Alaska and the Yukon Destination Specialist

I have been to Alaska 7 times so far, as it is one of my top destinations that I love to visit.  Each time I see it differently and in a new way!  I enjoy escorting groups, large and small to this beautiful area. 

The 7-nt cruises that sail roundtrip out of Seattle or Vancouver only touch 1/8 of Alaska, so that is why I enjoy the longer cruisetours, that get you into the bulk of Alaska.  The last time I went, I took a Yukon tour with Holland America.  I was on the ship for only 3 nights, then a land tour the rest of the way.  

We started out in Vancouver, and stopped at Juneau for a day, where I took a small boat into Tracy Arm Fjord to see the Twin Sawyer Glaciers.  It was a fantastic day to see this area, with all the waterfalls and glacier icebergs, sea life, etc.  

Moving on, we ported at Skagway, where I got off the ship to start the land tour.  We spent one night in Skagway, one of my favorite stops in Alaska.  The next day we boarded the White Pass and Yukon Railway, which is an old-time train that makes its way up through the pass where the old gold rush commenced.  We debarked the train in Carcrosse Canada, and boarded a luxury motorcoach, which we used all the way to Fairbanks.  

The first night we stayed in Whitehorse, the captiol of the Yukon Territory.  The next day we drove 8 hours into Dawson City, where we stayed for 2 nights.   This is the area they are still digging for gold and getting rich!  I really enjoyed Dawson City--the restaurants, town, hiking trails around town, and the Yukon River.  All very scenic.  We left town to travel on The Top of The World Highway, as we made our way to Fairbanks, Alaska....stopping in towns such as Chicken and Tok.  

We spent 1 night in Fairbanks, and the next day we took the sternwheeler riverboat on the Chena and Tanana Rivers.  It is always an enjoyable river cruise that takes you to an Athabascan Indian Village, where you learn about the ways of the Athabascan Natives.  We, also, were thrilled to see the late Susan Butcher's sled dogs and learn about the Iditerod.  

The next day we boarded the glass-domed traincar that took us on into Denali National Park for 3 nights.  I LOVE THIS PLACE!  I grew up in the National Park Service, and I feel so at home here.  I love the trails around the place that we stayed, at McKinley Chalets, which is owned and operated by Holland America.  On this particular trip, we took a fixed-wing airplane up to one of the glaciers on Denali, where we landed and had the place to ourselves...such an amazing experience!!  I highly recommend it.  

After 3 days, we took the train again for 8 hours, making our way to Anchorage, our last night on the tour.   This tour is for everyone, singles, families, young and old.  You really learn a lot and experience the great wilderness, as it should be.