Alaskan Highlights
Self-drive tour
Copyright John Wigley 2004
Day 1. Arrive Juneau. From the UK there are no direct flights to Juneau and most flights operate via Seattle. Your arrival into Juneau will be late on day 1. We recommend that you take a taxi to your hotel in the heart of Juneau. Overnight: Westmark Baranof Hotel (Standard & Superior).
Days, 2 & 3 Juneau. Two full days to enjoy the many optional excursions available from your base in the capitol of Alaska - Juneau. We have detailed some of the more popular excursions here, and we particularly recommend the full day Glacier Bay National Park tour and the Four Glacier Adventure (by helicopter). There's lots to do and see in and around the city including the Gold Rush Historic District, the Alaska State Capitol Building, St.Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, the Gastineau Salmon Hatchery, state and city museums, the Alaskan Brewing Company Brewery and the Mendenhall Glacier. Overnight: Westmark Baranof Hotel (Standard & Superior).
Day 4. Juneau - Seward. Join your Alaska Airlines flight this morning bound for Anchorage. After collecting your rental car, take the short drive south to Seward (approx. 130 miles). Overnight: The Breeze Inn (Standard) or Holiday Inn Express Seward Harbor (Superior).
Day 5. Seward. The town's harbor bustles with cruiseships, fishing charters, wildlife cruises and sailing. A 'must do' excursion is the Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise and Just America will be pleased to pre-book this for you. Overnight: The Breeze Inn (Standard) or Holiday Inn Express Harbor (Superior).
Day 6. Seward - Denali National Park (approx 365 miles). You begin to appreciate the sheer size of Alaska today as you set off on your journey to Denali National Park. Make a stop at the village of Talkeetna and visit the memorial to the mountaineers who lost their lives in their attempt to climb Mount McKinley - the highest point in North America. Overnight: Denali River Cabins - Cedar Hotel (Standard) or McKinley Chalet Resort (Superior) both conveniently located near the national park entrance.
Days 7 & 8. Denali National Park. Denali is large! Six million acres- approx. three times larger than Yellowstone and about the same size as the state of New Hampshire. Park visitors enjoy the wildlife viewing at Denali by taking the free shuttle buses that operate through the park. Overnight: Denali River Cabins - Cedar Hotel (Standard) or McKinley Chalet Resort (Superior) both conveniently located near the national park entrance.
Day 9. Denali - Fairbanks (approx 130 miles). Drive from Denali to Fairbanks. Ovenright: Best Western Chena River Lodge (Standard) or Springhill Suites By Marriott Fairbanks (Superior).
Day 10. Fairbanks. Fairbanks is Alaska's second largest city with over 80,000 residents in the greater Fairbanks area. Located near the confluence of the Tanana and Chena Rivers, the town was originally founded in the early 1900’s as a trading post serving stern-wheeler riverboats and early gold prospectors. The town still plays an important supply role in Alaska due to its proximity to the Arctic region and North Slope oil fields. Fairbanks typically enjoys long sunny days during the summer months, with temperatures frequen
tly passing the 70 degree mark. We recommend that you take the Riverboat Discovery cruise (see below) to learn more about the city and its fascinating history.
Day 11 Fairbanks to Copper Center/Chitina (approx. 255 miles). Follow the Alaska Highway this morning as you make your way through the beautiful Alaskan wilderness to Copper Center - the gateway to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Overnight: Gilpatrick's Hotel - Chitina (Standard) or Copper River Princess Lodge (Superior).
Day 12. Copper Center - Wrangell - St. Elias National Park & Preserve. A free day to explore the national park. Four mountain ranges meet in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. This coastal park, at 20,625 square miles the nation's largest national park. Nine of the country's 16 tallest peaks are here, topped by Mount St. Elias at 18,008 feet. Bagley Ice Field is the continent's largest subpolar ice field, and Malaspina Glacier is larger than Rhode Island. We recommend that you take a float or white-water rafting trip through the park, or an escorted hike. Full details of the optional excursions can be found at http://www.copperoar.com Overnight: gateway to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Overnight: Gilpatrick's Hotel - Chitina (Standard) or Copper River Princess Lodge (Superior).
Day 13. Copper Center to Anchorage (approx.197 miles). Follow scenic Highway 1 all the way to Anchorage. Overnight: Days Inn (Standard) or Hilton Anchorage (Superior).
Day 14. Anchorage. A full day to discover the attractions, shops and restaurants of Alaska's largest city - Anchorage. A short drive out of the city brings you to the Eagle River Nature Centre and the alpine scenery of Chugach State Park. At Eklutna Village Historical Park, tour St.Nicholas Russian Church and see brightly coloured "spirit houses". In the city take the paved trail system that links several historical sites. See geographic reminders of the 1964 Good Friday earthquake at Earthquake Park. Visit the Alaska Native heritage Center with its artists, performers, interpretative displays and traditional village exhibits. Of course you just might want to do some last minute shopping and relaxing on your last day! Overnight: Days Inn (Standard) or Hilton Anchorage (Superior).
