Adventure in Alaska: Domestic Travel With a Purpose

Alaska- The Great Exploration

Discover Corps Vacation opportunities bring you behind the scenes where you become a part of a purposeful and meaningful project. To find out more about Discover Corps click HERE.

Alaska boasts a unique display of land and sea seen nowhere else in the world. There is an overriding sense of concern amongst the local population about the changing climate, rising seas and environmental degradation, and the extreme isolation of Alaska also puts it at an even higher risk of eminent change.

You will meet with researchers, scientists, and local community groups, The Great Exploration across this region of Alaska will show you a side of Alaska that few others get to experience and provide you with a deeper sense of what is being done to protect it for future generations.

On this Discover Corps Vacation with Purpose, we’ll venture across the famed Kenai Peninsula to witness the epic beauty of Alaska’s coast, mountains and people. Along the way, we’ll take you to leading organizations and introduce you to some of the most dedicated individuals working to protect the wildlife and resources of the 49th state.

Learn about puffin conservation at the Alaska Sealife Center, explore tidepools by way of “belly biology”, take a boat to a remote scientific field station, visit an oyster farm (and try the oysters!) and get hands-on experience of true Alaskan dog sledding, riding with a local family that has dedicated their life to this tradition.

As you journey across three different cities in Southern Alaska, expect to see an abundance of wildlife and epic panoramic views for miles. In Anchorage, enjoy a picnic lunch into the snow-capped mountains of Chugach State Park before marveling at the wilderness that surrounds you as you head to Seward in a glass-top train (often ranked as one of the top ten train rides in North America). In Seward, boat through the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park, and keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, bald eagles, and more along the way! Experience a dog sled ride to the base of Resurrection Mountain along Box Canyon Creek. In Homer, the other side of the Kenai Peninsula, explore the “spit” – a long line of restaurants, shops, and docks with breathtaking views you won’t soon forget.

Optional post trip extension to Denali National Park (3 days/2 nights).

7 Days/6 Nights: $5,695/adult, $5,395/child.

What’s Included

• Double-occupancy lodging for 6 nights
• 15 meals throughout the trip, including one soft drink, local beer, or local wine with dinner 
• Expert guide to support, guide, and inform you throughout the trip
• All reliable land and water transportation with experienced drivers, including public transportation
• Admissions and entrance fees to national parks and other scheduled events throughout the trip
• $50,000 emergency medical evacuation insurance
• Discover Corps pre-departure booklet
• Turnkey customer support from preparing for your trip to arrival back home

What’s Not Included

• Airfare
• Two dinners and one lunch
• Alcoholic beverages beyond one per dinner
• Tips for Discover Corps guide and driver
• Laundry services, phone, and Internet services

Where you will stay

Start your trip at a boutique hotel in the heart of Anchorage. Enjoy all the comforts of home, walking distance to local breweries, shops, restaurants, and everything Anchorage has to offer.

In Seward, stay at Harbor 360 – the premier waterfront hotel in this small, scenic fishing village. Located directly on the Seward Small Boat Harbor, enjoy stunning 360 degree views of Resurrection Bay and the surrounding Kenai Mountains, and views of the harbor while soaking in the hot tub or swimming in Seward’s only hotel pool. Harbor 360 Hotel is also a certified “Green Business” through the Adventure Green Alaska Program, committed to reducing their impact on the environment.

Itinerary

ANCHORGE

DAY 1: Arrive in Anchorage

Our Alaskan adventure begins in its charming city of Anchorage. Arrive into Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and meet your local Alaskan guide. We’ll get a brief introduction to the area before settling into our accommodations at a boutique inn in downtown Anchorage. Dine alongside locals at a brewhouse and get to know one another as we gear up for the week ahead.

DAY 2: Learn about Alaska’s History and Hike Chugach State Park

Today’s adventure takes us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, a living cultural center that promotes the observance of Alaska Native culture and traditions. Explore the authentic life-sized native dwellings in a wooded area around Lake Tiulana. After lunch, you’ll take a guided hike* into the snow capped mountains of the Chugach State Park. The local non-profit, Alaska Trails, will accompany us for an interactive hike to share about trail safety, education, and how to identify and remove invasive plant species along the way.

Explore Anchorage on your own this evening exploring the city’s unique restaurant scene. 

*This hike is all abilities level and will be based on group pace with 3 different routes to choose between.

