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4-Day Alaska Summer Essentials Tour from Anchorage: Whittier, Hatcher Pass and Talkeetna

4-Day Alaska Summer Essentials Tour from Anchorage: Whittier, Hatcher Pass and Talkeetna

5.0 (21 reviews)

Tour Code: 486342

4-Day Alaska Summer Essentials Tour from Anchorage: Whittier, Hatcher Pass and Talkeetna-map

Departure City

Anchorage

End City

Anchorage

Duration

4 days

Language

Chinese Live, English Live

Tour Themes

Outdoor Adventure, Natural Landscapes

Guide Type

Guided Tour

Group Size

Small Group

Activity Level

Moderate

Highlights

• Explore the old naval port town of Whittier and have the opportunity to take a Glacier Cruise and observe close-up the magnificent sight of pieces of a glacier falling into the ocean
• Alaskan locals hide a nice summer resort, natural oxygen bar Hatcher Pass, visit the vintage gold mine heritage park, taste local fresh beer
• Visit a gold rush town, view the huge mountain Denali, and have the opportunity to see Denali and the majestic Alaska Range close up from a flightseeing plane
• Stay in a quality international chain hotel, with breakfast and free wi-fi included

Itinerary

The sequence of activities in this tour itinerary is subject to change based on the tour departure date, weather conditions, etc., but the content of the tour will not change. The below sequence is provided for reference only and may not match your final itinerary.

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Leave from the hotel around 9:30am, and travel to the old naval port town of Whittier. On the way you can enjoy the picturesque scenery of lofty mountains, icy glaciers, crystal clear lakes, and the twisting ocean shoreline of Turnagain Arm. Just before arriving in Whittier, you'll pass through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest double-use highway and railroad tunnel in the U.S. at 4.05 km. Once in Whittier, visit the famous Begich Towers residential building (outside only) and take in the naval port town scenery (about 20 min. total). While in Whittier you have the opportunity to go on a Glacier & Marine Life Cruise* (at additional expense, it is suggested that you book in advance). Estimated return to Anchorage is between 8:00-8:30pm.

Whittier
One of the most interesting towns in Alaska, Whittier was a naval port during the Cold War. After the naval facilities were abandoned, they were converted into Begich Towers, the most unique residential building in America.

Most of the 200-some residents of the town live in the building, and there is also a school, post office, and supermarket inside. Whittier is also the gateway to access many famous glaciers, and is surrounded by 3,500 ft. (1,067 m) tall mountains. It was first chosen as the site for a military base in World War 2, and today has evolved into a world-class cruise ship port, attracting visitors from all over the world.

Optional Activity:
Glacier & Marine Life Cruise* (about 5 hours total, includes western-style box lunch, narration in English)
Board the boat around noon, and start soaking up the magnificent snow-capped mountains and glaciers of Prince William Sound. The glaciers end in steep cliffs of ice, and when sunlight hits the ice, it seems to glow from within.

When you hear a glacier let out a deep rumble, you may witness pieces of the glacier falling off into the water. You'll be able to observe up-close floating icebergs and where the glaciers meet the sea, and have the opportunity to see all types of marine animals (such as sea lions, sea otters, and seals) as well as birds. It is suggested that you bring a warm jacket, hat, etc.

Leave from the hotel at around 9:00am, and travel to the gold rush town of Talkeetna, at the foot of Denali. Once you've arrived, head to the Denali National Park Talkeetna Ranger Station to get your official park stamp (about 15 min.), then get a look at Denali from a viewing platform (about 15 min.). You'll also have time to freely explore the unique restaurants, art galleries, cafes, and antique-themed shops. If you want to get a close look at Denali, you can choose to do an optional Denali Flightseeing Tour* (at additional expense, can be booked in advance) or Talkeetna Speedboat Tour* (at additional expense, can be booked in advance). Due to time constraints, it is only possible to choose one of these two activities. Estimated return to Anchorage is between 7:00-7:30pm. At additional expense, you can upgrade to the Alaska Glass Dome Sightseeing Train* for the return journey. If you choose this option, you'll arrive at the Anchorage train station at around 8pm, and your guide will pick you up and return you to the hotel.
Today your tour ends, and it is time to say goodbye to beautiful Alaska.

Talkeetna
This town was once an extremely lively center of gold rush activity, and today continues to showcase the spirit and style of pioneer Alaska. The main street is lined with small log cabins and antique storefronts. Talkeetna is not only the gateway to Denali and the setting-out point for mountaineers, it's also a nature lover's paradise.

