Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Alaska by Road: Valdez, McCarthy, Wrangell-St Elias and Denali
11 days from Anchorage: the Matanuska Glacier, two nights in Valdez with a Prince William Sound glacier cruise, two in McCarthy and Kennecott in Wrangell-St Elias, the Denali Highway, two nights by Denali and Talkeetna.
11 days · Round trip from Anchorage · up to 12 guests
Denali above the park road in autumn Photo: Denali National Park and Preserve, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Road_Lottery_2017_Mount_McKinley_(36915785690).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days, 10 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Anchorage
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly easy walking of 2 to 6 km a day on trails, gravel and town streets, plus long seated stretches in the vehicle, on the boat (about 7 hours) and on the Denali park bus (5 to 5.5 hours in 2026, possibly longer from 2027). Two harder pieces each have an easy option: the Kennecott mill tour climbs steep wooden stairs inside a 14-storey building, and the Root Glacier ice walk is 3 to 4 hours on crampons over uneven ice.
- Meals included
- 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 5 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,710 (estimated price)
- Season
- June to early September
Highlights
Why this trip
- Walk onto the Matanuska Glacier with a glacier guide, a short drive off the Glenn Highway
- Over Thompson Pass and past Worthington Glacier into Valdez, with two nights on the harbour
- A full-day Prince William Sound cruise to a tidewater glacier, watching for otters, sea lions and whales
- The McCarthy Road at an unhurried pace, over the Kuskulana Bridge to the footbridge at the road's end
- Inside the red Kennecott copper mill on a guided tour, then crampons on the Root Glacier
- The gravel Denali Highway over Maclaren Summit, with the Alaska Range on the skyline
- An early bus along the Denali park road, then a night in Talkeetna on the way home
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,710 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Anchorage
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to your hotel in central Anchorage
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Anchorage
- Drive about 18 min
Fly into Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), about 10 km from downtown, and a driver meets you for the short ride to your central hotel. Plan to land by about 4 pm to meet the group; the exact time is confirmed with your final itinerary. Anchorage sits between two arms of Cook Inlet with the Chugach Mountains straight behind it, and in summer the evenings stay light until very late. If you arrive early, the Anchorage Museum downtown covers the state's art, history and Alaska Native cultures, or you can walk a stretch of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail along the shore.
Evening
In the evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the road ahead: which days are long, how the gravel roads work, what to pack in your day bag for McCarthy, and what to wear on the boat and the ice. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner in town.
Included
- Pick-up at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Optional experiences
- Anchorage Museum
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
The Glenn Highway and the Matanuska Glacier
Anchorage to Palmer, the Matanuska Glacier, then Glennallen
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Glennallen
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
We leave Anchorage after breakfast and drive north-east on the Glenn Highway, past the farms of the Matanuska valley at Palmer, then up the river into a narrowing valley between the Chugach and Talkeetna mountains. After about two hours and 160 km we reach the access site at mile 102, where the Matanuska Glacier spills out of the Chugach to within walking distance of the road. Here a local glacier guide fits us with helmets and traction and leads a walk of about two hours onto the ice: blue pools, meltwater channels and ridges you can climb with care.
Afternoon
Lunch is nearby, looking at the glacier. In the afternoon the road climbs over Tahneta Pass and out onto the high plateau of the Copper River basin, with the Wrangell volcanoes on the eastern skyline if the cloud is high: Mount Drum, Mount Wrangell and Mount Sanford.
Evening
We reach Glennallen, at the crossroads of the Glenn and Richardson highways, in the late afternoon, and have dinner together.
Included
- Guided Matanuska Glacier walk, with the access fee, helmets and traction
- Lunch near the glacier
- Dinner together in Glennallen
Easier option: Walk only the first part onto the ice, or stay at the viewpoint above the glacier with a hot drink.
More active option: Go further up the ice with the glacier guide, on rougher ground.
