Alaskan Discovery Tour

On this Alaska tour, you will witness some of the state’s most stunning sites, and come back with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Your journey begins in beautiful Fairbanks. Discover the story of one of Alaska’s biggest gold rushes on a visit to the restored Gold Dredge #8. Then, fall in love with Denali National Park on a tour that uncovers the history, culture, and natural environment of this breathtaking six-million-acre wilderness. Continue to Anchorage, the coastal city that half of Alaskans call home.

Cross the Kenai Peninsula to Homer, the “Halibut Capital of the World.” Then take a full day catamaran cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park. See marine wildlife, coastal fjords and islands, lush forests, and magnificent tidewater glaciers.

EXTEND THIS VACATION WITH A 7-NIGHT INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE!

Your Alaskan journey doesn’t have to end! Add a 7-night Inside Passage cruise to your itinerary. From Whittier, board the ms Noordam and cruise through Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau, Ketchikan, the Inside Passage, and Vancouver. Click here to view this extended itinerary option.

Check out our Travel Blog for more tips and ideas for your Alaskan Discovery Tour!

Add-Ons

Alaska Railroad Upgrade

Enjoy splendid views from the glass-domed Alaska Railroad

Riverboat Discovery with Lunch

Cruise the Chena River and enjoy lunch with a view!

Tour Includes

Sightseeing

• Fairbanks
• Denali National Park
• Anchorage
• Seward
• Homer
• Kenai Fjords National Park

Hotel Accommodations

• 8 Nights
• Moderate hotels based on twin/double occupancy

Meals

• 8 Breakfasts
• 2 Lunches

Service

• A professionally trained tour director who is knowledgeable about the area will provide you with a wealth of information. Their friendly service will make your trip a memorable experience.

Baggage Handling

• To and from your hotel room throughout your land tour for one piece of Checked Baggage per person.

Alaskan Discovery Tour

Tour Starts:

Fairbanks, Alaska

Tour Ends:

Anchorage, Alaska

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Day 1

Arrive in Fairbanks

Today your adventure begins upon arrival in Fairbanks, Alaska’s third largest city. If you booked your flight with YMT, a representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

SpringHill Suites Fairbanks or similar

Day 2

Gold Dredge #8

Explore the area’s gold mining history as we visit the restored Gold Dredge #8. The visitor center offers a great perspective with artifacts from the gold rush era, bringing to life the history of Fairbanks. Learn to pan for gold, and take a picture with the Trans-Alaska pipeline, another American engineering marvel. In the afternoon, explore Fairbanks on your own. (B)

SpringHill Suites Fairbanks or similar

Add-On: Riverboat Discovery with Lunch

Day 3

Denali Natural History Tour

Travel along the George Parks Highway to Denali National Park. At six million acres, Denali is one of the world’s great frontiers for wilderness adventure. Discover more with a natural history tour that focuses on its rich cultural history. This memorable tour provides insight into the diverse native and early pioneer influences in and around the park. Your dedicated naturalist will provide a great introduction to Denali’s past, it’s landscape, and geology. Visit Savage Cabin, the original ranger’s post that is still used by the Park Service today. This afternoon, you will have free time to spend in the park at your leisure. Along with awe-inspiring mountain views, it’s not uncommon to see some combination of Alaska’s Big Five. Look for grizzly bears, caribou and moose, as well as dall sheep, and countless songbirds, among many other animals. (B)

Denali Park Village or similar

Add-On: Alaska Railroad Upgrade (Dome Car)

Day 4

Denali Leisure Day

Denali is your playground on your full leisure day in the park. Immerse yourself in stunning natural beauty on an easy hike or picnic, stop by the park’s visitor centers to learn more about Denali, or take a tram ride through the magnificent scenery. There is no shortage of sights to see in Denali, whose reputation as one of America’s finest national parks is well deserved. (B)

Denali Park Village or similar

Day 5

Iditarod Sled Dog Headquarters and Anchorage City Tour

Head south through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Next, stop at the Iditarod Sled Dog Headquarters to learn about the legendary dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome. Continue to Anchorage for a late lunch before continuing on for a tour of historic downtown Anchorage. (B, L)

