Visit the legendary Mt Denali for five days of fun and adventure in America’s last frontier with the women of Olivia. Your Denali pre-package is a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the most majestic mountain on the North American continent. Don’t miss the magic!
- DAY 1 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
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All day: Guest arrivals into Fairbanks International Airport
11pm: Evening Aurora Tour
Your Olivia and local guides will meet you upon arrival at the airport to assist with luggage and transport you to the Marriott Spring Hill Suites in lovely downtown Fairbanks. Fairbanks is one of the best places on earth to view the Aurora Borealis! If the skies are clear and northern lights are predicted, we will head north to a mountain overlook away from the city lights. September is one of the best months of the year to view this mystical phenomenon.
Meals: Today’s meals are on your own
- DAY 2 –WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
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7 – 8am: Breakfast buffet at Lavelle’s Bistro
8:30am: Depart Marriott for Chena Hot Springs
10am: Arrive Chena Hot Springs for a relaxing soak and a tour through the Ice Museum
11:45am: Depart Chena Hot Springs
1pm: Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint
1:30pm: Lunch and Dog-mushing presentation by Iditarod Champion Aliy Zirkle
3pm: Depart for Denali
6pm: Arrive to the Grande Denali Lodge
7pm: Group Welcome Dinner
After a tasty breakfast catered by Fairbanks’ best restaurant, we will depart by deluxe motorcoach for the scenic drive to Chena Hot Springs. Through the rolling hills of the Chena River Valley, we will enjoy the patchwork of fall colors on our way to this rustic natural hot springs, an enchanting place to soak and relax.
After we have relaxed and warmed ourselves to the core, we will visit the fabulous Ice Museum, which features intriguing ice sculptures carved by International Ice Art Champions. A highlight for many is the Ice Bar, where you can purchase a martini in a hand-carved ice goblet! Warm coats will be provided.
We will then head back into Fairbanks, stopping along the way to view the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. This 800- mile engineering marvel transports oil from the Prudhoe Bay oilfields on the Arctic coast of Northern Alaska to the ice-free port of Valdez.
Once back in town we will enjoy a tasty lunch and a fun, inspiring presentation by the 2000 Yukon Quest International Dog Mushing champion and Iditarod Race dog musher Aliy Zirkle. Aliy will tell us remarkable stories about life on the trail with her canine team and show amazing photos of the remote terrain she travels through. We may even get to meet a puppy or two! This afternoon we head south for Denali National Park! We will spend the next two nights at the spectacular, mountaintop Grande Denali Lodge. After settling in and adjusting to the jaw-dropping mountain views, we will meet for a gourmet group dinner!
Meals: B/L/D
- DAY 3 – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
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6am: Continental breakfast buffet
7am: Tundra Wildlife Tour (light box lunch included)
2pm: Return from tour, afternoon on own
Just like the wildlife, we will rise early this morning to head into Denali National Park to explore the pristine wilderness and its wildlife with an experienced naturalist. Make sure your cameras are full of batteries and memory! Watch for moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, and bear living out their ancient destinies amidst the spectacular fall colors of the tundra. The Tundra Tour includes a light box lunch and water. The afternoon is free for exciting optional excursions such as small plane or helicopter flightseeing around Mt. McKinley, whitewater rafting, or driving an ATV in the wild.
Meals: B/L/-
- DAY 4 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
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7–8:30am: Continental Breakfast buffet
9am: Depart Denali National Park, view point stops along the way to Anchorage and a lunch stop at a lovely lodge
3pm: Arrive Alaska Native Heritage Center
5pm: Arrive University Lakes Spring Hill Suites by Marriott
6–11pm: Coach shuttles from hotel to downtown and back for dinner and drinks
We will make a few stops along the route from Denali to Anchorage at scenic view points, with time along the way to get out and stretch our legs. On our way into Anchorage, we will stop at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where you will learn about Alaska’s fascinating native peoples at this interactive cultural center. Did you know there are 11 distinct cultural groups of Alaska Natives? Your guides will give you a short city tour of Anchorage highlights before we head to the hotel.
Tonight is your night to explore Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city where half of the state’s residents live. We will offer regular shuttles between the hotel and downtown. Your local guides will help with dinner reservations and suggestions on areas to explore. If you’re up for it you can conclude your evening with a visit to Mad Myrna’s - Alaska LGBT party spot before retiring for the evening.
Meals: B/L/-
- DAY 5 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
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8–9am: Breakfast at the hotel
9:30am: Scenic drive along Turnagain Arm to look for Beluga Whales and Dall sheep
10:30am: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
11:30am: Depart Conservation Center, box lunch on coach
12:30pm: Return to hotel, transfers to Anchorage International Airport as needed (available in morning also if guests prefer to forego Anchorage tours today)
After breakfast, we will head south on the Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway. We will be following the coast of Turnagain Arm where the Chugach Mountains dramatically rise directly out of the sea. Mountain Dall sheep are sometimes seen in this area and occasionally beluga whales are spotted swimming just off shore. The destination of this amazing journey is the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for guaranteed sightings of rescued wildlife including bears, moose, caribou, owls, and more! Airport transfers will be provided to the Anchorage airport throughout the day.
Upon arrival into Vancouver a transfer will be provided from the airport to the beautiful Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside where you will have the evening on your own to explore all this amazing city has to offer.
Meals: B/L/-
NOTE: Guests will have to book their own flights from Anchorage to Vancouver to join Olivia host hotel before embarkation on September 16, 2012.
- DAY 6 – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
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7–9am: Full Buffet Breakfast at Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside
After breakfast you will make your way to the Vancouver Port Terminal, only minutes away from our host hotel. Once checked in at the Port Terminal, we will be off to our next amazing Olivia adventure!
Meals: B/L/D
Round-trip and inter-city airfare (ANC-YVR), hotel incidentals, tips to guides and drivers, meals other than noted, transfer from hotel to Cruise Terminal on September 16.
Space is limited.
Deadline for booking is June 29, 2012 or until sold out.
Offer ends after allotment is filled. First come, first served.