Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128

Discover Alaska by road on a self-drive Alaskan vacation with stops in Anchorage, Seward, and Denali National Park.

Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128

Discover Alaska by road on a self-drive Alaskan vacation with stops in Anchorage, Seward, and Denali National Park.

Exterior entrance to McKinley Princess Lodge.

Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128

Discover Alaska by road on a self-drive Alaskan vacation with stops in Anchorage, Seward, and Denali National Park.

Lone grizzly bear traveling through brush in Denali National Park.

Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128

Discover Alaska by road on a self-drive Alaskan vacation with stops in Anchorage, Seward, and Denali National Park.

Paddle Alaska Road Trip - Tour 128

Discover Alaska by road on a self-drive Alaskan vacation with stops in Anchorage, Seward, and Denali National Park.

Overview
What's Included
Itinerary
Map
Rates & Dates
Options & Upgrades
Photos
Add to My Trip

Trip Overview

Travel by rental car to some of Alaska's most loved destinations on this seven-day vacation package. In many ways Alaska is best experienced by water, so the trip includes a day cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park, a raft trip through the Nenana River Canyon near Denali National Park, and two very different kayak tours, one in an glacial lagoon and one in a mountain lake. A bus tour into Denali National Park, a must-do for every visitor to Alaska, rounds out the adventure. The full package includes the rental car, all tours, and accommodations. It begins and ends in Anchorage.

Trip Highlights

Take a private water taxi through Seward's Resurrection Bay to kayak among icebergs in the Bear Glacier lagoon.
Explore Alaska's scenic Seward and Parks highways via rental car.
Paddle the serene, wildlife-rich Byers Lake within Denali State Park.
Discover the natural wonders of Denali National Park on a fully guided bus tour.

Why Pick This Trip

This Alaska vacation strikes a balance of being well-planned without feeling rigid. Traveling by your own rental car gives you the freedom to explore, while the coordinated tours and accommodations ensure you see beautiful sights, have memorable experiences, and rest easy along the way. Plus, you'll visit Denali State Park (neighbor to the national park). It's one of Alaska's best kept secrets.

What's Included

Here is everything that is included. Remember, we can easily add or remove services so this vacation package is the perfect fit for your party.

Anchorage | 1 Night

Just minutes from the Anchorage airport, the Courtyard is a top choice for travelers arriving late or departing early from Anchorage. Learn More >

Anchorage | 6 Days

When flexibility and freedom is a must, opt to travel by rental car. Rates available for compact, midsize, full size, and minivans. Learn More >

Seward | Depart 2:00 PM | 6 Hours

Cruise to Kenai Fjords National Park's pristine Bear Glacier Lagoon by jetboat and enjoy a spectacular paddle among otherworldly icebergs on this active adventure tour out of Seward. Learn More >

Seward | 2 Nights

Tucked along a salmon stream and within walking distance to most of Seward's main attractions, the Gateway Hotel is also this small coastal community's newest hotel. Learn More >

Seward | Depart 11:30 AM | 6 Hours

Experience glaciers, wildlife, and Alaska's remarkable coast on this preeminent cruise through Kenai Fjords. Learn More >

Seward

Unlock the mysteries of Alaska's rich and diverse marine ecosystem at this renowned education, research, and wildlife rehabilitation facility. Learn More >

Talkeetna | 1 Night

Offering the perfect balance of remoteness and accessibility, this property features two restaurants, free presentations by state park rangers, and comfortable rooms just two hours south of Denali National Park. Learn More >

Talkeetna | Depart 12:45 PM | 3 Hours

With complimentary transportation available from the McKinley Princess Lodge, this easy three-hour kayak trip takes visitors into the wildlife-rich waters of Byers Lake. Learn More >

Denali Park | 2 Nights

Stay in a cedar cabin or comfortable lodge room at this resort-style property. The Village is seven miles from the entrance to Denali Park and offers guests free shuttle service. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 6:00 AM | 5 Hours

Fully narrated bus tour with a turnaround point at the historic Murie Cabin deep inside Denali National Park. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 6:20 PM | 3 Hours

Spend three hours meeting sled dogs (puppies, too!) and learning about the adventurous life of a musher on this tour near Denali Park. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 10:00 AM | 3 Hours

Splash through wilder rapids in the Nenana River Gorge on this three-hour trip with Denali's longest-running rafting company. Learn More >

Itinerary

Read on for a day-by-day breakdown of this tour package. Click on an item to get started, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.

