After breakfast, visit some locals…reindeers! You’ll connect with them through walks and learn about their importance in this amazing space. Continue with a visit to a local gold mining family to to test your luck as you pan for gold and hear about Fairbanks’ mining heritage. In the afternoon, explore the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center and hear from a local Alaskan about life in the Interior.  

Overnight: Pike’s Waterfront Lodge or similar 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Breakfast at the hotel before boarding your coach south to Denali National Park. Stop at the Denali Discovery Center in Healy for a box lunch and a short hike with a local naturalist guide. Continue to the Denali National Park Visitor Center to explore exhibits, talk with a ranger, or walk the nearby trails.

Overnight: Denali Bluffs Hotel or similar 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Breakfast before traveling into Denali National Park on a Tundra Wilderness Tour (5–5.5 hours). Your driver-guide shares stories about the park while you look for wildlife including bears, moose, and caribou. In the afternoon, take a guided hike with Northern Epic Adventures, approximately three hours on trail. 

Overnight: Denali Bluffs Hotel or similar 

Meals: Breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner

Morning at leisure before transferring to the Denali Rail Depot for your scenic train ride south aboard deluxe dome rail. Enjoy lunch on the train while watching the landscapes roll by. Arrive in Talkeetna, the quirky town used as a basecamp for Denali climbers. Dinner is on your own in the lodge or in town. 

Overnight: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or similar 

Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Take in the view as you finish breakfast at the lodge. Today, hike the Curry Ridge Trail for views of the surrounding landscape, flora, and fauna. Later, kayak on Byers Lake in the heart of Denali State Park. Dinner included this evening.  Note: The Curry Ridge hike is 5–6 miles and about 4–4.5 hours. Appropriate footwear, layers, water, and snacks required. 

Overnight: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or similar 

Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner

Breakfast before setting out on a guided hike in the Talkeetna Lakes area. Look for loons, kingfishers, moose, and bear. Lunch is included in Talkeetna before traveling south to Anchorage by motor coach 

It’s important to note that the Talkeetna Lakes hike has about a 200-foot elevation gain with some uneven terrain. Make sure you are prepare with appropriate footwear, layers, water, and snacks. 

Overnight: The Voyager Inn or similar 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Transfer to Anchorage Airport for your departure flight (booked on own).

Meals: Breakfast