Alaska: Anchorage to Fairbanks

Welcome to Alaska! Arrive anytime today to Anchorage and take the free airport shuttle to our hotel. By area, Anchorage is one of the largest cities in the U.S., encompassing 1,961 square miles – nearly the size of the state of Delaware! With around 300,000 residents, Anchorage is also Alaska's most populous city and home to more than 41 percent of the state's population. Although the sun technically sets for about three hours on this day, it never really gets dark. You may find yourself exploring long past your bedtime! There are no planned activities today so you are free to explore or rest early. If you have time, there is a fun trolley tour of the city and lots to learn at the Alaska Native Heritage Center .

Overnight: Hampton Inn, Anchorage

Load up the vans after breakfast and head for the quirky town of Talkeetna that lies at the confluence of 3 rivers. Along the way we will visit one of Alaska's hidden jewels: Hatcher Pass. (Drive time approximately 90 minutes). Home to a historic gold mine, Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass offers splendid opportunities for hiking in alpine tundra while gawking at rugged mountains, glacial erratics, and lichen- covered boulders left behind when the glaciers receded. We'll enjoy a picnic during our hike, and then continue our drive. (Remaining drive time 90 minutes). Tonight’s dinner is on your own, a great chance to check out the quaint downtown (which sits on the registry of National Historic Places) This unique (even by Alaskan standards) community is home to festivities such as the annual Moose Dropping Festival (no moose are harmed) and the Bachelor Auction and Ball (presumably no bachelors are harmed). (B, L) Overnight: Susitna River Lodge

After a delicious breakfast at the local bakery, we'll load up the vans to drive to Denali National Park (2.5 hours away). While en route, we will take a break to hike through the alpine tundra on Little Coal Creek Trail. Here we may get our first opportunity to glimpse Denali. Hiking time: approximately 3 hours. Drive time: 2 hours total (B, L, D) Overnight: Denali Grizzly Bear Resort

We'll have this morning free to pursue our own explorations of Denali. Options include flight seeing, ATV adventures, visiting with sled dogs, local hikes, and much more. After lunch (on your own), we'll meet back at our cabins to go rafting on the Nenana River. On this splash tour, everyone paddles the boat down a scenic 11 mile stretch. Rafting here is loads of fun with class II and III rapids. There's always a chance of seeing bears, moose, sheep, and caribou. Over dinner we can toast to our adventures of the day. (B, D) Overnight: Denali Grizzly Bear Resort

Today we'll have more time to explore the wonders of Denali National Park. The park Visitor Center and Murie Science Center can teach us a great deal about the area's history, geology, plants, and animals. Once we've educated ourselves, we'll continue our explorations by hiking up Mount Healy for lunch and, hopefully, views of Denali, The Great One. We can choose to bag a peak today, or turn around at a lower elevation - the views are great either way. Hiking distance: 5.5 miles, 1,700 ft. elevation gain, or less if we choose. (B, L, D). Overnight: Denali Grizzly Bear Resort

For our final day in Denali, we'll venture fully into the park. There's only one road into this 6-million-acre park, and we'll traverse it with a knowledgeable driver who will tell us all about what we're seeing as we drive to the Eielson Visitors Center. There will be many opportunities to take photos, and short stops along the way will allow us to stretch our legs. Once again, keep your eyes open for wildlife, and shout out if you see anything so everyone else can see it, too. Driving time: 7 - 8 hours. (B, L, D) Overnight: Denali Grizzly Bear Resort

Before bidding farewell to the “Great One” (Denali), we’ll hike the Triple Lakes Loop to stretch our legs. Then we’ll hit the road toward Fairbanks with lunch along the way. We’ll travel through a variety of Alaska’s ecological biomes and cross the mighty Nenana and Tanana Rivers. Keep your eyes open: moose, bears, beavers and more are all residents of this area, so hopefully we’ll get lucky and see them all. We’ll picnic lunch along the way and then head to the hot springs for some much-deserved relaxation. Hiking Distance: approximately 5 miles. Driving time: approximately 4 hours. (B, L, D) Overnight: Chena Hot Springs Resort

We'll spend the day in the vicinity of Chena Hot Springs, so there will be ample opportunity to enjoy the heat before breakfast and after we hike. We'll earn our picnic lunch by hiking up to explore the rugged beauty of the granite tors (unusual rock outcroppings) on Angel Rocks Trail. If you still have energy at the end of the day, there may be time to go for a horseback ride or ATV ride at the hot springs. Hiking distance: 4 miles. (B, L, D). Overnight: Chena Hot Springs Resort

After an early breakfast and maybe a final soak, we’ll pack up for the airport. Our trip ends in the Golden Heart of Alaska, Fairbanks. You can book your flight for anytime after 12pm. (B)