Activity: About 2 hours on the glacier, on uneven, sometimes muddy ice. Boots with good grip, please.
Over Thompson Pass to Valdez
Glennallen to Copper Center, then the Richardson Highway over Thompson Pass and through Keystone Canyon to Valdez
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Valdez
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A short morning drive south to the Wrangell-St Elias National Park visitor centre at Copper Center, where rangers and a film introduce the largest national park in the United States, which we enter properly on day 5. From the bluff behind the centre the Wrangell Mountains fill the eastern view on a clear day. Then we follow the Richardson Highway and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline south, climbing into the Chugach. At Worthington Glacier we stop to walk the short trail to the viewpoint over the ice, then cross Thompson Pass at about 816 m, one of the snowiest places in Alaska, and drop steeply into Keystone Canyon, where Bridal Veil and Horsetail falls pour off the canyon walls beside the road.
Afternoon
Valdez sits at the head of a deep fjord ringed by mountains; we arrive in the early afternoon after about 185 km and under three hours of driving, with lunch on the way.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free on the harbour.
Included
- Wrangell-St Elias National Park visitor centre, Copper Center
- Worthington Glacier viewpoint walk
- Thompson Pass and Keystone Canyon waterfalls
- Lunch on the way
Optional experiences
- Valdez Museum
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Valdez
Prince William Sound by boat
Valdez, Valdez Arm and Prince William Sound to a tidewater glacier
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Valdez
- By boat
Morning
A slow breakfast, then a short walk to the harbour for a full-day cruise into Prince William Sound. The boat runs down Port Valdez and through the Valdez Narrows into the open sound, past forested islands and seabird cliffs, to the ice of a tidewater glacier: the Columbia Glacier, one of the fastest-retreating in Alaska, whose fjord is often full of icebergs, or the Meares Glacier on the longer route. Which one we see depends on the season's route and the ice, and we confirm it with your final itinerary. The captain stops for sea otters floating on their backs, Steller sea lions hauled out on the rocks, puffins, Dall's porpoises and, on good days, humpback whales or orcas.
Afternoon
Lunch is on board.
Evening
Back in Valdez in the late afternoon, there is time to walk the harbour before dinner together, where halibut and salmon landed in Valdez are usually on the menu.
Included
- Full-day Prince William Sound glacier and wildlife cruise from Valdez
- Lunch on board
- Dinner together in Valdez
Optional experiences
- Sea kayaking on Valdez Glacier Lake (instead of the cruise, at extra cost)
Free time: Late afternoon free before dinner
Activity: About 7 hours on the boat, with indoor seating and open decks. Bring a warm hat, gloves and seasickness tablets if you need them.
The McCarthy Road into Wrangell-St Elias
Valdez to the Edgerton Highway, Chitina, then the McCarthy Road to the Kennicott River footbridge and McCarthy
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in McCarthy
- Drive about 5.5 h
Today is the longest drive of the trip, about 285 km and five and a quarter hours at the wheel, because there is nowhere of our standard to stay between Valdez and McCarthy and the last 97 km are slow gravel. We break it into short pieces.
Afternoon
We leave after breakfast, back over Thompson Pass and north on the Richardson Highway, then turn east on the Edgerton Highway to a picnic lunch at Liberty Falls. At Chitina, where the Chitina and Copper rivers meet, we look at the fish wheels and dip nets set for the summer salmon run. Then the McCarthy Road, built on the bed of the old copper railway, which we drive at van pace with stops: the Kuskulana Bridge, about 72 m above the river gorge, and the old Gilahina trestle. The road ends at a footbridge over the Kennicott River. We walk across with day bags and a shuttle takes us on to our lodge.
Evening
Dinner together tonight.
Included
- Liberty Falls picnic lunch
- Chitina and the Copper River fish wheels
- Kuskulana Bridge and Gilahina trestle stops on the McCarthy Road
- Shuttle from the Kennicott River footbridge
- Dinner together
Activity: A long day in the vehicle, with a stop about every hour. The McCarthy Road is gravel and can be bumpy and dusty.
