ALASKA – Aurora Rail Adventure & Bettles Lodge from $5,190pp

• Anchorage • Talkeetna • Fairbanks • Bettles Lodge 8DAYS/7NIGHTS

From Anchorage, travel through to the charming town of Talkeetna, where you’ll enjoy a guided sled dog tour with an Iditarod champion. Continue your journey on board the Aurora Winter train north to Fairbanks for an overnight stay. Travel by small plane to Bettles Lodge, one of the best places to see the aurora borealis.

Day 1: Anchorage Upon arrival in Anchorage, make your own way to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the sights. With almost 300,000 people calling it home, Anchorage is the largest city and cosmopolitan centre of Alaska. While not the capital of the state, it is the self-proclaimed gateway to Alaska for many visitors. Built originally as a railway depot, the city grew with the development of the farming collective in the Mat-Su valley and the building of Air Force bases. With the discovery of oil, the city became the commercial and financial centre of the state. Situated on the Pacific Ocean on Cook Inlet and moderated by the ocean, the city does not often get the extreme weather that much of Alaska is renowned for. A vibrant and unique city on the edge of the Alaskan wilderness, there are plenty of opportunities for exploring if you choose. The quaint log cabin visitor centre is a good place to start.

Day 2: Anchorage > Talkeetna Your full day adventure begins with a transfer from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Upon arrival in Talkeetna, enjoy a town tour and lunch before heading to the homestead of Dallas Seavey, a four-time Iditarod champion. After receiving a thorough orientation of how to handle the huskies and harnessing your team to the sled, you will embark on your own 6 mile mini-expedition. Follow your musher guide into the groomed dog sled trails of Talkeetna’s snowy boreal forest. Afterwards, return to the kennel, where you will have plenty of time to take photos with the dogs and meet the puppies! The rest of your day is at leisure in Talkeetna.

Day 3: Talkeetna > Fairbanks Today, travel from Talkeetna to Fairbanks onboard the Aurora Winter train. Along the way, the train stops as needed at Healy and Nenana before arriving in Fairbanks this evening.

Day 4: Fairbanks > Bettles Lodge Depart Fairbanks this morning for your scenic 1 hour flight to Bettles Lodge over the Yukon River and above the Arctic Circle with experienced and knowledgeable Alaskan pilots. The Bettles Lodge staff will greet you at the airplane to take your luggage and show you to the lodge for check in. You will then be escorted by your knowledgeable guide for a tour around the village. Bettles is isolated from the outside most of the year, with only an ice road two months in the winter. Find some peace away from cell phone service and the electronic world to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the wilderness. After dinner, guests can relax while waiting for the aurora borealis at the lodge or the aurora viewing cabin.

Days 5 & 6: Bettles Lodge Two full days at Bettles Lodge. After breakfast, enjoy a guided snow shoe excursion or a self-guided cross country ski around the lodge. You may want to enjoy an optional activity in the afternoon (not included). In the evening, enjoy a bonfire out by the fire pit. Guests will have time at leisure to enjoy the aurora borealis.

Day 7: Bettles Lodge > Fairbanks You will take the morning or afternoon flight to Fairbanks, returning by approximately 1.00 pm or 5.00 pm. The rest of your day is at leisure to enjoy Fairbanks.

Day 8: Fairbanks Arrangements end after check-out.