Late this evening, chase the legendary northern lights, considered to be one of the most amazing natural spectacles in the world. In the afternoon, embrace the Iditarod spirit and try your hand at dog mushing, stepping into a sled with an expert guide and gliding over the snow with your very own pack of sled dogs (additional charges apply). Hop in a car yourself, throw on some flapper accessories, and pose for a perfect souvenir snapshot. Look into the past at the Antique Auto Museum, where vintage cars sit between timely artifacts and fashionable designer dresses from times gone by. (B/D)įeel the brisk air and discover Fairbanks, the perfect juxtaposition of nature and civilization. This evening you arrive in Fairbanks, your home for the next three nights and one of the best places in Alaska to see the amazing northern lights.

Dinner is included in the train’s dining car. Have your cameras ready, the train conductor will point out wildlife as you pass by. Sit back and relax as you are whisked away, through snow-covered mountains and striking valleys. (B/D)ĭay 7 - Talkeetna, Alaska Railroad, Fairbanksīegin your day with a lecture on the down-to-earth Alaskan lifestyle before hopping on Alaska Railroad’s Aurora Winter Train for a full-day journey to Fairbanks. Tonight, enjoy dinner and beer at one of Alaska’s most popular micro-brewers, the Denali Brewing Company. Check into the iconic Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, perched on a ridge offering unforgettable views of Denali. Continue on to Talkeetna as Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, looms large over the landscape. Learn about the musk ox project, a sustainable domestication effort that has worked to preserve, protect, and increase awareness of these wooly creatures since 1954. Take a step into the past when you visit the Musk Ox Farm. After the excitement of the day, relax during dinner at a local restaurant. Cheer among the locals for your favorite dogs at this bucket-list event. Mushers leave in two-minute intervals, starting their 1,049-mile journey to the finish line in Nome. Venture to Willow and feel the adrenaline in the air as the Iditarod mushers line up at the starting line for the official start of the race. Learn about dances and songs, shop for local crafts, and wander through the replica village to see how the people lived. After the ceremony, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to delve into the area’s indigenous culture. Cheer on mushers, take photos of the energetic dogs, and peruse the local food vendors lining the streets. Welcome to the ceremonial start of the legendary Iditarod. Return to Anchorage for dinner on your own. Embrace the sheer magnitude of Alaska’s natural beauty as you venture through a geological wonderland. Blue skies collide with stark white glaciers, and playful otters dip in and out of the calm waters. Head to Whittier and embark on an incomparable glacier cruise of Prince William Sound, narrated by an expert guide. Chat with the stars of the race, enjoy local entertainment, and watch the mushers draw their starting positions from a mukluk (Arctic boot.) (B/D)

Following an afternoon at leisure, get into the spirit of the Iditarod at the exclusive Musher’s Banquet Dinner. With a local guide, discover where orphaned or injured bears, wolves, porcupines, and moose are cared for in a 200-acre rehabilitation site. This is your gateway to wilderness and adventure.ĭrive along the Turnagain Arm to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Your journey starts in Anchorage, a city on the edge of the snowcapped Chugach Mountains and 60 sparkling glaciers.

Alaska northern lights 2021