Enjoy the colors of Alaska’s late summer and autumn season, seacoast to tundra, while you explore Kenai Fjords National Park by cruise, Denali National Park’s wildlife and the Arctic Circle. Best of all? Watch the skies as color explodes in the skies above you with the dramatic lightshows of the northern lights. Aurora viewing in Alaska can start as early as August, as the days grow shorter, and the skies get darker.
Upon arrival in Anchorage Airport, receive a personal greeting and meet your private driver/guide and transfer to your luxury resort, located in the friendly community of Girdwood. The Alyeska Resort boasts the best in comfort, amenities and outdoor fun. The resort’s rich fields of blueberries produce spectacular colors and harvests in August and September. Pick up a bucket from the resort and explore the trails in hopes of finding some of this special Alaskan treat before the bears do!
Overnight in Girdwood, your home for the next two nights.
Today, journey south with your private driver/guide along the scenic Turnagain Arm to the coastal town of Seward. Board a high-speed catamaran to explore the world of wildlife and glaciers on a day cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park. Scout for sea otters, sea lions, seals, puffins, and whales before approaching an actively-calving tidewater glacier. You will begin to see the hints of yellow and orange in the fall foliage sprinkled along the shoreline.
Return to Girdwood for the evening where your private driver/guide can provide suggestions for dinner at a local restaurant.
Continue your journey, into Alaska’s interior to the historic gold mining community of Talkeetna. Notice the more dramatic color changes of the trees along your route as you travel further north. As you pass through the community of Willow, the towering mountain of Denali is front and center on the George Parks Highway. On a clear day, the mountain is unmissable, along with the rest of the Alaska Range.
Arrive in Talkeetna and settle into your room at your hotel. This afternoon you may choose to learn about Talkeetna’s goldmining past at the local museum, sample some refreshments at a Talkeetna brewery, or hit nearby hiking trails to stretch your legs and visually soak in the golden forests surrounding you.
Overnight in Talkeetna.
(c) Ashley Heimbigner. All rights reserved.
Watch the sunrise over the Alaska Range this morning with a cup of coffee before boarding luxury dome rail cars on the Alaska Railroad for your journey to Denali National Park. Viewing platforms and glass domed ceilings provide optimal viewing as you travel through fields of red and orange tundra. Your private driver/guide will greet you upon arrival and a short transfer will bring you to your accommodations tucked away in the boreal forest just outside Denali National Park.
Explore a local hiking trail this afternoon or get whisked away in a helicopter for a bird’s eye view of this special place on a classic flightseeing adventure.
Overnight at the Denali Park Entrance, your home for the next two nights.
Explore the fall colors of Denali National Park as you travel almost 62 miles along the park road. The tundra changes colors here earlier in the autumn than further south, providing a backdrop of painted hills across the vast landscape. The fall season here provides rich sustenance for grizzly bears, fattening up for winter and moose begin to congregate as they prepare for the rut (mating season) in September. Keep your eyes open for possible sightings of Denali’s other resident creatures including caribou, wolves, fox, and Dall sheep.
Travel north to Fairbanks with your private driver/guide and embark on an exclusive city tour exploring the best of Fairbanks: Golden Heart Plaza, the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, and the Santa Claus House in North Pole.
Later this evening experience a private northern lights viewing tour where you will learn the best tips for photographing the dancing lights.
Overnight in Fairbanks, your home for the next two nights.
The morning is at leisure to sleep in after your evening of aurora viewing. This afternoon experience Alaska’s Arctic Circle by both land and air. Fly north from Fairbanks before landing above the Arctic Circle in ceremonious fashion. As you make your way back to Fairbanks on your guided tour by private vehicle, stop along the shores of the mighty Yukon River to scan the northern sky for the aurora’s colorful lightshows.
Enjoy a leisurely fall day in Fairbanks, your private/guide is available to offer sightseeing and restaurant suggestions. This afternoon consider venturing to Chena Hot Springs and take a dip in the famous hot springs that once aided the aches and pains of gold miners and pioneers.
Tonight, travel by private vehicle to an aurora viewing location for another opportunity to witness the unique and memorable natural phenomenon of Alaska’s northern lights.
Today, say farewell to Alaska and receive a private transfer to the Fairbanks Airport for your departure flight.
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Booked a transfer from Seward to Anchorage for 25 guests at the end of their cruise. They were very pleased with the service and especially Rose their driver. I worked with Rhiannon to plan this and her service was exceptional. I will recommend them and use them again.
Steve Hayes