An Alaskan Odyssey

Enjoy a fascinating overland journey from the Pacific to the Arctic Oceans.

Tour Code: 200CTA

Tour Overview

Create your Alaskan odyssey over ten days on a fascinating overland journey across the state from the glacier-filled shores of the Pacific Ocean to the wilderness of Denali and onward to the vast tundra of Alaska’s Arctic to Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean. This Alaskan adventure vacation begins in Anchorage as an independent tour on the Alaska Railroad to Prince William Sound for an exciting glacier and wildlife cruise. Then travel north into Alaska’s great Interior Region; you’ll join a wildlife bus tour into Denali National Park before continuing from Fairbanks on a small group tour into Alaska’s Arctic.  You will cross the Arctic Circle on the Dalton Highway for an overnight stay in Coldfoot, Alaska, near the Gates of the Arctic National Park. You’ll take a scenic drive towards Prudhoe Bay which will traverse the spectacular Brooks Range and crosses the fascinating permafrost of the North Slope to the Arctic Ocean.

What's Included
  • 7 nights accommodation in tourist to moderate class hotels plus 2 nights in very basic hotels
  • Prince William Sound glacier cruise with round-trip rail transfers and lunch
  • Scheduled bus transfer from Anchorage to Denali
  • Alaska Railroad from Denali to Fairbanks
  • 4-6 hour bus tour into Denali National Park (depending on weather and road conditions)
  • Sightseeing tour of Fairbanks
  • Sternwheeler Riverboat tour
  • 3-day escorted land tour including a flight between Fairbanks and Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay) and a guided ground overland tour between Deadhorse and Fairbanks
  • Alaska Airlines flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage (coach class)
  • All taxes and fees
What's Not Included

Meals, optional excursions, and gratuities.

 

Tour Itinerary

This comprehensive itinerary covers Alaska from renowned Prince William Sound inland to Denali, then on to Fairbanks where you venture north, crossing the Arctic Circle all the way to Deadhorse, as far north as you can drive in Alaska.

Day 1
Anchorage Arrival

Arrive in Anchorage and transfer to your hotel via courtesy shuttle or on your own.  The remainder of the day is free for exploring Anchorage or partaking in optional tours, such as a sightseeing tour by trolley. Overnight in Anchorage.

Day 2
Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise

Depart on the Alaska Railroad at 9:45 am for a coastal journey to the port of Whittier. From here, enjoy breath-taking scenery on a glacier cruise to see an abundance of glaciers in the surrounding coastal mountain fjords of Prince William Sound.  Your comfortable touring vessel will stop at the face of a tidewater glacier, giving you the chance to hear and see glacier calving (when the ice breaks off into the water). Lunch is included on board. Later this afternoon, return to Anchorage on the Alaska Railroad, arriving at 9:15 pm. Overnight in Anchorage.

Day 3
Anchorage to Denali

This morning, depart by motorcoach to Denali National Park. Relax and capture the scenery from large picture windows. Arrive in Denali with free time this afternoon to enjoy optional activities such as river rafting, or later tonight we can recommend the delicious salmon dinner and amusing antics served at the Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre Show (see Tour Add-ons).  Overnight near the Denali National Park entrance.

Day 4
Denali National Park to Fairbanks

Early morning, depart on a narrated bus tour into Denali National Park. As you travel through the pristine wilderness, look for wildlife, such as bears, caribou, and moose, as well as views of the Mountain. Your experienced driver/guide will provide commentary. The tour is approximately 4-6 hours long and takes you approximately 30 – 43 miles into the park, depending on weather and road conditions. Later this afternoon following the tour, at around 4:00 PM, you will travel by train to Fairbanks. You will have the opportunity to purchase dinner while on board the train, with an evening arrival in Fairbanks scheduled for approximately 8:00 PM. Transfer to your hotel via courtesy shuttle or on your own. Overnight in Fairbanks.

Day 5
Fairbanks

Begin your day with a narrated sightseeing tour of the highlights of Fairbanks. During the tour, you will visit the Morris Thompson Cultural Center where you will find great exhibits about Interior Alaska. Then stop at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline where your guide will explain the astonishing engineering of the pipeline, the oil field in Prudhoe Bay, and the Alaska oil industry. From there, continue to the Museum of the North with its dramatic architecture and new exhibit galleries (if closed, you will go to the Antique Auto Museum instead). And finally, you will visit Santa Claus at his home in North Pole, Alaska. To complete your day, enjoy a 3-hour sternwheeler cruise on the Chena River aboard the Riverboat Discovery.  Along the route you will see a bush plane take off, meet a champion line of Alaskan husky sled dogs, and gain insight into the ancient Athabaskan Indian culture during a stop at Chena Village.  Overnight in Fairbanks.

Day 6
Fairbanks to Deadhorse

Your 3-day guided tour deep into Alaska’s Arctic begins today! From Fairbanks, fly across the Arctic Circle to Deadhorse. When the weather is clear, enjoy views of the Brooks Range and Arctic Ocean from the air. This remote outpost serves as the transportation and supply hub for the Prudhoe Bay oil fields and is the farthest north you can drive in the USA. Your guide will share insights about Arctic living and drive you to points of interest. On days when it is accessible, you will also visit the Arctic Ocean, where you can dip your toes in the shallows. Overnight in Deadhorse.

