Grand Alaskan Adventure (8420)

7 days from Anchorage to Anchorage

2027 Tour Details

Discover the spectacular landscapes, wildlife, and natural wonders of Alaska on a value-minded adventure through the Last Frontier. Begin in Anchorage with sightseeing and a visit to the Anchorage Museum, where exhibits explore the state's history, art, and Indigenous cultures. Then board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a scenic journey to Talkeetna before continuing to Denali National Park and Preserve. Home to six million acres of wilderness and Denali, North America's highest peak, the park offers some of Alaska's most iconic scenery. Spend two nights with free time to explore or join optional excursions, including a wildlife tour, sled dog kennel tour, and a flightseeing adventure.

Travel along the remote Denali Highway, a route known for its sweeping mountain vistas, tundra landscapes, and opportunities to spot wildlife. Continue over Thompson Pass to Valdez, nestled between towering mountains and the waters of Prince William Sound.

Your journey concludes with a scenic cruise through Prince William Sound, where glaciers, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife create a spectacular finale. Watch for sea otters, seals, whales, and seabirds as you cruise past the impressive face of Meares Glacier before returning to Anchorage.

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available).

Your Tour Includes:
• Guided sightseeing in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city and gateway to the Last Frontier
• Admission to the Anchorage Museum, showcasing Alaska's history, culture, art, and natural heritage
• Scenic rail journey aboard the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Talkeetna through spectacular wilderness landscapes
• Entrance fee to Denali National Park and Preserve, home to Denali, North America's highest peak
• Scenic drive along the remote Denali Highway, renowned for its mountain vistas, tundra landscapes, and wildlife viewing opportunities
• Cruise through Prince William Sound from Valdez to Whittier, surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife

Dates & Prices Book Online
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Grand Alaskan Adventure map
National Park Tours – National Park Foundation

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

This Cosmos travel package does not include meals. Most of our hotels offer anything from coffee to a full breakfast, so you can start the day the way you like best. At most lunch stops, your Tour Director will have information on local restaurants. Dinnertime is your chance to sample local cuisine. Sometimes your Tour Director will offer an optional dinner outing.


Notes:

  • Visiting and participating in activities in these locations is subject to favorable weather conditions.

  • Alaska experiences a great amount of daylight in the summer months. We take advantage of these extended daylight hours resulting in some long travel days. We ensure there are frequent photo and comfort stops.

  • Enjoy the spectacular colors of Alaska on our Fall Foliage departures from mid-August to early September (Mother Nature permitting).

 Itinerary

Day 1 ANCHORAGE

Welcome to Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city and the gateway to the Last Frontier! Your Tour Director is available from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. to answer any questions.

After settling into your downtown hotel, enjoy time to explore on your own. Browse local shops, sample fresh Alaskan seafood at one of the city’s restaurants or take a stroll along the scenic Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, where views of Cook Inlet and the surrounding mountains await.

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Day 2 ANCHORAGE

This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Then visit the Anchorage Museum, where exhibits explore the state’s history, art, science, and Indigenous cultures.

The remainder of the day is free to explore Anchorage on your own. Browse local shops, visit additional museums, or enjoy one of the city’s many restaurants and scenic outdoor spaces.

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Day 3 ANCHORAGE–ALASKA RAILROAD-TALKEETNA–DENALI NATIONAL PARK

This morning, board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a scenic journey through Alaska’s spectacular wilderness to Talkeetna. This historic town serves as a base for climbers attempting to summit Denali, North America’s highest peak at 20,310 feet.

Enjoy free time to explore Talkeetna’s charming downtown, have lunch, shop, or take a walk along the river before continuing to Denali National Park and Preserve this afternoon for a two-night stay and be surrounded by some of Alaska’s most spectacular scenery.

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Day 4 DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Covering six million acres of wilderness, Denali National Park and Preserve is home to vast tundra landscapes, glacial rivers, and North America’s highest peak, Denali.

Enjoy a full day at leisure to explore the area on your own or choose from a variety of optional excursions including a wildlife tour in search of grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a rafting adventure down the Nenana River; or a flightseeing excursion for spectacular aerial views of the park and surrounding wilderness.

Your Tour Director will be happy to help you make the most of your day.

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Day 5 DENALI NATIONAL PARK–THOMPSON PASS–VALDEZ

Enjoy one final look at the spectacular scenery and wildlife of Denali National Park and Preserve before traveling across the remote Denali Highway. As Alaska’s first road access to the park, this scenic route traverses vast wilderness and offers opportunities to spot wildlife while taking in sweeping views of the Alaska Range.

Continue over Thompson Pass, one of Alaska’s most scenic mountain passes. Known for its extraordinary winter snowfall, which averages 46 feet per year, the pass reveals dramatic mountain landscapes, waterfalls, and stunning vistas during the summer months.

Today’s journey ends in Valdez, a picturesque coastal town nestled between towering mountains and the waters of Prince William Sound, earning it the nickname, “Alaska’s Little Switzerland.”

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Day 6 VALDEZ–PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND–WHITTIER–ANCHORAGE

Embark on a scenic cruise through Prince William Sound and experience some of Alaska’s most spectacular coastal scenery. Cruise past the impressive face of Meares Glacier while learning about the region’s history, wildlife, and natural wonders from your Alaskan crew.

Keep watch for sea otters, seals, whales, and other maritime wildlife as you travel through glacier-carved waterways surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. You may also spot bald eagles soaring above and salmon leaping from the cold, clear water.

Disembark in the remote community of Whittier before returning to Anchorage via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in North America.

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Day 7 ANCHORAGE

Your vacation ends this morning.

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 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

WADE GRUHL

Escorting tours for more than 10 years

“Hi, I am Wade Gruhl. After growing up in Iowa, I have lived in Alaska since 2000. What attracted and keeps me here are the mountains, animals, lakes, rivers and the wide open spaces. I enjoy hiking, camping, skiing, dog walks, travelling and exploring Alaska. I started as a wilderness hiking guide in Skagway in 1998, and have been sharing this amazing place with people ever since. I began Tour Directing in 2015 and am excited for the opportunity to enhance your visit to Alaska and the Yukon which is my favorite region on this planet.”

Tour Director - WADE GRUHL

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



No excursions were found



The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).