RSWH02 Mountain High – Alaska Rail & Road Trip from Whittier

RSWH02 Mountain High – Alaska Rail & Road Trip from Whittier (Pre- or Post Cruise Land Tour) 

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This touring Alaska package includes time in some of the most picturesque areas in central Alaska. We have the perfect Alaska rail and drive combo tour ready for you. Whittier is most visited as the embarkation/debarkation point for one-way cruises between Anchorage to Vancouver by Princess and other cruise lines and an important port for the ferries on the Alaska Marine Highway. 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. 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. 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. 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. Your train journey continues to Fairbanks where you’ll pick up your rental car. Fairbanks is the bouncing-off point for trips into Alaska’s remote villages, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Gates of the Arctic National Park. Your itinerary takes you to Copper Center, the gateway to Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. It is your choice to spend a full day at Kennicott / McCarthy, drive to Valdez and join the Columbia Glacier Cruise or try your luck fishing for salmon in famous Copper River. The finale to this tour is Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city and filled with lot of adventures along with metropolitan amenities. Please read our itinerary to have more detailed day-to-day experience. On request, this trip can be customized and can be organized in reverse order

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Rental Car

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

Whittier - Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

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. Included: Sightseeing Motorcoach Tour

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

Morning transfer to the railroad station where you'll board the train to Denali National Park. 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 and Mt. Denali. Onboard services feature a restaurant, gift shop and snack bar. 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 flightseeing tour, wildwater rafting trip 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

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 | Self Drive Tour Start

Pick up your rental car this morning. 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.

Fairbanks – Copper Center ( Driving Distance: 250 miles| Overnight: Copper Center or Glennallen )

Travel on the Richardson Highway to Delta Junction - a telegraph station established in 1904. The intersection, marked by an oversized white milepost for Mile 1422 is known as the Triangle. Delta Junction is also home to the 90,000-acre Delta Bison Sanctuary. The area features spectacular views of the Alaska Range and the Delta River. On clear days the panoramas of Mount Hayes, Mount Moffit and other peaks are stunning. Continue to Paxson with it's many sled dog kennels and further on to Copper River area - known as a paradise for anglers and rafters searching for big fish and whitewater adventure. Gakona, Copper Center and Glenallen are great jump-off points to fish for the famed Copper River Sockeye. For trout and grayling as well as salmon, try the Gulkana River nearby.

Copper Center (Wrangell - St. Elias National Park) ( Overnight: Copper Center or Glennallen )

Today you have several options to spend your day. Visit historic Kennicott in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park for a day. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is home to nine of the sixteen highest peaks in the United States and Kennicott, a historic copper-mining boomtown. This tour includes the scenic flightseeing tour to McCarthy and the 1/2 day Root Glacier Hike or Kennecott Mill Town Tour with a delicious lunch at Kennicott Glacier Lodge. Another option is the day trip to Valdez and join the Columbia Glacier Cruise. Stopover at Worthington Glacier and drive through scenic Keystone Canyon, take pictures at the "Bridal Veil Falls" and arrive in Valdez. Take a scenic cruise to the Columbia Glacier. Spot the Sound's marine wildlife, including Bull Head Sea Lions, Seals, Otters and Whales.

Copper Center – Anchorage | End of Self Drive Tour ( Driving Distance: 180 miles )

Drive on the scenic Glenn Highway towards Palmer and pass Matanuska Glacier. The glacier is one of Alaska's most accessible glaciers, a 27-mile long river of ice poking out of the Chugach Mountains that is visible for miles along the highway. A self-guided hike leads to the gravel-laced ice. Travel towards the Matanuska Valley - a fertile farmland that was settled by families as part of a New Deal relief program in 1935. Because of the fertile farmland and the immense amount of summer sunlight, vegetables grow to incredible sizes. The Alaska record cabbage is 106 pounds! This is just one of the attractions at the State Fair held in Palmer. Arrive in Anchorage during the day.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3300 $1849 $1409 $1186 $364
June 1 - August 31 $3673 $2066 $1575 $1326 $376
September 1 - September 13 $3300 $1849 $1409 $1186 $364
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3905 $2283 $1782 $1532 $503
June 1 - August 31 $4297 $2520 $1967 $1691 $531
September 1 - September 13 $3905 $2283 $1782 $1532 $503

What’s included

07 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

Motorcoach Transfer Whittier - Anchorage

04 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

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Entrance Fee

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Denali & Fairbanks Railroad Station and Airport Transfers

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Railroad Transportation Anchorage - 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 $280 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

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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Valdez: Columbia Glacier Cruise

Join our scenic 7-hour Columbia Glacier Cruise. The journey throughout Prince William Sound will feature a visit at the Columbia Glacier area where you have a chance to view history in the making as Columbia Glacier retreats back into the Chugach Mountains. In addition to the amazing ancient ice pack of the Columbia Bay you have the opportunity for wildlife along the way that calls the Sound home and to learn about the mining, oil shipping, earthquake, and fishing history of the area.

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Valdez: Meares Glacier Cruise

This 9-hour tour is perfect to discover all of what Prince William Sound has to offer - amazing glaciers, exiciting wildlife and a rich history. Cruise the majestic water of Prince William Sound from Valdez to Meares Glacier. In route our captins will travel the shorelines looking for the critters that call the Sound home. This tour has the time to travel the locations where we typically spot sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, Humpback or Orca Whales, porpoise, eagles, puffins, cormorants and more. Our captian will share with you stories about the history of the Sound from early explorers, gold and copper mining, oil shipping, commercial fishing and the 1964 earthquake. Lunch and afternoon soup snack is served.

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Copper Center: Kennicott / McCarthy Historical Day Trip

Meet us at 9 AM at Chitina Airport and join us for a spectacular flight into the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. Attend our Kennicott History Tour which includes a 2.5 hour guided tour of the Kennicott Mine and lunch at Kennicott Glacier Lodge. Use our shuttle and visit the frontier town of McCarthy. Explore the historic town built in the early part of the century. Copper was discovered on Bonanza Ridge and that discovery led to the development of the famous Kennicott mines. The boom town of McCarthy sprang up 5 miles away and became the miners town, with saloons, gambling and a thriving red light district. In 1938 the mine closed and left two "ghost" towns, right in the middle of what was to become the largest and most spectacular US National Park. Scenic return flight at 5:00 PM

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Steven, NJ: As promised, I would like to give you a feedback on our Alaska rail and drive tour, organised by you. First of all: with your voucher we have received a perfect service everywhere. Alaska Active Tours was highly respected and popular with all service providers. Your travel preparations and documents were perfect. From us a large praise. We gladly adopted your hints and ideas for day programmes and supplemented them with our own goals after studying travel guides. We were able to take the train from Anchorage all the way up to Denali. It was a wonderful experience and would recommend it the views are phenomenal and we had a wonderful host in our car with many interesting stories and facts