IDITAROD AND NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR

IDITAROD AND NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR
March 4- March 13, 2009

SOLD OUT, CHECK BACK IN THE FALL FOR OUR 2010TOUR.

Tour Includes:

4 Nights Captain Cook Hotel
3 Nights Fairbanks Princess
2 Nights Chena Hot Springs
9 Breakfasts
2 Dinners (Mushers' Banquet and Pump House Final Night Dinner)
Escort
Private Transfers
Airfare Anchorage to Fairbanks
Private Meeting/Lecture with Iditarod Musher
All admissions (including two lectures of your choice)

Day 1 - March 4, Wednesday Arrival in Anchorage -

Upon arrival in Anchorage you are met and transferred to your hotel. Settle in and get acquainted with your guide and the city of Anchorage. Overnight Anchorage

Day 2 - March 5, Thursday Touring Anchorage

This morning after a leisurely breakfast you will attend a "Welcome to Alaska" orientation that will review the week's activities. This will be your in depth introduction to the "Last Great Race".Before leaving for a drive along Alaska's only National Scenic Highway, the Seward, we'll visit the Anchorage Museum of Art and History. Then, drive south of Anchorage toward Portage Glacier. Here on the eastern edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the road skirts Turnagain Arm, where 14,000 years ago we would have been unable to drive here as the landscape was covered with late Wisconsin glaciers. Turnagain Arm was named by English Captain, James Cook in 1778. We'll stop at Beluga Point, a 4,000-year old Alutiiq Eskimo hunting site, where the second highest tides in the world occur with a 38-feet surge.Tonight you will attend the Mushers' Banquet where you enjoy the festivities as you celebrate the great achievement of the serum run to Nome. At the banquet you will have a chance to bid on an opportunity to ride in one of the sleds during the race start in Anchorage. (B) Overnight Anchorage

Day 3 - March 6, Friday Private Breakfast Reception with a Musher

This morning our group will enjoy a private meeting with an Iditarod Musher.Our musher will provide insights into the sled dogs, their many characteristics and attributes, the years of breeding and training that goes into putting together a team. As well, he will describe the strategy, hardships, technical aspects and joys of life on the trail - the race itself. We'll get a good look at the sled, (20" wide), clothing and gear that carries the musher, food and required survival equipment for two weeks from Anchorage 1,150 miles across the wilderness of Alaska to Nome on the Bering Sea coast. What it takes to win this extraordinary sled dog race will soon emerge from the discussion.This afternoon you have free time to attend some lectures on the race and learn even more in anticipation of the race start tomorrow. (B) Overnight Anchorage

Day 4 - March 7, Saturday "Race Day"

The ceremonial Iditarod start will begin in downtown Anchorage, where thousands of fans and media from around the world join in this world-famous event. The #1 position is reserved for Leonard Seppala, one of the most famous mushers who carried the diphtheria serum to Nome over the original Iditarod Trail. Today, fans who were the successful bidders on the "Idita-Rider" auction will ride in the sled of a musher as they leave the start chute. Overnight Anchorage

Day 5 - March 8, Sunday

We'll leave Anchorage for a short drive to Willow. We will visit the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Headquartersand then we will watch the Race Re-Start.. (B) Today the real race to Nome begins, with the re-start at Willow. Mushers will hookup their dogs and race across more than 1,000 miles of Alaska's wilderness. The dogs sense that this is "go time" and their level of excitement is unmatched. You will have a far better, closer look at the teams and mushers. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Go! With a rooster-tail of snow behind each sled speeding down the chute, mushers wave to fans as they head off on the "Last Great Race". After wishing the mushers well we head to the Anchorage Airport and fly to Fairbanks to enjoy more wonders of the North. From Fairbanks we'll drive 60 miles to one of the more notably Northern Lights viewing areas, Chena Hot Springs(B) Overnight Chena Hot Springs Resort

Day 6 - March 9, Monday Full day at Chena Hot Springs Resort – Northern Lights

This morning will feature a short orientation of the events during the stay around the Fairbanks area. The rest of today, enjoy this internationally known resort. The area is well noted as one of the better areas in North America to view the northern lights. Guests enjoy the unique Rock Lake natural mineral hot pool, exquisite Moose Lodge and gourmet meals.
Optional activities include northern lights Aurorarium, Snow Coach Aurora Tour atop one of Alaska’s oldest mountains, dog sled rides, cross country skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling.
For the adventurous there will be a variety of dog sled ride opportunities with veteran Alaska dog mushers. . (B) Overnight Chena Hot Springs


Day 7- March 10, Wednesday

Depart Chena Hot Springs to Fairbanks
Enjoy breakfast this morning. After lunch we depart Chena Hot Springs Resort for Fairbanks. On the way make a short stop at the Ice Park to see how the ice carving is going for participants in the World Ice Art Championships. (B) Overnight Fairbanks

Day 8 – March 11, Thursday Full day to explore Fairbanks

Today we visit the University of Alaska Museum, Alaska’s official repository for natural science collections: everything from gold bullion to butterflies to “blue” bison, an Ice Age relict, and the Alaska Bird Observatory.
Later a visit to the Large Animal Research Station to see Musk Ox breed in captivity will wind up the afternoon. Later this evening we will visit the Ice Park to view the multi and single block carvings lit and showcased in a rainbow of colors. (B) Overnight Fairbanks

Day 9- March 12 Tuesday Tour Fairbanks and Ice Carving Competition

This morning we return to the Ice Park for a more close up inspection and viewing of all the intricate carvings. The World Ice Art Championships attract ice carvers from around world. The park encompasses 25 acres, and hosts visitors and the carving competition for three weeks in March. At this time, the competition is “icy” as the carvers showcase the intricate, complex, larger-than-life multi-block final competition. You won’t believe what you see!
As this is our last day and evening together we will dine at the famed “Pump House” and enjoy a truly great Alaskan meal before depart tomorrow for our home cities. (B, D) Overnight in Fairbanks

Day 10 - March 13, Friday Depart Fairbanks -

Today your northern adventure ends with individual transfers to the airport. If time permits your escort will shuttle you around town to any site you wish to revisit. (B)

Cost:
$3,049 plus $179 tax (per person based on double occupancy)
$4,499 plus $199 tax (per person single occupancy)