ALASKA 7 DAYS + Extensions

Embark on an Alaskan adventure through the vibrant streets of Anchorage, the historic charm of Talkeetna, and the majestic wilderness of Denali National Park. Your journey unfolds across the awe-inspiring
Kenai Fjords, the rugged volcanic landscapes of Katmai, and the picturesque capital of Juneau, nestled
deep in the Alaskan Panhandle.

As the largest state in the U.S., Alaska is a land of staggering scale, where over half the territory is protected public land—from pristine national forests to vast wildlife refuges. Visitors and locals alike are consistently captivated by a landscape defined by tidewater glaciers, deep fjords, and towering peaks.
Here, the wild is truly within reach: you’ll witness salmon-run rapids, wandering moose and caribou, and
a coastal world teeming with bears, whales, and puffins

<Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the Photo Gallery>

Tips:

Pre-Trip Resources:

• Guidebooks: Fodor’s Alaska and Lonely Planet-Alaska and Moon Alaska.

• Travel Alaska website provides valuable insights.

• Download the All-trails app to your smartphone to find the best hiking trail.

• 🚗 Renting a car is best — it saves time and lets you see more.

  Getting There:

• Flight time to Alaska from various cities: New York~7 hrs. / Chicago-5.5 hrs. / Dallas-6.5 hrs. / Los Angeles-5 hrs.

  🎒 Packing & Gear:

• What type of clothing should you pack?

  • Wear casual, comfortable clothes you can layer. Even in summer, bring rain- and wind-resistant items.
    Comfortable walking shoes or water‑repellent hiking boots are essential.

  • For day cruises, pack a scarf, hat, and gloves — it can get cold on the boat.

  • Mosquitoes-what you need to know.

    • 🦟 Mosquito repellent is essential. A face net helps in Denali.

  Wildlife & Safety:

• Buy Bear Spray when you arrive.

  • How to use bear spray. <Watch video>

  • The National Park Service says a bear attack is very rare — about 1 in 2 million.

  • Essentials facts about bears.

    • 🐻 Know your bear, <download pdf>

• ✨ Must-See Experiences:

  • If your interest is the Northern Lights, the best time is from October to March.

    • The areas of Eklutna Tailrace, Girdwood, and the Knik River region are all popular spots close to Anchorage for viewing the shifting colors. <directions>

DAY 1

• Arrive at Anchorage airport and transfer to your hotel.

• Anchorage - Alaska’s largest city, is the gateway to its wilderness and mountains..

• If time allows, stroll along the Anchorage Tony Knowles Coastal trail.

  • This paved trail runs 11 miles one way, offering activities like biking, walking, and even wildlife observation.
    On the trail you may spot majestic eagles and moose.

    The trail runs from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park, passing coastal marshes with lovely views of the city.

  • <Trail map> GPS coordinate: 61°13'04.2 N 149°54'29.8 W

    • Various Parking and Trail Access:

      • Elderberry Park (1297 W. Fifth Ave.)

      • Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park (1824 W. 15th Ave.)

      • Lyn Ary Park (2009 Foraker Drive)

      • Earthquake Park (5101 Point Woronzof Road)

      • Point Worzonof Overlook (9700 Point Woronzof Road)

      • Kincaid Park (9401 Raspberry Road)

• Overnight: Anchorage

DAY 2

• Travel from Anchorage to Denali National Park to see Denali (Mount McKinley), North America's highest peak at 20,310 ft.

  • The park is home to abundant wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou and Dall sheep.

• Talkeetna - is a pleasant stop (located halfway between Anchorage and Denali) where you will find quaint shops and local breweries. The most popular activities are
  Mt. McKinley flightseeing tours (only worth it on a clear day), historic riverboat tours and jet boat rides on a glacier-fed river.

  • Talkeetna (Mahay’s) Adventure tours.

• Overnight: Denali National Park (3 nights)

  • Where to stay: Most visitors stay outside the park. The closest towns are Healy, about 11 miles north of the entrance, and Cantwell, about 30 miles south.

    • The highway leading to these towns is Highway 3 (George Parks Highway).

