Northern Highlights Tour Itinerary
REF: NA43
VERSION: 2
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Duration:9 days - Anchorage to Whitehorse
Countries Visited:United States - Canada
Age Guide:18-65 years
Max Group Size:20
Transport:Private Minibus
Accommodation:Hotel (8 Nights)
What's Included:Fully Escorted Tour – Driver/Guide - All Entrance Fees to National Parks - All Taxes are Included - All Activities as Per Itinerary - Airport Transfers - Day Trip into Denali Park - Entrance to Diamond Tooth Gerties - Entrance to Gold Diggers Museum in Dawson City
Local Payment:NO LOCAL PAYMENT
Highlights:Denali National Park - Wonder Lake - Alaska Railroad Museum - Fairbanks - Delta Junction Visitor Centre - Top of The World Highway - Dawson City - Gold Panning at Bonanza Creek - Visit to Jack London's Cabin - Midnight Dome Mountain - Gold Diggers Museum - Diamond Tooth Gerties - Five Finger Rapids
Optional Highlights:Flight over Mount McKinley - Alaska Dog Mushing Museum - Sternwheeler Cruise on the Chena River
Introduction:

Travel to some of the most spectacular landscapes and national parks that Alaska and Canada’s Yukon have to offer. Experience the vast natural wilderness with glaciers, lakes, mountains and forests. Learn about the Yukon Gold Rush and try gold panning for yourself. Admire a variety of wildlife in the land of the 'midnight sun' and be blown away by the Northern Lights!

Meeting Point:

Coast International Inn, 3450 Aviation Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99502

tel: +1-907-243-2233

Day 1:

Anchorage - Welcome to Alaska. At the airport, you will be welcomed by your tour-guide. Transfer to the hotel. Meeting to get aquainted with your fellow travellers. (Overnight accommodation in Anchorage).

Day 2:

Anchorage - Denali -  After breakfast we leave Alaska’s largest city. Via the George Parks Highway we travel northbound towards Denali National Park. The breathtaking landscape offers constantly changing panoramic views with distant glaciers and beaver dams in the nearby river. Late afternoon, there is the opportunity for a one-hour glacier flight to Mount McKinley for all those who would like to go for it (optional). This is a very recommendable adventure, in particular when the weather is fine. (Overnight accommodation close to the park).

Day 3:

Denali National Park - Without a doubt this is one of the highlights of Alaska. In the morning we will go on a Denali wildlife tour. A park owned shuttle bus takes us deep into one of the most scenic landscapes in the North America. Weather permitting you will get to see majestic Mount McKinley, 6193 meters high, the highest mountain in the U.S.A. The variety of wildlife is very impressive, too. With a little luck you will see wolves, dall sheep, moose, caribou and grizzly bears. Admire Wonder Lake, the largest lake in the surroundings, located approximately in the middle of the park. Here in particular you will find lots of wildlife. (Overnight accommodation close to the park).

Day 4:

Denali National Park - Fairbanks - Back on the George Parks Highway, we will stop in Nenana to visit the Alaska Railroad Museum. Fairbanks will be reached early in the afternoon. The remainder of the day is reserved for the places of interest in and around this town located about 320 km south of the Arctic Circle. Perhaps you would like to visit the Alaska Dog Mushing Museum, or treat yourself with the local delicacies in one of the numerous restaurants. You really should try the king crabs! And there is more. Particularly recommendable is a sternwheeler cruise on the Chena River, the Crown of Light show, a photo symphony covering the aurora borealis, or the Gold Rush show at the Malemute Saloon (optional). (Overnight accommodation in Fairbanks).

Day 5:

Fairbanks - Tok - After strolling through downtown Fairbanks in the morning we are on our way southbound passing innumerable lakes and rivers in this beautiful landscape. Today we are going to see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline again, crossing the Tanana River right next to the highway. In Delta Junction we meet the Alaska Highway and visit the local visitor center. (Overnight accommodation in Tok).

Day 6:

Tok - Dawson City - The journey continues via the Top of the World Highway. Beyond the timberline we will pass through beautiful tundra scenery and cross the border at Little Gold Creek, which is the checkpoint with the highest elevation between Canada and the U.S.A. On this stretch villages with strange sounding names like Chicken, Action Wade Camp are to be seen until in the afternoon we will cross the Yukon River by ferry to reach Dawson City. (Overnight accommodation in Dawson City).

Day 7:

Dawson City - People still dig for gold in this historical town located where the Klondike flows into the Yukon River. You may try your luck panning for gold yourself. A visit to Bonanza Creek, the Jack London cabin, and the Midnight Dome, Dawson City’s very own mountain, are on the agenda, as is the remarkable Gold Diggers Museum. Afterwards you may want to stroll around town with its nice buildings, some of them still original, some affectionately restored. Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino and Cancan – dance girls will entertain us in the evening. The Palace Grand Theatre - offering musical entertainment, turn-of-thecentury style - is another option. (Overnight accommodation in Dawson City).

