Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to Prince William Sound
Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel
Territory: North America
Region: Alaska
Trip Price: $8,150
Duration: 9 days/8 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Anchorage, Alaska / Anchorage, Alaska
National Parklands: Wrangell-St. Elias NP
All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process
We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.
The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.
The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!
Arrive in Anchorage and spend the night. Depending on your arrival time, stretch your legs on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail on foot or bicycle. Or, walk out the door of your centrally-located hotel into the heart of Anchorage and find your restaurant of choice.
Travel in style on a charter plane from Anchorage, bound for the small airstrip in McCarthy, a tiny outpost inside Wrangell-St Elias National Park. A short ten-minute drive takes you to the historic mining town of Kennicott and your accommodations at the historic Kennicott Glacier Lodge, your base for exploration. Days are spent enjoying guided glacier hiking, flightseeing, river rafting, and historic touring. Enjoy meals at the all-inclusive lodge (or out on the trail, depending on the day’s activities), and spend evenings dining family-style, sharing stories of the day with fellow travelers. Summer evenings bring an array of presentations at the lodge.
Depart Kennicott in the same fashion as you arrived, providing one more opportunity to take in the massive landscape from the air. After touchdown, you’ll embark on a short drive to Valdez through beautiful mountain terrain, leaving you based at the water’s edge for the next few days. With close, easy access to Prince William Sound, spend one full day out on the water, exploring the otherworldly landscape. Cruise the waters of the sound to its farthest reaches, then board kayaks to get to harder-to-reach places. Paddle through ice caves, through fjords, and floating “bergy bits.” There will also be time to get out of the boats, stretch your legs and picnic and relax on remote beaches, surrounded by active glaciers. Look and listen for the thunder of glaciers calving!
Board the Alaska Marine Ferry to cross the sound, disembarking at the small (and quirky!) port town of Whittier. From Whittier, it’s a short drive through the Whittier Tunnel to your next and last destination, the quaint town of Girdwood, at the base of the Alyeska Ski Resort. From here, more days of adventure await! Possibilities include helicopter dog-sledding, ATV touring, jetboating, fishing the Kenai River, Alpine hiking, or enjoying a scenic ride up the tram to the top of Mount Alyeska for a stunning view of the seven glaciers that reside in the valley.
An easy, gorgeous, one-hour drive to Anchorage along Turnagain Arm takes you to the end of this authentic journey in Alaska. Fly home from Anchorage.
Hotel Captain Cook is in the heart of downtown Anchorage, with excellent access to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, as well as restaurants and shops. Built after the 1964 earthquake at a time when Alaska was flush with new oil money, the hotel has a nautical theme and is both grand and classic Alaska. The hotel takes up an entire city block and towers top the building. All 550 guest rooms have sweeping views of either the Cook Inlet or Chugach Mountains, and there are three restaurants on site for your convenience.
Kennicott Glacier Lodge is one of Alaska’s premier wilderness lodges, set in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The setting allows you to take in spectacular views of the Wrangell and Chugach Mountain ranges, the Chitina River Valley, and the 25-mile long Kennicott Glacier. From the lodge location you’ll be poised to set out and explore trails, investigate the historic mining town, float a river, and more. There is a historic main lodge with cozy rooms and shared bathroom, and an additional wing, housing newer and more modern rooms with two queen beds and private bathrooms. There is a huge porch from where you can take in the views when the weather is good, and three sitting rooms in the lodge. A full-service restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual atmosphere - family style. In the evenings there is often entertainment offered, such as a slide show or a guided walk through the historic mining town.
Located on the picturesque waterfront of Valdez Harbor, the Best Western - Valdez Harbor Inn offers superior Valdez hotel accommodations with a wide range of onsite amenities and services. The hotel’s picturesque waterfront location offers spectacular views of the Valdez harbor and the surrounding mountains and glaciers.
Alyeska Resort is a large full service retreat, set in the heart of the Chugach Mountains, right at the foot of the Mt. Alyeska ski resort. There are several great hiking trails right from the resort that will wind you through the lush temperate rainforest surrounding the lodge, or will take you high above the resort, giving you spectacular views of the seven hanging glaciers in this valley. As a full service resort, there are several dining options available for your stay, including the Seven Glaciers Hotel, which is accessed via exciting tram ride and sits at the top of Mt Alyeska!
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