Sun, June 30: Fly to Anchorage, Alaska. Upon arrival, transfer to your downtown hotel and check-in for two nights. The extra daylight hours will allow for plenty of time to wander, have dinner on your own, and possibly catch a great photograph of the surrounding Chugach Mountains.

Mon, July 1: After an included breakfast at the hotel, the day is yours to do as you please in Anchorage. Discover the city on a trolley tour, rent a bicycle and ride a coastal trail or visit one of many fantastic museums such as the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center and the Alaska Native Heritage Center.* This evening, join up with fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner. (Meals: Breakfast, Dinner)

Tue, July 2: Journey aboard Holland America Line’s award-winning McKinley Explorer train and marvel at the spectacular views from the dome railcars as you traverse the Great Land to Denali National Park. Lunch is included in the dining car. Check in to the  comfortable Junior Suites at McKinley Chalets on the Nenana River for two nights. At the resort this evening, experience the Music of Denali Dinner Theater, a musical rendering of the first brave men to summit Denali. Find yourself clapping and singing along as you acquire an appreciation for the determined spirit of early Alaskan explorers and dine on a scrumptious family-style meal. (B,L,D)

Wed, July 3: This morning, wake early for breakfast before embarking on the Tundra Wilderness Tour—the premier tour of Denali National Park and Preserve—offering incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park, and the best opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants. Travel as far as the roads will take you into Denali National Park, home to North America’s highest peak, Denali (formerly Mount McKinley). A light snack is included during the tour. The balance of the day is yours for optional activities such as flightseeing, river rafting, four-wheeling, hiking and more!* (B, Snack Box)

Thu, July 4: Travel by motorcoach north to Fairbanks. Enjoy an included lunch before an afternoon of gliding along the great Chena and Tanana rivers on the Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler. Stop along the cruise route at Trail Breaker Kennel, the home and kennel of the late Iditarod champion, Susan Butcher. Learn about kennel life from Susan’s husband and daughter. Continue down river to the open-air Chena Village Living Museum to learn about primitive Athabascan life and survival from centuries past. Following the cruise, get settled at your Fairbanks hotel for an overnight stay. This evening, savor a traditional Alaska Salmon Bake dinner with all the trimmings. (B,D)

Fri, July 5: Fly from Fairbanks to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada and find yourself in the Klondike Valley alongside the Yukon River with the Ogilvie Mountains in the distance. Spend the next two nights here in the heart of the Klondike National Historic Site. The balance of the day is at your leisure—a good time to pop in at Diamond Tooth Gerties, visit the Jack London Museum or just take a walk around town to admire the original gold rush era buildings that are still standing along its boardwalks. (B)

Sat, July 6: A true frontier presence lives on in Dawson City, once the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush. Hear unique stories of the Gold Rush days on a guided tour today featuring a visit to the Discovery Claim National Historic Site. Learn about the first discovery of gold in the Yukon, and tour of the famous Gold Dredge No 4, a preserved wooden-hulled dredge once used to mine gold here. Pass by the historic cabin of Robert Service, the renowned poet of the Yukon before returning to the hotel. This evening, gather with fellow travelers for an included dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Sun, July 7: Travel via luxury coach along the Klondike Highway, passing the area where the Yukon River is divided by four islands into five channels; known as the Five Finger Rapids. Arrive in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory. (B,L)

Mon, July 8: Depart for Fraser, also in the Yukon Territory, to board the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad** scenic train to Skagway. Whisk through the narrow passageways as the train car attendant dressed in vintage train attire narrates the history along the way. Every railroad has its own colorful beginnings. For the White Pass & Yukon Route, it was gold, discovered in 1896 by George Carmack and two First Nations companions, Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie. Marvel at the stunning vistas as the train makes its way to Skagway at the northern end of the Inside Passage. Much of this 1890’s Gold Rush town has been painstakingly restored and now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Check in for an overnight stay and spend the balance of the day at leisure. (B,L)

Tue, July 9:  Spend the morning at leisure on your own or on an optional excursion*, before boarding Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam, your home for the next four nights. Have lunch on board and explore the ship or choose to have lunch on your own and spend more time in Skagway. Transfers will run from town to the ship throughout the afternoon. The ship departs this evening. (B,L,D)

Wed, July 10: Cruise Glacier Bay National Park. Spend the day on deck to see seals and sea lions and keep an eye out for whales! Sail up close to some of the most actively calving glaciers. National Park Rangers will board the ship and provide interesting and educational commentary. (B,L,D)

Thu, July 11: Spend the day in Ketchikan, located in the Tongass National Forest. The forest is named for the Tongass group of the Tlingit people, who inhabited the southernmost areas of Southeast Alaska, near what is now the city of Ketchikan. Choose to explore on your own or book an optional excursion.* Immerse yourself in Tlingit Indian culture and view the world’s largest collection of totem poles, see the Lumberjack Show or stroll the boardwalk through Creek Street, the former “red light” district—now filled with delightful galleries and artisan shops. (B,L,D)

Fri, July 12: Spend a relaxing day partaking in the ship’s amenities and onboard activities as you sail through Alaska’s Inside Passage. (B,L,D)

Sat, July 13: Disembark the ship after breakfast. Afternoon flights home from Vancouver. (B)

*Note: Additional costs apply for optional excursions.

**White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad may revert to a round-trip route from Skagway.