10-Days | Iditarod & Northern Lights
Tour Package III: Iditarod Race & Northern Lights
Alaska Winter Adventure: Iditarod Race & Northern Lights Viewing

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Day 1:
Fairbanks (Saturday)
Arrive in Fairbanks. Complimentary transfer to your **** Resort Hotel on
the banks of the beautiful Chena River near Pikes Landing. Relax during
your first evening in Fairbanks and get ready for a few days of winter
fun and adventure in Alaska. You can watch the Aurora Borealis at night
dancing on the northern sky and/or enjoy a dinner at the scenic Pikes
Landing Restaurant. Fairbanks is synonymous with winter from late
October through March with some of the best Northern Lights viewing in
the world made possible by the right weather and clear skies. Beautiful
and mysterious curtains, the colors range from green to red to purple,
with the brightest and most common color, a yellow-green. Fairbanks sits
under what is called the "Auroral Oval", a ring-shaped region around the
North Pole. The location offers a great balance of occurrence, frequency
and activity. Intensity varies from night to night, with the best
viewing from late evening through the wee hours of the morning.
Overnight: Fairbanks
Day 2: Fairbanks - Chena Hot Springs Resort (Sunday)
Morning on your own: explore the city and check out
the winter activities around the All American Championship Sled Dog
Race, Ice Carving Sculpture Championship or visit the famous Alaska
University Museum with the States largest collection of gold, gold
mining history and Alaskan heritage. The Geophysical Institute is
recognized as the best in the world for Aurora research. Afternoon
transfer from your hotel to Chena Hot Springs - a prime Northern Lights
viewing area in the hills about 60 road miles northeast of Fairbanks –
far away from any city lights. Enjoy spectacular 360-degree Aurora
displays through large picture windows from the comfort of a heated
cabin above the resort or outside. Overnight: Chena Hot Springs Resort
Day 3: Chena Hot Springs Resort (Monday)
Relax in the large heated mineral indoor pool, the
outdoor rock lake and in numerous hot tubs – which are providing a great
opportunity to soak or swim until the Northern Lights are appearing in
the evening again. Guided 1-hour Aurora Ice Museum tour. Afternoon at
leisure or optional sled dog kennel tour, snowmobiling, x-country
skiing. Dinner (optional) at the rustic log lodge restaurant and than
take a short hike to a heated cabin for another night of outstanding
Northern Lights viewing opportunities. The 440-acre resort is also known
for its healthy outdoor opportunities in the pristine wilderness of
Alaska´s great Interior - first discovered by gold prospectors at the
turn of the century. In 1912 - the 40 sq mile geothermal area was the
premier place to soak - for residents of the booming town Fairbanks.
Overnight: Chena Hot Springs Resort
Day 4: Chena
Hot Springs Resort - Fairbanks (Tuesday)
After breakfast time to enjoy the Chena Hot Springs
Resort facilities. Recover from the exciting Aurora viewing during the
past night and relax in the natural hot springs. During the afternoon
minibus return transfer to Fairbanks. Rest of the day available for your
own activities or alternative local sightseeing tours (optional). Please
inquire. Your last evening in Fairbanks provides another chance for
breathtaking Northern Lights viewing pleasures and a dinner in a nice
restaurant along the frozen Chena River. Overnight: Fairbanks
Day 5:
Fairbanks - Alaska Railroad Train to Anchorage (Wednesday)
Transfer to the Fairbanks rail station and departure
at 8:30 AM for a very scenic full-day rail tour to Anchorage. All seats
within the comfortable train compartments are pre-reserved and the staff
takes care of your entire luggage. Enjoy the ride ! You'll get fantastic
and breathtaking views of the snow covered Alaska Mountain Range with
it's towering 20.320 feet high Mt. Denali. Short stopovers are at Denali
National Park and Talkeetna before arriving in Anchorage in the evening
around 8:00 PM. Check into your downtown hotel. Overnight: Anchorage
Day 6: Anchorage - Mushers Banquet (Thursday)
Enjoy your free morning in and around Anchorage. At
4:00 PM doors open for the Musher Meet & Greet at the Dena'ina
Center. The program and Mushers banquet dinner begins at 6:00 PM. Main
part of the exciting evening entertainment is the annual banquet
fundraiser and drawing for the official start order. The banquet
celebrates the mushers who are about to take part in the “Last Great
Race on Earth” – the nearly 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Attendees can help raise funds for the Iditarod via a robust live and
silent auction while enjoying a 3-course meal and watching the mushers
take the stage to draw for their official start order. This is a must
for anyone interested to observe "The Last Great Race on Earth" for the
first time. Participants have plenty of photo opportunities, good
chances to meet and talk with the Iditarod Musher personally, collect
autographs and participate in the auction.
