Day
1
Arrive Calgary International
Airport. Airport greeting and hotel check-in. City
tour and welcome dinner banquet.
Overnight Calgary (D)
Day
2
Our Incredible tour begins with an early morning departure for
the town of Grande Prairie.
We travel north through Edmonton
and into the gentle rolling hills and northern farmland in the
scenic province of Alberta.
Overnight Grande Prairie. (BLD)
Day
3
Today its away we go to the historic town of Fort
Nelson, British Columbia. The North West Company built
Rock Mountain Fort on the Peace River near here in 1794, making
it the oldest European settlements in the province. This area
has an interesting First Nations history and at nearby Charlie
Lake archaeologists recently uncovered artifacts of the Paleo-Indians
who lived here over 10,000 years ago. Along the way we stop in
Dawson Creek. This is the beginning (mile 1) of the Alaska Highway.
Tourists travel far and wide to have their picture taken by this
famous marker. Located in downtown Dawson
Creek, this post symbolizes the beginning of the Alaska
Highway.
Overnight Fort Nelson (BLD)
Day
4
From Fort Nelson we now make
our way along the Alaska Highway to Watson
Lake in the Yukon Territories.
The 525 km (326 mile) stretch of Highway from Fort Nelson to Watson
Lake is surely the most scenic along the Alaska Highway. Travel
past clear lakes, rushing rivers, extreme canyons and the northern
Rocky Mountains. Numerous unique rock formations, extreme wilderness,
wildflowers and wildlife ranging from rare stone ram, black bears,
grizzlies, deer, caribou, elk and wolves make this a beautiful
journey. This northern route passes through vegetation from muskeg
to hot springs. If you drive the Alaska Highway and don't spend
some time in the pools at Liard Hot Springs,
you've missed one of Mother Nature's most sublime gifts to Northerners.
Wonderful
in the summer, the springs are beautiful beyond description. Your
coach will take you to the hot springs to spend a few hours in
utter relaxation.
Overnight Watson Lake (BLD)
Day
5
Today's destination is Whitehorse.
A leisurely trip today as we stop along the way to just enjoy
nature at it's finest. In Whitehorse we stop to visit the paddlewheeler
the SS Klondike. This has
to be one of the most famous sights in Whitehorse. In both winter
and summer the Sternwheeler stands to remind us of a bygone era.
She' s beautiful whichever way you view her, especially from inside!
We're taking a guided tour to learn more about this grand old
lady, and her role in the history of the Klondike.
Due to the fact that the days are very long in the True North
there will be plenty of time this evening to explore this historic
town on your own.
Overnight Whitehorse (BLD)
Day
6/7
Away we go now to the most famous town in Canada's history.
Dawson City. No visit to the North is complete without
a stop in Dawson City, the Yukon's City of the Century for 2002.
One hundred and four years ago Dawson City was the heart of the
great Klondike Gold Rush.
More than 30,000 people transformed an Indian fish camp and moose
pasture at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers into
the largest city in Canada west of Winnipeg and north of Seattle.
Just over a century later Dawson City still celebrates its colorful
past, yet in many respects nothing has changed.
The
gold mining industry still flourishes here, and people still flock
here from all over the world - drawn less by the gold than the
adventure of getting here, and the excitement of seeing where
it all happened. We spend two nights here as the attractions,
events, scenery, and history are too awesome to pass by without
exploring. Some of the attractions we will see are: Diamond
Tooth Gerties, Gaslight Follies,
Palace Grand Theatre to mention
just a few. Overnight Dawson City (BLD)
Day
8
This morning we travel into the United
States of America. Tok
is the first major community you will encounter upon entering
Alaska.
Located
205 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Tok is an unincorporated community
with a population of approximately 1319 humanoids and almost that
many K-9 s. From Tok there are incredible views of the Alaska
Mountain Range with it's numerous mighty icecaps.
Overnight Tok (BLD)
Day
9 Fairbanks Alaska here we come.
Land of the Midnight Sun.
From late May until early August, Fairbanks has 24 hours of daylight
and temperatures in the 70s and 80s (20s C). As we travel to Fairbanks
we take in more incredible scenery and stop for photo opportunities.
We travel to North Pole Alaska
and visit Santa Claus House,
the original home of the Legendary Santa Claus, complete with
his workshop and elves.
Overnight Fairbanks (BLD)
Day
10
Today our tour takes us on an unforgettable three and a half hour
cruise into the history of Interior Alaska, aboard the authentic
sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III.
The highlight of the cruise is a one-hour stop at the Chena
Indian Village.
