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RMWH04 Alaska’s Coast to Mountains - Railroad & Coach Tour from Whittier

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For a tantalising taste of alpine splendour, you can't go wrong with our 7 day rail & coach combo tour. The port town Whittier is a great location to start your vacation after arriving by ferry or cruise ship. Board the comfortable motorcoach and enjoy the scenic transfer along Turnagain Arm to Anchorage. You can view Alaska’s most famous animals - grizzly bears, moose, muskox, caribou, bison - up close in a natural setting during the stopover at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Spend two nights in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city and brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. Take the opportunity and visit the grizzly bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park ! Board in Anchorage 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. 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. Continue by train to 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. It is most likely you will spot some of them while taking our full day Denali Transit Bus to Eielson Center, Wonder Lake or Kantishna Roadhouse. The finale destination is Fairbanks, the bouncing-off point for trips into Alaska’s remote villages, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Gates of the Arctic National Park. 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

  • Reviews

Anchorage Grizzly Bear

Whittier – Anchorage | Motorcoach Tour ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Arrive in Whittier by cruise ship or the Alaska Ferry. Board the motorcoach in Whittier and enjoy the scenic transfer to Anchorage. Your professional guide will amaze you with fascinating and amusing narration as you travel along Turnagain Arm. Photo stops at Beluga Point and Portage Glacier offer multiple opportunities to view the Alaskan wilderness in all its pristine glory. Included is a 1 hour visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to view Alaska's most famous animals up close in a natural setting. During this visit you'll get great pictures of real live Bears, Moose, Muskox, Caribou, Bison, and more. The motorcoach travels past Bird Creek, a popular fishing spot and then the rocky outcrop of Beluga Point. You will be dropped off at your Anchorage downtown hotel.
Denali Range from Highway

Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

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, as well as the more relaxed. Being the largest city in Alaska, it is rich in indigenous culture; you can spend your afternoon enjoying the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visiting the Anchorage Museum, or browsing through the Saturday Market. Visit Lake Hood - the world’s busiest floatplane base and take a scenic floatplane flight over Cook Inlet or to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park. In the afternoon, go for a walk along the Coastal Trail with views of Mt. Susitna or hike on top of Flat Top Mountain. In the evening don't miss to try out one of Anchorage popular seafood restaurants.
Denali Dome Car Train

Anchorage – Talkeetna | Rail Tour ( Overnight: Talkeetna )

Morning transfer to the railroad station where you'll board the train to Talkeetna. Choose between the standard rail car or the glass-dome compartments with large panorama windows ensuring unobstructed views of snowcapped mountain ranges, pristine scenery and abundant wildlife. Enjoy the comfortable ride as the train takes you via the Matanuska Valley towards the Alaska Range. Arrive in Talkeetna and transfer to your downtown hotel or to a beautiful mountain lodge with breathtaking views of Mt. Denali. Join the flightseeing trip within 6-Miles of Denali's 20.320 ft summit and get a picture perfect view of the Kahiltna and Ruth Glacier with its Great Gorge as well as onto magnificent ice-falls. Add an adventurous glacier landing on Ruth Glacier. Included: Mt. Denali Flightseeing Tour

Denali Park Wilderness Lodge

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 Park Eielson Visitor Center

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
Fairbanks ATV Tour

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 Moose

Fairbanks

You are invited to explore Fairbanks gold rush history, its vibrant traditional native cultures as well as abundant wildlife and fantastic scenery. This morning you may visit the renown Alaska University Museum featuring Alaska's natural history best collection, Alaskaland or join the authentic sternwheeler "Riverboat Discovery" on a scenic 20-mile roundtrip cruise down the Chena and Tanana Rivers. A guided van tour along the Dalton Highway or a flightseeing tour to the Arctic Circle is a super popular choice for experiencing the Arctic Circle and Yukon River. Enjoy a bush mail plane flight or a flightseeing trip to Fort Yukon to understand as well as experience how the Gwich'in Athabascan Natives live in "Bush" Alaska.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3461 $2195 $1832 $1647 $660
June 1 - August 31 $3545 $2248 $1876 $1686 $676
September 1 - September 13 $3461 $2195 $1832 $1647 $660
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $4393 $2891 $2445 $2222 $954
June 1 - August 31 $4711 $3081 $2583 $2334 $954
September 1 - September 13 $4582 $2999 $2516 $2275 $954

What’s included

06 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Entrance Fee

Mt. Denali Flightseeing Tour (1 hour)

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Talkeetna, Denali & Fairbanks Railroad Station and Airport Transfers

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Motorcoach Transfer Whittier - Anchorage

Railroad Transportation Anchorage – 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 $450.00 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  13th

Talkeetna: Denali Flightseeing Tour - Add Glacier Landing

The 1 hr Denali flightseeing tour (included) 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).

More Details & Pricing

Travelers beside a red ski plane after a glacier landing

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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Visitors boarding tour buses in Denali National Park

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).

More Details & Pricing

Pond and fall tundra with spruce trees in Denali National Park

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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Arctic Circle sign along the Dalton Highway

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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Snow-capped mountain above autumn tundra along the Dalton Highway

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.

More Details & Pricing

Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler on the Chena River in Fairbanks
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Nina, Phoenix: First of all, a big thank you to you. Everything went well and my husband and I were completely enthusiastic about the trip. It was our first time in Alaska and we were totally thrilled by the friendliness of the people as well as by the landscape. We had great weather, did very different things (hiked, visited the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, observed grizzly bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai, took a flightseeing tour to Mt. Denali, of course the tour into Denali Park and much more) and the documents were very helpful. We didn't take on too much, picked out some interesting things for us and enjoyed everything. We will surely travel there again.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this tour, and where does it start and end?

The tour includes 6 nights. It starts in Whittier.Alaska and ends in Fairbanks.

Where do I stay overnight on this tour?

According to the itinerary: Anchorage (2 nights), Talkeetna (1 night), Denali Village (2 nights), Fairbanks (1 night).

What is included in this tour?

The tour price includes:

  • 06 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation
  • Hotel and State Taxes
  • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Entrance Fee
  • Mt. Denali Flightseeing Tour (1 hour)
  • Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center
  • Talkeetna, Denali & Fairbanks Railroad Station and Airport Transfers
  • Tour Documentation
  • Sightseeing Information
  • Motorcoach Transfer Whittier - Anchorage
  • Railroad Transportation Anchorage – Talkeetna
  • Railroad Transportation Talkeetna - Denali National Park
  • Railroad Transportation Denali National Park – Fairbanks
When does this tour depart?

Tour departures: Daily from May 18 to September 13.

What is the difference between the Comfort and First-Class options?

Comfort Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Standard Adventure Class Train.

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.