Kennecott mill and the Root Glacier
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark and the Root Glacier, with McCarthy in the evening
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in McCarthy
The red wooden buildings of Kennecott cling to a moraine above the Kennicott Glacier. From 1911 to 1938 this was one of the richest copper mines in the world; the National Park Service now owns the mill town.
Morning
In the morning a local guide takes us through the 14-storey concentration mill, which can only be entered on a guided tour, following the ore down the building from the tram terminal at the top to the leaching plant.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Kennecott. In the afternoon you choose. The active option is a guided ice walk of three to four hours on the Root Glacier with crampons, among blue pools, moulins and meltwater streams. The easy option is the Root Glacier Trail to the edge of the ice with your guide, past the old mine buildings, and back at your own pace.
Evening
The evening is free: the shuttle runs to McCarthy, a small town of a few dozen year-round residents, with a bar and a handful of places to eat.
Included
- Guided Kennecott mill tour, inside the concentration mill
- Lunch in Kennecott
- Guided Root Glacier ice walk with crampons, or the Root Glacier Trail with your guide
- Kennecott to McCarthy shuttle
Optional experiences
- Flightseeing over Wrangell-St Elias National Park from the McCarthy airstrip, weather permitting
Easier option: The Root Glacier Trail on foot to the edge of the ice, about 6.5 km return on a mostly flat, rocky path, with no crampons.
More active option: A guided ice walk of 3 to 4 hours on the Root Glacier with crampons, led by a local glacier guide.
Free time: Evening free in McCarthy or Kennecott
Activity: The mill tour climbs many steep wooden stairs and uneven floors inside an unheated building; wear sturdy shoes and a warm layer.
Up the Richardson Highway to Paxson
McCarthy to Chitina on the McCarthy Road, then the Richardson Highway north through Copper Center and Glennallen to Paxson
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Paxson
- Drive about 5.5 h
Evening
Another long road day, about 315 km and five and a quarter hours of driving, which splits the way from McCarthy to Denali; without the Paxson night it would be one drive of more than ten hours. We cross the footbridge after breakfast and drive the McCarthy Road back to Chitina in the morning light, stopping wherever the clouds hid the view on the way in. From the Edgerton Highway we turn north up the Copper River valley, and lunch is a sit-down meal around Copper Center or Glennallen, about the halfway point. North of Glennallen the Richardson Highway follows the Gulkana River and the pipeline into emptier country, with the Alaska Range rising ahead. We reach Paxson, a roadhouse stop where the Denali Highway leaves the Richardson, in the late afternoon. Paxson has almost nothing else, so dinner is together at the lodge, and Summit Lake is a short drive north for an evening walk in the long light.
Included
- McCarthy Road viewpoints
- Sit-down lunch in the Copper River valley
- Trans-Alaska Pipeline viewpoint on the Richardson Highway
- Dinner together in Paxson
Free time: Evening free at Paxson
Activity: A long day in the vehicle, with a stop about every hour. The first 97 km are gravel.
The Denali Highway to Denali Park
Paxson to Tangle Lakes, Maclaren Summit and Cantwell on the Denali Highway, then the Parks Highway to Denali Park
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Denali Park
- Drive about 5.5 h
The third long day, about 260 km and five and a half hours, mostly on the gravel Denali Highway, the only road across this stretch of the Alaska Range's southern flank.
Morning
It is slow, so we leave after breakfast and stop often. The first stop is Tangle Lakes, a chain of lakes on open tundra, in an archaeological district where people have camped for thousands of years. Then the road climbs to Maclaren Summit, at about 1,245 m one of the highest road passes in Alaska, with glaciers on the peaks to the north.
