Magnificent Alaska!

Alaska, the last frontier. Join us with the opportunity to experience the vast expanse of wilderness by sea, land, rail, and air. Explore its vast regions and view its diverse wildlife. Come along and spend 10 days with an intimate group of 10 adventure seekers traversing this land of enchantment.

Our Magnificent Alaska tour begins and ends in Anchorage and takes you south to the Kenai Peninsula, including stays in the towns of Homer and Seward, where you’ll see classic Alaska scenery. While in Homer, you’ll be taken by seaplane over the Cook Inlet to Katmai National Park for grizzly bear watching. While in Seward, you’ll embark on a 6-hour ocean cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park with its stunningly scenic and rugged coastline, numerous tidewater glaciers and abundant wildlife. Then our tour heads inland to the Denali area, taking in a jet boat tour, a land tour into the interior of Denali National Park, and a flight over North America’s tallest Peak, Denali.

Tour Highlights:

  • Sightseeing in Anchorage
  • Sightseeing along the Turnagain Arm and Kenai Peninsula
  • Stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
  • Floatplane trip to Katmai (or Lake Clark) National Park
  • Kayaking in Resurrection Bay
  • Hike along Exit Glacier
  • Optional helicopter and dogsled tour in Seward
  • Ocean cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay
  • Sunset train ride on Alaska Railway’s Gold Star Dome Train
  • Matanuska Glacier Hike
  • Jetboat adventure on the Susitna River
  • Bus tour of Denali National Park’s interior
  • Flight tour of Denali summit and Ruth Amphitheater (weather permitting)

Inclusions:

  • Services of a Southwest Adventure Tours tour director – a professional tour guide
  • Comfortable transportation
  • 9 nights hotel accommodations
  • 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 3 dinners
  • Park entrance fees
  • Airport transfers
  • Applicable taxes and fees

Daily Breakdown:

  • Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage, sightseeing tour
  • Day 2: Anchorage to Homer
  • Day 3: Homer / Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park
  • Day 4: Homer / Hiking Kachemak Bay - drive to Seward
  • Day 5: Seward – Sea Kayaking, Optional Helicopter Flight & Dog Sledding, Hiking
  • Day 6: Seward – Kenai Fjords – train to Anchorage
  • Day 7: Anchorage to Talkeetna – Matanuska Glacier & jetboat tour
  • Day 8: Denali Flight Seeing & Denali, Alaska
  • Day 9: Denali Tundra Tour
  • Day 10: Denali to Anchorage

Visual Itinerary Video:

Coming soon!

Itinerary:

  • Arrive at Anchorage and check into hotel. Tour historic downtown Anchorage with your guide. This fully narrated trip visits cultural and historical sites including Lake Hood, scenic viewpoints, and Earthquake Park. Group dinner to celebrate the start of our Alaskan adventure (included).

    Springhill Suites Midtown, Anchorage, AK | Meals: D

  • Drive along the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, home to one of the largest bore tides (it forms a wave) in the world, looking for Beluga Whales. We will visit the Wildlife Conservation Center. The center’s mission is to provide refuge for orphaned, injured, and ill animals. The road to Homer is one of the most scenic drives in Alaska! There will be many stops along the way for scenic viewing and points of interest. Total drive time 4.5 hours.

    Best Western Bidarka Inn, Homer, AK | Meals: B, L

  • Fly from Homer to Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park (based on weather) to see Grizzly Bears. We will catch a glimpse of the bears as we hike about 4-5 miles over 3 hours through braided rivers and meadows to see them in their natural habitat. In the late afternoon we will visit the Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center (If Open).

    Best Western Bidarka Inn, Homer, AK | Meals: B, L

  • This morning, enjoy one of the best hikes in the area.  Begin with a water taxi from Homer to Kachemak Bay State Park.  After your drop off at the Glacier Spit, begin your hike through the forests of Alaska.  For the first 1.5 miles, the trail meanders through mixed cottonwood and Sitka spruce. These cottonwoods are some of the largest in the park so take time to appreciate their enormous size. After 1.5 miles, the trail proceeds straight towards the lake on alluvial flats. Keep an eye out for small hawks and bald eagles hunting from treetops in this area. Enjoy a breathtaking view of Grewingk Glacier, a glacier lake full of icebergs and the seclusion of the Alaska wilderness before finishing your hike out the Saddle Trail.  Return to Homer on the water taxi for your final view of this timeless landscape. 

