All Alaska Classic Self Drive Tour

Anchorage Arrival

Upon arrival in Anchorage pick up your rental car at the airport and drive to your hotel. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Offering an abundance of shopping, cultural attractions, and gourmet restaurants, Anchorage provides an excellent start to your vacation. Overnight in Anchorage.

Important Note: Please provide us with your flight arrival information at time of booking, so that we can schedule the car rental pick up time correctly.

Anchorage to Talkeetna

Drive the Glenn Highway northbound, connecting to the Parks Highway in Wasilla. A few interesting stops along way are the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the village of Eklutna. Talkeetna is a small and unique gold mining community, famous for its special charm and as the expedition base for mountaineers seeking to summit the mountain of Denali. You’ll have time for some great optional excursions, including Denali flightseeing tours and jet boat excursions (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight in Talkeetna.

Talkeetna to Denali National Park

In the morning you may have time to take a sightseeing flight to the mountain of Denali, the tallest mountain in North America before continuing north from Talkeetna along the scenic Parks Highway. Your route will travel along the boundary of Denali State Park and Hurricane Gulch with massive peaks of the Alaska Range in view nearly the entire route. At 6 million acres, Denali National Park is one of the world’s last great frontiers for wilderness adventure. Your hotel will be at the park entrance, where most of the park services and hotels are located. Optional tours include rafting trips and flightseeing by helicopter or bush plane (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Denali National Park

Today, depart on a narrated bus tour into Denali National Park.  As you travel through the pristine wilderness, look for wildlife, such as bears, caribou, and moose, as well as views of the Mountain. Your experienced driver/guide will provide commentary.  The tour is approximately 4-6 hours long and takes you approximately 30 – 43 miles into the park, depending on weather and road conditions. The rest of the day is free for optional tours, such as river rafting and flightseeing tours (see Tour Add-Ons). Overnight near the Denali park entrance. The rest of the day is at leisure. Check out the Visitor Center at the park entrance or relax. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Denali National Park to Fairbanks

Drive north on the Parks Highway to Fairbanks. Accompanied by incredible forest and mountain landscapes you will drive through the communities of Healy, Nenana and Ester, an old mining camp. There are several optional Fairbanks activities available for today, including an Arctic Circle adventure or a sternwheeler riverboat cruise (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight in Fairbanks.

Fairbanks

Today is at your leisure to explore Alaska’s second largest city, known as the “Gateway to the Arctic.” You may wish to add an optional activity, such as a tour over the Arctic Circle or a historical riverboat cruise (see Tour Add-ons). Attractions in Fairbanks include the Museum of the North, Pioneer Park, the Ice Museum, and the Santa Claus House in the nearby town of North Pole. Overnight in Fairbanks.

Fairbanks to Kennicott / McCarthy

Travel south from Fairbanks along the Alaska and Richardson Highways to Chitina, where you will leave your rental car and board a bush plane for the scenic flight into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Your final destination is the spectacular Kennicott mines and Kennicott Glacier Lodge. Overnight in Kennicott / McCarthy.

Kennicott / McCarthy

Enjoy a full day in this unique area, which has a year-round population of about 30 people. Kennicott is an abandoned copper mining town and was built by Kennecott Copper Corp in the early 1900s, and the miners lived in nearby McCarthy. Kennecott was the richest copper mine in the world until its closure in 1938. They processed more than 536,600 tons of copper ore and employed some 800 workers. Today it is preserved as part of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and is one of Alaska’s best kept secrets. We recommend taking an optional tour, such as a glacier hike and/or a guided tour of the mine’s Mill Building (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight in Kennicott / McCarthy.

Kennicott / McCarthy to Sheep Mountain or Wasilla area

Fly back to Chitina to retrieve your rental vehicle and then drive the Richardson Highway north to the Glenn Highway. Take the Glenn Highway towards Anchorage to either the Sheep Mountain or Palmer/Wasilla area (depending on accommodation availability). Check out scenic Matanuska Glacier before you relax for the evening. Overnight in Sheep Mountain or Palmer/Wasilla area (depending on accommodation availability).

Sheep Mountain or Wasilla area to Seward

This morning continue driving the Glenn Highway to Anchorage and continue south on the Seward Highway. The Seward Highway takes you first along beautiful coastal scenery and then through scenic mountain areas. When arriving in Seward, check out Exit Glacier. Overnight in Seward.

Seward

This morning you will depart on a 6 hour cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park, one of Alaska’s treasures. As you cruise through the park and the Chiswell Islands National Wildlife Refuge, watch for Stellar sea lions, harbor seals, puffins, eagles and whales. During the cruise, you will see examples of Alpine, Cirque, Piedmont and Tidewater glaciers. A stop will be made at either Holgate or Aialik Glacier to witness glacier calving – when large ice chunks fall off the glacier. Lunch is included onboard. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight in Seward.

Seward to Homer

Spend the day touring Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. You will travel along the turquoise blue Kenai River, a world-class salmon fishing area. Continue to Homer with opportunities to stop in historic villages, or take advantage of great photographic opportunities along the Cook Inlet coastline. Homer is a picturesque seaside town located on the shores of Kachemak Bay. Overnight in Homer.

Homer

Spend a free day exploring all that Homer and Kachemak Bay have to offer. Highlights include the Homer Spit, a local winery, the Islands and Ocean Center, the Pratt Museum, fresh seafood restaurants, and views from East End Road. Or you may prefer to participate in optional excursions, including halibut fishing or a bear viewing flight safari (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight in Homer.

Homer to Anchorage

This morning, drive north on the scenic Sterling and Seward Highways back to Anchorage. Possible stops include the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier or the quiet ski village of Girdwood for a tram ride up Mt. Alyeska. Overnight in Anchorage.

Anchorage Departure

Depending on your departure time, you might have free time for some souvenir shopping or additional excursions. Return your car to the Anchorage airport rental car station. Depart or start an additional program.