Adventure Driving Tour

Whitewater rafting, a kayaking or float trip at Spencer Glacier, an option for bear viewing, or Halibut fishing from Homer ensures great action in some of Alaska's unique places.

Tour Code: 1551CTA

Tour Overview

Enjoy an Alaska adventure vacation from Anchorage, exploring Alaska’s “playground” of the Kenai Peninsula and discovering Denali National Park by car. Raft, hike, and discover fantastic scenery and wildlife throughout your Alaska road trip. You’ll first leave Anchorage to travel northwards to Denali National Park for a guided bus tour. Then you’ll reverse course and travel south to explore the beautiful Kenai Peninsula in Southcentral Alaska, where you can go fishing and then add kayaking or even a bear viewing excursion. On Day Five of this Adventure Driving Tour,  you can also add an optional ride on the Alaska Railroad into the backcountry of the Kenai for a kayaking paddle or float trip around icebergs with scenic views of Spencer Glacier. This special Alaska driving tour is planned especially for active outdoor and nature enthusiasts and is the perfect way to experience all Alaska offers in nine days.

What's Included
  • 8 nights of accommodation
  • 8 days midsize rental vehicle with unlimited mileage
  • 4-6 hour bus tour into Denali National Park (depending on weather and road conditions)
  • 2-hour whitewater rafting at Denali National Park
  • All taxes and fees
What's Not Included

Meals, all optional excursions such as helicopter dog sledding tours; Spencer Glacier Tours; fishing, kayaking, or bear viewing in Homer and others. Gratuities. Car rental coverage (such as LDW or liability insurance), additional driver fees, gas, and GPS rental. Car rental category upgrades available at additional fee.

 

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Anchorage Arrival

Arrive into Anchorage and pick up your rental car at the airport. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Offering shopping, cultural attractions, and gourmet restaurants, Anchorage provides an excellent start to your vacation. Overnight in Anchorage (Anchorage midtown area).

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.

Day 2
Anchorage to Denali National Park

Early this morning depart Anchorage and travel north to Denali. Along the way you drive through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Denali State Park. When you get closer to Denali you can have stunning views of the Alaska Mountain Range and Mt. Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. This afternoon, enjoy a 2 hour white water rafting tour which takes you 11 miles through class III and one class IV rapid. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Day 3
Denali National Park

Today, depart on a bus tour of Denali National Park. This tour takes you approximately 30 – 43 miles into the park and is 4-6 hours long, depending on weather and road conditions. 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 and will make stops along the way. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Day 4
Denali National Park to Girdwood

Enjoy the scenic drive southbound as you make your way back down to Anchorage. Along the way, stop in the quaint town of Talkeetna, known for its special backcountry town charm. From here you can take a breathtaking flightseeing tour to the Alaska Mountain Range and even land on a glacier! Later drive through Anchorage and along Turnagain Arm. This route has beautiful views of the Chugach Mountains. Girdwood is a quaint ski town in the winter and a fun outdoor adventure town in the summer time. Overnight in Girdwood.

Day 5
Girdwood

Explore Girdwood and its amazing surroundings. There are many things to do. One of the options is a short helicopter ride up to the Chugach Mountains to meet an eager dog team and the experience a real dog sled ride on snow (in the middle of the summer) – a must do adventure! Another option is a scenic train ride from Portage to Spencer Glacier where you gear up for a fun float trip or kayaking trip through an incredible glacier landscape. (Tours are optional, see Tour Add-Ons). The rest of the day explore the hiking trails around the resort and enjoy this relaxing mountain setting. Overnight in Girdwood.

Day 6
Girdwood to Homer

Drive south along Turnagain Arm onto the Kenai Peninsula. Head west on the Sterling Highway, following the world famous Kenai River. Homer is a quaint fishing town with a beautiful spit of land that extends into Kachemak Bay. Overnight in Homer.

Day 7
Homer

Homer offers a wide range of activities. Fishing enthusiasts often describe Homer as halibut fishing capital of the world. If you like to try out Halibut fishing, Homer is the place to do it! If you are looking to see bears during your trip, book the optional bear & wildlife viewing flight safari. A scenic flight takes you to the Katmai Coast, where you will land and search for bears on foot. If you want it a bit more active, opt for the optional kayaking tour and enjoy a fun day of paddling. The rest of the day explore the Homer Spit, check out the local winery, visit the Islands and Ocean Center and don’t miss out on having a meal with fresh seafood in one of the restaurants. Overnight in Homer.

Day 8
Homer to Anchorage

This morning, drive north on the scenic Sterling and Seward Highways back to Anchorage. Possible stopovers include the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier, or one of the many hiking trails along Turnagain Arm. Overnight in Anchorage (near the airport).

Day 9
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.

Tour Map

 

Dates & Rates

Please provide us with your flight arrival information (arrival time, flight number and name of airline) when you make your reservation. That way we can book the rental car accordingly.


Minimum age for this tour is 12 years due to the included activities.

Our Standard Program Includes:

2 and 3 star hotel accommodations.

The program will include a combination of hotels or motels that are considered moderate to standard tourist class. Please be aware not all hotels have shuttle services.

Standard train car seating on all rail services (reserved seats).

If you would like to book the standard program but with upgraded rail seating, the option and surcharge will be listed when you save to your cart.

Our Upgraded Program Includes:

* 3 and 4 star hotels (best available) wherever possible.

The program will include standard rooms at this category of hotel where possible. Alaska has very limited hotel choices in remote areas and small towns. The properties will typically offer a wider range of services such as a full-service restaurant, room service and perhaps a pool or spa facilities. Please be aware the upgraded accommodations in downtown Anchorage do not have hotel shuttle services. Many of the upgraded hotels also offer guaranteed view rooms for additional cost. If you would like a specific room type, in addition to the upgraded program, please ask us about availability and cost difference.

Deluxe dome train car seating between Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks, or Anchorage and Seward.

All journeys between Anchorage and Whittier are in standard seating as deluxe dome cars are not available on that route.

Not all tours in Girdwood and Homer are included in the package price.

 

Tour Add-ons

Browsing optional excursions for the Adventure Driving Tour:

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Arlene | Trip Advisor