Day 8:

Dawson City - Whitehorse - Today it is back to Whitehorse via the Klondike Highway. You will repeatedly see the mighty Yukon River, about 3200 km long and thus one of the longest waterways in North America. Of course there is a stop to visit the infamous Five Finger Rapids - mighty rapids posing a threat to many sternwheelers navigating the Yukon in the past. Old post offices, roadhouses and small villages constantly bring back to mind the gold rush era 100 years ago. (Overnight accommodation in Whitehorse).

Day 9:

Whitehorse - Transfer to airport

Finishing Point:

Westmark Klondike Inn, 2288 Second Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 1C8

tel: +1-867-668-4747

Pre Departure Information Follows
Please note:

This tour is operated in conjunction with our local partners in Canada.  You will be joined by other Kumuka passengers as well as travellers who have booked through other agencies.

The itinerary will be followed as closely as possible. However, this tour visits areas that can be unpredictable and there may be times when it is necessary to change the route according to abnormal weather patterns, the presence of wild animals, or any unforeseen local conditions that are out of our control. Please be flexible and respect the changes that your Tour Leader may have to make during the tour.

Travel Insurance:

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

Passport:

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise care in keeping it safe. It should be valid for at least six months after the end of your tour and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. We advise that you take photocopies of your passport in case of loss or damage. Alternatively, you can scan copies of these pages and email them to yourself so that you can access them if you happen to lose your passport whilst abroad and have to apply for a new one at your nearest Embassy.

Visa & Entry Requirements:

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your North America trip. The Kumuka website www.kumuka.com provides visa information, yet entry regulations can change without notice. Further consultation with your Travel Agent or nearest Embassy is recommended.

Each client is solely responsible for obtaining all necessary visas and entry requirements before joining a tour. Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

Important: This tour visits Alaska, United States. Please read the following:

International travelers who are seeking to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program are now subject to enhanced security requirements. All eligible travelers who wish to travel under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization PRIOR to traveling to the United States. Full details are available at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

Pre & Post Tour Accommodation:

If you wish to spend a few additional days in your starting or finishing city, then we can arrange accommodation for you. All our accommodation is carefully chosen, conveniently located, clean and comfortable. (All rates per person per night and subject to availability).

Tipping:

In North America tipping is a way of life and very much expected, as well as appreciated. For many, receiving tips is a means of supplementing their salary which is usually based on minimum wage. The standard amount in restaurants and bars is 15% of the total bill (please note that sales and service taxes are automatically imposed in some restaurants and bars).  Chambermaids usually receive $1 or $2 per night in a hotel, simply left on the bedside table.

It is also customary in North America to show appreciation of your Tour Leader by tipping him/her at the end of the tour.

Optional Activities:

During the tour your Tour Leader will recommend a variety of optional activities operated by carefully selected ground handlers to make your tour even more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners have been chosen for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. All optional activities are available at your own expense, and are undertaken at your own risk. Kumuka cannot be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by third party. To start planning and budgeting for any optional activities that you may chose on your tour, please visit:

http://www.kumuka.com/North-America-Optional-Activities.aspx

IMPORTANT: Some tours depart from the starting city very early on Day 1 therefore you might not have enough time to enjoy the optional activities in that area. Please check the tour itinerary. Furthermore, some tours end on arrival in the finishing city and your flight may leave early the following morning, therefore leaving no time to partake in any optional activities in that area. Again, please check the itinerary.

Staying in Touch:

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Tour Feedback:

Tour Questionnaire - We would like to hear about your experiences on tour. One week after your tour ends you will automatically receive a feedback questionnaire via email. If we do not have your email address you can still complete a questionnaire by visiting www.kumuka.com/feedback

Email - If you have any specific comments about your tour then please write to us by email to operations@kumuka.com

Drug Policy:

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.

Contact Details:

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

UK OFFICE

Hillswood Business Park 3000
Hillswood Drive Chertsey KT16 0RS
Tel: +4420 7937 8855 Fax: +442075043782

Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com

AUSTRALIAN OFFICE

Level 5, 387 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9279 0491 Fax: 02 9279 0492
Email: sales@kumuka.com.au
www.kumuka.com.au

Map:
This tour is operated by Kumuka Worldwide. Information given in all brochures, leaflets and dossiers is given in good faith by the company, and is based on the latest information available at the date of publication. The company reserves the right to change any of the facilities or vehicles described in the brochure without becoming liable for compensation or refund.
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