DAY 1 | Arrive in Anchorage

Welcome to Alaska! Today you'll arrive in Anchorage, Alaska's biggest city. We'll stay overnight in a hotel for some relaxation before we start our tour.

DAY 2 | Native American Visitor Center/Matanuska Glacier

We'll start our first full day in Alaska with a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center and take a guided tour, led by an Alaskan Native, of the multi-acre facility. We'll learn about the history and culture of Alaska's Native American population, and then meet with the head of an Alaskan NGO to discuss Alaskan environmental issues including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, logging in the Tsongass National Forest, and subsistence issues. In the afternoon, we'll travel to the beautiful Matanuska Glacier and set up camp in the wilderness. [B,L,D]

DAY 3 | Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Today we'll travel to Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. We'll stop in the park's headquarters to learn about what makes this park so special. Due to the remote nature of this park, mass tour groups are not permitted. Wrangell St. Elias is the largest national park in the U.S., with 13.2 million acres, and is part of one of the largest protected areas in the world. Four major mountain ranges can be found here: the Chugach, St. Elias, Alaska, and the Wrangells, containing some of North America's highest peaks. Our destination within the park is the old copper mining towns of McCarthy and Kennicott. The Kennecott mines were developed starting in 1907 and were, for awhile, the most productive copper mines in the U.S. Today, they remain as a national historic landmark and an excellent example of early 20th century Alaskan history. Located nearby are the massive Kennicott and Root Glaciers, which converge here and are overshadowed by the 5000-foot Stairway Icefall. This is a truly unique location that isn't accessible to most tourists. We'll set up camp near the edge of th eKennicott River. [B,L,D]

DAY 4 | Wrangell St. Elias

We'll start the day by meeting with a National PArk representative to discuss the park's relationship with local landowners. This is a very controversial issue in this are because of the private landholdings located within the park boundaries. Then, we'll have the rest of the day here to explore the surrounding area. Try your hand at glacier hiking, ice climbing, flight seeing, river rafting, historic mine tours, and great day hikes - all in one location! [B,L,D]

DAY 5 | Wilderness Rafting in Wrangell St. Elias

We?ll embark on a 3-day wilderness float trip into the heart of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. During the day we'll raft the class II-III whitewater rapids, enjoy the outstanding scenery and look for wildlife including bears, moose, caribou, sheep, wolves, eagles, and other birds. We'll stop for hikes and general exploring periodically throughout the day. At night we'll camp at the rivers edge surrounded by Alaskan wilderness. [B,L,D]

DAY 8 | Valdez

We?ll take off of the river in the morning and travel to Valdez. En route to Valdez we?ll view the Alaska Pipeline and stop at the road-accessible Worthington Glacier for a short hike. Later, we?ll cross scenic Thompson Pass and arrive in Valdez in time to explore the harbor or go on a short hike. Often referred to as the "Little Switzerland" of Alaska, Valdez is beautifully situated at the base of the towering Chugach Mountains on the shores of Prince William Sound. Made famous by the Alaska Pipeline, and later the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Valdez has since become a popular tourist destination. Visitors are attracted to the lush landscape, high concentration of glaciers, and great outdoor recreation. [B,L,D]

DAY 9 | Valdez

We'll start today by meeting with a local NGO representative to discuss the Valdez Oil spill and the resulting environmental ane economic impact. Then, we'll spend the rest of the day in Valdez and take advantage of the numerous activities available in the area, including hiking, sea kayaking, river rafting, glacier and wildlife cruises, and ocean fishing. [B,L,D]

DAY 10 | Prince William Sound/Anchorage

Today we?ll cross Prince William Sound on the Alaska State Ferry. We'll look for bears, humpback and killer whales, Dall porpoises, sea lions, harbor seals, and mountain goats as we relax and enjoy the scenery. En route we'll pass the Columbia Glacier, one of the largest and most magnificent tidewater glaciers in the state. The Columbia Glacier covers an area the size of Los Angeles and casts thousands of tons of ice into the sea each year. As we pass the Columbia we'll search for seals sunbathing on the floating icebergs. [B,L,D]

DAY 11 | Leave Alaska

After 10 days of exploring Alaska's scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage, it's time to depart from Anchorage.