Day 1: Arrive Anchorage
Arrive in Anchorage. Welcome meeting at 6 PM with your Intrepid leader and fellow travelers (max 12). Optional: explore downtown Anchorage — the log cabin Visitor Center with its wildflower-covered roof, Ship Creek salmon viewing platforms, or the Anchorage Museum. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Anchorage.
Day 2: Anchorage to Cooper Landing — Kenai River
Scenic drive south along Turnagain Arm to Cooper Landing on the turquoise Kenai River — world-famous for its salmon runs. Afternoon: Kenai River scenic float trip — drift through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge as your guide points out bald eagles, moose, and brown bears fishing for sockeye salmon. The glacier-fed river’s startling turquoise color comes from glacial silt suspended in the water. Evening dinner at a riverside lodge. Overnight Cooper Landing.
Day 3: Cooper Landing to Homer — The End of the Road
Continue the spectacular drive to Homer, perched at the ‘end of the road’ on Kachemak Bay. The Homer Spit — a 4.5-mile finger of land — is your base. Afternoon: explore the Spit’s fishing harbor, art galleries, and beach. Spot bald eagles — Homer hosts one of North America’s highest concentrations year-round. Evening: optional halibut fishing charter or visit the Salty Dawg Saloon. Overnight Homer.
Day 4: Seldovia Day Trip — Across Kachemak Bay
Board the ferry for a day trip to Seldovia, a charming off-the-grid village accessible only by boat or plane. The 45-minute crossing of Kachemak Bay offers prime wildlife viewing: sea otters, harbor seals, and often humpback whales. Explore Seldovia’s boardwalk (there are no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska), visit the Russian Orthodox church, and hike trails through old-growth forest. The village’s character reflects its Aleut, Russian, and Scandinavian heritage. Afternoon: return ferry to Homer. Overnight Homer.
Day 5: Kachemak Bay Kayaking
Morning sea kayaking in Kachemak Bay — one of Alaska’s premier kayaking destinations, with calm protected waters and extraordinary wildlife. Paddle past sea otter rafts (grooming their thick fur — the densest of any animal at up to 1 million hairs per square inch), harbor seal haul-outs, and beneath cliffs where kittiwakes and murres nest. The backdrop is stunning: the Kenai Mountains rising from the sea with glaciers spilling down their flanks. No prior kayaking experience needed; stable double kayaks with expert guides. Afternoon: free time on the Spit. Overnight Homer.
Day 6: Homer to Seward — Kenai Fjords
Drive to Seward, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Afternoon: hike to Exit Glacier — walk the trail to the glacier’s face, watching for black bears among the alders. The stark markers showing the glacier’s retreat over recent decades are a powerful witness to our warming planet. Evening free to explore Seward’s harbor and enjoy fresh seafood. Overnight Seward.
Day 7: Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise
Full-day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. The captain navigates through Resurrection Bay into the Gulf of Alaska, with stops at seabird rookeries (horned and tufted puffins), Steller sea lion colonies, and a tidewater glacier where you’ll witness the drama of icebergs calving into the sea. Wildlife sightings are virtually guaranteed: humpback whales, orcas, Dall’s porpoises riding the bow wave, sea otters, mountain goats on the cliffs, and bald eagles. A salmon and prime rib lunch is served onboard. This is Alaska’s wildlife at its most spectacular and accessible. Overnight Seward.
Day 8: Seward to Girdwood — Glaciers & Wildlife Conservation
Morning drive to Girdwood, Alaska’s only true ski resort town. Ride the Alyeska Aerial Tram 2,300 feet up Mount Alyeska for sweeping views of the Turnagain Arm, seven named glaciers, and the endless Chugach Mountains. Optional: hike the alpine trails at the summit. Afternoon: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center — a 200-acre sanctuary caring for orphaned and injured Alaskan wildlife. See grizzly bears, black bears, moose, musk ox, caribou, wood bison (extinct in Alaska until reintroduction), and elk in spacious natural habitats. The center plays a crucial role in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation breeding. Overnight Girdwood.
Day 9: Talkeetna & Denali Flightseeing
Drive north to Talkeetna, the historic mountaineering town. Optional: Denali flightseeing tour (weather permitting) — fly over the Alaska Range, past the 20,310-foot summit of Denali, over massive glaciers, and land on a glacier for an unforgettable moment of Arctic silence. Even if you don’t fly, Talkeetna is a delight — the Roadhouse bakery, Nagley’s General Store (supplied climbers since the 1920s), and the view of Denali from the riverbank (on a clear day). Return to Anchorage for farewell dinner. Overnight Anchorage.
Day 10: Departure
Transfer to Anchorage Airport. The Last Frontier stays with you.
