Bright summer day aboard the Alaska Railroad heading to Denali.

Alaska's First-Time Favorites - Tour 130

If you only have time for two destinations in Alaska, make them Denali National Park and Seward.

Enjoy a spectacular view from a deluxe Bluffs room.

Alaska's First-Time Favorites - Tour 130

If you only have time for two destinations in Alaska, make them Denali National Park and Seward.

Iconic view from Stony Hill on a Denali Park bus tour.

Alaska's First-Time Favorites - Tour 130

If you only have time for two destinations in Alaska, make them Denali National Park and Seward.

Seward's Harbor 360 provides convenient access to day cruises.

Alaska's First-Time Favorites - Tour 130

If you only have time for two destinations in Alaska, make them Denali National Park and Seward.

Kenai Fjords 360 in front of Holgate Glacier.

Alaska's First-Time Favorites - Tour 130

If you only have time for two destinations in Alaska, make them Denali National Park and Seward.

Overview
What's Included
Itinerary
Map
Rates & Dates
Options & Upgrades
Photos
Add to My Trip

Trip Overview

When it comes to Alaska, doing "just the basics" could mean anything from seeing the tallest mountain in North America to watching a tidewater glacier shed hundred-foot-high hunks of ice into frigid fjord waters. This five-day vacation package provides opportunities for this and more. The itinerary includes two nights in the Denali Park area and one night in Seward, plus three guided tours and transportation by train and motorcoach. The trip begins and ends in Anchorage.

Trip Highlights

Ride the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star and Coastal Classic trains through landscapes ranging from coastlines to rolling tundra.
Travel deep into the Denali National Park wilderness on a guided bus tour.
Take a day cruise from Seward to Kenai Fjords National Park in search of whales, glaciers, puffins, and more.

Why Pick This Trip

Think of this vacation package as a starter course for future Alaska travels. This package takes you to two of the state's best-known places, and in doing so will undoubtedly leave you eager for more Alaska down the line. At five days, it's also a good pick if you're limited on vacation time.

What's Included

Here is everything that is included. Remember, we can easily add or remove services so this vacation package is the perfect fit for your party.

Anchorage | 1 Night

Enjoy complimentary breakfast and a convenient location at this recently renovated Anchorage hotel. Learn More >

Depart 8:20 AM | Arrive Denali Park 3:40 PM

Pass through spruce forests, over braided rivers, and along the base of the Alaska Range on this northbound route to Denali National Park. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 6:30 PM | 3 Hours

Float down the Nenana River on mild water excursion with Denali's longest-running rafting company. Learn More >

Denali Park | 2 Nights

Stay in a cedar cabin or comfortable lodge room at this resort-style property. The Village is seven miles from the entrance to Denali Park and offers guests free shuttle service. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 1:30 PM | 5.5 Hours

Fully narrated bus tour with a turnaround point at the historic Murie Cabin deep inside Denali National Park. Learn More >

Depart 7:15 AM | Arrive Seward 5:45 PM

Board the premier Park to Park motorcoach for the only same-day transfer service between Denali Park and Seward. Learn More >

Seward | 1 Night

Just three miles north of Seward, this full-service lodge invites guests into a secluded forest setting while providing convenient shuttle service to local activities. Learn More >

Seward | Depart 8:30 AM | 8 Hours

Cruise into the farthest coastal reaches of Kenai Fjords National Park on this remote and immersive nine-hour boat tour from Seward. Learn More >

Depart 6:00 PM | Arrive Anchorage 10:15 PM

Relax aboard the northbound Coastal Classic on this scenic evening ride through mountain passes and glacial valleys on the way into Anchorage. Learn More >

Itinerary

Read on for a day-by-day breakdown of this tour package. Click on an item to get started, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.

Fly into Ted Stevens International Airport and transfer to your downtown hotel. Overnight Anchorage.

Take the shuttle, or walk the few blocks from your hotel to the Anchorage Depot this morning. You're ticketed on the Denali Star train heading north. Enjoy the swiftly changing views once you're under way and keep an ear out for your car host's narration. They often call out upcoming photo ops. The train arrives into the Denali Depot mid-afternoon.

This evening you're off on a scenic raft trip down the Nenana River, a waterway you rode along for many miles on the train. You'll float down a more remote section of it, passing through boulder gardens and along water-carved cliffsides to the pullout at Denali Park. Overnight Denali.

Denali National Park awaits today as you leave early on a guided bus tour. Over the next few hours you'll travel the Park Road. You'll see the extraordinary landscapes of Denali's north country, a vast backdrop that morphs from glacial plains to glaciated peaks. There's plenty of wildlife, too, and a good chance to see caribou, Dall sheep, grizzlies, and maybe even moose. Overnight Denali.

Today you head south to the coast on the Park Connection Motorcoach. It's a comfortable ride on a premium coach, the seats spacious and the windows big. The trip includes a midday stop in Anchorage. Overnight Seward.

There's time to take a stroll through Seward's harbor area this morning before boarding your day cruise to Kenai Fjords National Park. The boat captain provides narration about the area's natural history and wildlife. With luck, you'll spot some of that wildlife, maybe sea lions hauled out on rocks, seabirds fishing, or a whale breaching. The day cruise includes lunch.

This evening, board the Alaska Railroad for your final travel leg. The train is known as the Coastal Classic, and its scenery is legendary. You'll carve through the Kenai Mountains, climb up and over Grandview Pass, pass within 1,000 feet of Bartlett Glacier, and snake along the Turnagain Arm. Your Alaska vacation concludes with a return to Anchorage.

Map

Check out the map below for a visual overview of this specific tour package. You can see a larger version of the map here, or try our an interactive tour map by using the link below.

SHOW INTERACTIVE MAP >

Rates & Dates

The prices below will give you an idea of approximately how much this trip will cost. Keep in mind your actual price will likely vary based on your departure date, availability, and any modifications you make. You can use one of the links below to request an exact quote for your party, or price the trip yourself if you prefer using our My Trip feature. You can often save money by traveling in the value season, typically May and September.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $2,919	Double: $2,091	Triple: $1,843	Quad: $1,720	Child: $811
Taxes & Fees	Single: $198	Double: $129	Triple: $108	Quad: $97	Child: $28
Total	Single: $3,117	Double: $2,220	Triple: $1,951	Quad: $1,817	Child: $839
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $2,919	Double: $2,091	Triple: $1,843	Quad: $1,720	Child: $811
Taxes & Fees	Single: $198	Double: $129	Triple: $108	Quad: $97	Child: $28
Total	Single: $3,117	Double: $2,220	Triple: $1,951	Quad: $1,817	Child: $839
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

Options and Add-Ons

This is one of our more popular Alaska highlights tour packages, but you can make it even better! We can add or remove services to make it a perfect match for your party. Many of our guests opt to upgrade their rail tickets from Adventure Class to the GoldStar dome service. This is an especially popular upgrade on the Seward to Anchorage leg because the scenery is so stunning. Check out a few of our other suggestions to customize this trip below.

You can make these changes at check out and your final package price will be updated to reflect just the services you choose. Give us a call or request a quote for more specifics.

Seward | Depart 8:30 AM | 8.5 Hours

Explore the farther reaches of Kenai Fjords National Park on this full-day boat trip designed for birders, photographers, and marine wildlife enthusiasts. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 7:40 AM | 3 Hours

Offering active exploration of the unique natural setting of the Denali Park area, guests return from this three-hour walking tour both energized and educated. Learn More >