Alaskan
Native guides will take you on a guided tour. You'll see an Athabascan
Indian village with cabins made of spruce logs, a cache used for
storing supplies, and fur pelts. Our guides will explain how the
wolf, fox, martin, and beaver were used to provide food and protection
in the harsh Arctic climate. You'll visit the home of renowned
Athabascan beadwork artist Dixie Alexander and see the garments
she's sewn from animal hides. She'll let you see her latest projects,
and when one of our guides models a Yupik Eskimo winter parka,
you will want to have your camera ready. To the side of Dixie's
cabin are hides of the largest game animals in the Interior--moose,
bear, and caribou. You'll learn how Athabascan Indians called
animals, how they tanned the hides, and how they preserved them.
This afternoon we drive to the world famous Denali
National Park where we overnight and rest up for an
exciting day ahead of us.
Overnight Denali (BLD)
Day
11
Denali National Park is home to Mt. McKinley,
often called Denali, which is 20,320 feet. "Some of the most
spectacular landscapes and wildlife habitats in the world"
are here. Denali's 6.1 million acres is rich with wildlife. Bald
eagles, grizzly bears, moose, Dall sheep, and caribou are plentiful
throughout the park. Moose and grizzly bear encounters are possible
and rather common even in the improved sections of the park. Have
your cameras ready and lots of film. This evening we travel further
south to the city of Anchorage.
Overnight Anchorage (BLD)
Day
12
Welcome to Anchorage. Anchorage
sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains along the coast of Cook
Inlet in South-central Alaska. It is as far north as
Helsinki, Finland and as west as Honolulu, Hawaii. There are approximately
100,000 glaciers in Alaska. Portage Glacier, just 45 miles
(72 km) south of downtown Anchorage, is one of the most visited
attractions in all of Alaska. Today is a day of rest and relaxation
and is your free day to explore Anchorage or to just rest up from
the long trip. Your coach is available for your use in the event
there is a special place you would like to travel to in the local
area.
Overnight Anchorage (B)
Day
13
Today we pamper ourselves at the AAA four diamond rated Alyeska
Prince Hotel. Located 42 miles southwest of Anchorage
at the gateway to Prince William Sound,
Alyeska Resort features, spectacular dining and a 60 passenger
aerial tramway. Experience the adventure and beauty of the last
frontier.
We take the 26 Glacier Cruise
and ride in comfort aboard the newest, most luxurious high-speed
catamaran in Alaska. See magnificent calving tidewater glaciers
while watching for sea otters, seals, whales and bird life that
inhabit Prince William Sound. The 26 Glacier Cruise travels over
135 miles into Prince William Sound where you will see 26 "named
glaciers" and many more unnamed.
We get within 400 to 500 feet from face of these towering walls
of ice and turn off the engines so you can "hear" the
glaciers move as well as see the brilliant blues in the ice. Glacier
calving is normally seen during each cruise.
Overnight Prince William Sound (BLD)
Day
14
As we depart from Prince William Sound and Anchorage more incredible
scenery continues to fascinate as you drive through Alaska's great
farming country in the Matanuska Valley
to Glenallen. Skirt along
the Wrangell St. Elias National Park
on the Glenn Highway to overnight
at our stopover point of Tok Junction.
Overnight in Tok (BLD)
Day
15
Today is a leisurely drive to Haines
Junction in the Yukon Territories.
Set against the spectacular backdrop of Canada's highest mountains,
Haines Junction is a popular holiday destination for Yukoners
as well as tourists. The community is located at the junction
of the Alaska Highway and the Haines Road, 158 kilometers west
of Whitehorse. The scenery along the way is very spectacular.
We depart Tok for Beaver Creek and Burwash Landing - Stop along
the way at the Kluane Wilderness Village. In Burwash Landing visit
the Kluane Museum of Natural History. Along the highway stop at
Sheep Mountain Visitor Centre. View Dall Sheep through the spotting
scopes located at the centre. Continue on to Haines Junction.
Overnight Haines Junction (BLD)
Day
16
Drive to Whitehorse. Some of the scenic sights include the icefield
ranges interpretive sign and the Canyon Creek Bridge, originally
build in 1920 and then reconstructed in 1942. A short side trip
on the Kusawa Lake Road takes you to scenic Kusawa Lake. Stop
in for a tour of "Long ago Peoples Places" tea and bannock
served. Continue on to Whitehorse. From White horse we travel
a short ways north to Takhini Hot Springs and unwind in a beautiful
outdoor mountain setting at the Hot Springs pools. This evening
it's entertainment of the Yukon kind as we go to the Frantic Follies.
Overnight Whitehorse. (BLD)
Day
17
It's the Klondike Highway to Skagway via Emerald Lake. The lake's
gem-like
color comes from blue-green light waves reflecting off the white
sediment layer
(decomposed shells mixed with clay) on the bottom. Blue-green
lakes are characterized
by low oxygen levels and do not foster plant or fish life. We
stop at the Carcross Desert. Affectionately called the world's
smallest desert, this is really the sandy bottom of an old lakebed
Carcross.
