Overview
Itinerary
Your journey starts in Anchorage, a city on the edge of the snowcapped Chugach Mountains and 60 sparkling glaciers. This is your gateway to wilderness and adventure. Stay: Hilton Anchorage (2 Nights)
Head to Whittier and embark on an incomparable glacier cruise of Prince William Sound, narrated by an expert guide. Blue skies collide with stark white glaciers, and playful otters dip in and out of the calm waters. Embrace the sheer magnitude of Alaska's natural beauty as you venture through a geological wonderland. Feel like a true explorer during a beach landing.
In the evening, gather with new friends for a welcome dinner in a local restaurant. (B/L/D)
Take a step into the past when you visit Musk Ox Farm. Learn about the Musk Ox project – a sustainable domestication effort that has worked to preserve, protect, and increase awareness for these wooly creatures since 1954.
Continue on to Talkeetna as Denali, North America's tallest mountain, looms large over the landscape. Perhaps you will take an optional flightseeing tour and experience a breathtaking perspective of Denali. Check into the iconic Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, perched on a ridge offering unforgettable views of Denali.
Later, perhaps you will spend some time on the Lodge's expansive deck; a great place to search for the Northern Lights, or just enjoy some hot cocoa by the roaring fireplace in the great room. (B/D) Stay: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge
Begin your day with a lecture on the down-to-earth Alaskan lifestyle before hopping on Alaska Railroad's Aurora Winter Train for a full-day journey to Fairbanks. Sit back and relax as you are whisked away, through snow-covered mountains and striking valleys. Have your cameras ready – the train conductor will point out wildlife as you pass by. Dinner is included in the train's dining car.
This evening you arrive in Fairbanks, your home for the next three nights and one of the best places in Alaska to see the northern lights. (B/D) Stay: Pikes Waterfront Lodge (3 Nights)
Enjoy a full day at leisure in the city of Fairbanks. Take this opportunity to relax or flex your sense of adventure with optional excursions: consider flightseeing to the Arctic Circle. Late this evening, chase the legendary northern lights, considered to be one of the most amazing natural spectacles in the world. Walk out in the snow under an unspoiled bed of stars and search for the shimmering hues of purple and green. (B)
Feel the brisk air and discover Fairbanks, the perfect combination of nature and civilization. Look into the past at the Antique Auto Museum, where vintage cars sit between timely artifacts and fashionable designer dresses from times gone by. Hop in a car yourself, throw on some flapper accessories, and pose for a perfect souvenir snapshot.
In the afternoon, embrace the Iditarod spirit and try your hand at dog mushing, stepping into a sled with an expert guide and gliding over the snow with your very own pack of sled dogs. Stay for dinner at the kennel owner's home and learn more about what the life of a musher is like.
Later in the evening, enjoy a final chance to spot the northern lights. (B/D)
Enjoy a relaxing morning before heading to the Museum of the North, the University of Alaska's collection featuring 2.2 million years of biodiversity and thousands of years of human history. The remainder of your day is at leisure. A day room has been extended for your use before your transfer to the airport. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Search for the northern lights in Fairbanks' star-filled sky.
- Hop in a sled and experience dog mushing like a local.
- Visit Musk Ox Farm and learn about the sustainable domestication project.
- Enjoy a scenic ride from Talkeetna to Fairbanks via Alaska railroad.
- Peruse antique cars and glamorous fashions of the past at the Antique Auto Museum.
- Pass by floating glaciers and playful otters on a winter glacier cruise in Prince William Sound.
- Enjoy a taste of wild Alaskan salmon.
- Learn all about the Iditarod as you dine on the property of a legendary racing kennel.
- Expertly crafted itineraries
- 4-star+ accommodation
- Skilled and engaging tour managers
- Expert local guides with insider knowledge
- Attraction entrance fees
- Many meals full of local flavour
- Unparalleled sightseeing
- Enriching cultural experiences
- Comfortable on-tour transportation
- Hotel-to-hotel baggage handling
- Plus, access to Wi-Fi hotspots on tour
- To truly experience the program and destination, you need to be able to participate in physical activities such as longer walking tours, walking over uneven terrain, climbing stairs and periods of standing. Some of the touring days may be longer, with select included activities occurring later in the evening.
- Private, chauffeur service is included for all air-inclusive tour bookings. This personalised service is included within a 40km radius from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Cairns and Hobart airport gateways. Service is available between 41-70 kms for a small fee.
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Trip Optionals These optional activities can be pre-booked & included in your trip price.
- Location: Pawtucket, RI. Cost: $156.
- You can now include pre-paid tipping into your guided tour purchase. You pay for your tipping up front, we handle the rest, and you can cross one more thing off your “To Do” list. No more running to an ATM at the last minute on tour, or carrying around cash you won’t spend. Transportation is not included Prepaid gratuities are only available to guests departing from Australia & New Zealand. This covers tips for the Tour Manager, driver(s), and local guides including optional tours. Airport transfer and extension gratuities are not included in this amount.
- Location: Talkeetna, AK. Cost: $420.
- See the vast beauty of Alaska from a bird’s-eye-view. Board a plane and soar over the breathtaking landscapes of Denali – North America’s tallest peak. Take in spectacular views including the face of Denali, a dramatic gorge, and sweeping ice-falls that you can’t find by foot. Most visitors bring a camera and a memory card with lots of space to capture the experience forever. Enjoy the live commentary on board with headsets to hear the guide clearly. Small-group tour ensures a more personalized experience. Duration approximately 1.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 6 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. This optional tour is weather dependent and is recommended to be purchased prior to your tour. We recommend wearing layers due to change in temperatures. For the colder seasons, we suggest a mid-weight jacket, long pants, closed-toe shoes, and sunglasses. You must be able to get in and out of a small aircraft and able to climb a ladder to get into the aircraft. There is a weight restriction is per aircraft. Guests will be weighed prior to flight so that weight may be distributed evenly on the aircraft.
- Location: Fairbanks, AK. Cost: $770.
- Make like a true Alaskan adventurer as you set off to cross the Arctic Circle. As you travel by air, just east of the gates of the Arctic National Park, view the rugged Brooks Mountain Range and tundra landscape. In Coldfoot, learn about the traditional people that continue to sustain their lifestyle and culture in the Yukon River Valley. Finally, achieve the mark of a true explorer as you cross the Arctic Circle and receive an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 4 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. This option must be booked at least 15 days prior to departure. Due to weather conditions or other circumstances, this option may require alteration or cancellation. We recommend wearing layers due to change in temperatures. For the colder seasons, we suggest a mid-weight jacket, long pants, closed-toe shoes, and sunglasses. You must be able to get in and out of a small aircraft and be able to climb a ladder to get into the aircraft. Due to the nature of this option, we require advance notice for any guest weighing 340 lbs/154 kg or more. The maximum weight capacity for each aircraft is 1400 lbs/635 kg. Due to weight restrictions, bags are weighed prior to boarding and cannot exceed 10 lbs/4 kg. Flight time is 50 minutes each way and 45 minutes at Coldfoot Camp.
Brochure
Collette Explorations (2024-25)
Availability
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Collette. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Collette. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
