Alaska Hike, Bike & Kayak

Welcome to Alaska! Your adventure begins in Anchorage—the gateway to some of Alaska’s finest parks and cycling trails. A welcome meeting at noon today with your trip leader to meet your fellow travelers. Afterward, enjoy a warm-up ride along the paved Tony Knowles Coastal Trail as it hugs the shore of Cook Inlet from downtown Anchorage through coastal marshes and over forested hills, with great views of Mount Susitna along the way. After freshening up, go to one of the restaurants in the lively downtown area for dinner.

Today’s riding distance is approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) along a mostly flat paved bike path.

Included Activities:

• Anchorage—Tony Knowles Coastal Trail Bike Tour

Optional tours may be available for this itinerary. Please talk to your Trip Planner about options and costs.

Enjoy the drive to Denali National Park along the Parks Highway after an early breakfast, keeping an eye out for caribou and other wildlife. Make a quick stop in Talkeetna to stretch your legs and have lunch with your group. After receiving a safety briefing at the visitor center upon arrival at the park, which is home to the highest peak in North America, embark on your first hike in the wilderness. Here, the routes will change based on your group's preferences and the weather.

Included Activities:

• Denali NP hiking

Today’s driving time is approximately 5 hours. 

Today's hike starts by winding through the spruce forest, walking the spectacular Triple Lakes Trail, the longest trail in Denali National Park and home to some great views of Riley Creek. With the towering mountains in the distance, you’ll trek along creeks, forests, and rolling hills before the first of the three Triple Lakes comes into view. From here, either continue (if time permits) or return to the trailhead back to the hotel for a free evening. For those who want to see more of the park, you can choose to forego today's hike and pay for the full-day Tundra Wilderness Bus Tour, which includes the Toklat River’s incredible scenery and some of the park’s best wildlife spotting opportunities.

Included Activities:

• Denali - Triple Lakes hike

Your trekking distance today is approximately 14 kilometers (9 miles) with an elevation gain of 300 meters (1000 feet).

Drive along the Glenn Highway in the direction of the charming town of Palmer this morning. There will be plenty of time for photo ops and breathtaking views of the mountains. Arrive at the well-known Matanuska Glacier, which is the biggest glacier accessible by road in Alaska. It has some of the most accessible walking areas of any glacier in the state and is an astounding 27 miles long by 4 miles wide. Don your ice cleats and helmet (included) and begin exploring the glacier on foot with the help of an Alaskan guide and glacier expert. Marvel at the ice that formed thousands of years ago, high in the Chugach Mountains. Amazingly, every day is unique at Matanuska, due to the dynamic nature of the glacier.

Included Activities:

• Matanuska Glacier Guided Hike

Today’s total driving time is approximately 6 hours. Spend approximately three hours on the ice today. Typically the hike is between 3 and 8 kilometers (2 to 5 miles). There is minimal elevation loss or gain, but the terrain can be uneven.

Today, enjoy a slow start to the morning and then take a leisurely drive to Seward, one of Alaska's oldest and most picturesque towns. Along the way, make a stop at Turnagain Arm. A waterway into the northwestern part of the Gulf of Alaska, this area was named for British explorer James Cook, who was forced to ‘turn again’ when the waterway didn’t hold the fabled Northwest Passage on his 1778 voyage. Explore this scenic area, then continue to Seward. This vibrant town is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and has galleries, boutique shops, and a bustling harbor.

Included Activities:

• Anchorage - Turnagain Arm

Today’s travel time will be approximately 3.5 hours.

Enjoy a change of scenery as you venture out onto Resurrection Bay on a full-day sea kayaking and rainforest hiking adventure. Learn about life in Seward as you travel to the shoreline. After a quick briefing, hit the kayak and paddle around the calm waters of the bay, soaking up the mountain vistas as you keep an eye out for sea otters, seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and leaping salmon. From mid-July to early September, paddle directly past the outlet of Tonsina Creek to view a salmon spawning stream! Then, explore Tonsina Point with its ghost forest, tall waterfall, and gorgeously green scenery. Stop for a picnic lunch with your group in the forest, then take a walk on the beach; it is full of photo ops!

Included Activities:

• Seward - Resurrection Bay Sea Kayaking

Before leaving the beautiful Seward, there is still time for a classic Alaskan hike to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. Reach the sound of the glacier by getting close to the thick, blue ice. It’s then time to drive back (approximately 2.5 hours) to Anchorage, where your adventure finishes on arrival. 

Book additional accommodation to spend more time in leisure or stay and explore more of Anchorage on your own.

Included Activities:

• Seward Exit Glacier Hike

Today’s travel time will be approximately 2.5 hours. Your trekking distance will be 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) with an elevation gain of 100 meters (330 feet).