Best of Alaska Self Drive Road Trip with Arctic Circle

Day 1 Anchorage to Seward | 204 km/127 mi Depart Anchorage and travel south along the Seward Highway, one of Alaska’s great scenic drives. The route follows Turnagain Arm below the Chugach Mountains, where tidal flats, waterfalls, cliffs and coastal water create a dramatic opening to the journey. Watch for Dall sheep on the slopes and possible beluga whales in the bay before the road turns deeper into the Kenai Peninsula. Continue through forest, lakes and mountain valleys to Seward, a harbor town set between Resurrection Bay and the gateway landscapes of Kenai Fjords National Park.

Day 2 Seward | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 12 Excursions Today, enjoy a full day in Seward and choose the experience that best matches your travel style. Explore Kenai Fjords by boat, paddle the protected waters around Resurrection Bay, hike near Exit Glacier, meet sled dogs at a summer training camp, or upgrade to a glacier flightseeing, dogsledding or iceberg kayaking adventure. Option 1. Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise Cruise from Seward into Kenai Fjords National Park, where tidewater glaciers, steep coastal cliffs, remote islands and rich marine habitat create one of Alaska’s classic coastal wilderness experiences. Watch for seals, whales, puffins, sea otters and other wildlife as expert narration brings the park’s glaciers, fjords and natural history to life. Option 2. Tonsina Point Resurrection Bay Kayaking Adventure Paddle the protected waters of Resurrection Bay, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forested shoreline and the wild coastal scenery that makes Seward so memorable. This active sea-kayaking adventure offers a close-to-nature way to experience the bay, with opportunities to explore shoreline areas near Tonsina Point. Option 3. Bear Lake Kayak | Canoe Trip Kayak or canoe on calm Bear Lake, located just outside Seward. With local guides, visit the salmon weir, learn about the salmon life cycle, and watch for eagles, loons and other wildlife in a peaceful mountain setting. Option 4. Wilderness Dog Sled Ride Tour Visit the Seavey family homestead and meet the Iditarod athletes at their summer training camp. Feel the excitement as the dogs are harnessed, then ride through the scenic rainforest on a comfortable summer sled. Option 5. Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise Cruise the blue waters of Resurrection Bay, where mountains, glaciers and rugged cliffs create a spectacular coastal setting. Watch for whales, puffins, otters and other marine wildlife, then enjoy lunch on Fox Island during this memorable Kenai Fjords experience. Option 6. Exit Glacier Hike Explore the Resurrection River Valley on a guided hike to Exit Glacier, where blue ice descends from the Harding Icefield. This is one of the most accessible glacier experiences in Alaska and a strong choice for travellers who want to feel close to the landscape. Option 7. Upgrade Option: Guided Walking Salmon Fishing | Seward Area Walk scenic rivers and streams near Seward with an expert guide and try your hand at salmon fishing in a classic Alaska setting. This is an ideal upgrade for travellers who want a more hands-on outdoor experience. Option 8. Upgrade Option: Bear Glacier Iceberg Kayaking Adventure Kayak among the floating icebergs of Bear Glacier Lagoon, where ice breaks from the largest glacier in the Harding Icefield. Paddle through a changing maze of blue and white ice, with possible sightings of harbour seals, black bears and coastal wildlife. Option 9. Upgrade Option: Helicopter Kenai Fjords National Park Tour with Landing Fly above Alaska’s spectacular wilderness on an unforgettable helicopter adventure, taking in glaciers, mountain valleys and remote landscapes. Land on or beside ancient ice, explore the dramatic surroundings and experience the scale and beauty of Alaska from a remarkable perspective. Option 10. Upgrade Option: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsled Take a scenic helicopter flight over mountains and glaciers before landing on a glacier snowfield for a true Alaska dogsledding experience. Meet an Alaskan sled-dog team and mush across real snow in summer. Option 11. Upgrade Option: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsled with Kenai Fjords National Park Tour Fly above Alaska’s spectacular wilderness on a scenic helicopter journey, taking in glaciers, mountain valleys and remote landscapes before landing at a glacier dogsled camp. Meet the huskies, learn from experienced mushers and drive a dog team across ancient ice. Option 12. Upgrade Option: Helicopter Bear Glacier Iceberg Kayaking Adventure Begin with a scenic helicopter flight over mountains and glaciers, then kayak through Bear Glacier Lagoon among monumental icebergs. This is one of Seward’s most dramatic adventure upgrades, combining flightseeing, kayaking and remote glacier scenery.

