Sun, July 26: Fly to Anchorage, Alaska. Upon arrival, transfer to your downtown hotel and check-in for an overnight stay. The extra daylight hours will allow plenty of time to wander, have dinner on your own, and catch a great photograph of the surrounding Chugach Mountains.

Mon, July 27: 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 visit and demonstration at The Ulu Factory followed by a Welcome Dinner. (Meals: Breakfast, Dinner)

Tue, July 28: 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 suites at Holland America Line’s Denali Lodge for two nights, with grand views across the Nenana River into Denali National Park. 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 29: 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 30: 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 dinner at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Fri, July 31: 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. Discover Dawson with its historic downtown buildings, rich history of the Klondike Goldrush and home to the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation. This evening, gather with fellow travelers for a ride to the top of the Midnight Dome for stunning views and an included dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Sat, Aug 1: Enjoy the morning free for optional excursions. This afternoon, see where gold was first discovered on the banks of Bonanza Creek—now called Discovery Claim—a find that ignited the Klondike Gold Rush. This momentous event is responsible for putting Dawson City on the map, as the mass influx of prospectors—hopeful to strike it big—transformed the small First Nations Camp into a bustling town. Spend time at Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site while a Parks Canada guide shares the tumultuous history of gold dredging in the area. (B)

Sun, Aug 2: Board a flight to Whitehorse, then continue by luxury motorcoach on a scenic drive through the Yukon continuing along the Klondike Trail and crossing the border to Skagway, Alaska. Whitehorse is Northern Canada’s largest city and sprang from frontier roots. During the Klondike Gold Rush, prospectors washed up here, past two major river obstacles: Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids. At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, the port town of Skagway served as the primary gateway to the legendary gold fields and quickly grew into Alaska’s largest settlement. It was then a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons and guesthouses. As the gold rush faded into the 1900s, so did Skagway—but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor. (B)  

Mon, Aug 3: Board the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad scenic train for a morning adventure. Whisk through the narrow passageways as the train car attendant dressed in vintage train attire narrates along the way. Every railroad has its own colorful beginnings and 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 White Pass Summit and returns to Skagway at the northern end of the Inside Passage. Much of this 1890’s Gold Rush town has been painstakingly restored and is now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The afternoon is yours for optional tours or to spend the balance of the day at leisure. (B)

Tue, Aug 4: 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, Aug 5: 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, known as “white thunder.” National Park Rangers will board the ship and provide interesting and educational commentary. (B,L,D)

Thu, Aug 6: 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, Aug 7: Spend a relaxing day partaking in the ship’s amenities and onboard activities as you sail through Alaska’s Inside Passage. Sail through the smooth water shaped by glaciers and snow-capped mountains, putting you closer to land that is home to native wildlife including whales, sea lions, bears, bald eagles, otters, and puffins. (B,L,D)

Sat, Aug 8: Disembark in Vancouver, British Columbia and explore a Canadian National Historic Site, Stanley Park, with breathtaking views, iconic monuments, First Nations art and totem poles; an oasis in the middle of an urban landscape. Take the ferry to Victoria, on Vancouver Island, to see the lush landscapes and vast array of stunning, colorful blooms at Butchart Gardens! Next, check-in at your downtown Victoria hotel for an overnight stay. Spend some leisure time this evening at the vibrant downtown waterfront, home to the grand Empress Hotel and alive with buskers performing, historic walking areas, museums, boutique shops and restaurants. (B)

Sun, Aug 9: Return to Vancouver by ferry boat this morning. Enjoy a Farewell Lunch in historic Granville Island, dotted with artisan shops and artists’ studios and home to a public market. Transfer to the airport in the afternoon for evening flights home from Vancouver. (B,L)

Mon, Aug 10: Arrive in Indianapolis this morning.

*Note: Additional costs apply for optional excursions.