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Vacations By Rail · Independent rail vacation

Alaska Wilderness Tour

Seven-day independent rail journey through Alaska on the Denali Star from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

Illustration of Alaska Wilderness Tour

Vacations By Rail's Alaska Wilderness Tour is a seven-day independent journey from Anchorage to Fairbanks aboard the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star. You travel on your own following a well-planned itinerary, with six nights in hotels and included guided tours and excursions. The route takes you north through the Mat-Su Valley and along the Nenana River canyon, with a jetboat trip down the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers near Denali. In Denali National Park, a narrated wilderness tour by bus reveals wildlife including moose, caribou, wolves, bears, and Dall sheep. From Fairbanks, you cruise the Chena and Tanana Rivers by sternwheeler. This tour suits independent explorers who want scenic rail travel with guided activities and wildlife viewing, plus flexible optional adventures like flightseeing, hiking, or dogsledding. The pace is relaxed, with two-night stays in Denali and Fairbanks allowing time to explore at your own speed.

What to know before you look closer

  • Airport transfers to and from your hotel are not included; you arrange your own transfer on arrival.
  • After September 2nd, the Fairbanks day-six itinerary changes from a sternwheeler riverboat cruise to a Fairbanks City Highlights tour by coach.
  • This is an independent tour, not escorted; you travel on your own and must navigate each day according to the planned itinerary.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Anchorage

    Arriving in Anchorage

    Transfer on your own to your centrally located hotel and get accustomed to your surroundings; optional sightseeing trolley, Anchorage Museum visit, flightseeing or helicopter tour.

  2. Day 2overnight: Talkeetna

    Seeing Alaska from the Denali Star

    Board the Denali Star to Talkeetna through the Mat-Su Valley, with views of the Knik Arm and Chugach Mountains. In the afternoon, a jetboat excursion along the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers; optional flightseeing excursion over Denali and its glaciers.

  3. Day 3overnight: Denali

    Onward to Denali National Park

    A leisurely morning in Talkeetna before reboarding the Denali Star, passing the Indian River, Hurricane Gulch, the Alaska Range, Healy Canyon and the Nenana River en route to Denali National Park.

  4. Day 4overnight: Denali

    Getting to know the Denali wilderness

    A narrated Tundra Wilderness Tour by bus on Denali National Park's single road, with photo stops and opportunities to spot Alaska's 'Big 5': bear, moose, caribou, wolves and Dall sheep.

  5. Day 5overnight: Fairbanks

    Into Alaska's Golden Heart on the Denali Star

    Explore Denali National Park independently, with options for hiking, flightseeing, dogsledding, off-roading or whitewater rafting, before boarding the Denali Star to Fairbanks for a two-night stay.

  6. Day 6overnight: Fairbanks

    Discovering Fairbanks

    Board the sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery to cruise the Chena and Tanana Rivers, stopping at a recreation of a traditional Athabascan village and a dog-sledding facility. Departures after September 2nd instead take a Fairbanks City Highlights tour by coach.

  7. Day 7

    Tour Conclusion

    Your journey concludes this morning; check out of your hotel and depart for home at leisure.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Board the Denali Star from Anchorage through the Mat-Su Valley, viewing the Knik Arm and Chugach Mountains; then take a jetboat excursion along the Talkeetna and Susitna Rivers.
  • Day 3Reboard the Denali Star from Talkeetna, passing Hurricane Gulch, the Alaska Range, Healy Canyon, and the Nenana River en route to Denali National Park.
  • Day 4Narrated Tundra Wilderness Tour by bus along Denali National Park's single road with photo stops; look for Alaska's 'Big 5': bear, moose, caribou, wolves, and Dall sheep.
  • Day 6Cruise the Chena and Tanana Rivers aboard the sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery, stopping at a recreation of a traditional Athabascan village and a dog-sledding facility.

Included

  • 6 nights' hotel accommodation
  • Choice of Adventure Class or GoldStar Service on the Alaska Railroad
  • All rail, boat and coach travel throughout your tour
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Your package includes all rail travel aboard the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star in either Adventure Class or GoldStar Service, plus all boat and coach travel throughout the tour.
Is this an escorted tour?
No. Vacations By Rail describes this as an independent rail vacation where you travel on your own following a well-planned itinerary.
What hotels are included?
The tour includes six nights in hotels: one or two nights in Anchorage (Anchorage Marriott Downtown or Hotel Captain Cook), one night in Talkeetna (Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge), two nights in Denali National Park (Denali Bluffs Hotel or Grande Denali Lodge), and two nights in Fairbanks (Springhill Suites or Pike's Waterfront Lodge).
What is not included?
Flights, airport transfers, and travel insurance are not included in the package price.
When does the tour operate?
The tour operates in May, June, July, August, and September.
Can I book optional activities?
Yes. Optional extras include flightseeing or helicopter tours in Anchorage, flightseeing over Denali and glaciers from Talkeetna, ranger-led hiking, dogsledding, off-roading, whitewater rafting on the Nenana River, and visits to Chena Hot Springs.

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