  • <Lodges outside the park> <Lodges inside the park - limited>

• Distance:

  Anchorage —-> Talkeetna, 2 hrs.

  Talkeetna —-> Denali Park, 2.5 hrs.

• Check into Park Ranger Programs and Field seminars.

• Flightseeing:

  • Multiple flightseeing companies operate from Talkeetna, Denali Park, Healy, and Kantishna, with offices just outside the park.

  • Visitors arrive on a snowy run in the park. Tours operate only in
    clear weather.

  • Several companies, approved by the National Park Service, are allowed to land on park glaciers.: Fly Denali (866-733-7768), K2 Aviation (800-764-2291) and Talkeetna Air Taxi (800-533-2219).

• Overnight: Denali.

DAY 5

• Leave by 7-8 a.m. for the long drive from Denali to Seward.

  • You will pass the scenic shorelines of  Turnagain Arm and the jutting peaks of the Chugach Mountains.

  • Along the scenic Seward Highway, Turnagain Arm is a great spot for wildlife watching and nature photos.

    • Beluga Point (on Turnagain Arm) is a safe pull-off to view whales.

• Learn more about <Turnagain Arm> and <Chugach State Park>

• Arrive in Seward. Known as the Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, this charming harbor town is worth a visit.
  Small but well-equipped, it has many places to eat, shop, and stay—especially for local seafood.

  • The main areas, Small Boat Harbor and downtown, are connected by the scenic Seward Waterfront Trail, with
    great views of Resurrection Bay.

• Overnight: Seward (2 nights)

• Distance:

  • Denali ---> Seward, 7 hrs. 363 miles.

DAY 6

Visit Kenai Fjords National Park.

• Why visit? Kenai Fjords offers some of the best whale watching opportunities in Alaska.

  • The best whale-watching months are: March–October.

• Kenai Fjords is famous for glaciers, fjords, and islands. Most spots are reachable only by boat, so boat tours are the easiest way to visit. In summer, park rangers often give talks during tours.  Major Marine Tours and Kenai Fjords Tours. 

• Visit Exit Glacier. It is a glacier in the Kenai Mountains and is the only part of the park which is accessible by road.

  • Park at the Exit Glacier Nature Center — the Glacier Overlook trail begins there.

    • Directions: Turn onto Herman Leirer Road (commonly called "Exit Glacier Road") off the Seward Hwy-AK-9.
      Drive 8.6 miles. The road will end at the parking lot for the Nature Center.

  • The Glacier Overlook Trail is a well maintained 2-mile trail which provides views of Exit Glacier. Follow the trail to the Exit Glacier Overlook and view the glacier in the carved valley. <Trail map>

• Overnight: Seward.

DAY 7

• Depart to Anchorage.

  Three(3) options to consider upon your arrival to Anchorage.

1. 🏠 End of trip and depart for your flight home.

2. 🐻 Diversion—journey to Katmai National Park. Add 2 days.

3. 🏔️ Extend trip to Juneau, Alaska. Add 4 days.

• Distance: Seward to Anchorage, 2.5 hrs. / 127 mi.

• Explore Glacier Bay National Preserve.

  • Glacier Bay National Park has steep mountains, moving glaciers, temperate rainforests, rocky shores, and deep fjords. It’s one of the world’s largest protected areas.

  • Glacier Bay Day Tour: A popular choice for seeing the park's glaciers. Every morning in summer, a high-speed catamaran departs from Bartlett Cove for an 8-hour tour. <Learn more>

    • Expert Guides: A National Park Ranger is on board to narrate and spot wildlife (whales, bears, puffins).

    • Kayakers Drop-offs: The boat can drop off backcountry campers/kayakers at designated remote locations.

    • Pro Tip: Passengers usually stay in Gustavus or at Glacier Bay Lodge the night before,
      but early flights from Juneau are possible (weather permitting).

