Wild Alaska road trip with bear viewing flight

Itinerary in brief:

• 2 nights Anchorage
• 2 nights Seward
• 2 nights Homer
• 1 night Girdwood
• 1 night Talkeetna
• 2 nights Denali Park Entrance
• 1 night Fairbanks 
• 2 nights McCarthy 
• 1 night Anchorage 

Day 1: UK to Alaska

Depart the UK from your chosen airport. On arrival, you’ll make your own way into the city, check into your hotel for two nights and head to bed early, ready to explore tomorrow.

Included: International flight, 4* hotel

Day 2: Anchorage

Many people arrive in Anchorage expecting to see a wild west town of gold panning Alaskans, but Anchorage is a bustling cosmopolitan city where you can enjoy theatre, museums and world-class food. Enjoy a huge American breakfast of eggs, hash browns and orange juice at a local breakfast joint before heading to the Alaska Native Heritage Centre where you can learn how early humans survived in the northern wilderness. Take a long leisurely walk along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail before heading back downtown to catch a trolley tour looking out for urban moose while enjoying a coffee from Snow City Café. For dinner tuck into a plate of King crab or reindeer sausages with fresh herby vegetables on the side – delicious!

Included: 4* hotel  

Day 3: Drive to Seward

This morning, you’ll pick up your rental car and begin your road trip through Alaska! You’ll drive along the Seward Highway towards Turnagain Arm, a huge body of water where you might spot Beluga whales chasing salmon in the bay or Dall sheep grazing by the shore. Stopping in Whittier, you'll head out on the Prince William Sound Glacier cruise, heading into a world of floating ice, waterfalls and glaciers, all the while looking for sea otters, whales and seabirds. Enjoy lunch onboard before driving on to Seward, where you'll check into your hotel for two nights before heading out into the town for a look around – we recommend the SeaLife Centre for a glimpse into local marine life.

Included: Cruise, car hire, 4* hotel    

Day 4: Seward

Today we’ve arranged an all-day cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park. You’ll head deep into the park and visit the magnificent Northwestern Fjord, home to numerous tidewater and alpine glaciers. There is an abundance of wildlife to be found here – black bears, beavers, lynx and red squirrels on land as well as orcas, sea otters and porpoises under the waters. You’ll also visit the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Reserve, an island home to teeming seabird rookeries and enjoy lunch onboard. This cruise will give you a great insight into the wild beauty of Kenai Fjords before heading back to your hotel at the end of the day.

There are loads of other activities you could enjoy here instead of the cruise - dog sledding, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and even a helicopter flight to the glacier - if you want to change to one of these, just ask!

Included: Cruise, car hire, 4* hotel           

Day 5: Drive to Homer

Continuing your road trip you’ll follow the Sterling Highway today, a designated scenic highway covering miles of spectacular wilderness – think snow-capped mountains and active volcanoes, as well as excellent salmon fishing along the Kenai River. Homer is blessed with a view to the south, where the rugged Kenai Mountains sit above the sparkling waters of Kachemak Bay. If you love fishing, then this is the place to be - King salmon and halibut are found here in the spring and into the summer. On arrival, you’ll check into your hotel for two nights.

Included: Car hire, 4* hotel        

Day 6: Homer          

Homer is a haven for foodies – every street corner has a local coffee shop, gourmet sandwich bar or fine dining restaurant, unusual for rural Alaska and one of the things that makes Homer so special. It is a centre for artists in the area and the plethora of galleries, museums and music venues give credence to Homer being the cultural capital of Alaska. It is also located in a beautiful spot where the looming Kenai Mountains stand sentry over the wildlife-filled bay – you’ll spend much of your day here falling in love with this quirky little town. If you'd like to add in something more adventurous, we can book bear viewing flights or fishing excursions - just ask!

bear viewing flight

Included: Car hire, 4* hotel         

Day 8: Drive to Girdwood

This morning you'll drive north to reach Girdwood, the home of the only 5-star resort in Alaska – the Hotel Alyeska, where you’ll check in for 1 night. On the way you'll pass the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre, which provides care and rehabilitation to some of Alaska's largest land mammals - you'll be able to get close to moose, caribou, bears and musk ox. In the evening, enjoy some top-quality food in one of the resort's restaurants and relax after an exciting day.

