The Best of Alaska’s National Parks: From Denali to Kenai

Incredible experience learning about and experiencing Alaska's ecology, geography, culture, plants, animals and how they adapted to life in this vast landscape--historically and today. Superb educators.

This trip really immerses participants in the best that Alaska's national parks have to offer. From the first day to the last, each day provided us with a wonderful and different type of experience. We learned in the classroom, on the trail, on the road, on the water, visiting a farm, and even listening to Alaskan natives. Thank you!

One of the best I've attended. Listen when they tell you to bring binoculars and hiking sticks. I'm still reeling from the beauty of Alaska. And wishing I could do the seal walk. Talks were excellent.

I totally agree with all the previous positive comments. The program was a great combination of easy to moderate hiking, beautiful scenery, education field trips, and excellent interactive lectures. Katie Miller, Bones, and Walt are all enthusiastic guides and presenters. My favorite presentation was an explanation for the collapse of the road at about the half way point on the park road and the current construction of the new bridge. The best outdoor experience was the hike to the Exit Glacier outside of Seward. It is hard to ignore the effects of climate change when you see how dramatically it is affecting this region. Several very specialevents happened on the bus ride into the park, when we saw a grizzly, mamma moose and two babies, and caribou with gigantic antlers. Even more rewarding is that we saw Denali emerge from the clouds, an experience that only 30% of the visitors are privileged to see. The program did a good job of breaking up all of the bus rides, including the six hour ride from Denali to Seward. Katie, the main group leader, was always available, encouraging, calm, and organized, even when ten participants tested positive for Covid after we arrived in Seward. The accommodations were fine (especially for those who had river front cabins at the Denali Education Center and the Rivers Edge Resort), and the meals were acceptable and included some excellent restaurant meals. However, with the exception of the very good breakfasts at the Denaii Education Center, the “Continental” breakfasts at the three hotels outside of Denali were on par with those provided at very basic motels. I think it is also important to understand that 80% of Denali National Park is designated as wilderness, and therefore accessible only to those with backcountry skills. Thus, you do not get very close to the snow-covered peaks, especially compared with the Canadian Rocky Mountains near Banff and Jasper. All in all, the program is an excellent introduction to Alaska.

This is a well planned program, a mix of physical activities with learning opportunities. I most enjoyed the lectures, hikes and cultural field trips (Native Heritage Center, Visitor Centers, Squid Acres kennel, SeaLife Center). Bones did a great job sharing his expertise, as did all of the instructors. I was surprised that the wifi at DEC was so good in the cabins, which overlook a beautiful river in a peaceful setting. They have walking sticks to borrow. Be sure to bring binoculars, since some wildlife is very far away, and also eye shades, since it is light outside very late. I would have preferred to have seat belts on the buses outside the park. Otherwise, highly recommend this tour!

This was a delightful, well-paced program that provides a good balance of activities, education and free time. Logistics were worked out very well and we had things to do even on our travel days. The Denali Education Center is very comfortable with cabins on the river and a peaceful atmosphere. The education there was extremely well done with lectures and demonstrations on a variety of topics such as wildlife and culture that not only presented interesting information but also tied together topics in conservation, ecology and climate change. We were lucky to see Denali and all of the large animals the National Park features with the exception of brown bears. Our experience at Kenai Fiords National Park, although briefer, was also very well done. Staff were very responsive and caring. Just a note on gear - sturdy walking shoes (not hiking boots) were enough for the walks, and do prepare for rain.

Alaska was so scenic - both in hikes and drives. The Denali Education Center was a pleasant campus. I enjoyed staying there. The talks, activities, and field trips were interesting. The meals and accommodations were great. I'm really glad I took this trip.

Can’t go wrong by going on a Roed Scholar trip. I should know after being on 18.

My wife and I have always wanted to see and explore the national parks of Alaska but didn't want the typical cruise experience. This trip was a great way to see Denali and Kenai Fjords as well as learning about the incredible history, geology, wildlife, and cultures of these unique areas. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and are looking forward to many more adventures with Road Scholar in the future.

RS is my favorite travel company and this program is a good example of why. The educational quality of the program exceeded my expectations as did the leadership of our tour guide, Karie, and the total of our experiences at the Denali Educational Center. All program activities, from the inspiring tour of Calypso Farm to the cuddling of pups and dogsled lecture at Squid Acres Dog Kennel along with the lectures Bones delivered at the Denali Educational Center, gave me a much greater understanding of the resilient residents and ecosystem of our 49th state. Little known fact: Denali is taller than Mt. Everest. Sign up for this program and have Bones explain to you why this is true.