 

Important: This 3-day escorted tour might operate in reverse direction as well. Please see “Important Notes” for more details.

Day 7
Deadhorse to Coldfoot

Today you will start your guided overland journey on the Dalton Highway. Your experienced driver/guide will provide insight and information about Alaska’s Arctic. The Dalton Highway is also know locally as the Haul Road, or perhaps even more famous as the “Ice Road”, a trucker supply route to the North Slope oilfields. You’ll explore the amazing arctic tundra of the Arctic Coastal Plain up close, where you can feel the veins of ice just beneath the surface. Your tour continues as you traverse the majestic Brooks Mountain Range and pass through the Continental Divide at Atigun Pass. Keep your eyes open for grizzly bears and caribou! Spectacular peaks and panoramic vistas make this journey a highlight. Travel approximately 8 hours this day including frequent stops. Overnight in Coldfoot.

Day 8
Coldfoot to Fairbanks

This morning, visit the historic gold mining community of Wiseman. After a walking tour of the outpost, continue southward along the Dalton Highway where you cross the Arctic Circle. Other stops in route to Fairbanks include the trading post at Joy, interesting geologic formations, and the mighty Yukon River. Today’s travel time is also approximately 8 hours including frequent stops. You will arrive in Fairbanks at approximately 8:00-9:00pm. Overnight in Fairbanks.

Day 9
Fairbanks to Anchorage

This morning is free for optional sightseeing in Fairbanks. In the afternoon, fly back to Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage.

Day 10
Anchorage Departure

Today transfer to the airport by courtesy hotel shuttle or on your own. Depart or start an additional program, such as bear viewing or a wilderness lodge stay.

Tour Map

 

Dates & Rates

Tour begins only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays

To complete this reservation we will need for each person: Full name including middle name(s), gender, issuing country of passport or state of US driver's license, passport or US driver's license number, date of birth and body weight(s).




Our Standard Program Includes:

2 and 3 star hotel accommodations.

The program will include a combination of hotels or motels that are considered moderate to standard tourist class. Please be aware not all hotels have shuttle services.

Standard train car seating on all rail services (reserved seats).

If you would like to book the standard program but with upgraded rail seating, the option and surcharge will be listed when you save to your cart.

Our Upgraded Program Includes:

* 3 and 4 star hotels (best available) wherever possible.

The program will include standard rooms at this category of hotel where possible. Alaska has very limited hotel choices in remote areas and small towns. The properties will typically offer a wider range of services such as a full-service restaurant, room service and perhaps a pool or spa facilities. Please be aware the upgraded accommodations in downtown Anchorage do not have hotel shuttle services. Many of the upgraded hotels also offer guaranteed view rooms for additional cost. If you would like a specific room type, in addition to the upgraded program, please ask us about availability and cost difference.

Deluxe dome train car seating between Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks, or Anchorage and Seward.

All journeys between Anchorage and Whittier are in standard seating as deluxe dome cars are not available on that route.

Program is available to book for 1 or 2 people per room. For larger parties or families with children, please contact us for pricing and availability.

Important Notes:

  • A 4-person minimum is required for the tour to operate!
  • Please note, this tour includes independent travel on Days 1 - 5 and Days 9 - 10.  You will have a guided small group tour on Days 6 - 8.    
  • Itinerary Day 6 - 8: Depending on your departure day or availability, you may first fly from Fairbanks to Deadhorse and then drive the Dalton Highway to Fairbanks, OR you may first travel the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Deadhorse then fly back to Fairbanks. 
  • Flight between Deadhorse and Fairbanks is in a smaller plane such as a Navajo.
  • Luggage restriction: For the guided program from Day 6-8 guests are limited to one bag per person (preferably soft-sided) with maximum weight of 10-15 pounds. Additional luggage can be stored in Fairbanks.
  • Accommodations: overnight accommodations for the guided program from Day 6-7 consist of very basic, clean rooms that are extremely rustic by urban standards. 
 

Tour Add-ons

Browsing optional excursions for the An Alaskan Odyssey:
This tour package extends all the way from the North Pacific Ocean to the Arctic with ample time for pre or post tour add-ons from Anchorage to add a wilderness lodge stay, go bear viewing or slow the pace a bit with added nights in Denali or Fairbanks to experience more of Alaska's great interior region.

Cabin Nite Dinner Theater

Enjoy old-time Alaska as you enjoy a popular dinner theater performance in Denali National Park set in an authentic Alaska log-paneled roadhouse. Join heroine Fannie Quigley and an unforgettable cast of characters in this true-to-life Alaska Gold Rush tale of […]... Browse itinerary

The trip was wonderful!  The travel documentation was quite helpful as it contained everything we needed to smoothly transition from one place to the next. I would have liked to see even more than we did, but at least I've seen enough to know what I'd like to spend more time doing... Read more  

Margaret | Missouri