Alaska is a giant playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering unique adventures in the 49th state.
During an Alaska cruise, you can book a helicopter ride to land on a glacier and go dog sledding in Juneau; take a trip on the historic narrow gauge railroad, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (also known as “The world’s panoramic railway“), in Skagway; or go Crabbing in Ketchikan in the famous Aleutian ballad from the Discovery Channel show “Deadliest Catch.”
If that’s not enough excitement, you can turn the excitement level up a notch with these six adventure-filled excursions. They are only available if you have booked a cruise (a type of package that combines a cruise with a multi-night land tour) to Alaska and are heading north to Denali and Fairbanks.
Look for bears and other wildlife in Denali National Park and Preserve
The National Park Service offers several excursions that you can book through their website, and the tours They range between five and 13 hours. The narrated “Tundra Wilderness Tour,” about 5 1/2 hours long, is the most popular excursion. It offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities to see Denali. “Big five”: brown (or grizzly) bears, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and caribou.
If you want to spend a full day in Denali, learn about the park’s history from an NPS interpretive ranger, and visit the former mining town of Kantishna (giving you multiple opportunities to see the “Big Five”), book the “Kantishna Experience” tour. The 13-hour adventure, which takes visitors to the end of the drivable portion of Denali Park Road at mile marker No. 92, will be available to reserve in 2027. (The road is currently closed).
Flattering transportation service to the Denali Visitor Center and the Denali Bus Station (where you’ll meet your tour) is available when you stay at one of the cruise line’s hotels, such as the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge or the Holland America Denali Lodge. You can also book tours through the property’s guest service desks, but it’s advisable to book them in advance as they often sell out.
It is important to note that private vehicles are limited to first 15 miles of Denali Park Roadwhich ends at Savage River. You’ll need to book a transit bus or narrated tour bus to further explore the park.
Travel the Denali Rapids with a whitewater rafting tour
This 3 1/2 hour adventure on the Nenana River takes thrill seekers on an 11-mile journey through whitewater rapids with views of Denali’s Mount Healy and Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance. You can choose to endure as a rowboat rider, making the tour accessible to almost anyone. The most intrepid and active travelers (from 15 years old) will be able to paddle through the waves with the guide.
The minimum age for the tour is 12 years old. There is also a weight limit of 265 pounds. The supplier provides the appropriate equipment, including a dry suit, helmet, river paddling shoes and a life jacket. You can book the tour in advance or through guest services at one of the wilderness lodges.
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Be sure to bring a waterproof case for your smartphone so you can take photos and videos during the wild ride.
Take the trip of a lifetime on the Denali Highway
This 135-mile stretch of gravel road was once the gateway to the park and was named the #2 second “drive of a lifetime” by National Geographic Traveler. With the 4 1/2-hour guided and narrated tour”Denali Highway Jeep Tour“, you will travel approximately 50 miles along the Denali Highway (100 miles round trip) for unparalleled views and photo opportunities.
The four-wheeled jeep tour will take you through some of Alaska’s most spectacular landscapes, including vast glaciers, the snow-capped mountains of the Alaska Range, far-reaching views, and, on a clear day, views of Denali Peak. You might also encounter some wildlife, so be sure to bring your binoculars (as well as your camera).
Chase the Northern Lights in Fairbanks
Fairbanks is one of the best places in the world to witness the magical (but sometimes elusive) Northern Lights. On a cool, clear evening, you may be able to watch the light show dance across the night sky during aurora season, which falls between August 21 and April 21.
He Explore the Fairbanks website has an Aurora Tracker that correlates data from three different sources to predict the chances of seeing the lights in six areas in and around Fairbanks, so you can check the likelihood of seeing the lights while you’re in town.
Cruise lines offer late-night to early morning tours (usually 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.) as optional excursions during aurora season, but you can also book a stand-alone tour through a local provider. Some companies also offer photography tourswhere you can learn to capture natural phenomena.
Embark on an aerial adventure above the Arctic Circle
This bucket list trip from Fairbanks crosses the Arctic Circle, which is located approximately 140 air miles north of the city. Once you’ve arrived, you’ll be in the far northern polar region, formally known as the “Land of the Midnight Sun.”
Holland America Line has approximately optional six-hour excursion Through the Arctic Circle includes a flight over the Yukon River Valley and the Brooks Range, landing just outside Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Coldfoot. You’ll also have 2 and a half hours on land to visit the wilderness communities of Coldfoot and Wiseman and learn how the few residents who call this remote area home survive the winter with extreme temperatures reaching -80 degrees Fahrenheit. At the end of the trip, a souvenir certificate of the Arctic Circle is given. The weight limit is 340 pounds.
You can also book one of these tours independently with a local tour operator.
Play a round of golf at the northernmost 18-hole golf course in the US.
You’ll return home with another certificate stating that you played the northernmost golf course in the country after a round of golf at Midnight Sun Golf Course in Fairbanks. This six-hour excursion is a true Alaska adventure, including a round of sunset golf between May and July (when the sun doesn’t set, approximately May 17 to July 27) at a rustic course supported with permafrost. The golf course also offers views of Fairbanks and the Alaska Range, and even Denali from the eighth and 17th tees.
The tour price includes transportation to the Midnight Sun Golf Course and everything you need for your golf game, including a golf cart, standard set of clubs, green fee, balls, and tees. In addition to your certificate, you’ll also take home a bag tag, hat clip or pint glass as a souvenir.
