Mountains are calling ? Looking for Solitude ? Want to get away with your loved one ? Or just want to tick off Alaska from your bucket list .This power packed 10 day itinerary is just what you are need..
Tip!
If you are going to be on road in Alaska its highly recommended to get a copy of Milepost.It provides mile to mile log of Hotels, campgrounds, attractions.
Day 1
Anchorage
Most populous city of Alaska is ideal destination to start off this trip. Fight for that window seat and you will not regret the views which is a great trailer of what you are about to experience in next 10 days. On Arrival head to your rental car (Airport rentals are on level 0 ) .Most likely you will be arriving in evening so have a room booked in advance for the night stay.
Anchorage has tons of things to offer with great Restaurants , Parks , Cafe’s and Camping stores. So shop for all the supplies you would need for trip. Next day we will start off towards Glenallen
Day 2
Glenn Highway runs east from Anchorage to Glennallen .It offers beautiful mountain views .
Musk Ox Farm
12850 E Archie Rd, Palmer, AK 99645Within an hour drive from Anchorage off Palmer lies this farm. Its one of the only 3 Musk Ox (Ice Age Mammal) farms in the world. Tour is quite impressive and informative.
Matanuska Glacier View
One of the easily accessible glaciers in Alaska. There are couple of good vista points on Highway which give great view of the glacier. You can also take the exit for Glacier’s State Recreational Park
Glennallen
As we reach closer to Glenallen you can see great views of mountains from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. On reaching Glenallen we will move North on Highway 4 aka Richardson Highway.
Day 3
Delta Junction
There are several Motels in Delta Junction. Places of interest are Delta Meat & Sausage shop . On our way north we will stop at Rika’s Roadhouse State Historical Park. The house served travelers on the historic Valdez-to-Fairbanks Trail from 1913 to 1947 . They offer great breakfast.
North Pole
Small town south of Fairbanks is a good stop if you are traveling with kids or just want go back to being childlike again before heading into wilderness . They actually have a North Pole and Santa Claus House. You can post date christmas letter from North Pole .
Fairbanks
Northern lights are visible during months other than June -Aug. Head to this website http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast
Fairbanks Museum of North
This is inside beautiful Alaska University campus. Worth a visit.
Day 4
Denali National Park
South out of Fairbanks is the Parks Highway (Hwy. 3), which runs past Denali National Park and Preserve and down to the Richardson Highway just north of Anchorage. This highway was only completed in 1972 opening this stretch to motor vehicle traffic. Along its length is the Alaska Railroad, which run from Seward and Whittier on the Kenai Peninsula to Fairbanks. We will travel the whole 362-mile length, but today we will just concern ourselves with the section to Denali. The road begins to rise as we again approach the crest of the Alaska Range.
Day 5 and 6
Denali National Park is Alaska’s most popular land attraction—and with good reason. You can see some of Alaska’s most famous sights:
- Mt. McKinley and the continent’s highest peaks.
- A vast, unspoiled wilderness of braided glacial rivers, massive peaks, and tundra.
- Lots of wildlife: Moose, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and wolves.
National park offers bus shuttles in and out of the park. Driving is not permitted . Make sure to book tickets in advance- http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm Highly recommended to camp out one night in one of the camp grounds. Wonder Lake camp ground offers best views of Mount Mckinley National Parks Website Link
Day 7
Back to Anchorage
Heading south the Parks Highway runs along the upper section of the Nenana River for several miles. This area has more businesses that cater to Denali visitors as we pull into Cantwell. About 5 miles and again about 4 more miles south is a large paved parking area from which you can see Mt. McKinley on a clear day. Views of Mt. McKinley can be seen all the way to Anchorage on a clear day.
Talkeetna
A great place to take a break is Talkeetna. It is the main staging area for climbers of Mt. McKinley. Expeditions fly out of here to Kahiltna Glacier at about 7,200 feet. Talkeetna has several historic building including the Nagley’s General Store and a vibrant tourist trade. The Talkeetna Historical Society Museum has displays varying from local history to a scale model of Mt. McKinley. It’s a great place to have lunch or just take a break.
Day 8 and 9
Seward
Seward is 127 miles with beautiful scenery and access to Kenai Fjords National Park, Exit Glacier and the Alaska SeaLife Center. The drive is 2 hours 31 minutes.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Two cruise companies Major Marine Link and Kenai Fjords Link operate in summer months. Round trip is around 6-10 hours depending on the package. You get to see spectacular views of Humpback and Killer whales and close view of Kenai Fjords Glacier . Bay can be rough at times.
Day 10
Homer - “Drinking town with fishing problem”
Homer is a sleepy fishing town around 170 miles from Seward. If time permits then you can book private fishing trip .
