Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park
7-Day Alaska Sea Kayaking and Denali Park Adventure
Combine the best Alaska has to offer by land and sea on this special package adventure. A 7-day itinerary is a combination of our 3-Day Denali Park Adventure with out 5-day sea kayaking adventure but the Denali portion can also be combine with our longer 7-day kayaking adventure as well. It is also possible to do the Denali portion before the sea kayaking.
The sea kayaking segment of our adventure takes you to an incredible glacial paradise where you'll paddle among icebergs from a calving tidewater glacier that crashes to the sea in thunderous booms. Aialik Bay contains a diverse array of coastal marine wildlife including killer and humpback whales, harbor seals, sea otters, Steller sea lions, bald eagles, puffins, oystercatchers and kittiwakes. Black bears and Dall sheep also make a home within the bay. Snow-capped mountain peaks loom over the bay and rise to dramatic heights. Sweeping views of Alaska's coast, abundant wildlife and towering glaciers combine to make this a spectacular Alaska wilderness experience.
The land segment of our sea kayaking/Denali adventure takes you to Alaska's remote interior Denali National Park for breathtaking views of North America's tallest mountain - Mt. McKinley. Experience Alaska's tundra as it springs to life under the midnight sun.
Our custom-outfitted buses provide a comfortable and informative alternative to the park's school bus tours which offer only limited stops and destinations within the park. Our naturalist guides the way through 95 miles of a land teeming with brown bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, small mammals, eagles, interior dwelling birds and tundra vegetation. This experience takes you 25 miles beyond the throngs of visitors who typically end their trips at Eielson Visitor Center. We travel deeper into the wilderness to see spectacular panoramic views of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range.
Sea kayaking, whales, glaciers, marine life, bears, caribou, moose, towering mountain peaks, lush scenery, flight seeing, rafting, dog mushing, and a scenic train ride - this trip has it all. If you want to explore the best of Alaska, this is the trip for you.
Aialik Bay Photo Album • Kenai Fjords National Park Map • Aialik Bay Map
RELATED AIALIK BAY AND DENALI PARK LINKS
SUGGESTED 7-DAY ITINERARY
Arrival — Fly in to Anchorage International Airport. Plan to arrive at least a day before your kayak trip's departure date. Anchorage offers many fine hotels and bed and breakfast lodging options. We can provide you a list of recommended lodging options or arrange for you to stay at the downtown Anchorage Ramada Inn at a discounted guest rate. Let us know if you would like us to add a hotel stay to your reservation at our discounted rate. The Ramada Inn offers free airport transfers to and from the airport.
Day 1 — Your adventure starts at 6:45 a.m. with a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad Costal Classic Train to Seward (included in trip cost). If you choose to stay at the Ramada Inn, they will take you to the Anchorage rail station. Other downtown hotels are within walking distance or are a short cab ride away.
The train follows the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm for about 50 miles before heading into the mountains. The Seward Highway has been designated an All-American Road, USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, and Alaska Scenic Byway. Turnagain Arm has tides with the second greatest fluctuation in North America, varying more than 40 feet. Beluga whales and Dall sheep are frequently seen along this section of Turnagain Arm.
Leaving Turnagain Arm the train heads up into the Kenai Mountains towards Grandview Valley where you'll travel through lush spruce and birch forests. Keep your eyes open for the occasional moose along the railroad and to see the many hanging glaciers. There's Bartlett Glacier, Trail Glacier, and Spencer Glacier, which stands out as one of the most beautiful glaciers along the southern railbelt. You arrive in Seward around noon.
Our guides will meet you in Seward at the rail station and transport you to your hotel (included in trip cost). You'll have an opportunity to freshen up before heading out on your own to explore the maritime community of Seward. Activities you may want to consider include: a walking tour of Seward to visit the many shops; a harbor and sea wall walk; Ididaride Dog Mushing Tour, museum, or maybe a fishing trip. Ask our travel host about making arrangements for these special side excursions. Seward has many coffee houses and restaurants to choose from for lunch (on your own).
