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Cruise West Cruises,Glacier Bay Highlights , Cruise Vacation Package
Round Trip from Juneau, AK
Duration : 10 Days / 9 Nights
Priced From : $4,199 - Per Person based on double occupancy
Dates : May to September - 2008
Ship : Spirit of Glacier Bay
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive In Fairbanks
Transfer from the airport to meet your fellow traveling companions for a casual wine and cheese reception, get an overview of the next few days and discuss some of the exciting optional excursions available in Denali. Overnight at a Fairbanks Hotel.
Day 2 - Fairbanks Sightseeing, To Denali National Park
At a little more than 125 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks truly can be considered, “the end of the road.” After breakfast at your hotel, we'll take a brief tour of historical Fairbanks and make our way to the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and pay a visit to the highly acclaimed museum. Newly completed expansion of the museum has created one of the finest collections of artifacts from Alaska’s rich history, explanations of the indigenous cultures and displays of the natural wonders of this part of the world. You’ll be greeted at the door by Otto, the 8-foot, 9-inch-tall grizzly bear that is the museum’s mascot. You won’t want to miss the mummified remains of Blue Babe, a 36,000-year-old Alaska steppe bison on display.
We’ll take an authentic sternwheeler ride of the Chena River before getting back into our motorcoach and heading off to the mountains. We’ll be following the George Parks Highway on our way to Denali. Finished in 1971, the highway links the major communities of Anchorage with Fairbanks and presents picture-postcard views at nearly every bend. En route you’ll enjoy spectacular sweeping vistas.
When we reach Nenana, a large village at the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana Rivers, you will see how the river systems of Alaska’s Interior are comparable to highways, considering the amount of freight that is moved on barges to the small villages. We’ll climb the rolling hills north of the Alaska Range. These imposing mountains create a rain shadow in this area as the moisture that blows inland from the Gulf of Alaska precipitates on the south side of the mountains, leaving this area relatively cold and arid. You may notice the stunted and scattered vegetation and learn of the significance of the great expanse of permafrost. Those short, sickly looking trees you’ll see are actually hundreds of years old.
Just past the town of Healy we will follow the Nenana River as it cuts through Healy Canyon and then it’s up to the village of Denali. Hear an exclusive presentation on the Sub-Arctic Climate by the Denali Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to the education and preservation of the natural wonders of Denali National Park. Enjoy a Denali Dine Around Dinner and overnight at your Denali Hotel.
BLD
Day 3 - Denali Sightseeing; Wilderness Tours
When you book your Alaska land adventure, you will choose one of three optional Denali sightseeing excursions. The Denali Natural History Tour travels almost 20 miles into the park, including a stop at the Wilderness Access Center and includes a light snack and hot beverages. With this tour lasting approximately five hours, the History Tour leaves you more time for other, optional excursions in Denali. The Tundra Wilderness Tour takes visitors to the Toklat River, 54 miles into the park and leaves time for optional excursions as well. The Kantishna Wilderness Trails excursion journeys 95 miles into the park, with the last 30 miles allowing for full viewing of Mt. McKinley, weather permitting. At about 12 hours in length, the Kantishna Tour is the longest Denali Park wilderness excursion. B
Day 4 - Denali National Park To Anchorage Via Rail
After breakfast at your Denali Hotel, take a bus to the Denali Depot. One of the many highlights of this day is the opportunity to take in the breathtaking scenery aboard your luxury domed railcar. This segment of the Alaska Railway is considered by far the most scenic portion of the trip and takes travelers farther away from the Parks Highway and deeper into the virtually untouched wilderness. Moose, bears and bald eagles can often be sighted along the route and at certain times of the summer the salmon can be seen spawning in the streams. Of the many spectacular sights along the way, perhaps the most magnificent is Hurricane Gulch, where a bridge spans 914 feet and rises 296 feet above the creek below.
Arrive in Anchorage, the largest city in the largest state in the union. Choose between four of Anchorage’s finest dining establishments or the Sheraton Hotel and overnight at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel.
BD
Day 5 - Fly Anchorage To Juneau
Transfer to the Anchorage airport for your included flight to Juneau. In Alaska's Capital city, overnight at the Goldbelt Hotel near the downtown Juneau waterfront. B
Day 6 - Sail From Nbsp;Juneau
Alaska’s capital city is in the northern heart of the United States’ largest National Forest. Juneau is the only state capital that is inaccessible by roadways. Even though it is located on the mainland, the surrounding imposing mountains and massive icefield create a community accessible only by air or water. And it takes only minutes to cruise along Gastineau Channel into the wilderness.
Some of the best optional excursions in Alaska are available in Juneau. Perhaps a flightseeing trip over the famous Juneau Ice Field, exploring the impressive Mendenhall Glacier.
Board the ship to continue your adventure. D
Day 7 - Haines
With its strategic location along the Chilkat Trail, the area around Haines has thrived for hundreds of years as an important and integral trade center for the Chilkat band of Tlingit natives, famous for the intricately designed blankets woven with the hair of mountain goats. Haines is also renowned as home to the world’s largest autumnal congregation of bald eagles, with the Chilkat Bald Eagle Reserve located 18 miles from the town.
This truly Alaskan town, known for its scenery, military history, numerous artisans, galleries and off-the-beaten-path attitude will allow you to breathe in a taste of life in the "real" Alaska that few have the privilege to enjoy. Take plenty of time to explore on your own or indulge in a wide variety of optional activities that will allow you to take home more than photographs.
Skagway optional excursions - If taking in the Gold Rush spirit is more to your liking, we offer an option of transferring via fast ferry to the bustling town of Skagway where many more optional excursions await. BLD
Day 8 - Glacier Bay National Park And Preserve
Designated a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, you'll enter a 3.3 million-acre nature wonderland where over 200 species of fish are found in Park waters, including all five species of Pacific salmon. About 220 species of birds have been recorded in the Park as well as large populations of land mammals.
In the early morning we’ll pick up a Glacier Bay Forest Ranger and a local Tlingit Cultural Interpreter in Bartlett Cove. They will provide a comprehensive day of narrative sightseeing. Over 65 miles of pristine terrain and habitat have been revealed in Glacier Bay since its giant rivers of ice began dramatically retreating 200 years ago. Approach Marble Islands and hurry outside to encounter a teeming multitude of seabirds like black-legged kittiwakes, murrelets and puffins, all swooping and swarming above the writhing, barking haul-out of Steller’s sea lions. We may encounter mountain goats on Gloomy Knob or watch brown and black bears foraging along the shoreline. Look for more harbor seals, sea otters and the humpback whales that call Glacier Bay their summer home. BLD
Day 9 - Glacier Bay National Park And Preserve
Day 2 in the designated World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Enjoy Captain's Choice cruising. BLD
Day 10 - Juneau
Disembark in Juneau. If you have time before your flight we’ll give you ideas for exploring this interesting capital city, like a rainforest hike, visiting the Mendenhall Glacier or glacier flightseeing. Transfer to the airport for your return flight home. B
B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner
Save time, money and stress!
For Reservations: Fill out the Cruise West Cruise Vacation Planner to be Contacted by a Cruise West Alaska Cruise Vacation Specialist.
Contact : Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
9/08
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