Afternoon
We eat a packed lunch at a viewpoint, crossing the wide Susitna River in the afternoon and watching for caribou, moose and swans in the kettle ponds. At Cantwell we join the paved Parks Highway for the last 45 km north to the hotel near the entrance to Denali National Park, arriving in the late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Tangle Lakes
- Maclaren Summit viewpoint
- Packed lunch on the Denali Highway
Free time: Evening free near the park entrance
Activity: A long, dusty gravel road day, with a stop about every hour.
Deep into Denali National Park
The Denali park road by bus, then the park entrance area
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Denali Park
Morning
We are on one of the first park buses of the morning, when animals are moving and the light is low, so it is an early start; we confirm the time with your final itinerary. Private cars may only drive the first 15 miles of the 92-mile park road, so the park's own buses are the way in. Our Tundra Wilderness Tour has a naturalist driver who stops for whatever shows: grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep high on the slopes and, now and then, wolves. The road soon turns to gravel and crosses open tundra and braided rivers, with the Alaska Range along the southern skyline. How far the buses go is confirmed per season: in 2026 they turned at East Fork, about mile 43, a tour of 5 to 5.5 hours, and from 2027 they may run further, which makes a longer day.
Afternoon
A packed lunch rides with us. Back in the afternoon, choose the park's sled dog kennels or a hike.
Evening
Dinner together tonight.
Included
- Denali National Park entrance fee
- Tundra Wilderness Tour on the park road with a naturalist driver
- Packed lunch on the bus
- Sled dog kennels demonstration with a park ranger
- Dinner together
Optional experiences
- Rafting on the Nenana River
Easier option: The sled dog kennels demonstration, then a short walk on the Horseshoe Lake trail or a quiet afternoon at the hotel.
More active option: Hike the Mount Healy Overlook trail with your guide: about 4.3 km each way and about 500 m of climb to a view over the Nenana valley.
Activity: 5 to 5.5 hours on the bus on a gravel road in 2026, possibly longer from 2027 if the buses run further; we confirm the length per season. Bring binoculars and a warm layer.
Down the Parks Highway to Talkeetna
Denali Park to Talkeetna on the Parks Highway, through Broad Pass and Denali State Park
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Talkeetna
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A slow morning after the early park day, then about 245 km and three hours south on the paved Parks Highway. We pass Cantwell again and cross Broad Pass, the low gap in the Alaska Range where the country opens into tundra and small lakes, then follow the Chulitna River down into Denali State Park. If the mountain is out, we stop at the Denali Viewpoint South pull-out, which faces Denali and its glaciers across the valley. Talkeetna sits at the end of a 14-mile spur road where the Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna rivers meet.
Afternoon
We arrive for lunch, then your guide walks you through the old centre of log cabins and false-front stores, down to the river and past the ranger station where Denali climbers register before their expeditions. If the weather is clear, the afternoon suits an optional flightseeing trip over the mountain.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Denali Viewpoint South, when the mountain is out
- Lunch in Talkeetna
- Talkeetna town walk with your guide
Optional experiences
- Flightseeing over Denali from Talkeetna, with or without a glacier landing (about USD 220 to 630 per person on recent operator pages), weather permitting
Free time: Afternoon and evening free after the town walk
Alaska Native cultures and home
Talkeetna to the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, then Anchorage airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We leave Talkeetna after breakfast and drive about two and a half hours south through Wasilla to the Alaska Native Heritage Center on Anchorage's eastern edge. After ten days on roads through Ahtna Athabascan country in the Copper River basin and Dena'ina and other Athabascan homelands around Denali, this is the place to hear Alaska Native hosts tell their own stories. Inside there are dance, song and craft; outside, a path around a small lake leads past full-size village sites, each built by and for a different group of Alaska's Indigenous peoples.
Afternoon
We spend about two hours here, with time for lunch at the café on your own account. Then it is a drive of about 15 minutes, making about two and three-quarter hours on the road today, to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, arriving at about 2 pm, or downtown if you are staying on. Book a flight leaving after about 4:30 pm. Your guide sees you to the airport before saying goodbye.
