Best of Alaska Land Tour (click here for itinerary)
June 13-23, 2010 (11 days, 10 nights)
Alaska Denali Adventure and Glacier Discovery (click here for itinerary)
August 26-September 5, 2010 (11-day cruise on MS Amsterdam)
Both of these tours offer…
- Guaranteed departure (plan in confidence!)
- Escorted vacation (0% fuss, 100% vacation!)
- Tour for active adults (share a great experience!)
- Includes home pickup and return (for clients in Marion and adjacent counties)
Previous blog posts:
- Jo Ann Carr’s (President, Interlude Tours) and Dennis Carr’s journey to Alaska
- A client’s Best of Alaska Land Tour experience
Both of these tours go to incredible places in Alaska. One focuses on the land, the other on the water. Yet one destination they have in common is Denali National Park.
According to Wikipedia,
Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley (Denali), the tallest mountain in North America. The park and preserve together cover 9,492 mi². The word “Denali” means “the great one” in the native Athabaskan language and refers to the mountain itself. The mountain was named after president William McKinley of Ohio in 1897 by local prospector William A. Dickey, although McKinley had no connection with the region.
Denali is home to a healthy population of grizzly bears and black bears. Herds of caribou roam throughout the park. Dall sheep are often seen on mountainsides, and moose feed on the aquatic plants of the small lakes and swamps. Denali accommodates gray wolf dens, both historic and active. Smaller animals, such as hoary marmots, arctic ground squirrels, beavers, pikas, and snowshoe hares are seen in abundance. Foxes, martens, lynx, wolverines also inhabit the park, but are more rarely seen due to their elusive natures.
Birdwatchers may find waxwings, Arctic Warblers, pine grosbeaks, and wheatears, as well as Ptarmigan and the majestic tundra swan. Predatory birds include a variety of hawks, owls, and the gyrfalcon, as well as the abundant but striking golden eagle.
The park hosts more than 400,000 visitors annually who enjoy wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking. Wintertime recreation includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling where allowed.
Visits to Denali affect people on a deep level. On the official National Park Service website, there are quotes from visitors. Here is one:
Traveling through Denali by bus is like a rolling meditation. The driver requests silence as we observe a sow and cub. A deep sense of peace and balance arises within me.
These two vacations are truly trips of a lifetime. We’d be delighted to have you travel with us! We welcome reservations from Indianapolis, where we are based, or from any location in the United States or Canada.
Photo by Aconcagua; used with permission.
–Matt
The Interlude Tours Blog Team
•For immediate service, please call (317) 913-0387 or email us
•Share your Interlude stories and photos on this blog
•Sign up for our email newsletter
•RSS this blog
Tags: alaska cruise, alaska vacation, escorted alaska tour, escorted alaska vacation
