Alaska Family Multisport Tour
- Mushing! An exhilarating dogsled ride through the forest
- Bike to Homer, one of Alaska's most beautiful towns
- Hike right up to the face of a glacier
- A float trip on the Kenai River
- The chance to spot moose, eagles, Dall sheep and even salmon swimming upstream
Wildlife & Wilderness on the Spectacular Kenai Peninsula
Once upon a time, there was an outdoor-loving family seeking an action-packed vacation. A clever bunch, they decided on Alaska. And as soon as they arrived and witnessed the dramatic peaks of the Alaska Range, they knew they'd chosen wisely. The kids hiked to the face of Exit Glacier; parents ascended to the Harding Icefield. They all raced through the woods on a thrilling dogsled ride, spotted moose and eagles during a river float trip and watched salmon swimming upstream. And to this day, they all agree: it was the best family vacation ever.
Itinerary
Days
1-2 Alaska's dramatic landscapes on a single astonishing peninsula 
Kick off the trip with a spin along bike paths leading you out of Anchorage and onto the gently rolling Tony Knowles Coastal Trail - keep your eyes open for moose! Get up close with Alaska’s wild residents at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals and returns them to the wild 
Journey south to the Kenai Peninsula, a wonderland of rugged mountains, glaciers, fjords and lakes Hike the beautiful Ptarmigan Lake Trail through Sitka spruce forest and past crystal-clear Ptarmigan Creek, where red sockeye salmon spawn in summer.
Day
3 In Kenai Fjords National Park, kids hike to the face of Exit Glacier and explore the fascinating Alaska SeaLife Center, home to sea lions, harbor seals, Alaskan king crabs, puffins and other marine wildlife Meanwhile, adults embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trek with spectacular views of the vast Harding Icefield Meet some of the famed Iditarod race's canine participants and experience the excitement of racing on comfortable wheeled dogsleds.
Day
4 Explore Homer, one of Alaska's most beautifully situated towns Take in jaw-dropping views of Cook Inlet and the volcanoes of the Alaska Range A scenic bike ride leads to a viewpoint overlooking Grewingk Glacier and Homer Spit, a narrow finger of land in picturesque Kachemak Bay.
Days
5-6 Circumnavigate Yukon Island by kayak, watching for harbor seals, porpoises and sea otters Got your camera ready? During a leisurely float trip on the glacial waters of the Kenai River, you'll likely spot eagles, moose and Dall sheep.
Casual Inns*
Alyeska Resort
Girdwood (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
Seward (2 nights) Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Land's End Resort
Homer (2 nights) Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
Guest Reviews About This Trip
Our trip was wonderful and exceeded our expectations. The schedule of activities was varied and timed well. We saw more than we ever could have on our own. Alaska is beautiful and we felt the activities allowed us to see the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife from multiple different viewpoints. As a result we saw moose, bear, sea otters, beluga and humpback whales, bald eagles, salmon spawning, and so much more. All of that while making new friends and memories that will last a lifetime.- Glenview, IL
Our Alaska vacation was all that we hoped for and more! All of the leaders were friendly, courteous, professional, fun, engaging and very accommodating! They all contributed in their own unique ways to making this vacation one that my son and I will both remember for the rest of our lives. For a family trip, there was just the right amount of activity for the kids. We met many fun, interesting and friendly people, and we took home with us many wonderful memories. I am already recommending Backroads to all of my family and friends back home. We will definitely be traveling with Backroads again!- Georgetown, MA
We had an absolutely wonderful time - the fabulous trip leaders made the trip extraordinary. Our children will remember this trip for the rest of their lives. In addition to just being great companions, examples of their extra effort were they secured a fantastic behind-the-scenes tour of the sea life center for the kids, gave my (substantial) 6-year-old a mile-plus-long piggyback when she refused to continue walking, and literally taking baby steps with me on the walk up to Harding Icefield - as a result I made it to the top! We have told many friends about the trip and we plan to do another one soon- Westport, CT
Trip Dates & Prices
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
2015 FAMILY DATES
June 2015
- 6/15 - 6/20 ( $3098 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
- 6/29 - 7/4 ( $2998 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
July 2015
- 7/6 - 7/11 ( $3098 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
- 7/13 - 7/18 ( $3098 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
- 7/20 - 7/25 ( $3098 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
August 2015
- 8/17 - 8/22 ( $3098 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
- 8/24 - 8/29 ( $2798 per person, double occ., +$710 for single occ.
Don't see your ideal travel date? Call us at 800-462-2848 for Private Trip date availability.
This Trip Is Rated Level 1-3
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 | ||||||||
| Biking | 16 | 400 | |||||||||
| 2 | Walking/Hiking | 7 | 600 | ||||||||
| 3 | Walking/Hiking | 3 | 1500 | 4 | 2000 | 8 | 3000 | ||||
| Kids | Exit Glacier Hike (2 Miles; 100’ elevation gain) | ||||||||||
| Kids | Visit to Alaska SeaLife Center (2 Hours) | ||||||||||
| Other | Dogsled ride (1.5 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Biking | 10* | 300 | 23* | 500 | 33 | 1600 | ||||
| Biking | 40 | 500 | |||||||||
| 5 | Kayaking | On Kachemak Bay (All Day) | |||||||||
| 6 | Rafting | On the Kenai River (2 Hours) | |||||||||
On this Family Trip, our routes follow rolling terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
Parts of this trip are on permitted areas in Chugach National Forest.
* Includes a shuttle
Private Trips Options & Pricing
Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities.
You can pick from a large selection of dates for your group of 8 or more. Call us for date availability.
If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or if your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you.
Pricing for Private Trips (prices may vary based on departure date)
2015
| 2 - 3 guests from $4,998 pp dbl. occ. | 8 - 9 guests from $3,698 pp dbl. occ. |
| 4 - 5 guests from $4,398 pp dbl. occ. | 10 - 11 guests from $3,098 pp dbl. occ. |
| 6 - 7 guests from $3,898 pp dbl. occ. | 12 or more guests from $2,798 pp dbl. occ. |
Please note: Youth savings do not apply to Private Trips.
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For 35 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Alaska tour experts. See our award-winning USA multisport tours, USA biking tours and USA walking and hiking tours.