A charming town of period log buildings and white sand beaches.
Thousands of stampeders landed here after their trip from Bennett
City.
We visit the old Whitepass Railway Station, now used as an interpretive
center.
Continue on to Fraser - the Canadian Border Crossing - Board the
Whitepass Train for the trip into Skagway. Absolutely magnificent
scenery all the way, rugged, snowcapped mountain ranges, streams,
waterfalls, and lakes. Your coach will meet you in Skagway.
Overnight Skagway (BLD)
Day 18
Today we board the Alaska Marine Highway
Ferry for an overnight sailing to Prince
Rupert. Modest cabins are guaranteed on the ferry;
some quad sharing. Although not a cruise ship in the general sense,
the ferry experience is both pleasant and exciting as the ship
calls at various communities along Alaska's coast. Depending on
the time available you may be able to disembark at some of these
ports for a brief visit. Be sure to take in the lectures given
onboard the ferry by National Parks guides along the way. Very
interesting.
Overnight on Alaska Marine Highway Ferry (B)
Day 19
Upon your arrival in Prince Rupert
your coach will transfer you to your hotel and the rest of the
day is yours to explore this beautiful fishing village and shop
for bargains and souvenirs. A delightful Seafood Dinner
is on the menu for tonight.
Overnight Prince Rupert (D)
Day
20
Today we leave the lush coastland and travel to the lumber city
of Prince George. British
Columbia's fourth largest city. We travel along the scenic routes
through the gentle coastal mountains into the timber rich lands
of which Prince George inhabits.
Overnight Prince George (BLD)
Day
21
It's a short drive for us today as we head for Jasper
National Park. Established in 1907, Jasper National
Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies with
10,878 square kilometers of mountain wilderness.
Jasper is also the wildest of the mountain parks, and contains
a superb backcountry trail system as well as the world famous
Columbia Icefields. It is
internationally renowned for wildlife viewing, and is home to
some of North America's rarest animals, including healthy populations
of grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves. This afternoon we
board the Jasper Skytram and
travel to the top of the world where they say one can see for
a thousand miles. The experience of being gently transported into
Jasper National Park's alpine tundra will captivate all ages,
you will discover views unsurpassed in the Canadian
Rockies. Gaze over six mountain ranges, glacial-fed
lakes, meandering rivers, and the scenic Jasper Townsite. Witness
the snow-capped splendor of Mt. Robson,
the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. At 3,954 meters
(over 12,000 feet) above sea level, you will truly expand your
horizons.(up-top restaurant & gift shop, hiking etc.)
Time
will be allowed for a nice hike along some of the finest and most
scenic gentle hiking trails in the Rockies. This afternoon its
on to another Jewel, Maligne Lake for a breathtaking 1 1/2 hour
Boat Cruise to Spirit Island.
This
lake is very famous and one of the most photographed in the world.
It is said that a beautiful Indian Princess is buried there. She
died from a broken heart after her warrior husband was killed
in a battle. There are claims that she sometimes roams the island
appearing out of the mist as if searching for her lover. Evening
free to hike and explore around the town of Jasper.
Overnight Jasper (BLD)
Day
22
Today we head south through the valley of the glaciers. The "Icefield
Parkway". Now get ready to get lost in a sea of
ice and an ocean of mountains as we visit another of Canada's
Jewels and board the Snow-Coach
and travel to the top of the only glacier in the world that is
accessible by road. The Athabasca Glacier.
Make sure you bring a warm jacket and sunglasses. After the Snow-Coach
we pose for a Group Photo with the glacier in the background.
Our next stop is Peyto Lake,
chosen by Kodak because of its unbelievable colors. You won't
believe the colors are real.
We pay a visit to Lake Louise
with its grandeur hotel the "Chateau
Lake Louise", and more breathtaking views of the
Great Canadian Rocky Mountains. It is Canada's "Diamond in
the Wilderness," set amid grandiose walls of ice and sheets
of rock in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, shimmering like an emerald
jewel. Each year more than two million visitors pay homage to
the grandiose setting at the shores of Lake Louise, sightseeing,
photographing, dining, hiking, climbing and canoeing. Now it's
on to the most famous tourist town in the world: Banff.
Situated in Banff National Park.
. A 'must' to see while in Banff is the legendary and world famous
Banff Springs Hotel with its
'castle-like' appearance and also famous for its multi-million
dollar 'hot spring' pools and saunas. Some time will be given
to shopping before we return to our hotel and end our 'Alaska
Highway' tour in Calgary.
Overnight Calgary (BLD)