Day 3 Seward to Talkeetna | 386 km/240 mi | Admission to Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Leave Seward and drive north through the mountain scenery of the Kenai Peninsula, following the Seward Highway past forested valleys, alpine lakes and glacier-carved terrain. The route passes through the Chugach National Forest region, where scenic highlights include Kenai Lake, Trail Lakes, Summit Lake, Turnagain Pass and fast-moving mountain creeks before the road descends toward the coast. Continue to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, where admission is included. This spacious sanctuary cares for injured and orphaned Alaska wildlife, giving you the chance to safely observe and photograph animals such as bears, moose, caribou, muskox, bison and other northern species in a natural setting. After your visit, continue along Turnagain Arm, one of Alaska’s great scenic drives, where the Seward Highway follows the water below the Chugach Mountains. Watch for waterfalls, bald eagles, Dall sheep on the cliffs and, with luck, beluga whales in the tidewater. Travel through Anchorage and continue north into the broad Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where rivers, forest, farmland and distant mountain views open the landscape. Arrive in Talkeetna, a characterful rail and river town with historic storefronts, local cafés, frontier charm and possible clear-day views toward Denali and the Alaska Range.

Day 4 Talkeetna | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 3 Excursions | Talkeetna to Denali National Park Entrance | 246 km/153 mi Today, choose your Talkeetna experience before continuing deeper into Alaska’s mountain country. Explore river wilderness by jetboat, or upgrade to flightseeing around Denali and the Alaska Range, with a glacier landing option when weather permits. After your excursion, follow the Parks Highway north through forest, river valleys and broad mountain landscapes toward Denali National Park Entrance. Option 1. Wilderness Excursion Jetboat Tour Travel by jetboat into Alaska river country, with views toward Denali when skies are clear. Your naturalist guide shares stories of local history, wildlife and the surrounding landscape, with stops that may include a Dena’ina-style encampment and a historic trapper’s cabin. Option 2. Upgrade Option: Denali Flightseeing Experience | Small Aircraft Fly toward Denali and the Alaska Range by small aircraft for a dramatic view of rugged peaks, glacier-filled valleys and the mountain’s immense rise from the surrounding landscape. Weather permitting, this is one of the most powerful ways to appreciate the scale of Denali. Option 3. Upgrade Option: Denali Flightseeing with Glacier Landing | Small Aircraft Take the Denali flightseeing experience further with a glacier landing, weather permitting. Fly past peaks, glaciers and ice-carved valleys before touching down on the glacier for time on the ice, surrounded by the silence and scale of the Alaska Range.

Day 5 Denali National Park | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 4 Excursions Today, enjoy a full day in the Denali region and choose the experience that best matches your travel style. Travel the legendary Denali Highway, journey into Denali National Park by coach, or upgrade to flightseeing over the Alaska Range or a helicopter glacier landing. Option 1. Denali Highway Jeep Excursion | Self-Drive Guided 4x4 Excursion Ranked #2 in “Drives of a Lifetime” by National Geographic Traveler magazine, experience the natural wonders of Alaska’s Denali Highway - this time by Jeep. This 4-hour guided excursion travels along a 217 km/135 mi gravel road and takes you off the beaten path in a 4x4 to enjoy sweeping views of Denali, the Alaska Range, glaciers, tundra and possible wildlife. Option 2. Tundra Wilderness Tour | Coach Tour Travel into Denali National Park on a narrated coach tour along the park road, where the landscape opens into tundra, braided rivers, mountain valleys and wildlife habitat. Watch for moose, caribou, Dall sheep, bears and other wildlife while learning about the park’s geology, ecology and wilderness character. Option 3. Upgrade Option: Denali Summit Flightseeing | Small Aircraft Fly toward Denali and the surrounding Alaska Range for a dramatic view of snow-covered peaks, glacier-filled valleys and rugged ridgelines. From the window seat of a small aircraft, this upgrade gives you a powerful sense of the scale of North America’s tallest mountain. Option 4. Upgrade Option: Denali Glacier Landing | Helicopter Fly by helicopter across the Denali region toward the Yanert Glacier, passing tundra, mountain terrain and glacier-carved valleys along the way. Land on the glacier for a spectacular high-alpine Alaska experience.

Day 6 Denali National Park Entrance to Fairbanks | 198 km/123 mi | Sternwheeler Riverboat Cruise Continue north on the Parks Highway toward Fairbanks, travelling through Interior Alaska communities such as Healy, Nenana and Ester. The scenery changes as mountain country gives way to boreal forest, river valleys and broad northern landscapes. This afternoon, board the Riverboat Discovery III for a narrated sternwheeler cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers, learning about Fairbanks history, Alaska Native culture and river life in the Interior.

Day 7 Fairbanks | Arctic Circle Air Adventure Tour Today, fly north from Fairbanks on an Arctic Circle Air Adventure that reveals the vast scale of Alaska’s Interior and Far North. Cross the Yukon River Valley, watch remote wilderness unfold below and continue toward the Brooks Range, one of the great mountain barriers of Arctic Alaska. Land near the Arctic Circle for a memorable certificate presentation before returning to Fairbanks under the long northern daylight.