Optional Activities:
Denali Flightseeing Tour* (About 1 to 1.5 hours roundtrip, English narration)
Ride in a small flightseeing plane and get a bird's-eye view of snow-covered Denali and the majestic Alaska Range. If weather conditions permit, you will have the opportunity to land on a glacier and personally experience being surrounded by the snowy mountains.

Talkeetna Speedboat Tour* (About 2 hours roundtrip, English narration)
Your boat captain will take you on a river-based tour, with views of the wilderness scenery on each bank. Here you are less than 100 km (about 60 miles) from Denali, the highest peak in North America. As you travel through the forests surrounding the Susitna River, immerse yourself in the wonders of nature and gaze at the high peak reaching into the sky. When the weather is clear, you'll be blown away by the view. The tour includes a visit to an Alaska Native hunting camp.

Alaska Glass Dome Sightseeing Train* (Talkeetna - Anchorage, 5 - 8pm, no accompanying guide)
The train is equipped with comfortable seats and a glass dome ceiling that allows for 180° views. You'll personally experience the scenic Alaska rail route first established during the gold rush era over a hundred years ago and have plenty of opportunity to photograph the beautiful scenery you pass.

Note: Please note that order of day-to-day itinerary is adjustable depending on tour start day.

Meeting & Transfer Info

24-hour free hotel shuttle:
- The Information Center next to the baggage claim area in the Anchorage airport provides free calls to hotels. After you arrive, please contact your hotel to arrange to be picked up by the shuttle. The hotels only accept shuttle bookings from guests that have already arrived at the airport. There is no way to make an advance reservation.
- When you book the hotel shuttle, please provide the hotel with your personal information: full name (in pinyin), number of people, etc.
- After you make the booking, the hotel shuttle will take around 30 minutes to arrive at the airport
- Hotel shuttle pick-up location: Anchorage International Airport, outside the arrivals area, designated hotel shuttle pick-up area.
- T-Mobile cell service cannot be used in some part of Alaska. If your cell service provider is T-Mobile, please contact T-Mobile customer service in advance, or provide an alternate contact number.
Anchorage taxi information:
- Taxi pick-up location: Anchorage International Airport, outside the arrivals area, designated taxi pick-up area.
- From the airport to most Anchorage hotels, the cost is about $15-30 per taxi.
Departure notes:
- At most local hotels check-out time is 12:00pm. Please confirm the check-out time with your hotel.
- On the last day of your itinerary, please check out of your hotel and store your luggage before your tour that day begins.
- If you wish to remain in Anchorage after your tour ends, you can book an extended hotel stay in advance.
- If you are leaving on the last day of your itinerary, please book a flight leaving after 11pm, in order to ensure ample time to complete your tour that day.
- For domestic flights, please arrive at the airport at least 2 hours in advance.
- All booking include one free transfer to the airport on your hotel's 24-hour airport shuttle. Please arrange this in advance with the hotel staff. Information needed for shuttle booking: room number, full name (in pinyin), number of people, and departure time.

Time limit for providing flight information:

Kindly submit your flight details at least 10 days in advance of the group joining date. Failure to do so may result in an unsuccessful arrangement of the transfer service.

Own Expenses

All mandatory fees must be paid in cash to the tour guide and tickets cannot be pre-purchased separately. Any optional activities you wish to join must be paid to your tour guide in cash.

What’s Included

Includes

Hotels described in the itinerary, or equivalent hotels
Local guide/driver service
Tour bus service, with the specific vehicle type determined by the size of the group
Attraction entrance fees noted in the itinerary
Hotel breakfasts and meals listed as included in the itinerary

Excludes

Transportation to/from Alaska, and transportation within Alaska that is not included in the itinerary
Optional activities and entrance fees not included in the itinerary
Lunch, dinner, and other meals noted in the itinerary as not included
Tipping recommend standard is $20.00/guest/day. Please pay tips to your guide on the day of your tour, to express your respect and gratitude for their work
Other expenses not mentioned in the itinerary or agreement

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Made Within 12 days prior to departure, No Refund
Cancellation Made Within 13 days to 22 days prior to departure, Refund 50% of total purchase amount
Cancellation Made Within 23 days to 32 days prior to departure, Refund 70% of total purchase amount
Cancellation Made 33 or more days prior to departure, Refund 95% of total purchase amount

If you are unable to participate in the tour due to transportation issues, a government shutdown, illness, accident, sudden changes in weather, or other unforeseen and unpreventable personal circumstances, it is suggested that you transfer the booked itinerary to someone else. Our company can change the name on the booking for free. If you decide to change or postpone your itinerary, we will do our best to minimize the loss to you, but there are some costs we are not able to recover. Thus, changes will be made in accordance with the following policy:
For changes or postponements made more than 33 days ahead of the tour date, no fee will be charged.
For changes or postponements made within 32 days of the tour date, after deducting the fee for the first night at the hotel and fees for activities that have already been booked, the remainder of your payment will be applied to the cost of your new itinerary.