Included
- Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage
- Drop-off at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) or downtown Anchorage
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 4:30 pm.
- Anchorage1 night
- Glennallen1 night
- Valdez2 nights
- McCarthy2 nights
- Paxson1 night
- Denali Park2 nights
- Talkeetna1 night
- Anchorageend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Summer days are usually about 10 to 20 °C, with rain possible any day, cold air on the water and on the ice, and frost possible on Maclaren Summit. June has the longest light and the most mosquitoes; salmon run in Valdez and the Copper River in July and August, and the tundra on the Denali Highway turns red and gold from late August. Otters, sea lions and seabirds are seen on most cruises; whales, bears, moose and caribou are likely but never certain, and Denali itself is often in cloud.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who have done the Kenai and Denali classic, or want the wilder roads to Valdez and McCarthy instead
- People who want Wrangell-St Elias and Kennecott without camping or driving the gravel themselves
- Walkers happy to put on crampons for a glacier, with an easy option when they would rather not
- Road-trip lovers who enjoy long views from the window and frequent stops
Not for you if you want
- Anyone who dislikes long days in a vehicle: three days run past five hours of driving, two of them on gravel
- Travellers who need hotel comfort every night: the lodges at Glennallen, McCarthy and Paxson are simpler
- Those who want the Kenai Fjords, Seward or the Alaska Railroad: see our 8-day Denali and Kenai Fjords trip
- Travel outside summer: the cruises, the Kennecott tours and the park buses stop from mid-September
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
10 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Anchorage1 night
- Glennallen1 night
- Valdez2 nights
- McCarthy2 nights
- Paxson1 night
- Denali Park2 nights
- Talkeetna1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 10 nights: 1 in Anchorage, 1 in Glennallen, 2 in Valdez, 2 in McCarthy or Kennecott, 1 in Paxson, 2 near the entrance to Denali National Park and 1 in Talkeetna
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard in Anchorage, Valdez, Denali Park and Talkeetna; the best available lodges at Glennallen, McCarthy and Paxson, which are simpler. We name each one when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
- Our own high-clearance vehicle and driver for the group, with seat belts and spare seats, cleared for the McCarthy Road and the Denali Highway
- The Kennicott River footbridge shuttle and the Kennecott to McCarthy shuttle
- A full-day Prince William Sound glacier cruise from Valdez
- The Tundra Wilderness Tour bus in Denali National Park
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 11, including on the boat and the ice
- Local glacier guides on the Matanuska Glacier and the Root Glacier, a local guide for the Kennecott mill, a naturalist driver on the Denali park bus, the boat's captain and crew, and the Heritage Center's own hosts (who leads the visit is confirmed at booking)
Activities
- Guided Matanuska Glacier walk and access fee, Glenn Highway
- Wrangell-St Elias National Park visitor centre, Copper Center
- Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass and Keystone Canyon
- Prince William Sound glacier and wildlife cruise, Valdez
- Chitina fish wheels, Kuskulana Bridge and the McCarthy Road
- Guided Kennecott mill tour, Wrangell-St Elias National Park
- Guided Root Glacier ice walk with crampons, or the Root Glacier Trail, Kennecott
- Tangle Lakes and Maclaren Summit, Denali Highway
- Denali National Park entrance fee and the Tundra Wilderness Tour
- The park's sled dog kennels demonstration, Denali
- Talkeetna town walk
- Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage
Meals
- 10 breakfasts
- 9 lunches: at the Matanuska Glacier, on the way to Valdez, on the boat, at Liberty Falls, in Kennecott, in the Copper River valley, on the Denali Highway, on the Denali park bus and in Talkeetna
- 6 dinners: the welcome dinner in Anchorage (day 1), Glennallen (day 2), Valdez after the cruise (day 4), McCarthy (day 5), Paxson (day 7) and Denali after the park bus (day 9)
Not included
- International flights to and from Anchorage
- US visa or ESTA where needed
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed, including dinners on day 3 in Valdez, day 6 in McCarthy, day 8 in Denali and day 10 in Talkeetna, and lunch on day 11
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, driver, glacier guides and boat crew
- Optional activities, such as flightseeing from McCarthy or Talkeetna, rafting on the Nenana River and sea kayaking in Valdez
- Anchorage Museum and Valdez Museum entry
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,710 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the Alaska road trip price include?
