SUMMER & FALL 2012 - VOLUME 3 - Senior Tours Canada

TENTATIVE ITINERARY FOR ALASKA CRUISE TOURDAY 1DAY 2DAY 3DAY 4DAY 5DEPARTURE / ANCHORAGE. We fly toAnchorage with a change of planes inVancouver. Upon arrival we transfer to ourhotel for an evening at leisure andovernight. This is Alaska's mostcosmopolitan city, so get out and explorethe shops and restaurants.MT. MCKINLEY. Our motorcoach journeythis morning takes us along the scenicGeorge Parks Highway, which is one of themost dazzling in all of the Great Land.Keep an eye open for awesome views ofMt. McKinley along the way. We overnightat the Mt. McKinley Princess WildernessLodge. This is a true wilderness retreatwith a host of recreational activities.Tonight you may want to enjoy a leisurelydinner at the Alaskan Bar & Grill for theperfect end to a great day in this inspiringwilderness setting.DENALI NATIONAL PARK. Anotherspectacular motorcoach tour takes us toDenali National Park. We travel deep intothe pristine wilderness of the Park for aNational History Tour. Our guide will makestops at points of interest including a viewto the Snowy Alaska Range. Be on thelookout for wildlife - there's plenty of ithere! The evening is at leisure with time toenjoy one of the many optional activitiessuch as horseback riding, helicopter"flightseeing", river rafting or you may wantto see the "Music of Denali" DinnerTheatre - a fun and enlightening way tolearn about local history.LUXURY RAIL / WHITTIER /EMBARKATION. We board the luxury railcars of the McKinley Express for thescenic ride to Whittier. The train windowsallow maximum viewing of the awesomelandscape. In Whittier we embark our shipand enjoy our first delicious dinner onboard.HUBBARD GLACIER (Scenic Cruising).Hubbard Glacier is the longest tidewaterglacier in Alaska extending 76 miles fromits source on Mt. Logan in the Yukon. Youwill hear the creaks and groans as thisDAY 6DAY 7DAY 8DAY 9DAY 10DAY 11very active glacier advances. There will besome exciting moments when the hugechunks of ice crash into the bay creating awonderful sound called "white thunder" bythe local natives.GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK(Scenic Cruising). This is the highlight ofour cruise. Under a blanket of silence wegaze upon the ice cliffs and their colours ofblue, green, white and grey. Entrance toGlacier Bay is closely guarded in order toprotect the delicate environment, so alimited number of permits are issued eachyear for ships who meet the strict criteria.Watch for whales, seals and bears on theshore.SKAGWAY. Enjoy the Gold Rushatmosphere of Skagway, home base forthe stampeders whose dreams led them tothe Yukon. Explore the historic district onfoot or by streetcar. Consider going onone of the optional tours; a ride on thenarrow-gauge White Pass Railway, or theSkagway Extravaganza which includespanning for gold and the rousing SoapySmith Show.JUNEAU. A day in Alaska's historic capital.You may want to visit the Alaska StateMuseum which features rare Eskimo andIndian artifacts. See relics of the goldmines that brought wealth to the towneven before the Klondike gold rush.KETCHIKAN. Southeast Alaska's "firstcity" is as picturesque as they come. Thetown is built on pilings over the water andclings to the slopes of Deer Mountain.Native culture abounds at Totem BightState Park.CRUISING THE INSIDE PASSAGE.Following all of the excitement andsightseeing of the past week, a leisure dayat sea will be most welcome. Relax ondeck and watch the beauty of the InsidePassage float by as we cruise along thespectacular coast of British Columbia.VANCOUVER / HOME. We arrive inVancouver, disembark and fly home.15.