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Denali - Talkeetna Explorer - Northbound - 3TN Itinerary

Experience the breathtaking wilderness of Alaska on this 7-day tour that originates in Anchorage and takes you through Denali National Park and the Golden Heart City of Fairbanks. After arriving and spending time in Anchorage, you will venture to Talkeetna and explore the south side of Denali. Overnight at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge in Denali State Park with amazing views of the 20,320-foot Denali, the highest peak in North America.  Continue to Denali National Park and watch for grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and a wide variety of other wildlife including Arctic ground squirrels and bald eagles. Enjoy dinner and a show at the Music of Denali Dinner Theater at McKinley Chalet Resort featuring family-style dining and a spirited original musical about the first men to reach the summit of Denali. Your journey continues north to Fairbanks, where gold rush and riverboat tours await you.

Included in your Tour:

• 6 nights hotel accommodations
• Travel on the Alaska Railroad route aboard luxury, glass-domed railcar from Anchorage to Talkeetna to Denali
• Travel aboard Alaska Railroad's Adventure Class (picture window) from Denali to Fairbanks (upgrade available)
• Guided tour into Denali National Park
• Music of Denali Dinner Theater at McKinley Chalet Resort
• Gold panning in Fairbanks (lunch included)
• Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler Cruise
• Airport, hotel and rail transfers

Available at check-out
Upgrade your rail experience from Denali to Fairbanks for $100 per person. The standard tour features Alaska Railroad’s Adventure Class for this rail component of the tour. When you choose the upgrade, you will travel aboard Alaska Railroad's GoldStar service instead.  Adventure Class railcars do not feature a dome and meals are available for purchase.  GoldStar service is aboard Alaska Railroad’s domed railcars and dinner aboard the train is included.  

With the standard option, rail travel from Anchorage to Talkeetna and Talkeetna to Denali is aboard our own luxury, glass-domed rail service (meals not included, but available for purchase) and the upgrade option applies only to the portion of the trip from Denali to Fairbanks.

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Unless noted, tour is not escorted and does not include meals, sightseeing or home city air.

Day 1: Anchorage

We’ll transfer you from the airport to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 2: Anchorage - Talkeetna

Travel aboard a luxury railcar from Anchorage to the quirky town of Talkeetna that inspired the TV show “Northern Exposure.” Settle into your room at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge and enjoy a relaxing evening by the stone fireplace in its grand lobby, nicknamed the “Great Room,” where you will enjoy inspirational views of Denali and the Alaska Range. If you’re feeling adventurous, stop by the tour desk to book an optional excursion. Overnight at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.

Day 3: Talkeetna - Denali

Enjoy another scenic ride aboard one of our luxury railcars, where you can take in the view of the Alaska and Talkeetna mountain ranges through the glass dome of the railcar as you travel to Denali National Park. Watch for the majestic snow-covered peak of the "Great One" looming above the “smaller” mountains of the Alaska Range. Once you’ve arrived at Denali, choose from a variety of optional activities such as hiking or ziplining. Overnight at a Denali-area hotel.

Day 4:  Denali

Immerse yourself in the six-million-acre wilderness of Denali National Park on a guided tour. Keep your eyes peeled for Denali’s “Big Five” – Dall sheep, caribou, grizzly bears, moose and wolves. Bring along binoculars to spot distant animals and have your camera ready. This evening, enjoy an unforgettable dinner experience at Music of Denali Dinner Theater at McKinley Chalet Resort. Overnight at a Denali-area hotel. (S, D)

Day 5: Denali - Fairbanks

After exploring the Denali area in the morning, travel to Fairbanks by rail and enjoy spectacular scenery along the way. Overnight at a Fairbanks hotel.

Day 6: Fairbanks

Relive the gold rush at its peak at your visit to Gold Dredge 8 with lunch and a cruise along the Chena and Tanana Rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler. Enjoy your last evening in Alaska's Golden Heart city.  Overnight Fairbanks hotel. (S, L)

Day 7: Fairbanks

The tour wraps up with a transfer from your hotel to the Fairbanks airport. On the flight home, watch out the airplane window for spectacular views of snow-covered mountains and winding glaciers as you savor your memories of an incredible adventure.

Key for Meals Included:
B - Breakfast
L - Lunch
S - Snack
D - Dinner

To view more availability on a similar itinerary, view the southbound Denali-Talkeetna Explorer (3TS), which operates in reverse from Fairbanks to Anchorage.