Day 7:
Anchorage - City Sightseeing Tour (Friday)
Explore the sights of Anchorage today during this
guided city sightseeing tour (3 hrs). Begin your historical tour at the
Port of Anchorage at Ship Creek, where Alaska's metropolitan was born as
a tent city. This is also the location of the Anchorage rail terminal
for the historic Alaska Railroad. Check out this year’s snow sculptures
and vote for your favorite. Next we’ll travel through Bootleggers Cove,
stopping for a walk in Earthquake Park where you’ll see signs of the
1964 earthquake. Then, we’ll take a drive around Lake Hood, home to the
world's busiest seaplane airport and base! Following this stop, you'll
visit the incomparable Turnagain Arm and Beluga Point. Take in the
majestic scenery and scout for Beluga whales and Dall sheep. Your
journey continues to Potter Marsh, the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife
Refuge, a visit to Chugach State Park and - road conditions permitting -
Flattop Mountain. Get a bird's eye view of Anchorage as well as views of
the "Sleeping Lady", Mount Denali and the Alaska Range.
Day 8: Anchorage - Iditarod Ceremonial Race Start (Saturday)
The legendary Iditarod race starts at 10:00 AM on 4th
Avenue in Alaska's largest city. Get up early and observe the start
preparations, take close up pictures from about 50 Mushers, over 1000
Sled Dogs and enjoy the bustling and exciting race atmosphere before the
teams are leaving from the starting line for the "1050 mile race to
Nome". Anchorage parks and green belts are providing also a great
alternative to observe the race activities. The Balto Statue marks the
ceremonial starting point of the Iditarod. Balto was the final lead sled
dog in a relay of dogsleds that brought vaccine from Anchorage to Nome
just in time to stop a diphtheria epidemic that was threatening to
devastate Nome's population in the winter of 1925.
Day 9:
Anchorage - Iditarod Restart Tour Willow (Sunday)
After breakfast board the motorcoach for a guided
tour to the official Iditarod Race Start in Willow. Leave at 9:30 AM and
enjoy the drive along the scenic Glenn Highway with a brief stopover in
Wasilla. Continue to Willow where the Iditarod restart ceremony begins
at 2:00 PM. Enjoy the busy and bustling Iditarod race atmosphere and the
musher's final preparation. For mushers, thousands of cheering fans at
the official race restart -- following Saturday's ceremonial start in
Anchorage -- now give way to remote Alaska wilderness and the promise of
a finish line in Nome some 1,000 miles away, but not before crossing a
trail that may prove perilous for both mushers and dogs. Return to
Anchorage approximately 7:00 PM.
Day 10:
Anchorage - Departure (Monday)
Morning at leisure in/around Anchorage. Time for your
last shopping activities, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center or
have a nice seafood lunch with delicious Alaska Salmon or King Crabs in
one of Anchorage's top restaurants. Transfer from the hotel to the
airport. Please note: Individual program extensions are available.
Extend your stay and fly to Rainy Pass Lodge or Nikolai Checkpoints.
Tour Services Included:
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Rates per Person in US $
Tour Number: IDI3 Iditarod &
Northern Lights |
Single | Double | Triple | Quad |
✦ 2024 ✦ Feb 24 - March 04 | Standard Hotel Category | $ 2430.00 | $ 1730.00 | $ 1540.00 | $ 1450.00 |
✦ 2024 ✦ Feb 24 - March 04 | Deluxe Hotel Category | $ 3270.00 | $ 2150.00 | $ 1820.00 | $ 1670.00 |
Optional Additional Tours
✦ Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise Day
Tour from Anchorage |
$ 370.00 |