Alaska's Breathtaking Nature

The incredible vastness of Alaska with its seemingly endless mountain ranges is nothing short of breathtaking. The well organized park system across the state protects this spectacular wilderness with state and national parks, preserves and trails where visitors can enjoy the outdoors and watch for animals and sea life. The most famous park is Denali.
Denali National Park and Preserve is the largest protected ecosystem in the world, covering nearly 2.5 million hectares. Around 400,000 people visit the park each year. Take a bicycle tour, a park bus or guided walk. Popular summer activities are hiking, camping, rafting, backcountry travel, fishing, wildlife viewing and flightseeing.

The abundant wildlife includes grizzly bears, caribou, wolves, Dall sheep and moose. Mt. McKinley, or Denali, North America's highest peak at 6.194 meters is situated within the park. A spectacular sight on clear days it can be seen as far as 113 km away. Most pre/post cruise tours feature Denali with overnight stays at wilderness lodges. Denali is accessible between Anchorage and Fairbanks via Alaska rail or by car from the George Parks Highway.

The ice age is still active in Alaska. There are an estimated 100,000 glaciers in the state and observing them is certainly a highlight of any visit. From the deck of a cruise ship, watch and listen as tide water glaciers creak and calve with huge chunks crashing into the sea. Look for Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord on your cruise itinerary for a glacier experience.

These rivers of ice which flow from ice packs high in the mountains are magnificent when viewed closely from a helicopter. Some flightseeing tours land on the ice so you can hike or ride a dog sled. Mendenhall Glacier at Juneau is big, beautiful and one of the most accessible glaciers. Take a shuttle bus from the pier to stop by the visitors centre and enjoy the many hiking trails.