Compare Grand Alaskan Adventure by Cosmos vs Alaska: The Great Exploration by Discover Corps
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 2,239 | $ 4,695 |
| Price Per Day | $ 320 | $ 671 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
6 Breakfast, 5 Lunches and 4 Dinners |
| Description | This Alaska tour is a dream come true for value-minded travelers seeking to experience Alaska's breathtaking scenery and thrilling experiences. You'll start and end your tour in Anchorage and also have overnights in Denali National Park and Valdez. In between destinations, you'll have the opportunity to witness scenery unlike anywhere else, with untamed wilderness and exciting wildlife sightings. A tour highlight is your cruise across the striking Prince William Sound. Witness the three-mile face of the Mears Glacier as you keep your eyes open for marine wildlife, such as otters, seals, and whales, all while you admire stunning glaciers. Another tour highlight is your journey to Talkeetna, a quaint town exemplifying small-town Alaska, from Anchorage aboard the Alaska Railroad. On this train trip, you’ll travel through gorgeous wilderness and understand Alaska’s allure. Two nights in Denali National Park gives you the opportunity to explore this amazing park, home to six million acres and North America's highest peak (20,310-foot Denali). Perhaps go for a hike or participate in an optional outing, such as a wilderness tour to seek out grizzly bear, moose, caribou, and more. But that’s not all…on this Alaska vacation, you’ll witness stunning views as you travel over the top of Thompson Pass, where you’ll admire unforgettable scenery, and into Alaska’s interior across the Denali Highway. The Denali Highway is a seldom-traveled road through true wilderness with frequent wildlife sightings. With magnificent scenery, opportunities to witness wildlife in its natural environment, and awe-inspiring experiences, this Alaska tour is a once-in-a-lifetime vacation! |
As America’s last frontier, Alaska boasts a nearly endless amount of natural beauty. From glaciers that rival the size of some states to snow-capped mountains that scrape the sky, the rugged Alaskan landscape is unrivaled. Add to that a litany of land and marine life found nowhere else in the U.S. and you have one of the most awe-inspiring experiences available to travelers today. |
Day 1: ANCHORAGE
Arrive in Anchorage and make your way to your hotel. This afternoon, you are free to explore the “Last Frontier” on your own.
Day 2: ANCHORAGE–ALASKA RAILROAD TALKEETNA–DENALI NATIONAL PARK
This morning, board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a memorable train journey to Talkeetna, the jumping-off point for climbers attempting to summit Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet. Enjoy strolling along the shops in downtown or take a walk to the river. Early this afternoon, journey to Denali National Park for a 2-night stay.
Day 3: DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Denali National Park and Preserve, majestically dominates the park’s six million acres. Enjoy a free day for independent activities; a hike along the many wilderness trails might be of interest. Also take advantage of several optional outings, including a wildlife tour to seek out grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a raft trip down the Nenana River; or a helicopter ride over the park. Your Tour Director will have plenty of suggestions.
Day 4: DENALI NATIONAL PARK–THOMPSON PASS–VALDEZ
Relish one last look at the outstanding scenery and wildlife of Denali, before traveling across the Denali Highway. This seldom-traveled road was the first road to allow access to Denali National Park—a true wilderness with frequent wildlife sightings and amazing views of the Alaska Range. Next, climb over the top of Thompson Pass, well-known for the annual snowfall in the winter months, the pass offers summer guests unforgettable views. End today’s journey in the town of Valdez, nestled between the waterfront and mountains, giving it the nickname, Alaska’s Little Switzerland.
Day 5: VALDEZ–WHITTIER–PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND–ANCHORAGE
Board a boat and travel across magnificent Prince William Sound. Explore the 3-mile face of the mighty Meares Glacier and hear tales of the region as told by the Alaskan crew. Keep your eyes open and cameras ready for marine wildlife such as otters, seals, and whales while viewing spectacular glaciers. Return to Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.
Day 6: ANCHORAGE
This morning, join a city sightseeing tour of Anchorage, with a visit to the Anchorage Museum, where you will see a quality display of artifacts of the native people of Alaska. The afternoon is free for independent exploring.
Day 7: ANCHORAGE
Your vacation ends this morning.
Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage
Meals: Dinner
Our Alaskan adventure begins in its charming city of Anchorage. Arrive into Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and meet your local Alaskan guide. We’ll get a brief introduction to the area before settling into our accommodations at a boutique inn in downtown Anchorage. Dine alongside locals at a brewhouse and get to know one another as we gear up for the week ahead.
