Join Alaska's Guided Tours & Accommodations on this unforgettable “9 Days in the Valley” tour. This is a nine day, eight night tour that features the Matanuska Susitna Valley, Palmer, Wasilla, Talkeetna, Denali National Park and Anchorage. This is a fun packed tour that provides some of the best of Alaska’s incredible views all along the way. Sit back and enjoy as we take you on an escorted tour with your comfort and safety as our priority. This is a relaxing trip that will show you some of the best sights in Alaska to include, rafting, wildlife viewing, river safaris, glacier hiking/viewing and more. Enjoy this smaller-sized Alaska tour that is led by local Alaskans.  We can also arrange flight seeing tours on request.

Day Two - Alaska's Wild Life & Big Game, Sea Life Center, 26 Glacier Tour Wake up to a big breakfast, Alaska's Guided Tours will pick you up at your hotel and make our way for a short visit to the Alaska Wildlife Center.  The center is dedicated to preserving Alaska's wildlife and takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides them with spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center.  Afterwards, we’ll continue our travels to see the famous 26 Glaciers—and with luck we will even see some glacial calving.  This is a great experience that won’t soon be forgotten among the world's most spectacular glaciers and wildlife—and all aboard a luxurious catamaran. We’ll cruise through the calm, protected waters of Prince William Sound and come face to face with towering masses of ice, migratory whales (in season) and breathtaking Alaska scenery.  Professional narration is provided by US Forest Service Rangers.  Then we’ll travel on to Seward.  We’ll check-in to our Seward accommodations and the evening will be yours for dinner and to explore this beautiful quaint town on the water. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day Three - Kenai Fjords Tour: We’ll start the day with a full breakfast at our accommodations and then we’re off to the Kenai Fjords in Resurrection Bay to view incredible Alaskan wildlife Wildlife—including a tour of fox Island. We’ll cruise through the calm protected waters of Kenai Fjords National Park with a one-of-a-kind stop at Fox Island for an all you can eat grilled wild Alaska salmon and prime rib dinner—if you like you can add a ½ pound of Alaska king Crab.  During the day we’ll come face to face with towering masses of ice, migratory whales* and breathtaking Alaska scenery. Professional narration is provided by U.S. Forest Service Rangers on every cruise.  We’ll overnight in Seward.Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day Four - Alaska's Sea Life Center, Crow Creek Mine: After breakfast we’ll visit the Alaska Sea Life Center, an unrivaled, up-close and personal experience with Gulf of Alaska marine wildlife. Witness a 2000+ pound Steller sea lion gliding past underwater viewing windows, puffins diving in a carefully crafted naturalistic habitat, and harbor seals resting on rocky beaches. Alaskan king crab, sea stars, and the Giant Pacific octopus also await you, as well as a whole variety of intertidal creatures and deep sea fishes.  Then we will say goodbye to beautiful Seward and start our way toward the quaint town of Alyeska for an Aerial Tram ride and a late lunch.  The Alyeska Aerial Tram is a seven-minute scenic ride from The Hotel Alyeska to 2,300 ft in elevation and the top of Mt. Alyeska. From the Tram, you can see miles in all directions – including views of the Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers and endless peaks deep into the Chugach Mountain range. Moose and bear sightings are common, too. At the Upper Tram Terminal, there is an observation deck providing even more breath-taking panoramic views of majestic mountains, hanging glaciers, sparkling streams, towering spruce, and an array of wildlife. We will lunch at Alyeska.   

