Experience Two National Parks
Witness two of Alaska’s most awe-inspiring National Parks. While enjoying the potential views and wildlife sightings, you will learn all about the history, ecology, and culture of these magnificent places.
Denali National Park is home to the tallest peak in North America as well as moose, caribou, grizzlies, wolves, Dall sheep, and exceptionally adapted flora. You’ll hike, bus, contemplate and learn all about this incredibly beautiful and harsh environment. The second half of your trip will take you 375 miles to a much different scene; the exploration of Kenai Fjords National Park. Here you will get to experience glaciers up close and watch for diverse marine life on a boat tour in Resurrection Bay, which may include whales, puffins, otters, sea lions and more.
Engage in Alaskan Culture
Learn about many of the unique Alaskan cultures at every stop of your journey from modern farming to Alaska Native heritage.
While most people come for the sights, they all end up wondering about the people who live here! On your trip you’ll get to meet hardworking farmers of the subarctic, visit with stoic dogs who run the Iditarod Race and their frost-kissed handlers, take a tour about the history of the harbor town of Seward, and attend meaningful demonstrations at the Alaskan Native Heritage Center.
Explore by Boot, Bus, and Boat
Alaska is a big country and we use numerous modes of transportation to help you see the most of it!
Denali National Park is over 9,400 square miles, so we take you in as far as the road goes on a private charter bus to see as much terrain as possible, as well as get the group out hiking on many of the park’s maintained trails to slow down and appreciate all the details of ecosystem. In Kenai Fjords you’ll be witnessing the park’s majestic scenery the best way possible- by boat cruise! You’ll also get to take the one hike in the park, up to the Exit Glacier.
Learn from Alaska’s Experts
We have curated knowledgeable Alaskans and staff who are eager to share their experience and expertise with you. Every day is an amazing learning adventure with new topics and fields of study.
See below, under Subject Matter Experts, for a list of some of the educators and story tellers you’ll get to meet on your educational journey.
Experiential Learning in Denali
Every day of your trip you will get to learn in-depth knowledge from experts in their field. This will include:
- your group leader’s own lived Alaska experiences while traveling through the state
- lectures and hikes led by DEC’s expert field educator staff covering ecology, wildlife, history, and much more!
- informative presentations by resident scientists and educators on current research at the Alaska SeaLife Center
- private hike led by a Kenai Fjords Park Ranger
- cultural demonstrations by Native Alaskan youth and elders
- evening presentations with visiting lecturers at the Denali Education Center
This trip is jam packed with opportunities to explore all that Alaska has to offer, from group planned outings, to additional tours you can book individually. Some highlights are:
- a day trip on a chartered bus into the vast wilderness of Denali National Park with an expert DEC Field Educator
- an exclusive tour of a working farm and ecology center with an Alaskan agricultural specialist
- a day trip on a catamaran to visit the stunning shorelines and glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park
- an afternoon at the Alaska Native Heritage Center interacting with cultural exhibits and watching live demonstrations
We understand that the best learning and exploration happens with all our senses. On this trip we encourage you to:
- hike on the soft and spongy tundra while experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the boreal forest
- feel the variations between animal pelts that speak to the amazing adaptations of Denali wildlife
- at Squid Acres Kennels, play with cuddly sled dog puppies who will one day race in the Iditarod
- enjoy local Alaskan produce and foods during your journey through the state
- feel the chill of glacial ice fished out of the waters of Kenai Fjords (and even have an opportunity to enjoy it in a beverage!)
What makes our trips through Alaska unique is the special access we are able to offer our participants. On a trip led by Denali Education Center, you’ll get to:
- spend 6-nights and 5-days in the Denali National Park area, just 7 miles south of the park entrance
- hike the trails of Denali National Park with a DEC expert field educator and embark on a private bus trip into the park
- explore a subarctic farm in the interior of Alaska. Visit with farm animals, taste seasonal produce and witness the variety of craftsmanship that exists on this incredible property
- embark on a boat ride to an active tidewater glacier and look for the abundant sea life of Resurrection Bay, which may include close up views of whales, otters, sea lions, puffins, and more!
- see Exit Glacier, and witness firsthand how the glacier has moved over time
This was one of my best vacations ever–informative and fun, challenging yet affirming, offering new adventrues and vistas everyday. It was my first Road Scholar trip but it will not be my last.
What a wonderful program!! We highly recommend it to anyone wanting to know the “real” Alaska!!!
The program was fantastic with eye-opening hikes, hands-on lectures, and mindful learning about the huge but fragile state of Alaska and all of it’s treasures.
Description of Denali NP…
Description of Alaskan Railroad…
Description of Seward AK…