From land to water to ice. Alaska was made for multisport. You need all the tools you can get - a bike, a kayak, your hiking boots - to understand and experience the incredible terrain. Journey to an extraordinary ice field on the hike of a lifetime. Bike on one of the area's few roads. Kayak along the coast amid a gorgeous jumble of volcanoes and glaciers. Move through the landscape quietly, and "the locals" may show their faces: eagles, moose, sea otters, bears. Even if they don't, you know they're there, and somehow that's enough.
Days 1-2 Alaska's dramatic landscapes in one astonishing peninsula
Kick off the trip with a spin alongside Turnagain Arm, the site of extreme high and low tides Spend the afternoon hiking through a lush coastal forest or enjoy an exhilarating tram ride to the top of Mount Alyeska for unparalleled views of mountains and hanging glaciers Journey south to the Kenai Peninsula, a wonderland of rugged mountains, glaciers, fjords and lakes Wildflowers line the trail to Carter and Crescent Lakes.
Day 3 Hike the spectacular Harding Icefield Trail alongside Exit Glacier
in Kenai Fjords National Park Got your camera ready? Unrivaled vistas of vast Harding Icefield and the Resurrection River Valley await Keep an eye out for mountain goats, moose and marmots!
Day 4 Bike to Homer, one of Alaska's most beautiful towns
Take in spectacular views of the Cook Inlet, the volcanoes of the Alaska Range, the Grewingk Glacier and the Homer Spit, a narrow finger of land in picturesque Kachemak Bay Fruit wines made from local berries are yours to taste at the Bear Creek Winery Harbor seals and sea lions make frequent appearances outside our waterfront hotel.
Days 5-6 Circumnavigate Yukon Island by kayak,
watching for bald eagles, harbor seals, porpoises and sea otters After our naturalist-led hike through fields of wildflowers, we sit down to a bounteous picnic at the Carl Wynn Nature Center, set on the bluff above Homer.
Trip Highlights
- Alaska's dramatic landscapes in one astonishing peninsula
- Hike Harding Icefield Trail, a spectacular route alongside Exit Glacier
- Homer, one of Alaska's most beautiful towns
- Circumnavigate Yukon Island by kayak
Casual Inns
Alyeska Resort (1 night): This stylish hotel with an aerial tram to the top of Mount Alyeska has earned accolades from Travel + Leisure. (pool, spa)
Seward Windsong Lodge (2 nights): Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Land's End Resort (2 nights): Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of
interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one
day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat
from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each
day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Biking | 10 | 200 | ||||||||
| Walking | 2.5 | 300 | |||||||||
| 2 | Hiking | 7 | 1000 | ||||||||
| 3 | Hiking | 4 | 1500 | 6 | 2200 | 8 | 3200 | ||||
| 4 | Biking | 22* | 500 | 32 | 1600 | ||||||
| 5 | Kayaking | On Kachemak Bay (all day) | |||||||||
| 6 | Walking | 5.0 | 100 | ||||||||
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
CLASSIC TRIPS
- 6/15-20 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/22-27 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/29-7/4 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/6-11 Price: $2898 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/13-18 Price: $2898 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/20-25 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/27-8/1 Price: $2898 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/3-8 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/10-15 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/17-22 Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/24-29 Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
Plus 6% Kenai Peninsula tax
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Guest Trip Reviews
A recent article in The New York Times about traveling through the Kenai Peninsula captured the basic itinerary of this trip and the remarkable beauty of Alaska. It also became clear that Backroads knows a great deal more than did the author of the article about how to design an excellent trip, taking advantage of the best a region has to offer. The hikes to the Harding Icefield, to Ptarmigan Lake, and up the Heritage Trail were particularly fine and varied. The kayaking trip to Yukon Island was an exceptional experience. We saw more wildlife in six days than all our years of hiking put together, partially because of where Backroads took us.- Waban, MA
Overall, a fantastic trip with great leaders, a well picked intinerary and flawless logistics. It doesn't get any better than this. The pleasure factor was high, the hassle factor low and the wow factor was off the scale. The accomodations in Seward and McKinley were quite nice and the accommodations at the Alyeska were even better. Don't change a thing.- Seattle, WA
THE best trip ever! I wanted to burn my return ticket and stay in Alaska!- Houston, TX
This was one of my best vacations ever - the Backroads itinerary was perfect; accommodated various fitness levels well, included enough of the Kenai peninsula to leave us wanting more, included just enough down time, and the leaders made it all happen - the frosting on the cake. Thank you very much for such a wonderful experience.- Seattle, WA
We just loved the trip. It was our first Backroads experience and we were wary, since we are normally very independent travelers. I actually enjoy the process of finding the perfect hotel, plotting the trip, etc.., but I have been too busy lately to spend time researching and thought working with Backroads would make life easier - It did! What a pleasure to put everything in someone else's hands. The leaders were super, the activities were good, the hotels were comfortable, and I loved not constantly thinking about pulling out my credit card. I also loved not handling my luggage, or worrying about directions. I thought it was a great value. Once I added up what we would have spent on hotels, food, transportation, rentals, etc it seemed very reasonable.- Columbus, OH
I was able to accomplish things on this trip that I thought were beyond my ability. The Backroads leaders are so helpful and encouraging that I hardly noticed how far I had hiked until I had already done it! I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants a true adventure.- Powell, OH
I honestly cannot think of anything that would have improved this trip. The itinerary was well designed, incorporating a good variety of activities and environments. I felt that I experienced some of the most beautiful scenery in Alaska. I choose to travel with Backroads for some locations rather than designing my trips myself because I can trust that the itinerary, accommodations, and in particular, the trip leaders, will be excellent. Backroads has a knack for finding great trip leaders with appealing personalities who make sure the trip runs smoothly and that guests do not see/feel all of the hustling that must be going on behind the scenes to ensure a seamless experience. I think the price for this trip provides tremendous value considering that we get guides, meals, equipment, etc.- Menlo Park, CA
I went into my first Backroads trip thinking that it seemed fairly expensive for only six days/nights, but came away with the feeling that it was completely worthwhile. The food was fantastic, the guides were even better, and we will never forget the places we visited. We really enjoyed the other participants in our trip, and made some new friends! I'm addicted to traveling this way, and look forward hopefully to many more Backroads adventures!- Denver, CO
My family has just started to take group trips that involve more than just a beach and laying around, which is wonderful because trips like those drive me insane. I love that Backroads has provided us with a family option that allows us to actually "do" things together (while making the decisions for us!) that challenge us all physically and mentally and take us outside of our comfort zones to really experience a beautiful part of our country/world.- Chicago, IL
Great trip as always. We love to learn about the area from the ground up and this Alaska trip was no exception. Explore, get exercise and meet new people. Perfect.- San Diego, CA