Now we will make our way to the Crow Creek Gold Mine.   Established in 1896, the Crow Creek Mine was one of the largest producing hydraulic placer gold mines in South Central Alaska and today is Alaska’s most popular “recreational” gold panning area. No exact records are known that tell the true tale of exactly how much gold was taken from this mine, but estimates put it around 700 ounces a month during peak production. When the commercial mining operations came to a standstill during World War II, many believed that more gold remained in the creek than had ever been mined out of it. The Toohey Family, owners and operators since 1969, strive to preserve not only the rich history and beautiful natural scenery of Crow Creek Mine, but also the gold resources within its claims so that many for years to come can experience the same thrill that the prospectors enjoyed when they first arrived at Crow Creek. Nestled among the Chugach Mountains, Crow Creek Mine offers a unique blend of historical buildings, antiques, rare mining equipment, beautiful gardens, amazing wilderness scenery, hiking trails (including the Historic Iditarod Trail), and access to the explore the mines’ original claims. These claims are still producing gold to this very day and with a little work and a bit of luck, you might be quite surprised to find that you too can catch “gold fever”. Overnight at Alaska’s Lake Lucille Bed and Breakfast and finish the day with a BBQ dinner at the lakeside gazebo. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day Five - Talkeetna, Mahays River Ride, Denali National Park, Alaska Cabin Night Dinner Theater: Well, we’ll start the day with a satisfying breakfast and make our way to the town of Talkeetna -- a small frontier town on the way to the Great Mountain: Denali. But first, we will join the Mahey’s riverboat tour where you’ll travel 130 miles round trip through Denali State Park and into the National Wild River Park of "Devil’s Gorge". This is one of our high adventure trips, designed for the hardy adventurer wishing to experience the thrill of the ultimate Alaskan river experience. Along the trip you will stop at the Mahey’s Safari site, where you will see a Dena'ina Indian Encampment and visit an authentic trapper’s cabin with its original furnishings and view how trappers lived in "Bush" Alaska at the turn of the century. You’ll see raw furs from the local area and demonstrated trapping methods. Naturalists will acquaint you with the wildflowers and plants that grow in abundance along the river system and you will learn about the edible plants that were used by the Native Americans for cooking and medicines. As you travel further into the remote Alaskan wilderness along the river you will have ever present opportunities to view nesting bald eagles, beaver activity, moose and salmon and you just might see black bear and grizzly bear roaming the shore. Stand in the splendor of Denali and the Alaska Range from a spectacular vantage point on the Susitna River! Please dress warmly and wear comfortable and sturdy walking shoes. Be sure to bring your camera to capture this incredible experience. A boxed lunch is included in this all day adventure. Experience the unforgettable beauty of this vast and remote wilderness on this five hour river adventure. Possibility of wildlife, and folklore, artifacts, majestic scenery at every turn and high adventure combine to make this an unforgettable and exciting Alaskan river adventure. After the Boat Safari, we’ll have some free time to see the "old Alaska” in Talkeetna and do some souvenir hunting as well.

Then we’ll make our way to the Denali National Park and well have a late dinner at the Alaska Cabin Night Dinner Theater. The cast/staff entertain you with songs and stories during dinner. The food is simple - ribs and salmon, potatoes, beans and corn, and blueberry cobbler for dessert.  After dinner, the real show starts. The cast sings and dances in an approximation of the story of the local settlers (some dramatic license is taken) and audience participation is required in some places.  Your lodging will be near the Denali National Park. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day Seven - Chickloon - Matanuska Glacier: Today's adventure will take you to the base of Matanuska Glacier--The largest glacier accessible by car in Alaska. The scenic drive makes this an easy day trip.  The Matanuska is a beautiful valley glacier twenty four miles long and four miles wide descending twelve thousand feet to the terminus. Nestled in the breathtaking Chugach Mountains. This unique location provides for some of the best weather in the state of Alaska.

The trip to this glacier one of the most panoramic of your visit and will provide a great venue for many pictures to remember your visit as you travel alongside the Matanuska River. Once at the glacier you will be able to see and touch the blue ice, visit the 10 acre lake in the midst of the glacier, visit moulans that fall hundreds of feet to the bottom of the ice as well as visit the crevasses the cover the ice field. Afterwards, we will take a white water rafting ride down the Matanuska River to enjoy this great water and sites.  Then we’ll return to Wasilla and lodgings at Alaska’s Lake Lucille Bed & Breakfast for a BBQ at the lakeside gazebo. Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Day Eight - Iditarod Headquarters, Thunderbird Falls, Eklutna Historial Park & Lake, Eklutna Russian Orthodox Church, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage: We’ll start our day with a wonderful breakfast and then make our way to the nearby Iditarod Dog Sled Head quarters. You will have the opportunity to experience a short dog-sled ride, it's a short trip but one that will help makes this one of your most memorable vacations! Also, there are usually sled dog puppies in the displays for you to see and cuddle along with many great souvenirs to remember this visit. Warm your heart with the lure of the husky puppies.  Then well travel to Thunderbird Falls.  On arrival we will leave our vehicle and start an easy approximately one mile hike to a boardwalk and viewing platform. The wooded trail follows alongside the ridge above the Eklutna River.  It’s about six feet wide and made of well maintained gravel.  We’ll then make a brief stop at the Eklutna. With a population at 383 this Dena'ina Athabascan village is the oldest inhabited location in the Anchorage area, having been inhabited for over 800 years. The present population of the Eklutna area is still home to a significant community of Alaskan Native Americans, most of whom are members of the federally recognized Native Village of Eklutna. Russian Orthodox missionaries came here in the 1840’s. The melding of Orthodox Christianity and native practices resulted in the brightly-colored spirit houses built over the graves of the deceased at the Eklutna Cemetery, which has been in use since 1650 and is now a historical park. Visitors here can visit St. Nicholas Church, the oldest standing building in the greater Anchorage area. Then we are off to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, a renowned cultural center and museum in Anchorage, an exciting place where we will learn more about Alaska's first people. Here we share the rich heritage of Alaska's eleven cultural groups drawing upon the life-ways of long ago and the traditions that endure. It is time to bring this tour to an end. As we bring you back to Anchorage to connect with your flights we hope that you have enjoyed your tour of Alaska and have a safe return home. Meals Provided: Breakfast, and Lunch. Late afternoon departures will be dropped off at the airport.