As evening approaches, our shuttle driver will take you to a Behind the Scenes Twilight Tour at the Alaska SeaLife Center. You'll enjoying a picnic style dinner among our marine animals. Imagine being the only guests in the SeaLife Center! This program takes place after closing so you will have your very own private tour. A SeaLife Center interpreter will walk you through the facilities. You will get an in-depth perspective on the Center's past and ongoing marine wildlife research and rehabilitation projects.
Day 2 — Breakfast on your own. Our guides will pick you at the hotel at 7:00 AM and with team effort we will load our sea kayaks and gear onto an ocean charter vessel for a three-hour marine wildlife and glacier cruise to our first camp. Along the way, we round Cape Aialik, pass Caines Head, Bear Glacier, and a Stellar sea lion haulout. We'll set up camp, then devote the rest of the day to sea kayak safety and instruction as we paddle around our new environment.
Day 3 — Today we paddle our way to the end of the fjord to visit Aialik Glacier. We'll sea kayak through ice and "bergy bits" and watch for seals playing amongst the ice bergs. In front of this active tidewater glacier we'll take a long lunch break to watch it calve into the ocean with a thunderous roar.
Later in the we'll paddle into a lagoon that harbor seals use to escape from Orca whales. Beautiful Pederson glacier empties into an upper lagoon filling it with massive icebergs. There are opportunities in the area to hike along the glacier moraines.
Day 4 — We break camp early and head out of Pederson lagoon to meet our charter boat pickup and head back to Seward on another marine wildlife cruise. Our shuttle driver will meet us at the dock and take you to back to your Seward hotel (included in trip price).
Day 5 — Breakfast on your own. Our shuttle driver will pick you up at 9:45 AM and take you to meet the bus for your trip back to Anchorage. Along the way you will pass through dramatic valleys of the Kenai Mountains and keep a watch out for bald eagles, beluga whales and Dall sheep on this National Scenic Byway. You will arrive in Anchorage around 1:30 PM.
A 1 1/2 hour lunch stop at the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Art before continuing on to Denali. This trip also includes admission to the Museum.
Denali Park, there are many option at Denali to choose from. Below is a suggested Denali itinerary package that Backcountry Safaris has put together as a starting point. More information can be found on web site on our 3-Day Denali Tour Package page.
Depart Anchorage at 3:00 p.m. for the scenic bus ride to Denali Park. We'll stop at scenic location along the way for photos. We arrive at Denali around 8:00 p.m., check into your hotel and after dinner you can go on for an evening stroll or go shopping at the park entrance.
Day 6 — Early 6:30 AM departure for a Denali wildlife bus tour all the way to the very end of the restricted Denali Park Road. This 6-hour private bus tour is your best opportunity to see Denali's famed wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, sheep and caribou. Your guide will narrate the drive with detailed behavior of different animals, natural history and geology of the park, and recount adventures of early explorers. We stop for photo opportunities when Mother Nature presents them. We will also stop at rest areas for refreshments (Snacks and beverage included) and to enjoy thesweeping vistas. After arriving at the lodge in the old gold mining district of Kantishna enjoy a lunch at the lodge.
After lunch a short shuttle to Kantishna air strip for a spectacular Mt. McKinley flight seeing adventure and a drop off back at the park entrance.
Day 7 — Eat an early breakfast and the a morning whitewater or scenic raft trip or maybe take a Jeff King's dog mushing kennel tour. Meet champion sled dogs, visit with the puppies and see summer training in action, see the arctic survival gear, dog sleds and racing gear. Learn about Jeff's state of the art dog training program.
Hotel drop off at the Denali train depot to catch the train back to Anchorage.
OPTIONS — Additional nights can be added.
TRIP COST
There are many option at Denali National Park and the above is a suggested Denali itinerary. If you have interest in combining one of our sea kayaking adventures with a visit to Denali Park we would love to give you at no cost a proposal on a custom design sea kayaking and Denali park vacation.
CLICK HERE and in the comments area on the form tell us your specific dates you like to visit your prefer Denali transportation options, lodging, and activities you might like to do. We will replay back with a written itinerary and cost.