Fly into Ted Stevens International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight Anchorage.

There are so few highways in Alaska that they're known locally by name rather than number. You'll pick up your rental car early this morning for the drive south on the Seward Highway, a particularly scenic route winding along the Turnagain Arm and through the Kenai Mountains.

On your first afternoon in the coastal community of Seward, join a local guide service for a kayaking trip in a glacial moraine lagoon. There you'll paddle among icebergs calved from the mighty Bear Glacier, the longest in Kenai Fjords National Park. Overnight Seward.

Venture into coastal waters once again today, this time aboard a stable catamaran exploring Aialik Bay on the southern border of Kenai Fjords National Park. Before you see the sites from the boat, get an up-close glimpse of local marine wildlife with a morning trip to the Alaska SeaLife Center. Overnight Seward.

With no tours to make today, take your time on the drive from Seward north toward the Denali Park area. Stop to admire the aqua blue water of Kenai Lake, stretch your legs at the Turnagain Pass rest area, and take a swing through the ski town of Girdwood for a cup of coffee and road trip snack.

You'll continue back through Anchorage and another 135 miles to your woodland lodge for the night. Overnight near Denali State Park.

Savor your accommodation's serene surroundings with a morning walk along marked trails or, if something mellower suits your fancy, from a cozy chair in the main lodge. That serenity continues with a midday kayak trip on Byers Lake in Denali State Park. Just 20 minutes up the road from your lodge, the park is the quieter, smaller neighbor to Denali National Park. When the weather is clear, there's an unobstructed view of Denali from the middle of Byers Lake.

Once you're back on land, continue north to the Denali National Park area. Overnight Denali.

Denali National Park awaits! Today you'll head inside the park's boundaries, traveling by guided bus tour along the park's only road. With luck you'll see many of resident animals, from ambling grizzlies foraging for berries to caribou resting on exposed alpine slopes. In the evening join a tour to meet some iconic Alaska characters: Sled dogs and their mushers. Overnight Denali.

Splash through Class III and IV rapids of the Nenana River on the final tour of your Alaska vacation. Your trip ends with a return to Anchorage.

Map

Check out the map below for a visual overview of this specific tour package. You can see a larger version of the map here, or try our an interactive tour map by using the link below.

SHOW INTERACTIVE MAP >

Rates & Dates

The prices below will give you an idea of approximately how much this trip will cost. Keep in mind your actual price will likely vary based on your departure date, availability, and any modifications you make. You can use one of the links below to request an exact quote for your party, or price the trip yourself if you prefer using our My Trip feature. You can often save money by traveling in the value season, typically May and September.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $4,283	Double: $2,671	Triple: $2,179	Quad: $1,933	Child: $800
Taxes & Fees	Single: $463	Double: $263	Triple: $199	Quad: $168	Child: $41
Total	Single: $4,746	Double: $2,934	Triple: $2,378	Quad: $2,101	Child: $841
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $3,923	Double: $2,491	Triple: $2,059	Quad: $1,843	Child: $800
Taxes & Fees	Single: $398	Double: $230	Triple: $178	Quad: $152	Child: $41
Total	Single: $4,321	Double: $2,721	Triple: $2,237	Quad: $1,995	Child: $841
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

Options and Add-Ons

While this is one of our popular self-drive tour packages, you can make it even better! We can add or remove services to make it a perfect match for your party. For example, many of our guests like to add a day in Anchorage for a bear viewing trip to Lake Clark National Park. Prefer a less splashy raft trip? Switch to a scenic float in Denali instead of the included whitewater trip. The choices are endless, and just a few suggestions are listed below.

You can make these changes at check out and your final package price will be updated to reflect just the services you choose. Give us a call or request a quote for more specifics.

Seward | Depart 8:30 AM | 8 Hours

Explore the farther reaches of Kenai Fjords National Park on this full-day boat trip designed for birders, photographers, and marine wildlife enthusiasts. Learn More >

Anchorage | Depart 8:00 AM | 11 Hours

View bears as they feed on abundant Alaskan salmon in the shadow of the Chigmit range and Mt. Redoubt volcano on this immersive full-day excursion into Lake Clark National Park. Learn More >