Scenic Alaska Driving Tour

Tour 1505CTA

This classic self-drive provides you with the best of Alaska's scenic highways and features three of Alaska's spectacular national parks. You travel along the Denali National Park access road, the greatest wildlife tour in America, as well as a journey along the Denali Highway. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and McCarthy is another highlight and there is plenty to see and do along the way. Especially for outdoor enthusiasts, this independent self drive tour is one of the best programs to explore Alaska.

Click here to view a map of the driving route.

12 Days / 11 Nights

Day 1:  Anchorage Arrival
Pick up your rental car at the Anchorage airport upon your arrival and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Anchorage.

Day 2:  Anchorage to Sheep Mountain / 114 miles
Plan 2.5 hours driving time, not including stops.
Drive the Glenn Highway northbound toward Glennallen. A few interesting stops along way are the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Eklutna Indian Village. Sheep Mountain Lodge is located on the Glenn Highway just west of Glennallen, in a true wilderness setting. Overnight in Sheep Mountain.
(if booked with upgraded accommodation, overnight will be in the surroundings of Glennallen and not at Sheep Mountain)

Day 3:  Sheep Mountain to McCarthy / Kennicott / 140 miles
Plan 3 hours driving time, not including stops, plus 30 minute flight from Chitina to McCarthy.
Continue along the Glenn and Richardson Highways toward Chitina. In Chitina,  you will leave your car and take a short flight to McCarthy, located in the heart of Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. Overnight in McCarthy/Kennicott.
If you book the standard program you will stay at the McCarthy Lodge in a room with shared bath. If you book the upgraded program you will stay at Kennicott Glacier Lodge in a room with private bath (subject to availability).

Day 4:  McCarthy / Kennicott

Enjoy a full day of outdoor activities in this unique area of McCarthy, which currently has a population of 27 people, at your leisure. There is bus service (fares are not included) from McCarthy to nearby Kennicott. Kennicott is an abandoned copper mining town. The town was built by Kennecott Copper Corp. between 1910 and 1920. Kennecott was the richest copper mine in the world until its closure in 1938. Kennecott processed more then 536.600 tons of copper ore and employed some 800 workers.  Today it is a National History Site and one of Alaska's best kept secrets.

Day 5: McCarthy / Kennicott to Valdez / 120 miles
30 minute flight from McCarthy to Chitina. 2.5 hours driving time Chitina to Valdez, not including stops.
Fly back to Chitina to retrieve your rental vehicle, then continue south to the end of the spectacular Richardson Highway. Part of the route parallels the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and, weather permitting, you'll have incredible views of the St. Elias Mountains. Drive by Worthington Glacier and through Keystone Canyon, home to the spectacular Bridal Veil Falls. This evening you have an opportunity to participate in an optional natural history kayaking tour through Valdez harbor (not included), which was devastated by the 1964 earthquake. Overnight in Valdez.

Day 6:  Valdez
Spend today exploring the area and enjoy optional activities such as a Prince William Sound cruise, a kayaking tour, or a glacier hike (not included). Also do not miss visiting the small Valdez museum which showcases the area devastated by the 1964 earthquake. Overnight in Valdez.

Day 7:  Valdez to Fairbanks / 368 miles
Plan 7 hours driving time, not including stops.
Today you will travel the Richardson Highway back north. You travel again through Glennallen, passing by beautiful forest and lake scenery. At Delta Junction, the road becomes the Alaska Highway, which takes you to Fairbanks. Overnight in Fairbanks.

Day 8:  Fairbanks to Denali National Park / 125 miles
Plan 2.5 hours driving time, not including stops.

This morning you have time to explore Fairbanks at your leisure. Optional excursions include a sightseeing tour, a river boat cruise on an historic sternwheeler or a tour of the El Dorado Gold Mine (not included). Later today you will take a short drive to the park entrance area of Denali National Park. Overnight at the Denali National park entrance.

Day 9:  Denali National Park

Today a 6-8 hour bus tour into Denali National Park is included. The park is home to North America’s tallest mountain, Mt. McKinley, as well as to many different wild animals such as bears, caribou, moose, mountain sheep and more. On the bus tour you will travel approx 55 miles into the park and search for animals in the tundra landscape. You might even have the chance to see the impressive peak of Mt. McKinley (weather providing). A snack is included. The rest of the afternoon and evening is at your leisure. Overnight at the Denali National park entrance.

Day 10:  Denali to Anchorage / 237 miles
Plan 5 hrs driving time, not including stops.
This scenic drive takes you back to Anchorage. A must stop is the quaint town of Talkeetna, known for its special backcountry-town charm. Weather permitting, Talkeetna can have one of the best views of Mt McKinley and the Alaska Range. You also can depart on a spectacular flightseeing tour from here or a riverboat excursion (not included). Overnight in Anchorage.

Day 11:  Anchorage
Spend today exploring Anchorage and it's surroundings on your own. Several excursions (not included) are available for your final day including full-day excursions to Seward for a cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska's Arctic for some insight into Alaska's Native cultures, or the Katmai Coast for bear viewing options. Overnight Anchorage.

Day 12:  Depart Anchorage
Today you return your car to the Anchorage airport car rental station. Depart or start an additional program.

11 nights accommodation, 11 day midsize rental vehicle with unlimited mileage, roundtrip scenic flights in a bush plane from Chitina to McCarthy, bus tour into Denali Nat Park with snack, and all taxes and fees.

LDW insurance for rental car, additional driver fees, gas.

Meals, optional excursions, park/admission fees other than mentioned, gratuity.

For additional car rental days please click here!

Accommodation in McCarthy/Kennicott on day 3 and 4: 
If you booked the standard program you will stay at the McCarthy Lodge located at the very center of the largest protected wilderness on earth in the bush community of McCarthy. The lodge was first built in 1923 and is a truly special property with great service provided by year-round residents. A full restoration of the lodge was completed in 2004. Today the McCarthy Lodge offers comfortable rooms each with a hot and cold running water and nearby bathrooms with toilet and shower. The bathrooms are "private use" but shared by other guests.

If you booked the upgraded program you will stay at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge. This lodge consists of two buildings. The main building was originally opened in 1987 and is a replica of one of the historic mining buildings from the copper mining boom town days. It has comfortable rooms with a sink with cold running water. There are plenty of spotlessly clean bathrooms and shower rooms located throughout the main lodge for your use.  Baths are "private use", but shared by other guests. In 2004 a new (separate) building was added, offering 10 rooms with private bath. With the upgraded program, you will be accommodated in the separate building in a room with private bath. Depending on availability we might only be able to accommodate you in the main lodge in a room with shared bath (you would be notified).