Arrival Anchorage
Arrive in Anchorage and transfer to your hotel on your own. Overnight in Anchorage.
Home » Tours » Alaska Railroad Tours » Alaska’s Gems Tour
Our “Alaska’s Gems” Tour is an excellent option for a family vacation in Alaska! Travel on the Alaska Railroad, take a comfortable scheduled bus transfer and visit Anchorage, Denali, Fairbanks, and Talkeetna. Begin your Alaska adventure with a cruise into the world-renowned Prince William Sound in Southcentral Alaska with its magnificent glaciers and coastal mountain scenery. Your next destination is Denali National Park for a bus tour with the opportunity to see Alaska’s wildlife and view the mountain of Denali, also known as the “Great One.” This all-encompassing Alaska vacation tour continues to Fairbanks with a riverboat cruise and time for an optional trip to cross the Arctic Circle. On your return to Anchorage, stop in the unique small town of Talkeetna, the staging area for climbing expeditions to Denali. This “Alaska Gems” vacation is ideal for families visiting Alaska and those who want to experience the many diverse landscapes that Alaska offers travelers.
Transfers in Anchorage, meals, optional excursions, and gratuities.
Begin your day at with an approx. 3-hour bus transfer to Whittier at 9:15am. From Whittier you depart on the 26 Glacier Cruise in the early afternoon. Your comfortable vessel take you on a breath-taking cruise into Prince William Sound to view glaciers and wildlife. On the 5-hour boat tour you will have the opportunity to see many different glaciers up close, both tidewater flowing into the sea as well as many other nestled in the mountain peaks surrounding you. After the cruise, return to Anchorage by bus transfer in the evening at about 7:30pm. Overnight in Anchorage.
Dependent on your travel date, you will depart either in the morning or afternoon from Anchorage on a comfortable motorcoach traveling to Denali National Park. * The rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.
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 approx. 30 – 43 miles into the park, depending on weather and road conditions. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the Denali park entrance area. You may wish to visit the Denali Visitor Center, or enjoy an optional tour such as river rafting or flightseeing. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.
Your morning is free for optional excursions or do some hiking in the surrounding area. In the late afternoon, you will depart on the Alaska Railroad north to Fairbanks. Along the way enjoy beautiful views of the Nenana River and many scenic tundra lakes. Upon arrival in the evening a transfer to your hotel is provided by a courtesy hotel shuttle. Overnight in Fairbanks.
Today you will travel the Chena and Tanana Rivers for a 3.5 hour float trip on the only authentic sternwheeler riverboat operating in Alaska. This narrated tour provides background on the area’s natural history and the Athabascan Native culture. You will see an authentic trapper’s cabin, unique log homes, as well as bush plane in action and sled dogs. The rest of your day, use your free time to explore the city on your own; or take an optional flightseeing excursion over part of Alaska’s Arctic region (see Tour Add-ons). Overnight in Fairbanks.
Today depart Fairbanks and enjoy the day on a scenic ride on the Alaska Railroad to the quaint town of Talkeetna. En route you will pass by Denali and arrive at Talkeetna in the afternoon. This small town has an authentically Alaskan charm, as well as some of the best views of mountain Denali. Relax in the evening. Overnight in Talkeetna.
This morning and early afternoon you will have free time to relax or take an optional whitewater jet boat adventure (see Tour Add-Ons). Depart Talkeetna at 5:00pm for a 3-hour journey on the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage. Upon arrival in Anchorage, transfer to your hotel on own. Overnight in Anchorage.
* During the month of May, you will depart Anchorage by scheduled bus transfer at 3:00pm and arrive in Denali at approx. 8:30pm. Starting June 1st, you will depart Anchorage by scheduled bus transfer at 6:30am in the morning and arrive in Denali at approx. 12:30pm.
You can start this tour daily (within the listed dates of operation).
Click the "Book Now" button next to the date range you are interested in. After you select the date and number of room / people, you will see all services included in the tour and hotel information. To book the tour, add the package to your cart and checkout.
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.
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.
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.
All journeys between Anchorage and Whittier are in standard seating as deluxe dome cars are not available on that route.
After you click "book now" and select a date, you will see tour availability. "To Be Requested" indicates that the service cannot be immediately confirmed online. This status requires us to check space with the hotel or service supplier and the service may or may not be available.
Thank you for your interest in this tour! At this time, it is not currently available to book online. Please feel free to continue to peruse our website for more Alaska travel ideas. If you would like options and information from our team of Alaska experts, please call 1-866-317-3325 or fill out the form below.
Length: 5 hours
Starting at: $589-689 / pp
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We had a great trip and wanted to thank you again. Everything worked out really well. Things were great and a few highlights were the dog sledding, glacier bay, and a Denali flightseeing with glacier landing.
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