Day 2: Learn about Alaska's History and Meet a Member of the Beluga Whale Alliance
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today's adventure takes us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. As Alaska’s largest living cultural center, we’ll get the unique opportunity to explore a village of authentic and traditional structures from Alaska’s many native cultures. We’ll also be treated to a range of performances including native dancing led by a community dance group, or athletes demonstrating World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games skills. In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch and guided hike into the snow capped mountains of the Chugach State Park. Stop along the way to discuss the stunning geography of the area while learning about Alaska history as you gaze over aerial views of Anchorage.
Before dinner, we’ll get a visit from a member of the Beluga Whale Alliance to discuss the declining Beluga Whale population of nearby Cook Inlet and their effort to sustain the species by volunteer driven data collection. Enjoy dinner with a view overlooking the Cook Inlet, named after Captain James Cook during his search for the Northwest Passage.
This hike is all abilities level and will be based on group pace with 3 different routes to choose between.
Day 3: Ride a Glass-Top Train to Seward & Explore Kenai Fjords National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Rise early for an adventure down the Alaskan coast. Hop aboard the Coastal Classic train and venture from Anchorage to Seward in style. Often ranked as the top ten train rides in North America, you’ll wind along Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range plunge directly to the sea before entering into the backcountry wilderness. Take in the panoramic vistas of Alaska’s beauty under the glass dome ceiling railcars. This 4.5 hour scenic ride will offer plenty of photo opportunities of wildflowers, rivers, and possible wildlife sightings so be sure to keep your camera handy! Arrive into the quaint, fishing town of Seward where you’ll go from train to boat for an afternoon of wildlife and glacier viewing in the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park. Keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, the stellar sea lion, and more as we cruise through Aialik Bay towards the mighty Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. We will spend time in front of the glacier to watch for calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. The tour is fully narrated by a National Park Ranger
Day 4: Join the Alaska Sealife Center for a Puffin Experience before a Dog Sled Tour Through the Wilderness
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Wake to the sounds of fishing boats departing for the day and views of towering Mt. Marathon and Mt. Alice outside your window. Today we will head to Alaska’s only marine rescue and research facility, The Alaska Sealife Center. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about how the center is protecting marine wildlife through rescue and rehabilitation. Go behind the scenes with researchers and learn about a range of animals from stellar sea lions, ringed & spotted seals as well as the giant pacific octopus. Join staff in a privately led deep dive into the characteristics and traits of a puffin. Learn first hand why their bright orange beaks change colors during the year and how they’ve earned their nickname, clowns of the sea!
In the afternoon, visit a local homestead kennel for a look into Alaska’s Iditarod dog sledding family, The Seaveys. Get to know their beloved team of huskies, a tether-free environment, and how mushing runs deep within the family line and their way of life. Your adventure begins with a 2-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of these amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to comfortable wheeled sleds on this hour and a half dog sled tour. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek.
Day 5: Head to Homer & Meet with the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies for "Belly Biology"
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, we will hit the road and head to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula stopping along the way in the old gold mining town of Cooper Landing. We’ll arrive in Homer and visit the Wynn Nature Center at the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies, whose mission is to protect the unique marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship. Get to know the 150 acre wildlife corridor with a habitat that includes spruce, black cottonwood, and alder trees and is the epicenter for a range of birds from the Black-capped Chickadee to the Orange-crowned warbler. The preserve is located on top of a bluff 1200 feet above Kachemak Bay. After touring the grounds, head down to the Homer Marina with a trained naturalist guide as you explore marine invertebrate life living on & around the Homer Harbor Docks in an activity called, belly biology.
Day 6: Visit a Local Oyster Farm
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Rise for a delicious breakfast followed by some free time to explore the small shops & cafes on the boardwalk along the Homer Spit. In the afternoon, we will board a boat for yet another engaging ocean experience. This time we will explore Kachemak Bay stopping at a local oyster farm to enjoy a tasting! Learn about ocean research by participating in a plankton tow, viewing them under a microscope and using an underwater remote operating vehicle to explore the ocean bed and all the creatures that call this place home! We’ll stop at the secluded Peterson Bay Field Station & visit Intertidal Creature Touch Tanks. Later in the evening, we’ll come together for a memorable Farewell Dinner to cap off our great Alaskan adventure!
Day 7: Explore the Homer Spit before Returning Home or Continuing to Denali
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Enjoy a relaxing final morning in Homer. Head into town for souvenir shopping or beach combing along the oceanfront. In the afternoon, we’ll drive back to Anchorage for evening flights out. Those who opt for the Denali Extension will bid the rest of the group farewell and take a domestic flight from Homer to Anchorage then onwards to Denali National Park.
