Interior - Fairbanks - Denali National Park

Denali, Fairbanks, Bear & Wildlife Viewing, Flightseeing, Kantishna

Athabascan peoples predominantly inhabited Alaska’s Interior region before the Alaska Gold Rush in the late 19th century. In Fairbanks, known as the Golden Heart City, you can tour gold mines and learn to pan for your treasure. After the Gold Rush, the region was sustained by military bases and the oil boom. Now tourism is an essential industry in this Alaska region as visitors travel to experience the Interior’s rich history, from prehistoric to modern times.

Fairbanks is located under the “Aurora Belt,” making it one of the best locations in the world to see the Northern Lights. On average, the Northern Lights are visible 243 days per year, although an Aurora Borealis vacation is best planned for nights from October to early April. The outdoor mineral springs at Chena Hot Springs Resort make it another “hot” winter destination.

Nature hiking in the Interior is another great activity, and Denali National Park is the most popular destination in the region. Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, is the centerpiece of the park at 20,320 feet tall. Visitors to Denali National Park are also searching for Alaska’s Big Five – grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves. Most travelers stay at the entrance to the park, but there are also lodges deep inside Denali for more adventurous hikers.

The Interior of Alaska is accessible by train, motor coach, car, and airplane. The Alaska Railroad serves Denali and Fairbanks daily in the summer and weekly in the winter. Motor coaches bring many visitors to Denali National Park from Seward, Anchorage, and Whittier. Fairbanks has Alaska’s second-largest airport, with yearly daily jet service to Anchorage and the Lower 48 states.

The main highways in the region are the Parks Highway, which runs from Fairbanks south by Denali to Wasilla, the Richardson Highway from Fairbanks south to Valdez, and the Alaska Highway from Fairbanks southeast to the Canadian border (also known as the Alcan Highway). The Elliott, Steese, and Dalton Highways run north of Fairbanks but are unpaved and unsuitable for rental cars. The Denali Highway, which cuts west from Paxson to Denali National Park, is also unpaved. Few car rental agencies will allow their vehicles on these dirt roads. The Top of the World Highway takes you northeast from Tok to the Canadian border and Dawson City. While portions of this scenic and historic route are unpaved, we have obtained rental car waivers for our clients to experience this unique part of Alaska’s Interior.

 

Choose from 86 vacations in Alaska related to Interior - Fairbanks - Denali National Park

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the tail fluke of a diving whale

Explore Glacier Bay and Denali National Parks

Visit Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park, two amazing Alaska National Parks. Starting in Juneau, it is just a short flight to Gustavus, the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Spend 2-nights at Glacier Bay Lodge... Browse itinerary

Denali Wilderness ATV Adventure

This Alaska ATV day tour from Denali is fun, exciting, and scenic for both novices and experienced ATV riders. You will ride your All Terrain Vehicle along trails surrounded by Denali National Park at speeds up to 30... Browse itinerary

Denali ATV Side-by-Side Adventure

This Denali National Park guided ATV day tour is fun for everybody, whether an experienced ATV rider or a novice. On this all-terrain vehicle tour, you will ride along trails near Denali National Park in a side-by-side ATV... Browse itinerary

Bettles Lodge Summer Experience

Fly from Fairbanks along the Yukon River to the foothills of Alaska's Brooks Range. Bettles Lodge offers simple but comfortable accommodations and genuine hospitality for all guests. Included is a guided tour of Bettles and the small village... Browse itinerary

Experience a bear on a Denali bus tour.

Denali Splendor

Explore Talkeetna and Denali National Park! Take a scenic motorcoach transfer from Anchorage to Talkeetna and on to Denali. Here you have great opportunities to see Mt Denali and get impressed by amazing scenery. When you are in... Browse itinerary

Arctic Circle Winter Driving Adventure

On this winter day tour out of Fairbanks, drive up the Dalton Highway into Alaska’s Arctic. As you depart Fairbanks, you will pass gold mines and drive alongside the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Walking on the Arctic tundra will give... Browse itinerary

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The Alaska Railroad rolls past forested mountains on it's way north out of Anchorage

Greatland Explorer Tour

Starting in Fairbanks, enjoy the scenic ride by train to Denali National Park and then to Anchorage. With two nights at Denali National Park, there is ample time to experience one of Alaska's most popular destinations. The Tundra... Browse itinerary

a passenger train passes along a river through a forested valley

Greatland Discoverer Tour

A perfect option for those with limited time or as a pre/post land touring option with an Alaskan cruise. Travel aboard the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Fairbanks with two nights at Denali National Park. Denali is world-renowned... Browse itinerary

six rafters with rafters working through a river in a forested landscape

Healy Express Scenic Float and Whitewater

This Denali rafting tour, the “Healy Express,” begins with a scenic rafting float trip on the Wilderness Run of the Nenana River and then continues with the whitewater of the Canyon Run. The Wilderness Run is a scenic... Browse itinerary

Bettles Lodge Winter Adventure

Fly from Fairbanks across the tremendous interior region of Alaska, landing 35 miles across the Arctic Circle in the remote outpost of Bettles. The area surrounding Bettles boasts many clear sky nights and sits directly below the aurora... Browse itinerary

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