12-night Denali Explorer Cruisetour #HA5

Glide into College Fjord where you will be completely surrounded by 16 ice-blue glaciers. Each was named for one of the Ivy League colleges by members of the expedition that discovered them.

Step off your ship into a waiting railcar for our exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service to the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. Get settled, and perhaps do an optional excursion. Or you may enjoy the spectacular main lodge, river view deck, and Princess Village with the popular Christmas cottage and sugar shack. Be sure to check out Fannie Q's Saloon, named after a famed local homesteader, or sit outside at a fireside patio.

Start your morning with a quick stop at Fannie Q's saloon for a hearty buffet breakfast. Explore Denali National Park on a Natural History Tour, watching for glimpses of Denali as well as Denali's "Big Five"; moose, caribou, bears, wolves and Dall sheep. Later today, you may want to simply relax with a glass of wine on the deck overlooking the Nenana River.

This morning, depart via motorcoach to the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. The main attraction is Denali, the 20,310 foot mountain visible from nearly anywhere on the lodge's property.

A full day at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge means you'll have ample time to both relax and explore. The nature trails around the grounds is a pleasant way to get a sense of the place. And our Princess staff can help you choose from a generous offering of excursions. Sit and gaze at the majesty of "The Great One" from the lodge's treehouse designed and built by Pete Nelson of Animal Planet's Treehouse Masters.

Take in final views of the mountain, perhaps over a leisurely cup of coffee, before you transfer via motorcoach to Anchorage. This is Alaska's most cosmopolitan city, so get out and explore the shops, restaurants and cultural attractions. Overnight at the Hotel Captain Cook.

Your tour ends in Anchorage, but your memories of this trip will last a lifetime!