Glacier landing at Pica Glacier from Talkeetna, Alaska.

North to South Alaska Explorer - Tour 161

Raft, ride, and fly through the most popular places in Alaska.

Guests can enjoy a Dog Sled demonstration from on board the Riverboat Discovery.

North to South Alaska Explorer - Tour 161

Raft, ride, and fly through the most popular places in Alaska.

A little adrenaline rush on a Denali Park whitewater rafting trip.

North to South Alaska Explorer - Tour 161

Raft, ride, and fly through the most popular places in Alaska.

Welcoming sign at the Denali Bluffs Hotel.

North to South Alaska Explorer - Tour 161

Raft, ride, and fly through the most popular places in Alaska.

Grizzly hides behind bushes in Denali National Park.

North to South Alaska Explorer - Tour 161

Raft, ride, and fly through the most popular places in Alaska.

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

Trip Overview

Over six days, this Alaska vacation package takes visitors to some of the state's most popular destinations and on some of its most loved tours. The route starts in Fairbanks, a city big by Alaska standards, with an international airport and a fascinating gold rush history. The itinerary runs one way from here, winding south to Denali National Park for two nights and Talkeetna for another, before wrapping up in Anchorage. Activities at each stop are handpicked to provide the broadest experience of Alaska, ranging from Alaskan heritage and history to wildlife viewing and a touch of outdoor adventure. Travel is completed by rail and motorcoach.

Trip Highlights

Experience the living history of Fairbanks, from bush planes to Native cultures, aboard a classic sternwheeler riverboat.
Splash through Class III and IV rapids in the Nenana River Canyon.
Travel by railroad and motorcoach through landscapes that shift from open tundra to glacial plains, spruce forests to sweeping mountain valleys.
Land by ski plane on a glacier thousands of feet high in the Alaska Range.
Travel along the solitary road into Denali National Park on a guided wildlife bus tour.

Why Pick This Trip

This efficient itinerary runs one way from Fairbanks to Anchorage, maximizing your vacation time by eliminating the need to backtrack. The package works especially well as a pre-cruise land tour for cruisers departing out of Whittier or Seward.

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.

Fairbanks | 2 Nights

Relax in a private riverfront or garden cottage in this quaint property. The resort, which offers a free shuttle service to the Fairbanks airport and depot, is located on the banks of the Chena River. Learn More >

Fairbanks | Depart 2:00 PM | 3 Hours

Ride on a historic sternwheeler on this fully narrated three-hour tour featuring floatplane and sled dog demonstrations and an Athabascan village walk. Learn More >

Depart 8:20 AM | Arrive Denali Park 12:10 PM

Make the trip from Fairbanks to Denali on this comfortable train offering reserved seating in both Adventure Class and GoldStar Dome cars. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 3:00 PM | 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 >

Denali Park | 2 Nights

Minutes away from the Denali National Park entrance, this mountaintop property offers standard guest rooms and premium rooms with a view as well as fine dining at the Alpenglow Restaurant and Peak Spirit Lounge. 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 7:40 AM | 3 Hours

Offering active exploration of the unique natural setting of the Denali Park area, guests return from this three-hour walking tour both energized and educated. Learn More >

Depart 12:30 PM | Arrive Talkeetna 5:05 PM

Connect from the Denali Park area to the funky town of Talkeetna along a section of train track boasting big river and mountain views. Learn More >

Talkeetna | 1 Night

When the mountain is "out" Denali is unmissable from this ridge-top property. The lodge comprises two full-service restaurants, a coffee shop, bar, and comfortable guest rooms with either forest or mountain views. Learn More >

Talkeetna | Depart 11:00 AM | 1 Hour

Land on a glacier deep within the Alaska Range on this unforgettable flightseeing trip out of Talkeetna. Learn More >

Depart 5:45 PM | Arrive Anchorage 8:30 PM

Return to Anchorage by the early afternoon or late evening on this versatile motorcoach transfer route out of Talkeetna. Learn More >

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 >

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 Fairbanks and transfer to your hotel by courtesy shuttle. Overnight Fairbanks.

Ease into your Alaska vacation with a mellow morning, enjoying your hotel's riverside location. This afternoon you'll head onto the river aboard a classic sternwheeler. The paddlewheel boat heads down the Chena River, pausing for narrated bush plane, sled dog, and Native Alaskan culture demos. Overnight Fairbanks.

Transfer to the Fairbanks Depot for your morning ride on the train to Denali National Park. The rolling tundra landscape is dotted by stands of spindly spruce trees and laced with rivers, several of which the train traverses on the way south.

This afternoon you'll trade the relaxing railroad ride for an exhilarating whitewater raft down the Nenana River Canyon, a lively stretch of rapids you saw from the train coming in. Overnight Denali.

Today you'll head deep into Denali National Park. There's only one road into the six-million-acre park, and your guided bus tour traverses much of it. Overnight Denali

Having hopefully seen an abundance of big Alaskan wildlife yesterday, this morning's guided hike is a good chance to take in the park's smaller creatures. Birds, Arctic squirrels, marmots, and even beavers are sometimes seen from the trail.

You'll return to the Denali Depot around noon to catch the southbound Denali Star train to Talkeetna. Overnight Talkeetna.

The final tour of your Alaska vacation takes you to the high mountains you've until now only admired from a distance. With the weather on your side, you'll land by ski plane on one of the glaciers amongst the massive granite peaks flanking Denali.

You'll travel the final leg of your trip via the Park Connection Motorcoach, arriving into Anchorage around 8:30 PM. Final overnight 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: $3,497	Double: $2,361	Triple: $2,027	Quad: $1,860	Child: $838
Taxes & Fees	Single: $260	Double: $159	Triple: $129	Quad: $114	Child: $32
Total	Single: $3,757	Double: $2,520	Triple: $2,156	Quad: $1,974	Child: $870
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: $3,497	Double: $2,361	Triple: $2,027	Quad: $1,860	Child: $838
Taxes & Fees	Single: $260	Double: $159	Triple: $129	Quad: $114	Child: $32
Total	Single: $3,757	Double: $2,520	Triple: $2,156	Quad: $1,974	Child: $870
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

This is one of our most popular tour packages between Fairbanks and Anchorage, but you can make it even better! We can add or remove services to make it a perfect match for your party. If you're booked on a cruise after this Alaskan land tour, you can also add transportation from Anchorage to cruise terminals in either Whittier or Seward. 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.

Depart 8:20 AM | Arrive Denali Park 12:10 PM

Ride south to Denali National Park aboard this privately owned and operated dome car. Service features a la cart breakfast and comfortable reserved seats in the car’s upper deck. Learn More >