Hidden Alaska

 

Fairbanks	All Seasons B&B Inn	1 night
Denali National Park	Kantishna Roadhouse	3 nights
Talkeetna	Susitna River Lodge	1 night
Girdwood	Alyeska Resort	1 night
Fox Island	Kenai Wilderness Lodge	1 night
Seward	Breeze Inn	1 night
Anchorage	Westmark Hotel	1 night
Katmai National Park	Brooks Lodge	2 nights
Anchorage	Westmark Hotel	1 night

While superlatives strive to convey the grandeur of Alaska, they never quite manage to capture the reality. The “Hidden Alaska” trip does exactly that. You will be taken far from the heavily touristed routes to get you up close to the real Alaska: to the inner heart of Denali; alongside the face of a calving glacier; at river’s edge, watching giant brown bears fish for salmon. This is Alaska “less discovered”: bigger, wilder, more amazing than you’ve imagined. You’ve got to see it for yourself.

DAY 1 – Arrival in Fairbanks.

On arrival in Fairbanks take a taxi (not included) to your hotel to join up with your fellow guests who will be participating in this unique small group adventure (group size - approximately 13 passengers). Recommended flight: British Airways from London Heathrow, connecting with the Alaska Airlines flight to Fairbanks (see below).

DAYS 2 TO 4 – Denali National Park.

Denali National Park (pictured left) is one of the world’s great wilderness preserves. Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, towers over tundra and taiga below, habitat for wolves, grizzlies, moose and caribou. From your base at historic Kantishna Roadhouse, 92 miles inside the park, you will have time and space to encounter the wilderness. Hiking, nature walks, biking, fishing and optional flightseeing are available. Early morning and evening offer excellent opportunities to see wildlife in the lodge environs.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner each day.

DAY 5 – Denali to Talkeetna.

Depart Denali by train on a journey through Alaska’s rugged Interior, over Broad Pass and along the Susitna River to Talkeetna. There’s time on arrival to explore this rustic village of log cabins, bush pilots and Far North hospitality.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 6 – Girdwood.

Drive south to Alyeska Resort, Alaska’s premier ski area that is replete with summer activities, too. Set in a lush glacial valley in the Chugach Range near the coast, Alyeska offers nature and luxury in tandem. Streamside trails lined with wildflowers beckon at the base, or board the tram (pictured right) to the summit where you may choose to dine at Seven Glaciers, a five-star restaurant with vistas of the ice-bound peaks and Turnagain Arm far below.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch.

DAY 7 – Fox Island.

Fox Island, a private island bordering the Kenai Fjords, reveals the pristine side of Alaska most visitors miss, providing accommodations for just 18 guests in comfortable beachfront cabins. The region is famed for sea kayaking, and an optional easy paddling trip may unveil some of the area’s prolific marine life.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 8 – Kenai Fjords by private yacht.

Today you will cruise through a land where the ice age still lingers. The private small yacht allows the group to approach wildlife more intimately, and Kenai Fjords National Park provides unparalleled opportunities for viewing humpback and orca whales, porpoises, sea otters, and a large colony of puffins. Here, glaciers pour into the sea, and you may observe icebergs calving with a crash (pictured left). Overnight in Seward, on Resurrection Bay.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 9 – Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage.

The mountain ranges of the Kenai Peninsula rise one after another on the drive to Anchorage. Time permitting, a stop will be made at Exit Glacier for a closeup look at this active river of ice. Spend the night in Anchorage.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch.

DAYS 10 AND 11 – Katmai National Park.

Katmai National Park is home to the world’s largest population of brown bears. You fly by small plane to King Salmon, then by floatplane to world-renowned Brooks Lodge, one of the best places to view these coastal grizzlies in their natural habitat. From the safety of platforms built over Brooks Falls (oictured right), observe this classic spectacle up close, as the bears fish vigorously for salmon swimming upstream to spawn.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner each day.

DAY 12 – Return to Anchorage.

After morning activities in Katmai, return to Anchorage.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch.

DAY 13 – Depart for UK.

Take a taxi (not included) to the airport for your homeward flight.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 14 - Arrive UK.

Arrive in London in the morning.

International Flights.

There are no direct flights to Fairbanks or Anchorage from the UK. We recommend the services of British Airways to Seattle, connecting with the services of Alaska Airlines. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows:
Heathrow/Seattle. Depart at 12.55; arrive Seattle at 14.30
Seattle/Fairbanks. Depart at 17.05; arrive Fairbanks at 21.51
Anchorage/Seattle. Depart at 11.30; arrive Seattle at 15.53
Seattle/Heathrow. Depart at 18.45; arrive Heathrow at 11.45 (next day)

Hidden Alaska (Tour Reference: WDAL001)
2010 Departures
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

Departures	Price
Thr 24 Jun, Wed 30 Jun; Sat 3 Jul, Mon 12 Jul, Sun 18 Jul, Wed 21 Jul; Thr 26 Aug, Sun 29 Aug	£4850

Single Room Supplement: £925.

The price includes:

• Hotel and lodge accommodation as listed above in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities (facilities are shared at Brooks Lodge with two bunk beds and private facilites between 4 passengers each)
• 12 full breakfasts, 11 lunches and 8 dinners as shown in the itinerary
• Transfers on arrival and departure
• All transportation and sightseeing as shown, including entrance fees
• Return airfare Anchorage/Brooks Lodge/Anchorage
• The services of an Expedition Tour Leader for the included sightseeing and activities.

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance
• International airport taxes
• Tipping.
• US Visa.  Visa applications are now required to be made online a minimum of 72 hours prior to departure.  Visit https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov for details.

A deposit of £400 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your travel arrangements must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure date.