Prince William Sound, Chugach & Denali

Arrive to Anchorage

Day 1 in Anchorage

Make your way into Anchorage for day one of your trip. Most organised tours will have you spend a night here before heading out into the wilderness so take some time to explore the town and the Anchorage Museum. For those with more time to spend here, you could rent a bike and cycle down the Coastal Trail, or go whale watching at Turnagain Arm.

Ice climbing at Matanuska Glacier

Day 2–3 in Matanuska Glacier

Enjoy a scenic three-hour road trip to Matanuska Glacier. Just past the glacier, you can take a challenging hike up the Lion’s Head for impressive views of the glacier and the surrounding Chugach mountains.

On your second day here meet up with your glacier guide, strap on crampons and ice axes, and spend the day ice climbing on the mighty Matanuska Glacier.

Hiking in the Chugach Mountains

Day 4 in Chugach National Forest

Continue by car or van to the magnificent Chugach Mountains, enjoying views of the Chugach Mountains, the Wrangell Mountains, and the Alaska Range. Make a stop for a hike and picnic near the Worthington Glacier. The Worthington, a Natural Historic Landmark, is a spectacular glacier that tumbles from the Chugach Mountains.

Sea kayaking in Shoup Bay

Day 5 in Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park

Spend the day sea kayaking in Shoup Bay. Kayak past the largest Black Legged Kittiwake rookery in Prince William Sound, and lunch near the foot of this ancient tidewater glacier as it cracks, grumbles and potentially calves massive blocks of ice into the surrounding salt water. Sea kayaking among the floating miniature icebergs makes for a fun obstacle course to test your paddling skills as does riding the swift current of the connecting stream on an outgoing tide.

Backpacking in Denali National Park

Day 6–8 in Denali National Park

From Prince William Sound head to Denali National Park, via Anchorage, for three days of wilderness backpacking. Spend at least two nights camping in the national park and hiking the tundra hills around Backside and Ruth Glaciers. If you’re really lucky, you’ll be able to see Denali, the highest peak on the continent.

Denali—Talkeetna—Anchorage

Day 9 in Anchorage

After breaking camp one final time, take a flight back to civilisation, returning to Talkeetna by early afternoon before boarding the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train bound for Anchorage, a three-hour through the beautiful Matanuska-Susitna Valley, through southcentral Alaska's forests and small farms & homesteads, and finally to Anchorage by evening.