Arrive in Fairbanks, the Golden Heart City. You will have meet and greet transfers to your hotel. Enjoy your evening of leisure. Perhaps you will catch your first glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

Fairbanks area hotel: 2 nights

Enjoy a city tour of Fairbanks including the Trans Alaska Pipeline and a visit to the Morris Thompson Cultural Center to learn about the history and local culture, the Interior and Artic Alaska. This afternoon is at leisure for optional tours. This evening board your motorcoach for a chance to see the Aurora Borealis (weather permitting) and enjoy a warm non-alcoholic beverage as you wait for the skies to glow in vibrant color. (B)

After breakfast board your motorcoach for a scenic transfer south to Denali National Park. En route, enjoy a visit to the small historic town of Nenana, home to the famous Nenana Ice Classic, Alaska's greatest guessing game. In 1917 a group of railroad engineers placed bets on when the river would break up. This guessing game has become a tradition that has continued for over 100 years. Continue to Denali and enjoy a visit to the Murie Science and Learning Center, home of the Denali Visitor Center in winter. Enjoy the National Park Film "Heartbeat of Denali", hear from a local park ranger, and even have a chance to snowshoe. A box lunch is included. This evening is another chance to view the Aurora Borealis! (B, L)

Overnight in Healy

After breakfast transfer to the Denali Rail Stop to board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a scenic journey south to Anchorage. Enjoy the large picture windows, forward facing seats, a shared dome observation car and the Wilderness Café on-board. Keep an eye out for views of Denali from both the north and south face. Enjoy your evening at leisure to explore Anchorage. (B)

Overnight in Anchorage (4 nights)

Today, enjoy a city tour of Anchorage featuring the historic downtown area, Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world and Earthquake Park, to learn about the 1964 earthquake that registered 9.2 on the Richter scale, largest ever recorded in North America. This afternoon visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which rescues injured or abandoned wildlife with a chance for close-up viewing. Tonight, enjoy Iditarod festivities and an included dinner at the Musher's Banquet. During this event, guests can meet and greet several Iditarod mushers as they draw their bib numbers for the iconic Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. (B, D)

Travel north to Happy Trails Kennel to meet four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser. Hear about personal experiences along the trail route while catching a glimpse of the grandeur of Alaska. Later, return to Anchorage with a stop at the Iditarod Headquarters and Museum. (B)

Head to 4th Avenue to get a great spot at the Official Ceremonial Start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Cheer on the mushers from all over the world. Mushers will depart the starting gate every two minutes. You have the option of using some time to enjoy other Iditarod festivities. This afternoon, visit the Anchorage Museum, a large-scale art, history, ethnography, ecology, and science museum in the heart of Anchorage. (B)

Travel to Willow for the Restart of Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Be sure to dress in layers to maximize staying warm as the entire day will be spent outside cheering on your favorite dog teams. En-route you will stop at a local grocery store in Wasilla to pick-up on own snack and lunch items. Prepare for a bit of a walk to find the perfect spot along the fence line of the race as they begin their 1, 049-mile journey to Nome. The Willow Community Center is open and offers a break from the cold with vendors selling food, drinks, and local crafts. Departure from Willow will depend on weather conditions and comfort of guests. We hope to see as many mushers as possible while still arriving back at Anchorage by approximately 6:00 PM. It will be time to say goodbye to your local Tour Director as you are transferred to Anchorage Airport for your return flight. (B)