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Alaska Wilderness & Coast by Rail
Alaska Wilderness & Coast by Rail
From £4,184 pp
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10 nights
Rail-
Economy flights
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Available May - September
Travelling by rail, explore the highlights of Alaska over this 11-day itinerary. Learn of the state’s rich goldrush history, indigenous culture, and its expansive wilderness. In addition, view some of the state’s magnificent geological marvels and keep a look out for wildlife such as Dall Sheep, bears, moose, Humpback Whales and maybe even the elusive Beluga Whale.
What's Included
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 10 nights hotel accommodation
- Wilderness Express rail from Fairbanks to Denali
- Wilderness Express rail from Denali to Talkeetna
- Wilderness Express rail from Talkeetna to Anchorage in economy class
- Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Seward in Adventure Class
- Scheduled transfer from Seward to Anchorage
Holiday Map
Explore our interactive map to discover your holiday route and key points of interest.
Start
Finish
Stops
PoI
Day 1-2
Fairbanks
Arrive at Fairbanks International Airport and transfer independently to your downtown hotel. The next day is yours to explore the 'Golden Heart City'. Explore the rich goldrush history at Gold Dredge 8, a national historical monument and not to be missed on a visit to Fairbanks, giving visitors the opportunity to strike gold with their own poke filled with dirt. Visits between mid-August and mid-April are in prime aurora-watching season and with Fairbanks being under an aural oval, this makes its one of the world’s best places to watch the Northern Lights. There are multiple tours on offer that enable you to view the Aurora Borealis as well as teaching you how to photograph them to capture their stunning beauty.
Day 3
Wilderness Express to Denali
Board the Wilderness Express and depart early morning to Denali. The luxury cars of Wilderness Express offer a full-length curved glass dome that provides spectacular 360-degree views, a friendly host to point out highlights along the way as well as offering full bar service (at additional expense) and a 36-seater dining room on the lower level serving Alaska specialities (at additional expense). The cars also boast an outdoor viewing platform to fully immerse in the sights & smells of Alaska.
Day 4
Denali National Park
Denali National Park is in the heart of Alaska and encompasses six million acres of wild land, boasting magnificent wildlife, vast tundra and of course the towering Mt. Denali, which at 20,310 feet is the highest peak in North America. During your stay in Denali take one of the popular Tundra Wilderness tours into the park itself to see its wildlife up close and learn more about the park’s history. For those more adventurous why not jump on one of the hop-on, hop-off buses to hike the park independently.
Day 5
Wilderness Express to Talkeetna
Once again board the Wilderness Express in the early afternoon. The four-hour journey will offer magnificent views and photo opportunities of the Nenana River, Mt. Denali, Denali State Park as well as the Susitna River. Upon arrival in Talkeetna take a stroll through town and perhaps stop at one of the towns breweries for a quick beverage.
Day 6
Talkeetna
This quirky town in the Mat-Su Valley is a haven for the creative and outdoorsy. A walk down Main Street offers two blocks of historic buildings, shops, art galleries, restaurants, and a brewery. Talkeetna has a long history with mountaineering as the jumping-off point for climbers hoping to summit Mt. Denali. Whilst in town you may wish to take a flightseeing tour to Mt. Denali with an optional Glacier landing too. Talkeetna itself will offer some of the best views of Denali, on a good day you can view the mountain in its entirety from this funky hamlet.
Day 7
Wilderness Express to Anchorage
One of the best opportunities to view Mt. Denali occurs shortly after departing Talkeetna, make the most of the outdoor viewing platform to line up your shot. In addition to Mt. Denali, you also have views of Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter. Pass the community of Willow, the start point of the famous Alaska Iditarod Sled Dog race. There are further photo opportunities as you follow the Matanuska River which divides the Talkeetna Mountains to the north and the Chugach Mountains.
Day 8
Anchorage
Alaska’s largest city offers fine restaurants, museums, shops, theatres, and an excellent music scene and the state’s largest museum, Anchorage Museum, offering a place of narratives and perspectives. The museum itself is a Smithsonian Affiliate and celebrates Alaska Native cultures through presenting voices, stories, and cultural heritage pieces. The museum's Discovery Centre offers five distinct zones of exploration including an earthquake simulator and volcanic eruption demonstrations.
Day 9
Alaska Railroad to Seward
This routing on the rail is known as the ‘Coastal Classic’ and for most of the journey you will follow the Turnagain Arm. As a result of the natural curve of the landscape it is popular for train guests to photograph the train curving against this beautiful backdrop. Passing through the Kenai Mountains and Chugach National Forest the train will eventually arrive at Spencer Glacier. With its massive wall of ice and proximity to the train tracks this makes for an experience of a lifetime.
Day 10
Seward
Known as the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward offers endless opportunities of outdoor recreation, and sampling the local seafood in one of the many restaurants within Seward is a must. Charter fishing, kayaking and whale watching are the most popular activities meaning views of Humpback Whales, Grey Whales, Orcas, Fin Whales an Minke Whales are not uncommon.
Day 11
Fly Home
This morning board your scheduled transfer back to Anchorage airport for your flight home. The 3-hour direct service will once again allow views of such places as Moose Pass and Turnagain Arm, look out for Dall Sheep and Beluga Whales.
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This holiday requires an ESTA for entry to the United States, for full details and to apply please see below:
Please note selected national parks in the USA require reservations for vehicles in order to enter the parks. Reservations are required in advance. This is in addition to purchasing a national park entrance ticket. Early booking is recommended.
Further information on the parks, where vehicle reservations are required and how to book can be found on:
USA National Parks
Images on this page are courtesy of Alaska Railroad
