21-Day Ferry/Drive Tour Itinerary
Our exclusive 21 Day Ferry & Drive Tour begins with the Alaska State ferry Columbia in Bellingham Washington.You will cruise by ferry through the smooth calm waters of the Inside Passage, stopping in several ports of call both directions. Begin the drive tour at Skagway in route to Whitehorse YT, Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Anchorage, and the incredible Kenai Peninsula. For the return trip board the State ferry Kennicott in Whittier (Anchorage) cross the Gulf of Alaska and return to Bellingham again via the Inside Passage.
Friday July 8 Bellingham Washington
Friday 6:00PM departure M/V Columbia / Alaska Marine Highway Ferry
Cabins on the ferry are included they are spacious and have full facilities in the room.
Meals are not included. The Columbia has a full dining room, cafeteria, and cocktail lounge.
Saturday July 9- At Sea
Sunday July 10
Ports of Call - Ketchikan 3hrs/Wrangell 1hr/Petersburg 1hr
Monday July 11
Ports of Call - Juneau 2hrs/Haines 2hrs Arrive Skagway 2:15PM
Overnight Lodging Included plus - "The Days of 98" Theatre Show
Tuesday July 12
The White Pass Yukon Route 8:15am
This 3 hour round trip rail narrow gage railroad climbs from tidewater to the summit of the White Pass 2,865 feet on a restored vintage coach pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive.
The Drive -Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon 98.6 miles of dramatic and beautiful terrain from Skagway, this 2-lane paved road has been recently improved is fairly wide and open year round. Alaska/Canada border crossing in route - US citizens must have passports and clean driving record.
Overnight Lodging Included
Wednesday July 13 Beaver Creek -298 miles Canada/Alaska Border
You will find a post office, bank, and ATM (limited hours) in Beaver Creek.
Overnight Lodging Included
Thursday July 14 Fairbanks - Alaska 290 miles
Fairbanks - No other place in Alaska blends the richness of history with present day than Fairbanks. The midnight sun, warm temperatures, farmers market, botanical gardens, stern wheelers, bush plans, railroads, and hot springs. 2 nights lodging in Fairbanks
Thursday evening - Alaska Salmon Bake Dinner at Pioneer Park
Our group will meet at Pioneer Park to enjoy King Salmon grilled over a wood fire, deep fried halibut and cod, salad bar, and desert.
Friday July 15 Riverboat Discovery Cruise & The El-Dorado Gold Mine Tour.
We will join the Binkley family aboard the stern wheeler Riverboat Discovery, for a morning cruise on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. The tour includes a guided walking tour of an Athabascan Indian village, and we will get to see Susan Butcher's champion iditarod sled dogs in action.
Saturday July 16 Denali National Park
125 miles south of Fairbanks, the road is wide the driving is easy, with several places to stop along the way for lunch or a beverage. Six million acres of incredible beauty surrounding Mount McKinley, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears and wolves, roam the park freely. 2 nights lodging in Denali National Park
Saturday Night Theatre and Dinner
"Cabin Night" A gold rush tale of adventure in the early 1900s by Fannie Quigley.
Sunday July 17 The Denali Back country Adventure
"The most complete Wildlife Tour bus tour into the park". 95 miles to Kantishna and Wonder Lake with lunch at the Backcountry Lodge.
Monday July 18 Talkeetna
153 Miles south of Denali on the Parks Highway
Talkeetna, small and quaint, filled with Alaskan history and local charm, is a staging area for Mt. McKinley climbers. We will overnight at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, first class lodging, with unsurpassed views of the south side of Mt. McKinley.
Tuesday July 19
South Face McKinley Flight Tour with Glacier Landing
See Mt. McKinley and the Ruth Gorge: the Ruth Gorge, filled with a 4,000 foot thick river of ice, is the deepest trench in North America. Experience the Don Sheldon amphitheater surrounded by granite peaks and cascading icefalls. Your pilot narrates the tour, pointing out wildlife and geological interests. Land on a glacier at the base of Mt. McKinley and experience the excitement of standing among the great peaks; the immense scale will astound you. Enjoy the sun, snow and the unique sounds of the glacier. Bring lots of film- this is an excellent photo opportunity.
Girdwood 175 miles south of Talkeetna at the base of the Alyeska Ski Resort. Overnight lodging included.
Wednesday July 20 The Kenai Peninsula -Seward 79 miles of beautiful breathtaking scenery as you skirt around Cook Inlet and over the mountains to the coastal community of Seward. 2 nights lodging in Seward
Thursday July 21
The Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise 8:00AM - 6hrs.This is Alaska's most popular wildlife and glacier cruise! An in-depth experiences of Kenai Fjords National Park's abundant wildlife, alpine and tidewater glaciers. Narrated by an accredited wildlife interpreter and include a visit to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, home to teeming seabird rookeries.
Friday July 22 Homer 126 miles
Leaving Seward we follow the highway to the "End of the Road".
Homer sits on the shores of Kachemak Bay, offering breathtaking highway views of glaciers, volcanoes, and the Kenai Mountain Range. Homer offers many activities; deep sea halibut fishing, birding, kayaking, and glacier hiking are excellent in this area. Friday, Saturday & Sunday lodging at TheLands End Resort
Saturday July 23 Fjord Explorer & Gull Island Tour
Cruise along the breathtaking Fjords of Tutka Bay, Sadie Cove, and Eldridge Pass. On route, discover Gull Island a small rocky island on the southern shore of Kachemak Bay. More than 16,000 seabirds nest on this natural sanctuary. Gull Island is one of the most viewable seabird colonies in Alaska, and every year thousands of people visit the island by boat to witness the spectacle of nesting seabirds.
Sunday July 24 Evening - Dinner Lands End Captains Quarters
Plenty of Time in Homer to do a Deep Sea Halibut Charter
Salmon/Bear View Tour- Kachemak Bay Glacier Hike - Kayaking
Any activity can be added to your tour - ask for details and prices
Monday July 25 Whittier to Bellingham by Ferry
8:00PM Check-IN/ 11:45PM Departure - Please note The Anton Memorial Toll Tunnel is open every hour on the 1/2 for 20 min during the summer season. The drive from Homer back to Whittier is about 167 miles. The M/V Kennicott will depart Whittier late Thursday evening for a voyage across the Gulf of Alaska to Bellingham Wa. Cabins on the ferry are provided.
Tuesday July 26 - Yakutat A short stop in the Native Village of Yakutat - Home of the Mighty Hubbard Glacier.
Wednesday July 27 - 3 hr stop Juneau
Thursday July 28 - 3 hr stop Ketchikan
Friday July 29 At Sea
Saturday July 30th 800AM Arrival in Bellingham Washington.