Alaska - America's Last Frontier

Tour Code: USA06

A 14-day wildlife holiday to the wilderness state of Alaska in search of its birds, mammals, flowers and spectacular scenery.

14 days from
£10,995 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£9,995
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

This 14-day tour travels from Alaska’s southern coastline to the shores of the Bering Sea, through taiga forest and open tundra, past snow-capped mountains and towering glaciers, in search of the state’s wealth of birds, mammals – of which Alaska boasts a greater variety than any other region of the Americas – and other natural history. Highlights are likely to include: travelling along the spectacular Seward Highway in search of Moose, Black Bear or Beluga; a boat trip through the Kenai Fjords National Park; a visit to the famous Potters Marsh wetland; looking for Musk Ox and Bristle-thighed Curlew during our stay in Nome and exploring the spectacular landscapes of Denali National Park in search of Dall Sheep, Grizzly Bear, Gyrfalcon, Willow Ptarmigan and much more. 

  • Explore the spectacular landscapes of the USA’s 49th State
  • Mammals include Black & Grizzly Bears, Musk Ox, Caribou, Moose, Dall Sheep & Sea Otter
  • Take a boat trip into the Kenai Fjords National Park in search of seabirds & cetaceans
  • Humpback Whale, Orca & Dall’s Porpoise
  • Seabirds include Horned & Tufted Puffins, plus Kittlitz’s & Ancient Murrelets
  • Visit Nome on the shores of the Bering Sea
  • View the spectacular snowy peak of ‘Denali’ (Mount McKinley) assuming the weather is clear!
  • Drive the Denali Highway in search of birds & mammals
  • Led by expert naturalist guides

Grading

Grade A. Easy day walks only.

Alaska the USA’s 49th state, is vast in every sense! By far and away the largest state of the Union, it spans an astonishing four time zones in astronomical terms (although human government has now rationalised these to two), and contains the highest mountain in North America, some of the most remarkable climatic extremes, and more private aircraft licences than anywhere else in the country! Best of all, its birdlife is both diverse and approachable – from the huge seabird colonies on the coast, to its forest and tundra species further north – and it offers a greater variety of large mammals than any other region of the Americas. These include Black, Grizzly and Polar Bears, plus Musk Ox, Grey Wolf, Moose, Dall Sheep and nearly a million Caribou – the most numerous residents! Alaska is also very rich in marine mammals, with Sea Otter, Humpback Whale and the magnificent Orca amongst the many highlights.

This tour explores some of Alaska’s finest wildlife reserves and landscapes – a cross-section of the state’s varied habitats. Our journey will take us from Alaska’s southern coastline to the shores of the Bering Sea, through taiga forest and open tundra, and past snow-capped mountains and towering glaciers, in search of the wealth of birds, mammals and other natural history for which this wild land is home.

We begin our holiday, however, with a flight to Anchorage, home to nearly half of Alaska’s 750,000 human inhabitants. The following morning we will head south along the spectacular Seward Highway to the town of Seward itself, the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park. Our journey will take us alongside the Alaska Railroad, through a dramatic landscape of rainforest-clad mountains, the tops of which will still be capped in snow. We should see our first large mammals during this drive, such as a herd of Dall Sheep, a Moose or even a Black Bear or Beluga. Our 2-night stay in Seward will give us time to enjoy a boat trip in search of the marine wildlife and glacial scenery of the Kenai Fjords National Park. Sea Otters are abundant here, and both Humpback Whale and Orca are likely, while the rich seas also provide easy fishing for numerous seabirds, amongst them Horned and Tufted Puffins, Marbled, Kittlitz’s and Ancient Murrelets and Rhinoceros Auklet.

After visiting the dramatic Exit Glacier, and looking for such birds as Canada Jay and American Three-toed Woodpecker, we will return to Anchorage prior to flying north-west to the shores of the Bering Sea for a 2-night stay in Nome. This may not be Alaska’s most attractive town, but the wildlife certainly makes up for its lack of aesthetic appeal. Here three unpaved roads snake their way through stunning mountain scenery, over rushing streams, along willow/alder-clad drainages and up into alpine tundra which is liberally decorated with an array of wild flowers. Our time around Nome will be spent exploring the prime wildlife areas along each road, including the coast, the alpine tundra and patches of boreal spruce forest. Musk Ox, Arctic Fox, Western Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Aleutian Tern, Long-tailed Skua, Golden-crowned Sparrow and King Eider are amongst the species we hope to see. 

After returning to Anchorage, we will next drive north to Denali National Park, Alaska’s most famous wildlife reserve, and deservedly so. Whatever your wildlife interest – birds, mammals, wild flowers or just outdoor activities – this is a paradise! Grizzly Bear, Grey Wolf, Caribou, Dall Sheep and Hoary Marmot are just some of the mammals we hope to see; Gyrfalcon, Golden Eagle, Willow Ptarmigan, Arctic Warbler and Waxwing are some of the birds; and flowers such as Shooting Star and Dwarf Rhododendron complete the scene. During our visit we should also have great views of ‘Denali’ itself (formerly Mount McKinley) if the weather conditions allow. At 6,194 metres this is the highest mountain in North America and, whilst there are many higher peaks in the world, few others are as impressive since Denali rises from a base just 305 metres above sea level. This is the highpoint of our holiday in more sense than one. During our 4-night stay here we will explore both the national park and the scenic Denali Highway. Finally, we return to Anchorage for our final night in Alaska before flying home the following day. 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Anchorage and overnight
Day 2/3
Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park
Day 4
Anchorage
Day 5/6
Nome
Day 7
Anchorage
Day 8/12
Denali National Park & Denali Highway
Day 13
Depart Anchorage
Day 14
Arrive London
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    We stay in a mixture of comfortable motels, hotels and guesthouses, all rooms with private facilities.

  • Food:

    All breakfasts are included in the tour cost, but lunches, dinners and drinks are excluded. Allow approximately £800 for these.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 4th Jun – Tue 17th Jun SPACES £10,995
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£9,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,395
Wed 18th Jun – Tue 1st Jul SPACES £10,995
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£9,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,395 
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Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

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Mammal Watching Holidays


Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.


Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours


Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.


Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:



Bargain mammal selection


We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.




Our specialist recommends...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!