SEWARD

DAY 3: Board the Glacier Discovery Train for a spectacular view of Spencer Glacier

Rise early for an adventure down the Alaskan coast. We’ll begin our journey south to the Portage Rail Depot. Board the iconic Glacier Discovery train and prepare for an epic afternoon through Alaska’s backcountry to witness glaciers, wildlife and breathtaking views. Wind along the passages of Chugach State Park to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, a backcountry paradise developed in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in a remote part of the Chugach National Forest. Upon arrival, embark on the well-maintained 1.3-mile gravel path which leads to the edge of Spencer Lake and a spectacular view of massive Spencer Glacier. We’ll be joined by a member of Alaska Trails, a pioneering non-profit working to preserve Alaska’s trail systems and remove invasive species. This is a unique opportunity to see a glacier up-close while experiencing the best of Alaska’s backcountry.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll board the train and return to Portage where we’ll continue our journey to the next stop of the adventure, charming Seward. 

DAY 4: Join the Alaska Sealife Center for a Puffin Experience before a Dog Sled Tour Through the Wilderness

Wake to the sounds of fishing boats departing for the day and views of towering Mt. Marathon and Mt. Alice outside your window. Today we will head to Alaska’s only marine rescue and research facility, The Alaska Sealife Center. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about how the center is protecting marine wildlife through rescue and rehabilitation. Enjoy a deep dive with researchers to learn about a range of animals from stellar sea lions, ringed & spotted seals as well as the giant pacific octopus. Learn about the characteristics and traits of a puffin and why their bright orange beaks change colors during the year which is how they’ve earned their nickname, clowns of the sea!

In the afternoon, enjoy some free time in Seward before a visit to a local homestead kennel for a look into Alaska’s Iditarod dog sledding family, The Seaveys. Get to know their beloved team of huskies, a tether-free environment, and how mushing runs deep within the family line and their way of life. Your adventure begins with a 2-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of these amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to comfortable wheeled sleds on this hour and a half dog sled tour. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek.

DAY 5: An Epic Day in Kenai Fjords National Park

Enjoy a relaxing morning exploring Seward’s quaint boutiques and cafes. Later in the morning, board our boat for an afternoon of wildlife and glacier viewing in the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park. This will be a true marine safari. Keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, the stellar sea lion, and more as we cruise through Aialik Bay towards the mighty Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. We will spend time in front of the glacier to watch for calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. The tour is fully narrated by National Park Ranger.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll return to Seward for a free evening dinner in town.

DAY 6: Choose your own Adventure in Seward

Rise for a delicious breakfast followed by a free day in Seward, the adventure capital of Alaska where mountains, ice and ocean meet. Today’s itinerary is up to you – take some time to explore Seward’s quaint downtown or add-on one of the following supplemental activities (additional costs noted):

Full-Day Fishing Charter (5+ years): Experience the excitement of Seward, Alaska with a deep-sea fishing charter to reel in halibut and, depending on the season, silver salmon.In the evening, enjoy a memorable Farewell Dinner together. 

Kayaking in Resurrection Bay (8+ years): A sea kayaking & rainforest exploration that will take you past waterfalls, beautiful mountain views and glacial vistas. Be on the lookout for sea otters as well!

Zipline Canopy Tour (10+ years): A zip-lining adventure through the temperate rainforest where you’ll zipline, rappel and walk on suspended sky bridges from tree to tree high above the forest floor.

Exit Glacier Ice Hiking (13+ years): A day designed for active outdoor enthusiasts who want to experience a more rugged Alaska, hike along back-country trails up 1400 ft of elevation to a glacier where we’ll don crampons, harnesses and helmets to walk along the surface of the glacier and see absolutely stunning scenery.

ANCHORAGE

DAY 7: Visit a Wildlife Conservation Center before Returning HomeAfter breakfast, we’ll make the scenic drive back to Anchorage stopping along the way for a visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a 200-acre natural habitat that provides wildlife education and rehabilitation for some of Alaska’s favorite animals. Be on the lookout for bears, moose, elk, lynx, bison, and reindeer. Stop in the mountain town of Girdwood for lunch and a scenic ride on Mt. Alyeska’s aerial tram to take in views of hanging glaciers and endless peaks deep into the Chugach Mountain range. Upon arrival in Anchorage, we’ll bid the group farewell.