Crowne Plaza Anchorage or similar

Day 6

Anchorage to Homer

Travel across the picturesque Kenai Peninsula to Homer, where your first stop will be the Homer Spit, a long, narrow finger of land that extends more than four miles into Kachemak Bay. Take a guided walking tour of the Homer Docks, and see the Salty Dawg Saloon, Homer’s oldest and most famous landmark. Now topped with a distinctive lighthouse tower, it started life in 1897 as one of the very first cabins in town. In more than a century since, the landmark has served as a post office, railroad station and grocery store, as well as a school house. For the full Salty Dawg experience, add a signed dollar bill to the saloon’s wall, alongside thousands of others. The peculiar practice started decades ago, when a local barfly tacked a dollar to the wall for his friend to use later on an ice cold beer! (B)

Best Western Bidarka or similar

Day 7

Homer Leisure Day

Enjoy a free day in Homer. Your Tour Director will be happy to help you plan your day to make the most of your time in this charming coastal destination. Whether you stay in Homer to sample its incredible halibut or take a ferry to the nearby town of Seldovia, you are sure to enjoy the beautiful surroundings! (B)

Best Western Bidarka or similar

Day 8

Kenai Fjords National Park Catamaran Cruise

Enjoy a memorable day on a catamaran cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park. See marine wildlife, coastal fjords and islands, as well as lush forests and magnificent tidewater glaciers. Enjoy lunch on your cruise (included). Back on land, you’ll have free time to explore Seward.  (B, L)

Windsong Lodge or similar

Day 9

Depart for Home

On your way from Seward to Anchorage, visit the town of Whittier, known for its secluded location and strategic importance during WWII. Then continue to Anchorage and depart for home. (B)

Note: Most flights from Anchorage are non-direct with at least one or two connections. Departure flights from Anchorage to most cities are overnight and arrive the following day; some flights depart Anchorage after midnight. Guests choosing to book their own flights must book flights departing after 5pm.

EXTEND THIS VACATION WITH A 7-NIGHT INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE!

Your Alaskan journey doesn’t have to end! Add a 7-night Inside Passage cruise to your itinerary. From Whittier, board the ms Noordam and cruise through Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau, Ketchikan, the Inside Passage, and Vancouver.

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.

YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.

FAQs

Add-Ons

Make your vacation extra special by adding optional excursions to your tour. It’s a great opportunity to enhance your trip, these experiences slot seamlessly into your package, and we’ll take care of all the logistics for you. Remember that adding an optional experience might increase the overall activity level of the tour, so always keep that in mind when planning your trip.

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Alaska Railroad Upgrade

Experience panoramic views of the Alaskan wilderness from the comfort of your deluxe dome seat aboard the famous Alaska Railroad. With a curved glass dome atop the car, you’ll get a spectacular 360 degree view of the landscape. Listen to insightful commentary from the tour guides onboard as you take in the scenery around you. This is sure to be an immersive experience!

Inclusions

• Ticket to the famous Alaska Railroad
• Deluxe dome seating aboard the Alaska Railroad

Activity Level: Easy

Duration: Approx. 4 Hours

Price: $169 USD

Riverboat Discovery with Lunch

Climb on board an authentic Alaskan sternwheeler and take a journey back in time along the Chena River. Go on a three-hour narrated cruise tour with native Alaskans and meet some pioneers who call this land home. Highlights include seeing Iditarod Champion sled dogs in action, a bush pilot demonstration, and a cultural walking tour of an Athabascan Village.

Inclusions

• 3-hour Narrated Cruise Tour aboard Alaskan Sternwheeler
• Bush pilot Demonstration
• Included Lunch

Note: The cruise is wheelchair accessible. Comfortable walking shoes and bug spray are recommended.

Duration: Approx. 3.5 Hours

Activity Level: Easy

Price: $115 USD (2024) & $125 USD (2025)