    After lunch you will traverse the peninsula as you travel into Seward, AK.  We will drive the scenic road to the picturesque city of Seward. Total drive time 4.5 hrs. After checking into your hotel and an early dinner you will end the day exploring Exit Glacier and Kenai Fjords National Park.  Multiple hikes and scenic walks are available to choose this evening as you enjoy the sun setting in this iconic wilderness.  

    Don’t miss this day full of adventure!

    Harbor 360 Hotel, Seward, AK | Meals: B, L

  • We will start the day by sea kayaking along the dramatic coastline of Resurrection Bay. This trip will be a perfect introduction to sea kayaking and a great opportunity to take in the towering mountains, soaring bald eagles, curious harbor seals, and an enchanting ghost forest.  After lunch in town, an optional activity today would be a helicopter flight up to a glacier and then dogsled rides on top of the glacier: Take off in one of our helicopters and find yourself landing at dog camp atop an ancient glacier. A team of sled dogs anxiously awaits to pull you across perfect white snow. Dog sled tours on Godwin Glacier are some of the most fun you can have in Alaska! After your sled ride, cuddle the lovable puppies, take pictures of the beautiful Alaskan scenery, and talk with your Alaskan musher about his best trail stories. We have all the gear and equipment you’ll need for your Alaskan dog sledding experience; you just need to bring your camera. This is a 1.5-hour tour that includes 15 minutes of flight seeing and an unforgettable dog sled ride. $615.00 per person.

    Harbor 360 Hotel, Seward, AK | Meals: B, L

  • This morning, we head out for a 8.5-hour nature cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park. You will be watching for puffins, sea otters, humpback whales, sea lions, and cormorants as we go to one of the least visited fjords for an up close and personal view of a tidewater glacier in Northwestern Fjord. These types of glaciers calve directly into the ocean. In the evening you will enjoy dinner on a scenic train ride back to Anchorage on the Gold Star Dome Train.

    Springhill Suites Midtown, Anchorage, AK | Meals: B, L, D

  • Today you will begin your exploration of the Glaciers, Mountains, Rivers, and Tundra that Alaska is famously known for. As you leave Anchorage your first stop will be at the Matanuska Glacier for a 2-3 hour excursion on the ice! Your morning will be spent exploring blue and basal ice, in addition to learning about the history and glaciology of the Matanuska Valley of Southcentral Alaska. Enjoy a hands-on adventure while having a truly Alaskan experience. The recessional moraine leads to the terminus, where you and your guide will venture into a wondrous world of glacial features including moulins, crevasses, open water streams, and conduits. This will be a morning you won’t soon forget!

    After lunch you will continue your travels north to historic Talkeetna. If weather permits we take a flight to see the tallest peak in North America.  Fly up to 6 miles (10 km) from Denali’s summit, then descend into the awe-inspiring Ruth Amphitheater and Great Gorge. View the Tokositna and Ruth Glaciers, the sharp ridges of Mount Huntington, hanging glaciers clinging to Mount Hunter, and the famous Moose’s Tooth.  As well as the stunning views of the 45-mile-long Kahiltna Glacier. Pass by Little Switzerland and its peaks. View the world-famous Kahiltna Base Camp, and the formidable east face of Mount Foraker. Discover for yourself why this is our most popular tour of Denali National Park.

    Once finished you will be able to relax and enjoy the evening in historic Talkeetna and enjoy views and vistas of Denali in the distance.

    Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge or Swiss Alaska Inn, Talkeetna, AK | Meals: B, L

  • This morning you will experience an Alaska Wilderness Adventure up the Susitna River. Behold the splendor of Denali and the great Alaska Range from a spectacular vantage point on the Susitna River in our technically advanced jet boat! The folklore, artifacts and panoramic views combine to make this unique 20-mile Alaska river adventure unforgettable. Your 2-hour trip begins aboard the fifty-two-passenger "Talkeetna Queen" or one of her 15 or 20-passenger little sister boats, as it whisks you into the heart of the wilderness in comfort. These are the most technologically advanced jet boats in Alaska designed to safely navigate rivers that were previously inaccessible. As you travel twenty miles of river, your naturalist will talk about the history and rivers in the area and information about Denali. You may have opportunities to view bald eagles that nest in the area. Upon arriving at our Adventure site, you will take a ¼-mile leisurely nature walk to a Dena'ina Indian Encampment, which was the earliest native settlement in the area. You will also visit an authentic trapper’s cabin with its original furnishings and view how trappers lived in "bush" Alaska at the turn of the century. Your experienced guide will display furs from the local area and demonstrate trapping methods. Naturalists will also acquaint you with the wildflowers and plants that grow in abundance along the river system and you will learn about the edible plants that were used by the Native Indians for cooking and medicines and some that are still eaten today.

    This afternoon enjoy exploring north through Alaska with stops at Denali State Park and other areas before a stop for lunch. Explore Denali National Park Visitors Center and the small town of Denali.  There are some great shorter hikes and walks to enjoy as you explore this beautiful destination. Those interested can take the hiker shuttle into the park using pre-purchased tickets.

    This should be one of the most magnificent days of your life! Group dinner included. Total drive time 3 hrs.

    Denali Park Village, Denali Park, AK | Meals: B, L

  • The Tundra Wilderness Tour is the premier tour of Denali National Park and Preserve!  This tour offers wonderful diversity for visitors. Incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road, and some of the best opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants await you on this tour.

    The Tundra Wilderness Tour will guide you along a spectacular road corridor, promising different experiences every day, as Denali’s wildlife moves at its own pace and according to the seasons. During the main summer season, your tour will continue beyond the Toklat rest area to Stony Hill Overlook which provides awe-inspiring views of the Alaska Range and possibly a view of North America’s highest peak.

    A bottle of water and a snack pack are included with this tour.

    Denali Park Village, Denali, AK | Meals: B, D

  • We depart Denali and drive south back to Anchorage, AK.  The group will enjoy a farewell lunch. You may schedule your departure flight for 3pm or later. Total drive time 4 hrs.

    Meals: B, L

Itinerary Variations

Times listed are approximate and may change. Tours are usually planned months or even a year or more in advance. Between planning time and operation, we constantly strive to improve each itinerary and add to your convenience and enjoyment. However, should improvements be made and/or unforeseen conditions beyond our control deem change necessary; we reserve the right to do so.  This may result in varying itineraries and substitute facilities or attractions of equivalent or better value. In the event of national or local holidays, certain listed features i.e. museums, attractions, etc., may be affected or unavailable. If cancellation of a scheduled activity is encountered, we will endeavor to provide a suitable substitute if at all possible.

Not Included:

  • Items of a personal nature (alcohol, room service, etc.)
  • Meals (other than listed in the itinerary)
  • Optional activities
  • Airfare
  • Gratuities for the tour director

Arrival / Departure Info:

  • Arrival Location: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
  • Arrival Time: By 3:00 PM on Day 1 to enable attendance on tour of Anchorage
  • Departure Location: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
  • Departure Time: Any time after 2:00 PM on Day 10

Physical Requirements:

Clients should be comfortable walking on uneven terrain for an average of 1 to 3 miles at a time. Elevation gain and loss averages between 50 to 300 ft throughout the areas visited during this tour. Most touring and overnight locations are between sea level to 2500 ft above sea level.  

 

Pricing:

  • $7,999.00 Per Person Double Occupancy
  • $8,499.00 Per Person Single Occupancy
  • $7,499.00 Per Person Triple Occupancy
  • $7,299.00 Per Person Quad Occupancy

 

2024 Departure Dates:

June 3 June 17
July 8 July 22
August 5     August 19     

2025 Departure Dates:

June 29 July 13
July 27  

Similar Tours:

Northern Lights Alaska