DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

Monday, July 7 Juneau

This morning we will board our flight for a journey to the great state of Alaska. Upon arrival at Juneau, Alaska's capitol city, a motor coach will be awaiting our arrival. We will then enjoy a tour of the city of Juneau including their biggest attraction, Mendenhall Glacier. We will also visit the Gastineau Salmon Hatchery to learn first hand about Alaska's salmon hatchery operation. Next we will enjoy the Alaska State Museum where we will see a bald eagle nesting tree and much more. The balance of the day is at your leisure.

Tuesday, July 8 Skagway

After an early breakfast we will begin our cruise on the Inside Passage to Skagway aboard the Alaska Ferry. This narrow passage will define the route that the early settlers traveled passing glaciers and icebergs enroute to Skagway. A narrator from the Department of Natural Resources will be describing our passage. Skagway - the town that owes it's birth to the 1797 Gold Stampede. Skagway's downtown historical district, false-fronted buildings, and boardwalk date back to the gold rush! Our overnight accommodations are in Skagway.

Wednesday, July 9 Whitehorse

After breakfast we will board the Yukon/White Pass Railroad for an unbelievable breathtaking ride with photo opportunities around every turn. Our overnight stay will be in Whitehorse where we will begin our travel on the Alaska-Canadian Highway. Upon our arrival at Whitehorse, we will check into our accommodations for the evening. This evening we will have a rousing good time at the Frantic Follies.

Today we will be traveling the Richardson Highway as we make our way to Valdez. We will make stops at the Worthington Glacier where the blue ice is blemished with glacial debris and crevasses. Continuing on, we will ride through Thompson Pass with it's narrow chasms that open up to reveal snowfields and jagged slopes. Richard Highway then winds through the Keystone Canyon passing the Bridal Veil and Horse Tail Falls as they plummet to the roadside. Several stops will be made for photo opportunities. We will continue on to Valdez to our accommodations for our evening stay.

Today we will enjoy a full day cruise on Prince William Sound passing Blight Reef where the Exxon Valdez spilled as well as seeing Columbia Glacier. We will board the ferry in Whittier. This is more than just a glacier tour. We'll see and float within thousands of icebergs, many larger than the boat we are in, with seals resting on the bergs. Our cruise ends in Whittier where our coach will meet us and take us to our overnight stay in Seward.

After breakfast we will enjoy Kenai Fjords National Park. Here we will board a special boat for a tour along Resurrection Bay. This will be a highlight for many as we'll view several species of birds, including puffins and eagles. We'll also watch sea lions, otters, and even orcas and humpback whales. We will depart for Anchorage after the cruise. (Today will be an option of going on a fishing excursion).

Monday, July 14 Denali

Our morning begins with a tour of the city of Anchorage. Then there will be some free time for shopping and lunch in downtown Anchorage. Enroute to Denali National Park we will make a stop at the Iditarod Museum. We will also make several stops along the way hoping to see Mt. McKinley. After checking into our hotel you will have the evening free to explore. Some optional activities may include a helicopter ride, river rafting, or the "Cabin Nite" Dinner Show.

After breakfast we will board a special bus for a Natural History Tour of Denali National Park. Keep an eye open for bear, moose, caribou, elk, birds, and other small game. This afternoon we'll drive north to Fairbanks. After arriving in Fairbanks, "The City with the Golden Heart", we will check into our accommodations for the next two evenings. Tonight we'll enjoy ourselves at the Salmon Bake feasting on all-you-can-eat salmon, halibut, and barbecue ribs. After dinner we'll walk over to Pioneer Park to see the musical show depicting the "golden days" in Fairbanks, in a humorous fashion.

Wednesday, July 16 Fairbanks

After breakfast we will board the motor coach and drive out to Little El Dorado. At the camp we will see demonstrations of the different ways of finding gold as well as panning some for ourselves. On our drive back to Fairbanks we will stop for a great view of the Alaskan pipeline. This afternoon we will board the Discovery Riverboat and cruise the Tanana and Chena Rivers. We'll explore the Eskimo cultures and see dog sled demonstrations as well as salmon fishing wheels.