Day 8 Fairbanks to Chitina | 502 km/312 mi | Flight to McCarthy Travel south from Fairbanks through the wide river valleys and open landscapes of Interior Alaska, following the Richardson Highway toward Delta Junction and the Copper River region. As the scenery shifts from northern forest and river country to the mountains of Wrangell-St. Elias, continue through Glennallen and on to Chitina, a small historic community at the edge of the McCarthy Road. From Chitina, fly with Wrangell Mountain Air toward McCarthy on a short but spectacular journey into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. From the air, the Kennicott Valley, glacier-fed rivers, rugged peaks and remote backcountry unfold below, giving a dramatic sense of the wilderness that surrounds this remote corner of Alaska. Arrive near McCarthy, a true old-Alaska wilderness community shaped by copper-mining history, gravel streets, historic buildings and the powerful mountain scenery of Wrangell-St. Elias. (Please note: Flying has the added benefit of saving 4-5 hour of driving on the single lane, gravel-surfaced McCarthy road)

Day 9 McCarthy | Freedom of Choice - Choose 1 of 3 Excursions Today, enjoy time in the McCarthy and Kennecott area, deep within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Choose the experience that best matches your travel style, from historic copper-mining stories and landmark buildings to glacier hiking or a gentle paddle through the surreal rock-and-ice landscape at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier. Option 1. Kennecott Mill Town Tour Step into the remarkable history of Kennecott, once one of Alaska’s richest copper-mining communities. Join a knowledgeable guide for a tour of the historic mill town and gain access inside the dramatic 14-story concentration mill, where weathered buildings, mining equipment and mountain scenery tell the story of life and work in this remote wilderness. Option 2. Root Glacier Half-Day Hike Walk through the historic Kennecott townsite before continuing toward Root Glacier for a guided glacier hiking experience in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Strap on crampons and explore an ever-changing world of blue pools, glacial streams, canyons, crevasses and ice features, with views toward the Stairway Icefall and Mt. Blackburn adding to the scale of the landscape. Option 3. Kennicott Glacial Lake Paddle Paddle across the calm waters at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier, where rock, ice and glacial water create a striking moonscape beneath the mountains. Your guide shares insight into the glacier, geology and surrounding wilderness as you travel by packraft through a landscape of floating ice, glacier views and dramatic Wrangell-St. Elias scenery. After your chosen excursion, return to McCarthy for an evening in one of Alaska’s most atmospheric wilderness towns. Depending on season and availability, dining may include refined lodge-style cuisine, a lively saloon setting or a relaxed café stop, all surrounded by historic buildings, mountain air and the unmistakable character of old Alaska.

Day 10 McCarthy to Chitina Flight | Chitina to Valdez | 299 km/186 mi Retrace your route from McCarthy to Chitina by air, with the return flight offering a different perspective on the Kennicott Valley and the immense landscapes of Wrangell-St. Elias. Look down over glacier-fed rivers, mountain valleys, remote backcountry and the historic corridor of the McCarthy Road as the wilderness slowly gives way to the Copper River region. From Chitina, continue by road toward Valdez, travelling back through the Copper River Valley before joining the Richardson Highway south. This is one of Alaska’s great mountain drives, with views toward the Wrangell Mountains before the route climbs into the Chugach Mountains and the dramatic scenery of Thompson Pass. As you approach Valdez, watch for alpine terrain, waterfalls, glacier-fed valleys and the coastal mountains that frame Prince William Sound.

Day 11 Valdez | Prince William Sound Columbia Glacier Cruise with lunch Today, cruise from Valdez into Prince William Sound on a full-day Columbia Glacier cruise. Travel past the Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminal and into Columbia Bay, where floating ice, mountain scenery and the vast face of Columbia Glacier create a powerful coastal Alaska experience. Watch for sea otters, sea lions, puffins, porpoises, whales and other marine wildlife along the way, with sightings depending on season and conditions. (Lunch is included onboard today.)

Day 12 Valdez to Sheep Mountain Lodge | 309 km/192 mi Leave Valdez and drive north through Keystone Canyon and Thompson Pass, one of Alaska’s most dramatic mountain corridors. Stop at Worthington Glacier, where the ice can be viewed from the Richardson Highway area, then continue through the Chugach Mountains toward the Copper River region. Visit historic Copper Center, once an important roadhouse and supply point, and watch for river views, salmon activity and bald eagles near the Gulkana River. Continue toward Sheep Mountain Lodge, where broad valleys, colorful slopes and glacier-carved terrain create a memorable overnight setting.

Day 13 Sheep Mountain Lodge to Anchorage | 174 km/108 mi Continue west toward Anchorage on the Glenn Highway, a scenic route shaped by ancient glaciers and broad mountain valleys. Stop for views of Matanuska Glacier, one of the defining sights of the route, then continue through the Matanuska River Valley toward Palmer and the Chugach Mountains. Time permitting, explore Independence Mine State Historical Park near Hatcher Pass, where mining history and alpine scenery come together, or stop at Eagle River Nature Center for a short walk among mountain and river landscapes. Arrive back in Anchorage, completing a wide-ranging Alaska road trip through fjords, glaciers, national parks, mountain passes, coastal towns and Interior Alaska.