  1. Where to stay: Glacier Bay Lodge is the only hotel inside the park. Gustavus offers several cozy B&Bs and inns.

  2. Plan Your Visit —🤔 tips about things to do, places to go,

  3. How to get to Glacier Bay Lodge(Gustavus) - There are 3 primary ways.

     1. Air (Commercial): Alaska Airlines offers daily jet service from Juneau during the summer.

     2. Air (Small Plane): Local air taxis (like Alaska Seaplanes) fly multiple times daily from Juneau.

     3. Sea (Ferry): The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferry runs between Juneau and Gustavus on select days.

• Visit Admiralty Island.

  • No trip to Alaska is complete without bears. Just thirty (30) minutes from Juneau by floatplane is Admiralty Island,
    home to one of the world's highest density brown bear populations.

  • About 1,600 bears live on the island — the highest brown-bear density on Earth. Pack Creek Bear Sanctuary—is the best spot to see bears, especially feasting on July–August salmon. The island also has the most nesting bald eagles in the world.

  • Tour Operators are your best bet: <Pack Creek Bear Tours> <Above and Beyond Alaska> <Bear Creek Outfitters>

    • ⚠️ Permits are required and tour guides can help get them and set up transportation.

  • Getting there: Just 40 miles from Juneau, Pack Creek makes for an ideal day-trip.

    • Accessible only by floatplane; no roads or lodging. A 30-minute flight from Juneau is the fastest way to get there.

  • The Experience: This is a true wilderness area with no roads, no docks, and no facilities (not even a bathroom).

• Go Whale Watching.

  • Experience a classic Alaska whale watching adventure.

  • Whale-watching tours vary: large catamarans, medium
    jet boats, and small 6-person boats.

  • Most operators guarantee whale sightings; tours usually last 3–4 hours and include transport.

• Discover Mendenhall Glacier.

  • The impressive Mendenhall Glacier spans half a mile in width and boasts ice that ranges from 300 to 1,800 feet deep.

  • If you have time, enjoy the natural beauty around you. The best hike is the Nugget Falls trail, only 2-miles round trip. You’ll see amazing views of the glacier and the area around it.

    • Getting there:

      By car: An easy drive from downtown Juneau. There is parking at the Visitor Center.

      By shuttle: The Glacier Shuttle (small fee) runs every 30 minutes. Pick up & drop off is near the cruise ship terminal.

    • By boat: Several-day cruises include whale watching and a stop at Mendenhall Glacier, where you can hike around and explore nearby areas on foot.

• Explore stunning Tracy Arm Fjord.

  • Located forty-five (45) miles south of Juneau, this fjord offers everything: massive glaciers, towering granite cliffs, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife.

  • The Fjord is a 30-mile-long narrow inlet that winds past snow-capped peaks and floating ice ending at the breathtaking Twin Sawyer Glaciers. <video>

    • Wildlife: Keep an eye out for bald eagles, brown bears, mountain goats, whales, and harbor seals resting on the ice.

    • Booking a Tour: You have to take a full-day boat excursion. Adventure Bound Alaska and Allen Marine Tours operate well-reviewed trips from May through September.

    • Pro Tip: Space is limited; reserve your spot at least a week in advance.

• Walk through historic Juneau. <read more>

• Wander the historic district of downtown Juneau and discover why it is a gem to visit. In just a few square miles, you are able to browse buildings celebrating Alaska's Native heritage, multiple museums and an arts center.

• Stop by one of Travel Juneau's visitor information sites for a Downtown Walking Tour Map and be your own guide!Depart from Juneau airport for your flight home.

• Add-on cost: Prices per person vary from $150-200 for a day cruise, $275-350 for a flightseeing tour and $700-900 for a fly-in bear viewing or for guided fishing.
  These costs should be added to your total expenses.

• Historical Weather Data.

• The best time to visit Alaska is during the summer months. While our summer season is short, it is the driest, warmest time to visit.

• Starting mid-May and ending mid-September you are sure to see the best the State of Alaska has to offer.

• The driest months are April, May and June.

• Chances of a sunny day: Mainland Alaska 40% probability of a sunny day and in the Juneau region, 31% chance of a sunny day.

• Sunrise/Sunset time.

• Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights map) visible from October to March.