RMWH03 Gems of Alaska - Whittier Post Cruise Tour

RMWH03 Gems of Alaska - Whittier Post Cruise Tour

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This 6 day rail’n coach tour combines Alaska’s two most popular and accessible National Park - Kenai Fjords and Denali National Park. The port town Whittier is a great location to start your vacation after arriving by ferry or cruise ship. 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 in Whittier and enjoy the scenic transfer along Turnagain Arm via Anchorage to Denali. 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. 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. Board in Denali 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. Not is time to visit Seward, situated at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula and it is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities. Board the catamaran for a full day wildlife and glacier cruise, arguably one of the most scenic places in Alaska to see spectacular coastal scenery, marine wildlife and calving tidewater glaciers. The finale to this tour is Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city and brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. 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

Whittier – Denali National Park | Motorcoach Tour ( Overnight: Denali Village )

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. The motorcoach travels past Bird Creek, a popular fishing spot and then the rocky outcrop of Beluga Point. Stopover in Anchorage for lunch (not included) before continuing your journey via Talkeetna to Denali National Park. Arrive at Denali Village at 8:30 PM.

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 – Talkeetna | Rail Tour ( Overnight: Talkeetna )

Enjoy the train ride to Talkeetna. Have your camera ready as the train crosses Hurricane Gulch Bridge, 300 feet above the creek. 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. Arrive in Talkeetna and transfer to your downtown hotel or to a beautiful mountain lodge with breathtaking views of Mt. Denali. As turn-of-the-20th-century gold-mining center, Talkeetna has retained much of its early Alaska flavor. Log cabins, a roadhouse and clapboard storefronts line the dirt streets. You have time to join a jet boat safari on the Susitna, Talkeetna and Chulitna Rivers.

Talkeetna - Seward | Motorcoach Tour ( Overnight: Seward )

Board a comfortable motorcoach in Talkeetna at 11 AM, stopover briefly in Anchorage and arrive in Seward - gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park around 5:45 PM. Enjoy the views of snowcapped mountain ranges, pristine wilderness, beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife as you travel on the George Parks Highway from Talkeetna via Wasilla to Anchorage and further on the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm. Upon arrival transfer to your superior or first-class hotel. Remaining day at leisure. Stroll through Seward's harbor which bustles with cruise ships, fishing charters and sailing opportunities. Stopover at the Alaska Sea-Life Center - the largest Cold Water Marine Research Institutes in the world and sample fresh Alaska seafood at the many harbor front restaurants.

Seward - Anchorage | Rail Tour ( Overnight: Anchorage )

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 of Aialik 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. Board the Alaska Railroad this evening for a scenic train ride north to Anchorage. Included: Kenai Fjords Glacier Cruise

Anchorage

Spend some time at the Alaska Native Heritage Center: the Gathering Place is center stage for Alaska Native dancing, compelling Native Games demonstrations and intriguing storytelling. The Hall of Cultures features exhibits and demonstrating Alaska Native artists. Visitors discover more about each of the five major culture groups through engaging exhibits. The Theatre hosts a variety of movies all day, including the Heritage Center produced film, "Stories Given, Stories Shared". Guests stroll through six authentic life-sized Native dwellings around beautiful Lake Tiulana and are introduced to the traditional life ways of the native people. Check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2588 $1755 $1500 $1373 $535
June 1 - August 31 $2605 $1772 $1517 $1390 $560
September 1 - September 13 $2588 $1755 $1500 $1373 $535
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $3263 $2216 $1917 $1764 $663
June 1 - August 31 $3542 $2372 $2031 $1860 $688
September 1 - September 13 $3439 $2304 $1976 $1812 $663

What’s included

05 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

6 Hrs Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise including Lunch

Seward Port Fee

Talkeetna, Denali & Seward Railroad Station Transfers

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Motorcoach Transfer Whittier - Denali Village

Railroad Transportation Denali National Park - Talkeetna

Motorcoach Transfer Talkeetna – Seward

Railroad Transportation Seward – Anchorage

Comfort Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Standard Adventure Class Train
( upgrade to Dome Car Train is available for $275.00 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

Denali: Extend Denali Transit Bus Tour to Wonder Lake

The Denali Transit Bus is the official shuttle bus service into Denali National Park. The shuttle is best suited for those visitors who are seeking flexibility in their day trip into the Park and would like to have the option of getting off the bus to hike or explore on your own. Excellent hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities all along the Park Road. Created by retreating glaciers, Wonder Lake offers visitors stunning views of Mt. Denali and the Alaska Range, as weather permits. Along the Park Road, alder and willow carpeted hills are dotted with kettle ponds often frequented by waterfowl and other wildlife. Reflection Pond, an amazing photo stop on a clear day, requires you utilize the Kantishna Transit Bus or hike 2.5 miles from the Wonder Lake turnaround stop.

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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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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Backcountry Adventure Bus Tour

The Denali Backcountry Adventure Tour is another premier Denali Park Wildlife bus excursion. This full-day, 13-hour tour travels 95 miles in each direction to the Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. You'll travel by private bus with a trained naturalist driver/guide giving interpretation along the way helping you search for bear, moose, caribou and other wildlife while pointing out the biology and geology of the region. Several photo and rest stops will be made. Snacks, drinks and lunch are provided. Lunch is served at the exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. Lunch consists of a sandwich bar, soups, fruits, snacks, fresh baked goods and non-alcoholic drinks. After lunch try your luck at gold panning near the lodge or take a guided nature walk before returning to the Park entrance.

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Seward: Extend Kenai Fjords Cruise to Northwestern Fjords Cruise

The premium 8 1/2 hrs Kenai Fjords Cruise covers magnificent Northwestern Fjord - the home to three amazing tidewater glacier, hanging alpine glacier, abundant wildlife such as Orca Whales, Steller Sea Lions, playful Sea Otters, Bald Eagles, Puffins and of course the magnificent scenery. On this tour we travel futher into Kenai Fjords National Park than most other daily cruise tour operators. In addition we visit the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Chiswell Island's seabird rookeries within Resurrection Bay. Make sure you bring your camera to photograph the abundant marine and coastal wildlife, many types of sea birds and the untouched beauty of Alaska's shorelines. Tour includes a light breakfast and hot lunch. Total 150 miles round trip.

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Ross, NJ: To start with, it was a wonderful holiday. We enjoyed it. When we had received your documents, we were already curious whether everything could go according to plan. We were pleasantly surprised about the information you provided for the route. It was a great tour after our Inside Passage cruise. The bus ride from Whittier to Denali was very comfortable, on time and the driver gave some history facts. A highlight of our tour was the Talkeetna Flightseeing Tour. What an incredible experience. The entire tour looked like things you only see in magazines. Jason was our pilot- he was super knowledgeable, friendly and safe. It was breathtakingly beautiful to see those huge mountains up close. Hard to imagine people rock climb and hike those mountains.