Have you always wanted to witness the Iditarod?  Or longed to see the Aurora Borealis? Dreams come true this winter in Alaska. You’ll meet the dogs and mushers, witness the start of “The Last Great Race on Earth”, go on a gray whale watching cruise, take an unforgettable rail journey, and view the unforgettable Northern Lights. This tour has it all—including outdoor gear to keep you warm! 

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Included meals are denoted: Breakfast: B, Lunch: L, Dinner: D

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Day 1              D

This morning we fly to Fairbanks. Warm winter coats and boots will be waiting for you to use throughout the trip. While a lot of regions are coy about their snowfall, Alaska boasts about it blankets of white and wonderful winter activities.  Check in for two nights at the Springhill Suites Hotel, with a group Welcome Dinner. 

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Day 2              B

This morning we will visit the Alaska Pipeline and the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center before an independent lunch in town. After lunch we step into the past at one of the premier vintage and classic car museums in the United States, the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. You will have some time to rest before our evening hunt for the Northern Lights. Fairbanks lures people from all over the world to see the captivating light of the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, which are constantly in motion because of the changing interaction between the solar wind and the earth’s magnetic field. In the northern hemisphere they extend over northern Scandinavia, the whole of Canada, northern USA, Alaska and Siberia. Viewing this phenomenon has been named on countless lists of top travel experiences.

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Day 3               B

This morning we visit the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska. After an independent lunch in town we will go to Ice Alaska, home of the World Ice Art Championships. Talented artists from all over the world come to Fairbanks to use a one-ton block of ice as a crystal clear, 3-dimensional canvas.

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Day 4                B,L,D

All aboard! Spend the day on the Alaska Railroad Aurora Train. The journey is just as splendid as the destination. The 350-mile train ride takes 12 hours and is an expedition, passing through four different climate and vegetation zones. You will enjoy the train’s amenities, such as the dining car, as we traverse the wild wilderness of Alaska on our journey south to Anchorage where we check in for three nights at the Hilton Anchorage. The northern lights shimmer over the state and the signature event, the Iditarod, makes Anchorage the hottest place to be for unrivaled adventure.

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Day 5               B

This morning you’ll be part of all the excitement at the Ceremonial Start of the Iditarod 2023. You can’t compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race covering 1000 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska. To celebrate the Iditarod, the streets of Anchorage come alive during Fur Rendezvous. Fur Rondy, as it is known by the locals, has proudly represented the pioneering spirit of Alaskans since 1935 with winter sports, native culture and tons of unique events. In addition to the many official cultural and sporting activities, the Anchorage community hosts numerous Rondy Round Town events, offering wacky winter fun for all ages. Some of the events of the Fur Rondy Festival celebrating the culture, crafts and activities of After spending some time taking in the event, visiting with race teams and witnessing the media coverage, you’ll have the afternoon to explore the shops and culture of Anchorage and to learn all about Alaska and see Alaskan artwork and artifacts at the Anchorage Museum. 

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Day 6               B,L

After a city tour of Anchorage, we will enjoy a tasty and scenic lunch in Wasilla. Drive along the Chugiak and Talkeetna Mountain ranges to the Mat-Su Valley for a tour of a sled dog kennel and learn more about racing. Return to Anchorage for an independent evening.

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Day 7                B,L

This morning we travel to Seward in the Kenai Peninsula. Before checking in to the Harbor 360 hotel we visit the Alaska Sealife Center to learn about the puffins, sea lions and other wildlife among the frozen waters. Sandwiched between the Kenai mountains and the waters of Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities, with Mt. Marathon rising steeply behind the town. This seaside village offers a bustling harbor with quaint shops, galleries and local eateries.

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Day 8                B,L,D

Today we travel north again to the winter resort town of Girdwood where we’ll take a panoramic tram ride and have lunch at the Alyeska Resort. Tucked amid the Chugach Mountains on Alaska’s southcentral coast, Alyeska Resort is the place to discover the wilderness and expansive beauty of the Last Frontier.  We return to Anchorage for one night at the Comfort Inn Ship Creek, and dinner at Bridge Seafood.

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Day 9                 B

Today we fly from Anchorage to travel home.

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Itinerary subject to change. The tour is scheduled in prime Northern Lights time, however the Northern Lights cannot be guaranteed.