arctic Circle. The Dalton Highway slices through northern Alaska from Livengood, crossing the Arctic Circle to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. It carves a path through forest and tundra, crosses the Yukon River and traverses the towering Brooks Range. Overnight in Coldfoot and enjoy the return flight to Fairbanks, this time experiencing the scenery from the air. Please read our itinerary to have more detailed day-to-day experience. On request, this trip can be customized and organized in reverse order.

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

Seward – Talkeetna | Motorcoach Tour ( Overnight: Talkeetna )

Arrive in Seward by cruise ship or Alaska Ferry. Board a comfortable motorcoach in Seward at 10:30 AM, stopover briefly in Anchorage and arrive around 5:30 pm in Talkeetna. Enjoy the views of snowcapped mountain ranges, pristine lakes, beautiful scenery and wildlife as you travel from Anchorage via Wasilla on the George Parks Highway to Talkeetna. Transfer to a downtown hotel or to a beautiful deluxe mountain lodge with breathtaking Alaska Range and Mt. Denali vistas. Remaining day at leisure in Talkeetna. Optional Tour: Take a flightseeing trip within 6-Miles of Mt. Denali's 20.320 ft summit and get a picture perfect view of the Kahiltna and Ruth Glacier with its Great Gorge - over 9.000 ft deep - as well as onto magnificent ice-falls. Another highlight will be an adventurous glacier landing.

Talkeetna – Denali National Park | Rail Tour ( Overnight: Denali Village )

This morning you have the option to join a jet boat safari on the Susitna, Talkeetna and Chulitna Rivers. Transfer to the Talkeetna Train Station where you will board the train to Denali. North of Talkeetna, the tracks veer away from the road system and into the backcountry Hurricane area; this region offers views of the snaking Indian River and the occasional remote cabin. Have your camera ready as the train crosses Hurricane Gulch Bridge, 300 feet above the creek. Arrive at Denali Village late afternoon. Transfer to your hotel and check into your room. Once you settled take a stroll through Denali Village, join a wildwater rafting/float trip on Nenana River or visit Jeff King’s Husky Homestead Kennel for a personal tour with four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King and his sled dogs.

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 Center

Denali National Park – Fairbanks | Rail Tour ( Overnight: Fairbanks )

Join this morning the sled dog demonstration hosted by Denali Park Rangers or hike around the Denali Visitor Center. Board the Alaska Railroad this afternoon for a scenic ride to Fairbanks. Just north of the Denali park, the train winds along Healy Canyon, following the curves of the Nenana River below. The train passes through the small community of Nenana, known for the Nenana Ice Classic Lottery. It is a fundraising event in which individuals attempt to guess the exact time the Tanana River ice will break up. Arrive in Fairbanks, the largest city in the interior and gateway to Alaska's Arctic northern region. The city enjoys almost 24 hr of daylight during summer. In the evening enjoy a dinner at the Pump House on the banks of the Chena River.

Fairbanks - Coldfoot (Arctic Circle) | Flight ( Overnight: Coldfoot )

Fly from Fairbanks to Coldfoot - north of the Arctic Circle within the mighty Brooks Mountain Range. The flight provides an aerial view of the vast Alaska wilderness and the Alaska Pipeline. Alaska’s Arctic is home to the Inupiat Eskimos, many who still live a subsistence lifestyle and still preserve their history verbally from generation to generation. The Far North is filled with a rich history and natural wonders, from the gold rush days to the Gates of the Arctic. Optional: Koyokuk River Float - The North Fork of the Koyukuk flows south through a broad, glacially carved valley beside the Endicott Mountains in the Central Brooks Range. It is a clearwater river designated as "National Wild and Scenic River" and flows through dramatic peaks and through the "Gates of the Arctic" National Park.

Coldfoot – Fairbanks | Van Tour ( Overnight: Fairbanks )

Coldfoot is located roughly 170 miles into the 414-mile Dalton Highway. The Dalton Highway is often called the "Haul Road" because it’s mostly used by truckers en route from the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks. It has been made famous by the TV show "Ice Road Truckers", and more people than ever are discovering its scenic beauty, wildlife and recreational opportunities. It is also one of Alaska’s most remote and challenging roads. Cross the Arctic Circle and receive an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. Explore up close the amazing arctic tundra and feel the veins of ice just beneath the surface as you travel along the Alaska Pipeline to the Yukon River and marvel at the majestic beauty of the northland's most famous waterway while learning of the river's storied past.

Fairbanks

Spend the morning relaxing or doing your favourite outdoor activities. If time allows visit the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center in downtown Fairbanks. The center showcases a number of free exhibits showcasing Interior Alaska’s people, wildlife, landscapes and seasons. Enjoy free films and programs on Alaska’s natural and cultural history. Transfer to the airport or optional tour extension.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2720 $1813 $1571 $1425 $689
June 1 - August 31 $2758 $1851 $1609 $1463 $701
September 1 - September 13 $3129 $2172 $1991 $1845 $751
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3302 $2218 $1921 $1744 $823
June 1 - August 31 $3536 $2363 $2037 $1849 $835
September 1 - September 13 $3888 $2665 $2400 $2212 $885

What’s included

05 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

1 Night Basic Accommodation (Coldfoot)

Hotel and State Taxes

Arctic Flight from Fairbanks to Coldfoot

Escorted Van Tour Coldfoot - Fairbanks

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Complimentary Airport & Railroad Station Transfer

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Narrated Motorcoach Transfer Seward - Talkeetna

Railroad Transportation Talkeetna – Denali National Park

Railroad Transportation Denali National Park – Fairbanks

Comfort Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Standard Adventure Class Train
( upgrade to Dome Car Train is available for $260.00 per person )

First Class Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Upper Level Panorama Dome Car Train,
Priority Check-in & Boarding, Use of Private Outdoor Viewing Platform,
Priority Dining Room Seating, Enhanced Reclining Seats

Tour Departures

Daily  from  May  18th  –  September 

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: Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler Cruise

If you've ever read Mark Twain you know of his days as a riverboat captain. Did you know that Jack London was a riverboat pilot as well? Here's your chance to experience the adventure these renowned writers enjoyed as you cruise aboard the authentic sternwheeler riverboat Discovery II, rated the number one boat tour in North America. Enjoy a lively narration as you view a trapper's cabin, log homes, and a bush pilot performance. Visit the home of four time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher, as you pass Trail Breaker Kennels along the Chena River. Learn first hand about kennel life and the challenges that go into making a champion dogsled team. You'll make a stop at the historic site of a Chena Indian village to see native crafters in action and to learn abut Native Alaskan hunting and fishing at an Athabascan Fish Camp.

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Lollanda, OH: My family really enjoyed the trip. Everything was well organized. Our vacation started great with the bus ride from Seward. We had Steven as our driver from Anchorage to Talkeetna and he was very informative and funny. Loved the overnight at Talkeetna Lodge. What a beautiful foyer and a great outdoor platform with spectacular views. At Denali, we took the day tour to Wonder Lake. It takes 11 hours, which seems long, but it was worth it! We saw just about any kind of wildlife you can think of, except for wolves. The driver was a good and entertaining narrator with stories about every place we saw. We eleven saw a red fox catch a ground squirel and eat it. Beautiful photos and memories of one of the most wild places in America. The tour to the Arctic Circle and staying at Coldfoot was a special trip. Our guide was fantastic, knowledgeable and very engaging. His stories were great. We had a small group and a great time. Fun stops; great food at the Yukon River Restaurant. Office staff was very friendly and helpful. Saw things we will never see again like the open tundra, pipeline, and Finger Mountain. Took pictures at the Arctic Circle sign. Thank you