Included: Car hire, Alyeska Hotel

Day 9: Drive to Talkeetna

Today you'll drive north from Girdwood along Turnagain Arm, where you can enjoy the views over the dramatic coast before passing through Anchorage and into the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. The landscape opens up into farmland and forests, with views over the Alaska Range. You'll soon arrive in Talkeetna, a rail town on the confluence of three rivers, with views of Denali on clear days. 

Included: Car hire, 4* hotel

Day 10: Jetboat excursion

This morning, you'll head out to explore Alaska river country, with views towards Denali. Zoom along in the jet boat, learning about local history, wildlife in this region and stopping to visit a historic trappers cabin. In the afternoon, you'll continue driving north to Denali National Park, following the Parks Highway past rivers and forests as you arrive at the national park by land, after your epic flight this morning. Enjoy the views as you get ready to explore on the ground tomorrow. 

Included: Jetboat tour, car hire, 4* hotel 

Day 11: Denali National Park

Today is yours to enjoy the incredible wilderness of Denali National Park. In the morning, you'll head out on a half day jeep tour, learning about the region, the wildlife and the history of human activity in these incredible mountains. The afternoon is yours to enjoy the local trails, do some hiking and enjoy this incredible national park further. 

Included: Denali Highway jeep excursion, car hire, 4* hotel  

Day 12: Drive to Fairbanks 

Continuing your journey north today, you'll be driving past boreal forests and river valleys towards Fairbanks. On arrival, you'll check into your hotel for one night, before heading out to enjoy a riverboat cruise along the Chena and Tanana rivers. You'll learn about native Alaskan culture, the history of Fairbanks and life in the interior. It's a fascinating insight into this landlocked area of Alaska and the importance of the rivers that connect together historic towns. 

Included: Car hire, riverboat cruise, 4* hotel 

Day 13: Fly to McCarthy 

Leaving Fairbanks behind, today you'll drive south along the wide river valleys of the Richardson Highway towards the Copper River region. The scenery changes gradually into mountainous terrain as you get closer to the mountains of Wrangell-St. Elias, before arriving at Chitina, a small community on the edge of the McCarthy Road. From here, you'll fly on a short but spectacular journey over the Kennicott Valley into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Admire glacier-fed rivers and vast wilderness before landing in McCarthy, a true wilderness community shaped by the local copper mining industry amongst the incredible mountains. 

Included: Car hire, light aircraft flight, 3* hotel 

Day 14: Root Glacier hike 

Today you'll head off on a half day hike on the incredible Root Glacier. In the heart of the national park, you'll start with a two mile hike along the trail, learning about the glacier before arriving at the ice. Strap on your crampons and take your first step onto the glacier, feeling the crunch of the ice beneath your feet. you'll be stepping into a world of bright blue pools, glacial streams, canyons and crevasses with views over towards the Stairway Icefall. It's an epic way to spend the morning - if you'd like to extend to a full day tour, just ask! 

Included: Glacier tour, 3* hotel  

Day 15: Fly to Chitina, drive to Anchorage

Hop back on the light aircraft flight Chitina today, enjoying the views as you leave the Wrangell-St. Elias region. On arrival, you'll drive south back to Anchorage - we always recommend stopping along the way at Matanuska Glacier, one of Alaska's most impressive glacier viewpoints, right by the side of the road. On arrival back in Anchorage, you'll check into your hotel for your final night - why not head out for dinner and raise a glass to an epic journey through Alaska. 

Included: Car hire, light aircraft flight, 4* hotel 

Day 16: Depart Alaska 

Say goodbye to Alaska and head to the airport to drop off your hire car before your flight home. 

Included: Car hire, international flights

Day 17: Arrive UK