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Iditarod and Northern Lights Tour
Featuring Private Breakfast
with
Lance Mackey, 2007 Iditarod Champion
February 27 to March 7, 2008
From::
$3,249 plus $179 tax
(per person based on double occupancy)
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Tour Features
- 3 Nights Captain Cook Hotel (Junior Suite)
- 1 Night Lake Lucille Inn
- 3 Nights Fairbanks Princess
- 2 Nights Chena Hot Springs
- 9 Breakfasts
- 2 Dinners (Mushers' Banquet and Pump House Final Night Dinner)
- Escort
- Private Transfers
- Airfare Anchorage to Fairbanks
- Private Meeting/Lecture with Lance Mackey, 2007 Iditarod Champion
- All admissions (including two lectures of your choice Friday February 29)
Itinerary
Day 1 - February 27, Wednesday
Arrival in Anchorage - Upon arrival in Anchorage you are met and transferred to your hotel. Settle in and get acquainted with your guide and the city of Anchorage. Overnight
Anchorage
Day 2 - February 28, Thursday
Touring Anchorage This morning after a leisurely breakfast you will attend a "Welcome to Alaska" orientation that will review the week's activities. This will be your in depth introduction to the "Last Great Race".
Before leaving for a drive along Alaska's only National Scenic Highway, the Seward, we'll visit the Anchorage Museum of Art and History. Then, drive south of Anchorage toward Portage Glacier. Here on the eastern edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the road skirts Turnagain Arm, where 14,000 years ago we would have been unable to drive here as the landscape was covered with late Wisconsin glaciers. Turnagain Arm was named by English Captain, James Cook in 1778. We'll stop at Beluga Point, a 4,000-year old Alutiiq Eskimo hunting site, where the second highest tides in the world occur with a 38-feet surge.
Tonight you will attend the Mushers' Banquet where you enjoy the festivities as you celebrate the great achievement of the serum run to Nome. At the banquet you will have a chance to bid on an opportunity to ride in one of the sleds during the race start in Anchorage.
(B) (D)
Overnight
Anchorage
Day 3 - February 29, Friday
Private Breakfast Reception with a Musher
This morning our group will enjoy a private meeting with Lance Mackey 2007 Iditarod Champion.
Lance will provide insights into the sled dogs, their many characteristics and attributes, the years of breeding and training that goes into putting together a team. You will learn first hand of his accomplishment in winning last years" Iditarod Race".
As well, he will describe the strategy, hardships, technical aspects and joys of life on the trail - the race itself. We'll get a good look at the sled, (20" wide), clothing and gear that carries the musher, food and required survival equipment for two weeks from Anchorage 1,150 miles across the wilderness of Alaska to Nome on the Bering Sea coast. What it takes to win this extraordinary sled dog race will soon emerge from the discussion.
This afternoon you have free time to attend some lectures on the race and learn even more in anticipation of the race start tomorrow.
(B)
Overnight
Anchorage
Day 4 - March 1, Saturday "Race Day"
The ceremonial Iditarod start will begin in downtown Anchorage, where thousands of fans and media from around the world join in this world-famous event. The #1 position is reserved for Leonard Seppala, one of the most famous musher's who carried the diphtheria serum to Nome over the original Iditarod Trail. Today, fans who were the successful bidders on the "Idita-Rider" auction will ride in the sled of a musher as they leave the start chute.
We'll leave Anchorage after lunch for an afternoon drive to Wasilla and a visit to the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Headquarters. The Iditarod is world-famous and dog mushing certainly is an important part of Alaska's history and heritage. (B)
Overnight Wasilla
Day 5 - March 2, Sunday
Today the real race to Nome begins, with the re-start at Wasilla. Mushers will hookup their dogs and race across more than 1,000 miles of Alaska's wilderness. The dogs sense that this is "go time" and their level of excitement is unmatched. You will have a far better, closer look at the teams and mushers.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Go!
With a rooster-tail of snow behind each sled speeding down the chute, mushers wave to fans as they head off on the "Last Great Race". After wishing the mushers well we head to the Anchorage Airport and fly to Fairbanks to enjoy more wonders of the North.
(B)
Overnight
Fairbanks
Day 6 - March 3, Monday
Fairbanks Orientation and Northern Lights
This morning will feature an orientation of the schedule of events in Fairbanks.
After lunch, we'll leave Fairbanks for a scenic 60-mile drive east along the scenic Chena River Valley to Chena Hot Springs to enjoy the wonders of the hot springs and search for the Northern Lights.
(B) Overnight Chena Hot Springs
Day 7- March 4, Wednesday
Full day at Chena Hot Springs Resort
This resort is recognized internationally as the best North America site to view the northern lights. Guests enjoy the unique Rock Lake natural mineral hot pool, exquisite Moose Lodge and gourmet meals.
Optional activities include northern lights Aurorarium, Snow Coach Aurora Tour atop one of Alaska's oldest mountains, dog sled rides, cross country skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling.
For the adventurous there will be a variety of dog sled ride opportunities with veteran Alaska dog mushers.
(B)
Overnight Chena Hot Springs
Day 8 - March 5, Thursday
Depart Chena Hot Springs to Fairbanks
Enjoy breakfast this morning and enjoy a final swim in the hot springs pool before we depart for Fairbanks where we check in at the Fairbanks Princess Hotel.
On the way stops will be made at the University of Alaska Museum, Alaska's official repository for natural science collections: everything from gold bullion to butterflies to "blue" bison, an Ice Age relict, and the Alaska Bird Observatory.
A short visit to the Large Animal Research Station to see Musk Ox breed in captivity will wind up the afternoon. Later this evening we will visit the Ice Park to view the multi and single block carvings lit and showcased in a rainbow of colors.
(B) Overnight in
Fairbanks
Day 9- March 6 Tuesday
Tour to Fairbanks and Ice Carving Competition
This morning we return to the Ice Park for a more close up inspection and viewing of all the intricate carvings. The World Ice Art Championships attract ice carvers from around world. The park encompasses 25 acres, and hosts visitors and the carving competition for three weeks in March. At this time, the competition is "icy" as the carvers showcase the intricate, complex, larger-than-life multi-block final competition. You won't believe what you see!
As this is our last day and evening together we will dine at the famed "Pump House" and enjoy a truly great Alaskan meal before depart tomorrow for our home cities. (B, D)
Overnight in
Fairbanks
Day 10 - March 7, Friday
Depart Fairbanks
Today your northern adventure ends with individual transfers to the airport. If time permits your escort will shuttle you around town to any site you wish to revisit. (B)
Cost:
$3,249 plus $179 (per person based on double occupancy)
$5,699 plus $323 (per person single occupancy)
Touralaska.com | (800) 833-2898 | info@touralaska.com
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