Alaskan Wildlife & Wilderness

Welcome to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska with only 300,000 people and a city that has undergone quite a change since the 1964 earthquake. Now a bustling city fuelled by an oil boom and tourism, it wasn’t that long ago that Anchorage was the last outpost before heading into the Last Frontier. This is a city mixed with metropolitan luxuries and unrivalled natural wonders. It’s not uncommon to find bear roaming the outskirts; this is one truly wild place. A great way to spend your day is to wander around town, speaking to the local people and checking out some of the great cafes and restaurants. A welcome meeting will be held at 6pm for you to meet your tour leader and fellow travelling companions.

Optional activities:

• Alaska Native Heritage Center: US$25
• Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center: US$15
• Tony Knowles Coastal Trail: Free
• Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum: US$10

Accommodation: La Quinta Inn & Suites Anchorage Airport (or similar)

Leaving Anchorage, we enter the wilderness almost instantly and head towards Talkeetna where we can try reindeer sausage, a local delicacy, before arriving in Denali National Park. Home to the highest mountain in North America, legendary Denali (20,321ft/6,194m), the park covers 6m acres (2.43m ha) and houses some of the most unspoiled wilderness and spectacular scenery in Alaska.

Optional activities:

• Dogsled demonstration in Denali: Free
• Mountain biking in Denali: US$20-US$57
• Whitewater rafting in Denali: US$92-US$187

Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

Enjoy two full days exploring the park with an included bus pass on the Ellison Shuttle – the only way to get into the incredible (and vast) wilderness. Try to spot Alaska’s Big 5: caribou, Dall sheep, moose, bear and wolves. Denali is one of very few national parks where you are encouraged to find your own path off the trails, great if you’re looking for unadulterated adventure. There are plenty of optional walks and activities in Denali. As the trails are wild and unmarked, the hiking opportunities are endless. Your tour leader will suggest some spots of scenic beauty and the best places to view wildlife.

Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

Today we discover more of Denali National Park and its vast wilderness, exploring the many optional walks in this spectacular location.

Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

Head into the heart of the Alaska Range to spend the night camping at Maclaren Lodge. With spectacular views of the surrounding valley, this campsite provides the ideal setting for an authentic Alaskan experience. The remote location is something to savour with the chance to look for grazing caribou near the quiet lakes of the tundra. This is also a birder’s paradise with many species often sighted.

Accommodation: Maclaren Lodge campground

The scenery comes thick and fast on this trip, and today is no different. Drive through the dramatic Copper River Valley and stop for a short walk on the Liberty Falls Trail, just off the Edgerton Highway, en route to McCarthy (population: 40 in the summer, 17 the remainder of the year). This quaint settlement at the centre of a mass of mountains, glaciers and wilderness will be our base to explore Wrangell-St Elias for the next two nights. Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve contains nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States, including the second highest, Mount Saint Elias (18,005ft/5,488m), and is the most glaciated region in North America.

Accommodation: End of the Road campground

Today we have the chance to enjoy more of the optional activities in Wrangell-St Elias. This imposing landscape of glaciers, mountains, forest and wilderness has wonderful wildlife-viewing opportunities – Dall sheep, mountain goats, caribou, moose, grizzly and black bears are some of the inhabitants.

Optional activities:

• Ghost town tour at Kennecott Copper Mill: US$28

Accommodation: End of the Road campground

Our journey continues towards Valdez, passing through the Chugach Range. On the rivers, fish wheels have been built to catch salmon migrating upstream to spawn. Stop at the Worthington Glacier, adjacent to the Thompson Pass, for a short walk. Explore the busy seaside town of Valdez, a return to civilisation after the mountainous isolation of McCarthy. Valdez is a new town, a major earthquake destroyed the old one in 1964. There are various nearby hiking trails, such as the Mineral Creek Trail or the Keystone Canyon Pack Trail. You can also visit the museum to learn about the native culture, gold rush history and the famous pipeline. You could also enjoy a sea kayaking excursion to get up close to the glacier. For the next two nights, we enjoy hotel comforts. On the second day in Valdez, the day is free to discover this fascinating area.

Optional activities:

• Valdez sea kayaking: US$259

Accommodation: Totem Hotel & Suites or Best Western Valdez (or similar)

Today we leave Valdez and transfer to Seward (approximately eight hours). Sit back and enjoy the beautiful Alaskan scenery; if weather conditions are clear enough, you might get a glimpse of prominent peaks such as Mount Blackburn, Mount Wrangell and Mount Drum. We also drive past Matanuska Glacier before making our way to the small fishing town of Seward.

Accommodation: Forest Acre campground

*There is a ferry that runs from Valdez to Whittier, through calm fjords and past immense glaciers. For 2024 departures, the ferry company will release the schedule between November 2023 and January 2024. If a ferry operates on the correct day for a specific departure, we take the ferry to Whittier then continue the journey by land.

Set off on a full-day wildlife-viewing cruise around Resurrection Bay and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. To maximise the experience, the guide provides a detailed commentary on the wildlife we see and the area. On previous trips, travellers have spotted sea lions, otters, Dall’s porpoise and an endless variety of seabirds including puffins and eagles. Orcas often appear and, if we’re lucky, humpback whales may grace us with their presence.

Accommodation: Forest Acre campground

The staggeringly beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park offers wonderful wildlife- and bird-watching opportunities amid dramatic fjords and glaciers. Within the park is the huge Harding Icefield, claiming 300sqmi (775sqkm). If weather conditions permit, take a spectacular walk from Exit Glacier to the Harding Icefield for views of deep crevasses and huge seracs. At an elevation of 2,950ft (900m), we eventually reach a lookout point over the icefield for out-of-this-world views. The walk is strenuous and entirely dependent on weather conditions; if there is too much snow and ice on the trail, it may be impassable. There’s an easier option available if you prefer, using an accessible trail to reach a different viewpoint of the glacier. Afterwards, we transfer (three hours) to the quirky fishing town of Homer, our destination for the next two nights.

Accommodation: Homer Spit campground

Take a deep breath and enjoy Alaska at your own pace with a free day in Homer. Sitting at the end of the Sterling Highway, Homer is surrounded by wilderness, wildlife and ocean. Take your time, enjoy a low tide beach exploration, check out the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center exhibits, or stroll through town and grab a snack at a cafe or brewer. If you want to explore Kachemak Bay, Homer is great for adding an optional kayak adventure.

Optional activities:

• Kayaking: US$40

Accommodation: Homer Spit campground

After breakfast and packing up camp, we drive for a couple of hours to Alyeska in the Chugach Range, which is ideal for a final wilderness walk before returning to the state capital, Anchorage. Containing around half the state population, Anchorage in some ways looks just like any other sprawling American town, and after nearly two weeks in small towns and villages, the bustling streets will feel somewhat different. Explore the art galleries and craft shops where you can see beautiful Inuit handicrafts being made.

This tour ends at our gateway hotel in Anchorage at approximately 5pm. We can book your post-tour accommodation if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9pm.