The 11-day price includes ten nights of hotels and lodges, 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 6 dinners, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide, the Prince William Sound glacier cruise, the Matanuska Glacier walk, the Kennecott mill tour, the Root Glacier ice walk, Denali park entry and the park bus, and the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
How big is the group?
This Alaska road trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Our high-clearance vehicle has seat belts and more seats than guests, so nobody is squeezed into the back row on the gravel days, and the whole group fits around one table at the small roadhouses and lodges.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the airport on day 1 to the airport on day 11, including on the boat and the glaciers. Local glacier guides lead on the ice, a local guide leads the Kennecott mill tour, a naturalist drives the Denali park bus and the Heritage Center's own hosts lead the visit there, confirmed at booking.
How long are the drives?
Most days have three hours of driving or less, but three run longer: about 5.25 hours from Valdez to McCarthy, 5.25 hours from McCarthy to Paxson and 5.5 hours on the Denali Highway. There is nowhere good to stop between, so we break each with lunch and a stop about every hour. The Denali park bus day starts early; we confirm the time with your final itinerary.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit: most walks are easy, up to about 6 km on trails and gravel. The Kennecott mill tour climbs steep wooden stairs, and the Root Glacier ice walk is three to four hours on crampons. Each hard day has an easy option, such as the flat Root Glacier Trail to the edge of the ice.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
A room of your own costs from CAD 1,710 more for the trip. If you would rather share, say so when you request to book and we will try to pair you with another solo traveller. If no match is found, you choose: take a room of your own at the supplement, or withdraw your request at no cost, as no payment is taken until we confirm.
When is the best time for an Alaska road trip to McCarthy and Valdez?
June to early September, when the glacier cruises, the Kennecott tours, the Denali park buses and the graded Denali Highway all run. June has the longest light and the most mosquitoes, July and August bring salmon to Valdez and the Copper River, and late August brings autumn colour on the tundra.
What are the lodges like in McCarthy and Paxson?
Simpler than a town hotel, because there are only a few places to stay on these roads. We use the best available lodge at Glennallen, McCarthy or Kennecott and Paxson, with private bathrooms confirmed before we name it. Mobile signal is patchy, and in McCarthy some cash is useful.
Is this a camping trip?
No. Every night is in a hotel or lodge, and there is no tent to pitch or camp kitchen to share. Many guided trips that reach McCarthy and Valdez camp most nights; we chose lodges instead, even though the lodges at Glennallen, McCarthy and Paxson are simpler than the town hotels.
How does booking work, and can we choose our own dates?
Pick a small-group start date and request to book; we confirm within 24 hours and no payment is taken until then. For your own dates, the trip also comes as a private trip for your party only. If you would rather travel independently, ask us for a quote for the same route and hotels.
Do I need a visa to visit Alaska?
Alaska is a US state, so US entry rules apply: Canadians need only a valid passport. Most other visitors need a US visa or, for Visa Waiver Program countries, an approved ESTA before they fly. Check the rules for your passport early, as visa appointments can take months in some countries.
Will we see wildlife and glaciers?
Glaciers, yes: we walk on two and see several more from the road and the boat. Wildlife is likely but never promised: sea otters and sea lions on most cruises, often bears, moose, caribou and Dall sheep on the Denali park road, and sometimes whales in Prince William Sound.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.