Special Notes

Know before you book
1. This tour is led by a local Chinese-speaking guide who can speak English as well. The minimum number of people for each tour is 2, the maximum number of people for each tour is 14; please check in advance about whether the minimum has been reached.
2. We strongly suggest that you wait to buy plane tickets until after you receive your confirmation from us.
3. Please provide us with your flight information and phone number at least 10 days ahead of your tour departure. Otherwise, we will be unable to send you the final confirmation.
4. If you do not provide our company with your correct flight information in time, and as a result we do not have a car and staff member available, we reserve the right to refuse any free airport pick-up or drop-off service originally offered. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
5. Alaska fire code does not permit adding extra beds in hotel rooms. All hotel rooms have either one or two beds.
6. This product is priced as a package tour. If you are unable to participate in some of the tour activities or unable to use any part of the itinerary or included services, we are unable to give any refunds.
Know before you go
1. This tour requires you to bring a photo ID, such as a foreign passport with an American visa, or an American driver’s license.
2. The sequence of activities in this tour itinerary is subject to change based on the tour departure date, weather conditions, etc., but the content of the tour will not change. The sequence in the above itinerary is provided for reference only, may not match your final itinerary.
3. Different guides are assigned to each day tour, so each day you will have a different guide leading your tour.
4. If there are discrepancies between any time stated in the itinerary and the time given by your guide, please meet at the time your guide has informed you of.
5. Some places in Alaska can be relatively cold in summer. Please bring warm clothes, such as a wind and water-proof jacket, fleece jacket, hat, scarf, etc.
6. Summer tours in Alaska primarily involve outdoor natural attractions. During your tour please follow the instructions of your guide in order to stay safe and protect the natural environment.
7. Alaska has many scenic views that can be seen from the road. When stopping by the side of the road to take in the scenery, do not linger or take pictures in the middle of the road. Guests must take responsibility for any accidents caused by such behavior.
8. Minors under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult or provide a wavier signed by a legal guardian.
9. If you didn’t book any optional activities available on the tour in advance, you can talk with your guide about booking these activities. In this case payment must be made in cash.
10. Please be aware, if you are not able to meet your guide at the appointed time and place due to personal reasons (including but not limited to illness, accidents, running late, etc.), and thus miss the chance to board the bus and cannot participate in the tour, we are afraid we cannot refund your fee for that day.
- Please arrive at the pick-up location least 10 to 15 minutes early.
- You may call us within 1 to 2 days of your tour to confirm the pick-up time and location.
11. If, due to unpreventable circumstances (including but not limited to: natural disasters, political and social situations, accidents and malfunctions, road closures, etc.), adjustments must be made to the tour in order to protect the safety and welfare of all guests in the tour group, our company reserves the right to take measures including changing the time or content of the tour or even canceling some or all tour activities. The related tour fees cannot be refunded, and any additional costs incurred (i.e. extended hotel stay, transportation, meals, plane ticket changes) must be borne by the guests.
- Natural disasters: flood, earthquake, hail, snowstorm, tsunami, etc.
- Political & social situations: war, shutdown, protest, regime change, policy change, terrorist attack, etc.
- Accidents and malfunctions: tour bus or other transportation equipment malfunction, sudden damage to recreational equipment, traffic accident or other blockage of roads, etc.
- Road closures: roads impassable due to weather conditions, traffic accidents, etc.
Depending on your arrival time, your hotel room may not be available until the afternoon. Most hotels allow check-in between 1:00pm-3:00pm, however some charge a fee for early check-in. Please check at the hotel desk to see if you may store your luggage at the hotel if you wish to explore the city on your own before check-in.
The time we mentioned in the itinerary is for reference only. Please refer to your guide on tour for the actual arrangement. The visiting order and duration might be changed according to actual and practical situation for better service.
This tour/activity is overseen by a select local operator in the region. Upon booking your tour or activity and after receiving confirmation, you will be issued an e-ticket detailing the local operator's name and contact information. If you require assistance finding a specific tour, please contact us for more information.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirement: If you have traveled to or transited through yellow fever-endemic regions including East African countries (excluding Tanzania) or South American countries, either before or after your trip, you may be required to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. This requirement can apply not only for joining tours but also for certain flights or entry into specific countries. For more details, please refer to the official site: : Yellow Fever Risk Areas - Fit for Travel

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