Transportation To And From Denali National Park
| • |
Denali Bus – Daily Coach Service To And From Denali National Park. |
| • |
Denali Star Train – Runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks with stops at Talkeetna and Denali National Park, home to Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest peak. Alaska Railroad scenic rail tours are designed for the fully independent traveler. |
| • |
The Roundtrip Package Deal – Backcountry Safaris offers a roundtrip discount package. Denali Bus one-way and the Denali Star Train one-way. Our Denali transportation package offers you a little variety for your roundtrip travel to Denali National Park. |
Denali Bus Tours Into The Park
Denali Park Lodging - There are many options, listed here is 2 of them for more options email or call us at 907-222-1632
| • |
Denali Cabins – Charm of an Alaskan cabin with the comfort of a hotel room. You get all the amenities-private bath, TV, phone and comfortable beds. Plus you get your own cedar cabin nestled conveniently by the highway in the boreal forest next to Denali National Park. |
| • |
Denali Backcountry Lodge – An exclusive lodge located in the enclave of Kantishna, an oasis of private land deep inside the boundaries of Denali National Park. Located at the end of the restricted-access Denali Park Road, every trip is an Alaskan wildlife adventure waiting to happen. |
Denali Park Adventures
| • |
Denali Rafting Adventures – The Nenana River offers two sections, a class II scenic mild-water raft trip or a class III/IV whitewater raft trip. We offer both paddle rafting and oar rafting options in a spectacular Alaska mountain setting and the best whitewater rafting at Denali National Park. |
| • |
Jeff King's Dog Mushing Husky Homestead Tours – An exclusive lodge located in the enclave of Kantishna, an oasis of private land deep inside the boundaries of Denali National Park. Located at the end of the restricted-access Denali Park Road, every trip is an Alaskan wildlife adventure waiting to happen. |
| • |
Denali Flightseeing – Add a Denali (Mt. McKinley) flightseeing option to your Denali Park Bus tour or your Denali Lodge package. Denali flighseeing trips from Kantishna at the end of the Denali National Park road. |
We urge you to make your reservations well in advance. Many of our scheduled tours fill up as much as a year in advance.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO GO! Fill out the secure on-line reservation form or call our office at (907) 222-1632 or toll-free (877) 812-2159. Reservation requires a 50% deposit. We accept payment by VISA/MasterCard. You will receive a pre-trip packet detailing the itinerary of the tour you have chosen and an equipment list. Reservation and Payment Terms)
Last minute reservations may be available so don't hesitate to contact us. If a trip has space, we can get you on it.
Limitations of liability:
Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, our adventure trips involve inherent risks and dangers which are beyond our control and Backcountry Safaris shall assume no responsibility for personal injuries or deaths and loss of personal property. Due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will read and sign the acknowledgment and Release of Liability before the tour begins.
We highly recommend that you consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance coverage can help with expenses for the unforeseeable such as lost baggage trip delays, emergency evacuation, and cancellation due to illness.
We use independent contractors to supply Backcountry Safaris with various services on many of our adventures. Some trips require us to use independent tour guides, drivers, lodges and hotels, air and water taxis, and other suppliers. Because we do not own, operate, manage, control, or supervise these suppliers, we cannot be liable for any acts or omissions on their part, including any negligence, gross negligence, or reckless or willful acts. Backcountry Safaris assumes no responsibility for any injury, loss, damage, delay, or death to person or property arising from the negligent or willful act or failure to act of any person who is to or does provide goods or services for this trip or for the action or inaction of any other third party. Without limitation, Backcountry Safaris is not responsible for acts of God, equipment failures, vehicle or vessel accidents, illness from food or otherwise, annoyance, delays, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, and changes in transit or hotel and lodge services over which it has no control. We make occasional changes in trip itineraries for the comfort and well being of our guests. We will keep you informed of any necessary changes in a timely fashion.
On payment of your deposit to Backcountry Safaris, you agree to be bound by the above terms and conditions.
