Kenai Discovery

Welcome to Alaska – the USA’s largest state is big on incredible wildlife and epic scenery. Your adventure starts off in Anchorage. Here you’ll meet your fellow travellers and local leader for a briefing at 5pm. If you arrive with time to spare, why not stop by the Anchorage museum for your first glimpse into the city’s history. After your meeting, get to know your new travel companions and your leader over an included dinner in the town. If you’d like to keep the night going, Anchorage is bursting with exciting bars and pubs plus an active live music scene. (D)

This morning you’ll get to know more of the varied city of Anchorage during a tour with your leader. Begin in downtown Anchorage, home to a crop of historic buildings and art deco architecture. Continue to Earthquake Park, commemorating the spot where a neighbourhood was lost to the ocean during an enormous earthquake in 1964. Visit Point Woronzof, where it’s not uncommon to see bald eagles, moose and even beluga whales off the shore, then continue to Lake Hood and Lake Spenard, the world’s busiest seaplane base. Afterwards we visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center for important insight into the life and culture of Alaska Natives. The rest of the afternoon is free for your own discoveries – your leader will be on hand with tips on amazing things to do. (B)

Say goodbye to Anchorage and make the scenic drive towards the coastal city of Seward; your gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park (approximately 3 hours). The stunning views along the way are worth capturing so don’t worry, there will be plenty of photo stops! Lunch today will be in the tiny town of Moose Pass – with a population of around 200, this is a great example of a typical Alaskan community. Arrive in Seward and enjoy an afternoon at leisure. You may like to visit to the Alaska Sealife Center, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of Alaska’s marine animals, or perhaps swing by the Seward museum for a spot of history. There are also plenty of great hiking options in the area so be sure to speak to your leader for more information on what’s available. (B/L)

Today you will venture into the Kenai Fjords National Park on a six-hour boat cruise, past towering peaks, rocky outcrops and pristine glaciers. The national park offers some of the world’s most spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities – if you’re lucky you may spot orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, puffins, eagles and more. Your leader will share information on the brilliant wildlife and landscapes as you take it all in. Enjoy an included lunch on board the boat, then return to the Seward harbour in the afternoon. This evening you may like to head to a local pub with your fellow travellers and reminisce about the day’s sightings. (B/L)

It’s time for another journey into the Kenai Fjords National Park, today to visit the gigantic Exit Glacier. Here you will take a short and easy 3-kilometre (2-mile) round-trip hike to the glacier lookout, from where you can marvel at its sheer size and blue-tinted beauty. Afterwards, visit a family-run homestead where you’ll learn all about the care and training of sled dogs. Return to Seward for your last opportunity to explore the sights of the city, then regroup in the evening for an included dinner – the perfect chance to relive your adventures with your newfound friends. (B/D)

After breakfast, you’ll make the drive back to Anchorage (approximately 3 hours), enjoying more magnificent Alaskan scenery on the way. You can expect to arrive back in Anchorage around lunchtime, at which point your adventure comes to an end. (B)