Alaska By Land & Sea: Part 1 “The Land”
Tour Name: Alaska By Land & Sea
Dates: June 5-16, 2024
Tour Directors: Patti & Dave Olson
Highlights: Alaska is currently a top tour destination and is drawing record numbers of visitors. We had a full tour this year and saw both the interior of Alaska, where the majority of the residents live, and the Inside Passage, mostly accessible only by air or sea. This Holland America tour is always well-planned, with rides on the Alaska Railroad and a National Park tour into Denali National Park to view wildlife and Denali. The sea portion affords views of many glaciers, and the calm, protected water brings visitors to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. What a blessing to see God’s handiwork in creating such diverse and spectacular beauty. We covered so much territory that this travel blog is divided into two parts: Part 1, Land and Part 2, Sea.
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- Alaska is on many people’s Bucket List. Come visit The Last Frontier, our 49th state with Bob Neff Tours and Holland America’s Land & Sea Tour.
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- The flight to Fairbanks crossed snow-covered mountains and many glaciers in western Canada and Alaska.
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- Alaska’s iconic flag was designed by 14-year-old Benny Benson, an orphan who lived in a children’s home in Seward. His design won over 700 entries in a 1927 contest.
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- The Alaska Flag Song tells the meaning behind the design.
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- Our first excursion in Fairbanks was a cruise down the Chena River on an historic paddlewheel boat. All aboard!
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- The riverboat Discovery has served the area since gold rush days, bringing supplies to people in the interior of Alaska.
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- And it’s still driven by the paddlewheel today.
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- The Chena River was as smooth as glass, giving us a pleasant ride with beautiful scenery all around.
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- Everyone wanted to be out on the top deck on such a beautiful day.
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- A Super Cub pilot demonstrated takeoffs and landings with pontoons. In winter, the plane will be fitted with skis to take off and land on the frozen river.
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- We disembarked at the Chena Indian Village, a living history museum staffed by Native Alaskans to demonstrate their village lifestyle.
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- Natives are allowed to use fish wheels to scoop up fish from the river. Fish is used not only for their food, but to feed their hungry sled dogs all winter long.
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- Look at the size of that salmon!
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- Salmon are fileted and scored with an Ulu knife, then hung to dry before being smoked for preservation.
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- Alaska is full of wild roses. In fall, the rose hips are collected to make jam and rose hip syrup for pancakes.
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- These are real moose that locked antlers, fell into a river, and drowned. They were taken out, still locked together, taxidermied, then put on displat at the village.
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- Chena Indian Village has a domesticated herd of reindeer for tourists to get a close look at. Both male and female reindeer grow antlers. Being “farmed”, it’s legal to buy reindeer meat, and reindeer sausage is really delicious for breakfast or on a pizza.
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- Many animals are trapped for their fur and used in parkas, mukluks (boots), and blankets. Seen here are Arctic fox, red fox, beaver, wold, wolverine, ermine…not shown is a caribou hide. Its fur hairs are hollow, providing extra warmth.
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- The designs in this beautiful parka identifies the native village where it was made.
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- Then we were off on this coach to Denali National Park for 2 days. It’s only a few hours south of Fairbanks.
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- Park rangers greet all the park buses that bring visitors into the park where vehicles are restricted. This excursion is the Tundra Wilderness Tour.
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- This is the sight everyone wants to see, but only a small percentage of park visitors get to see “the mountain.” Mt. Denali was out in full glory for us, the clearest Patti has ever seen it in 6 previous tours of Alaska.
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- Wildlife was a little scarce this year, but this moose cow started to run away as we passed.
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- A curious ground squirrel.
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- Look closely, there’s a Willow Ptarmigan hiding in the brush. This is the state bird. In winter, it is pure white, and brown in the summer.
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- We saw several groupings of caribou, still with “velvet” on their antlers. Later in the summer, it will be all rubbed off. Caribou and reindeer are the same animal, but reindeer are domesticated and the caribou are wild and migrate over great distances.
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- Difficult to spot so far away, this is a line of Dahl sheep moving across a tall mountain face.
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- Well, these were the only bears we got a good look at 🙁 The red ones are delicious.
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- There were lots of photo stops along the way with snow-capped mountain backdrops.
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- Denali National Park is still patrolled in the winter by dog sled. The dogs train in the summer pulling wheeled sleds, and they love to run!
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- It was fun to see the dog team demo and to pet the dogs.
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- Here we all are on the Alaska Railroad headed to Anchorage for a night, then on by train to our cruise ship.
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- We had a great conductor and descriptive narration along the way.
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- The terrain in the interior can be boggy, which the moose love for foraging. I love the reflections in the water.
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- Our ride included an elegant and delicious lunch in the dining car, which is right below the passenger compartment.
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- Captain Cook is looking out over Cook Inlet at Mount Susitna, The Sleeping Lady of Indian lore.
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- What a colorful mural in downtown Anchorage showcasing all the iconic Alaska flora and fauna.
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- A more modern sculpture can be seen outside the Anchorage Art Museum.
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- Traveling through a 1-mile and 2.5-mile tunnel through the mountains from Turnagain Arm in Cook Inlet to Whittier on the Gulf of Alaska is the only way to reach the cruise port. Check out Part 2 for the cruise portion of our Alaska Land & Sea Tour.
Alaska By Land & Sea: Part 2 “The Sea”
Related BNT Tours:
https://www.bobnefftours.com/tour/germany-austria-a-touch-of-switzerland
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