Anchorage & Scenic Alaska By Rail

Meet your driver-guide for a private half-day tour of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. Full of interesting sites, picturesque scenery, and history, Anchorage makes for a great sightseeing tour. Your tour will pass attractions like the Log Cabin Visitor Center, the Alaska Railroad Depot, and the Museum of Art & History. Visit Resolution Park and the Captain Cook Monument as well as Ship Creek Viewpoint, which overlooks Cook Inlet. Return transfer to your hotel included. Admissions (if desired) payable on spot.

The remainder of your day is free to spend at leisure in Anchorage.

Relax on board as you take a train transfer to Seward today. Approximate duration is 3.5 hours.

On this 110-mile roundtrip tour you will travel through Kenai Fjords National Park and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Kenai Fjords N.P. consists of miles of beautiful fjords and coastal landscape, and is home to a variety of marine animals such as orca (killer whales), humpback whales, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters and puffins, amongst others. Tour includes  a deli- style lunch

Relax on board as you take a train transfer to Anchorage today. Approximate duration is 3.5 hours.

Anchorage is headquarters to the Alaska Railroad and the journey to Talkeetna begins here. Several miles into the trip, the heavy birch forests of Eagle River and Chugiak lead to the Knik and Matanuska Rivers. The expansive watershed harbors wildlife like moose, bear, the occasional wolf and abundant waterfowl. About 40 miles from Anchorage comes the Matanuska Valley, Alaska's agricultural center and home to the towns of Palmer and Wasilla. Just south of Talkeetna, 70 miles further, the first view emerges of Mt. McKinley, North America's highest peak. The train makes its stop in Talkeetna, a small town with a mining history and now, a popular takeoff point for climbers to Mt. McKinley.

This scenic 2-hour tour aboard the 51-passenger Talkeetna Queen will give you the opportunity to experience wildlife, folklore and historical artifacts. Conditions permitting, enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range. Along the way, look for bald eagles, beavers, or moose. During your tour, you'll stop at a wildnerness site where you will take a leisurely 1/4 mile nature walk and visit an authentic trapper's cabin with its original furnishings, offering insight into how trappers lived in "Bush" Alaska at the turn of the century. You will also visit a replicated Native Alaskan encampment to learn about the indigenous culture.

From Talkeetna, the Denali Star Train follows the serpentine banks of the Susitna River. On clear days, more views of Mt. McKinley emerge across the river presenting many chances for photos. Black and brown bear frequent the sandbars and scuttle into the brush as the train approaches. Next, the Indian River Canyon is home to many beavers and beaver lodges can be seen in the ponds along the way. The track climbs toward tree line, first crossing Hurricane Gulch, the longest bridge on the railroad. The train moves into Broad Pass, at 2,363 feet it's the highest point on the railroad, and where caribou migrate through during the fall. Thousands of travelers visit Denali National Park and Preserve to see wildlife like wolves, caribou, Dall sheep, moose and bear, and Mt. McKinley.

Departing from your designated Denali park entrance hotel, this narrated bus tour takes you through the pristine wilderness of Denali. The experienced naturalist driver-guide will provide an overview of the land and its wildlife as you travel approximately 53 miles on the park road. Along the way, stops will be made at scenic overlooks and for viewing wildlife, such as bears, caribou and moose. A boxed snack and bottled water will be provided on your tour.

Please note, depending on weather and road conditions, this tour averages between 6-8 hours June-August, and shorter in May and September.

From Denali, the Denali Star Train follows the route to the coal-mining town of Healy follows after a 10-mile jaunt through Healy canyon, where the surging waters of the Nenana River cuts through the steep-sided cliffs. As the track levels out, Nenana comes into view. It is home to one of the remaining original Alaska Railroad Depots, now a museum and gift shop. The track cuts through the northern boreal forests of interior Alaska. Birch, aspen and willow fill this landscape where gold miners first came to seek their fortunes. Fifty-eight miles from Nenana, Fairbanks, the "Golden Heart City" signals the end of the line - but just the beginning for more adventure, culture and history in the Last Frontier.

Experience Fairbanks and the historic sites of downtown Fairbanks. Stop at the University of Alaska Museum (admission included), Trans Alaska Pipeline, Morris Thompson Cultural Center and Pioneer Park.

A 1 hour flight aboard Alaska Airlines will bring you back to Anchorage today.

Meet your driver for a private airport transfer.