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 into the interior 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.
Day 1 Alaska's dramatic landscapes in one astonishing peninsula
Bike paths lead you out of Anchorage and onto the gently rolling Tony Knowles Coastal Trail - keep your eyes open for moose! Journey south to the Kenai Peninsula, a wonderland of rugged mountains, glaciers, fjords and lakes.
Days 2-3 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 Hike the beautiful Ptarmigan Lake Trail through Sitka spruce forest and past crystal-clear Ptarmigan Creek, where red sockeye salmon spawn in summer.
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 
Perhaps spot harbor seals and sea lions from 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
- Watch for salmon swimming their annual migration upstream
Casual Inns
Seward Windsong Lodge (2 nights): Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge (1 night): Bungalow-style rooms with wood-burning stoves, set in the lush Kenai River Valley.
Land's End Resort (2 nights): Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Day 1
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Biking 9 miles
- 200 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 3 to 5 3 Route Options Available
- Walking/Hiking 4, 6, 8 miles
- 1500 - 3200 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Level 2 1 Route Option Available
- Walking/Hiking 7 miles
- 600 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Levels 2 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Biking 22, 32 miles
- 500 - 1600 feet elevation gain
Day 5
- All-day Sea Kayaking
Day 6
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Walking/Hiking 5 miles
- 100 feet elevation gain
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.| Activity Level | Average Time | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 mile | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
2012 Dates & Pricing*
CLASSIC TRIPS
- 6/9-14Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/16-21Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/23-28Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/30-7/5Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/7-12Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/14-19Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/28-8/2Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/4-9Price: $2598 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/11-16Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $560 for sgl. occ.)
SINGLES+SOLOS TRIPS
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
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