Day 15. Depart Anchorage. Return your rental car at the airport before checking in for your return flight to the UK.
For full details of excursions in Alaska inc. prices click here: 
Juneau area Optional Excursions:
Glacier Bay National Park - an early start (approx.6am) from Juneau airport as you take the small aircraft flight to Gustavus. On arrival a local shuttle transfers you to Glacier Bay Lodge. Board the Spirit of Adventure and depart Bartlett Cove for a full-day cruise into Glacier Bay National Park. Lunch is included. As this is a relatively small boat, you are able to get closer to the glaciers, icefloes and wildlife than the larger cruise ships. Late afternoon your cruise returns to Bartlett Cove for the transfer to Gustavus airport and the return flight to J
uneau.
Four Glacier Adventure - An hour long helicopter journey through the stunning scenery close to Juneau. Get a bird's-eye view of the city, the cruise port and Gastineau Channel, before sweeping low over the glaciers. The highlight of the tour is a landing on one of the glaciers and the opportunity to walk out over the ice and peer down a few cravases before enjoing the stunning scenery on the flight back to Juneau.
Whale-Watching - A three-hour long tour including transfers from Juneau. This tour provides the opportunity to to share time with some of the most wonderful animals on earth, surrounded by Alaska's majestic scenery. Depart from the harbour nearest to the whale feeding grounds. Mammal-friendly jet boats staffed by professional, knowledgeable crew, and a minimum of two hours on the water to enjoy the whales and other marine mammals.
Seward Area Optional Excursions:
The Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise - a 6-7 hour cruise into the Kenai National Park with a hot lunch. Miles of beautiful fjords and coastal landscape and home to a variety of marine mammals such as Orca (killer whales) beluga whales, Steller Sea Lions, puffins etc.
Denali Area Optional Excursions:
We recommend that you pre-book the Tundra Wildlife Tour - a tour by bus from the park entrance approx. 53 miles into the Denali with an English speaking naturalist driver/guide. A packed lunch is included.
Other Denali area excursions - which can be pre-booked through Just America include:
Helicopter Flightseeing - a 50 minute tour to view Mt McKinley.
or a 75-minute Helicopter Glacier Expedition with glacier landing
McKinley Run - a 2-hour scenic float trip on the Nenana River.
Canyon Run - a 2-hour white-water trip on the Nenana River
Fairbanks excursions:
Riverboat Discovery Cruise. Board the authentic sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III for a fully-narrated 3 1/2 hour cruise along the Chena and Tanana Rivers. Alaskan Native guides will take you ashore to an authentic Athabascan Indian village where you'll discover traditional Native lifestyles, enjoy the work of an Athabascan beadwork artist and meet Susan Butcher's famous Iditarod sled dog team. See a bush pilot demonstration, watch a fish wheel in operation, and see the 'Wedding of the Rivers' where the Chena and Tanana Rivers converge.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve:
Take a look at the activities and excursions available with local outfitter and operator 'Copper Oar Alaska's Wilderness Rafting & Adventure Company' at http://www.copperoar.com
Just America specialises in tailor-making holidays and we will be pleased to design this or any of our tours to your specifications. We can provide prices and make reservations for optional sightseeing excursions mentioned in the itinerary. All mileages are approximate. Hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking.
| Standard Hotels | Superior Hotels |
|---|
| 2013 Prices per adult in £'s sharing room type | Single | Double | Triple | Quad | 2013 Prices per adult in £'s sharing room type | Single | Double | Triple | Quad |
| 15 May-15 Sep - Prices from | 1649 | 885 | On request | On request | 15 May-15 Sep - Prices from | 1890 | 1005 | On request | On request |
|
Prices include: Not included: Airfares (from UK to/from Alaska), airport taxes, car rental, petrol, travel insurance, excursions and national park admissions and personal expenses, |
| Location | No.nights | Standard Hotels | Superior Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juneau | 3 | Westmark Baronof | Westmark Baronof |
| Seward | 2 | The Breeze Inn | Holiday Inn Express |
| Denali National Park area | 3 | Denali River Cabins (Cedar Lodge room) | McKinley Chalet Resort |
| Fairbanks | 2 | Best Western Chena River (CB) | Springhill Suites By Marriott (CB) |
| Chitina / Copper Center | 2 | Gilpatrick's Hotel | Copper River Princess |
| Anchorage | 2 | Days Inn | Hilton Anchorage |
CB = Continental breaksfast included.