House of travel Canada & Alaska Brochure 2017 | Page 41

Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula, Juneau
Denali National Park Kenai Peninsula Juneau
One of Alaska’s most popular destinations
is a two hour drive from Fairbanks or a
four hour drive from Anchorage, or a short
drive from the town of Healy. Larger than
the state of Massachusetts, Denali National
Park and Preserve is six million acres of
pristine wilderness with only one road
running through the middle. Mt. Denali, at
6190 metres, dominates the park and on a
clear day, you can get an iconic photo of the
mountain. A 2.5 hour drive from Anchorage you’ll find
Seward a bustling harbour town full of cruise
ships and fishing charters. Wildlife cruises
leave here for Kenai Fjords National Park and
there’s also fantastic hiking nearby. One of the many towns on the Inside Passage
is Juneau – Alaska’s state capital.
The varied terrain includes crystal clear
rivers, lakes, tundra and alpine meadows. The
opportunities for recreation in the park are
near limitless and exist for all levels of fitness
and outdoors expertise. Cars are only allowed
as far as the entrance. To access the interior
of the park you need to hop on the shuttle
or narrated tour bus and if you’re lucky you
might spot some wildlife such as grizzly and
black bears, wolves, caribou, moose and Dall’s
sheep.
Kenai Fjords National Park is home to a
diverse array of plants and animals such as
black and brown bear and moose and in the
glacial waters you’ll find sea lions and whales.
Snow and ice cover 60 percent of the park
and from the massive icefield, countless
tidewater glaciers pour down to form
stunning fjords and icebergs the size of small
houses.
The Homer Spit is a hub of bustling activity
during the summer. Head out on a charter
boat to catch halibut or simply rent a rod to
try your luck at the Homer Spit lagoon, fondly
known as the Fishing Hole. King salmon can
be caught here from mid-May to the end of
June, while silver salmon run in August.
With no road access, it is the only state
capital in the United States that can only be
reached by air or boat. It’s a maze of narrow
streets running past old storefronts and
qua int houses featuring early 19 th century
architecture left over from the town’s early
gold mining day.
Just a short drive from downtown, you’ll
find Mendenhall Glacier, one of the city’s
most iconic sites. Whale watching tours are a
popular way to see the diverse marine life in
the area including sea lions, killer whales and
humpback whales.
Sea kayaking, hiking and rafting offer
exhilarating ways to enjoy Alaska’s wilderness.
For something even more unique, take off in
a small plane or helicopter to see the sights
from above, then land right on a glacier to go
hiking or dog-sledding.
Our favourite places to stay: Our favourite places to stay: Our favourite places to stay:
• Denali Grizzly Bear Resort
• Grande Denali Lodge • Seward Windsong Lodge
• Lands End Resort, Homer • Four Points by Sheraton Juneau
• Westmark Baranof Hotel
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