Fri.

On arrival in Vancouver you will check in at the 4-Diamond AAA Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, the Number 1 rated airport hotel by Conde Nast.

Sat.

This morning you will board a motorcoach to begin your day-long tour to Victoria and world- famous Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. After a ferry ride to the island, your coach will take you on an island tour. Admission to Butchart Gardens is included in your Discover Alaska package. You have many options: visit the breathtaking Museum of Natural History or stroll through the charming downtown that lives up to its British-flavored name with double-decker buses, turreted castles, fine British woolens and delicate china. Lunch and dinner are on your own. Overnight accommodations are at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel.

Sun.

Today you will board a motorcoach for a tour of Vancouver including Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Chinatown, and historic Gastown. Your tour ends at the exciting Canada Place pier facility where you will board your Holland America 5-Star ship. Lunch will be available at the buffet on the Lido Deck. Each day, in your cabin, you will receive detailed port information and precise arrival and departures times – be sure to consult this daily.

Mon.

Enjoy a relaxing day cruising the Inside Passage, a thousand miles of protected waterways with land close on each side of the ship. Explore the many fine amenities and activities aboard your 5-Star floating resort, or just kick back and watch the wonderful scenery glide smoothly by. Tonight is the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party and festive dinner.

Tues.

The fishing village of Ketchikan, perched in the small space between mountains and sea, is today’s port of call. Your included Discover Alaska tour will give you this town’s colorful history and take you past the site of what was once the world’s largest wood pulp mills to Totem Bight State Park, a former native campsite on the shoreline, where beautifully-carved totems stand silently among cedar and hemlock trees. Your guide will share native legends and history and take you through the replica of a traditional clan house.

Wed.

Juneau is Alaska’s State Capital, but you can only reach it by air or water – no roads connect it with the rest of the world. Discover Alaska’s included tour takes you through the city to the Macauley Fish Hatchery and to Mendenhall Glacier. You can observe this distinctive “drive-in” glacier from the US Forest Service observatory and enjoy a short, refreshing walk on one of the nature trails in the area.

Thur.

Skagway is a step back in time with its false-fronted buildings and wooden boardwalks, perfectly preserved as the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park and gateways to the Trail of ’98, which you may explore by vintage railcar. In Skagway, find time to visit the Red Onion Saloon with its costumed bar maids and honkie tonk piano. The old time theater gives the history of Soapy Smith, Alaska’s most colorful outlaw.

Sat.

Sun.

Mon.

Tues.

Thur.

After full American Breakfast, transfer to Airport for return flights

All itineraries and times are always subject to change.

Wed.

Arrive in Fairbanks and transfer to the first-class Westmark Hotel. Dinner will be provided at the hotel.

Thur.

After a hearty full breakfast, included in your Discover Alaska Package, you’ll be treated to one of Alaska’s premier gold mining attractions, Gold Dredge #8. Your 4 hour tour will introduce you to Alaska’s mining history from 1905 to the present. After watching a short video of the dredge when it was in operation, you will tour inside the dredge itself plus displays and exhibits at the Bunk House, Bath House, and Supply Center. You will see how the machinery scooped up and separated the gold from the gravel. You will also have the opportunity to pan for gold yourself. Next is an historical tour of Fairbanks and a stop at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. You will enjoy a hearty all-you-can-eat lunch at the Chena River Landing where this afternoon you will board the Sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery for an exciting 4½ hour cruise of the historic Chena and Tenana Rivers. You will stop at the Chena Indian Village where a native guide will take you ashore for an informative tour of the area with native artisans actually working their crafts and a veteran dogsled musher who will introduce you to Alaska’s favorite sport. If that’s not enough, you’ll also see a bush pilot demonstration. This evening Discover Alaska will take you to the 44 acre Pioneer Park which you will enter via an old mining tunnel. See sluice boxes, gold dredge buckets, and log cabins. Then follow the tantalizing aroma of prime rib, King salmon, and cod to the site where you’ll enjoy an all-you-can-eat dinner. Salad bar, iced tea and dessert are included – wine and beer is available for purchase. Also included at Pioneer Park is the famed Palace Theatre Show where you’ll catch the antics of the colorful characters who will give you a glimpse into Fairbanks past and present. Afterwards, Discover Alaska will provide your transportation back to the Westmark Hotel for a much deserved rest.

Fri.

Transportation will be provided to the Alaska Railroad Depot beginning at 7:15 AM. Place luggage outside your room no later than 7 AM with the luggage tags which you received when you arrived in Fairbanks firmly attached. Additional luggage tags may be obtained from your Discover Alaska representative or the Holland America Tours Host in the hotel lobby. Be sure you have your McKinley Explorer boarding pass and seat assignment available. Your carry-on bag can be stored on the train until your arrival at Denali National Park 4 hours after departure. Enjoy a full breakfast aboard the train and expert narration as the luxurious McKinley Explorer winds through spectacular scenery in the wild Alaskan interior as you travel to Denali National Park & Preserve. Watch in awe from the observation lounge as you glide past rivers, waterfalls, mountains and valleys. Keep watch for bald eagles, trumpeter swans and beaver lodges. After checking into your room, you will enjoy lunch at the hotel. After lunch, you will depart for a Natural History Tour of Denali National Park. This tour is 4 hours in length. The exact time and tour ticket will be found in your Denali Welcome Packet – please have your ticket ready to collect. Don’t forget your camera and binoculars because you will be, searching for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dhall sheep, wolf and many other small animals and birds. For those who desire a greater opportunity to observe the elusive wildlife, you may choose to upgrade to the Tundra Wildlife Tour for $99 per person. This 7 to 8 hour tour takes you deeper into the park with many more opportunities to see wildlife close up and possibly get a rare glimpse of Mt. McKinley. On your return, you will enjoy a fine dinner at the hotel.

Sat.

After a hearty breakfast, included in your Discover Alaska package, shuttles will transfer you to the Alaska Railroad Depot beginning at 11:15 AM. Please have the boarding pass you received on your arrival at Denali, ready for collection as your board the McKinley Explorer for another excursion through the wilderness as you travel in luxury to Anchorage. Lunch and dinner aboard the McKinley Explorer are included in your Discover Alaska package.

Sun.

A full breakfast at the hotel is included in your Discover Alaska package. After breakfast, a motorcoach will take you on a tour of Anchorage including Earthquake Park and the world’s largest float plane airport at Lake Hood. After lunch (which is included) you will board the luxurious Cruise Train and enjoy the fabulous scenery as the it takes you to Seward where you will board your 5-Star Holland America Cruise Ship. After you check in and explore around the ship, your luggage will magically appear in your stateroom.

Mon.

Today you will traverse the Gulf of Alaska giving you plenty of time to explore and enjoy the many fine amenities aboard your luxurious Holland America floating resort. Be sure to take full advantage of the many activities aboard and the exceptional bargains in the duty-free Shops.

Tue.

As Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, Glacier Bay National Park protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. Your cruise ship will be your visitor center for this unforgettable day. Cruise from the Reid and Lamplugh glaciers to the mighty Johns Hopkins surrounded by rugged peaks and sheltering a seal pupping ground. You will marvel at nature’s unrelenting power as you witness the birth of one massive iceberg after another.

Thur.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

Tue.

After full American Breakfast, transfer to Airport for return flights

All itineraries and times are always subject to change.