Alaska: beyond my limited Northern Exposure image. Alaska is not only stunning landscapes and wildness. Alaska's history and culture and the pure moxie of the settlers past and present make for one of the more surprising and fascinating adventures.

This trip was just amazing. The Denali Education Center was a terrific home for our time in the National Park. We stayed in small cabins on the river, ate wonderful meals in a riverside building (often eating outside, the weather was that good!), had lectures about geology, wildlife and even road construction in the park) in a larger hall down the road. A moose and her calf were visible most days grazing along the other side of the river. We did 3 hikes, one along the Savage River, one in the park near the visitor center and one around Horseshoe Lake. For each hike the group of 30 was split into two smaller groups. We saw lots of wildlife on the long drive on the main park road (Dall sheep, grizzly mom with two cubs, moose, caribou). We also enjoyed visits to two other sites. The first was to a local organic farm that produced the greens we enjoyed in salads all week, learning what it takes to create a farm on a hillside in Alaska. The second was our visit to Squid Acres Kennel to learn about mushing in the Iditarod. After a talk about what it takes to operate a kennel and race (Paige placed 5th last year!) we got to see the team hitched up and off to a practice run, and finally got to interact with the dogs themselves. A trip high point for me! Our last few days we traveled south to Anchorage to Kenai NP where our focus was on glaciers and sealife. Unforgettable time on boat trip to Holgate Glacier. Saw group of humpback whales feeding and lots of sea lions and seabirds. A visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center where an 80+ year old woman talked to us about growing up in Alaska before we watched traditional games and dance completed our time. Our guide, Nate Porter, grew up on a homestead in Alaska. He was hugely knowledgeable about everything Alaska and a lot of fun. There's so much to see and do. I highly recommend this trip.

This Road Scholar trip was wonderful. The trip covered some the interior of Alaska, the Denali National Park, and some of the coast of Alaska at Seward. Included was a trip to see some Iditarod sled dogs and to learn about this race. We had great educational guides and the best food!

This was my 26th roadscholar trip and it was magnificient. covered so much of interior Alaska which i loved... DEC is a perfect place to stay - i looked out my window at the raging Nenana river each evening and morning and had an encouter with a moose just out by the beach. Wildlife cruise at Seward-WOW!

This was an excellent program: Educational, well-organized, saw wildlife, beautiful landscapes, good home-cooked meals, and enjoyed my travel companions. Our group leader Jennifer was an outstanding asset to the program with her good humor, organizational skills, flexibility, willingness to accommodate some of our individual changes in plans, and calmness in dealing with some difficult issues that happened on the trip. Alaska is simply beautiful is another reason to go on this trip.

This was one of my best vacations ever -- informative and fun, challenging yet affirming, offering new adventures and vistas everyday. It was my first RoadScholar trip but will not be my last.

This is a "must do" trip. You're surrounded with the beauty of the mountains, glaciers, tundra, parma frost areas, lakes, rivers and of course wildlife. Seward gives you the taste of an interesting harbor town that is surrounded by glaciers and the Resurrection Bay. The bay cruise offers the opportunity to see Orcas, Hump Back whales, otters, Puffins and more. Make this program your next adventure you will never forget!

Loved the DEC setting - calm, peaceful with excellent food. Lots of info, hikes, activities on this trip. Jennifer is an outstanding leader, ready to share her love of Alaska and helping each person have their best experience of Alaska. Exit Glacier hike let me know I was not in Montana. Highly recommend this trip!

This is a wonderful tour for people who love observing nature, being outdoors, and walking. Denali and Seward are the highlights of the trip. A big shout out to the folks at the Denali Education Center for their warm Alaska welcome, expertise on the topics covered, and fine healthy cuisine. Bring sensible clothes, a sense of Wonder, and include Covid masks/tests.

Went beyond my expectations. Hope I can participate in another program some day.

What a wonderful program!!! We highly recommend it to anyone wanting to know the “real” Alaska!!!

This was the TRIP OF A LIFETIME!!!

Five stars! Denali Education Center is a fabulous place to spend 5 nights. The three meals a day are totally outstanding. The hikes are all different: (1) tundra with cranberries and blueberries ripe for the picking (and eating), wildflowers, lichen, algae and fungus in abundance along the trail. (2) the Savage River trail provided examples of the geology and glacial activity results in the area. On that hike, we saw a ptarmigan family near the trail. (3) the Horseshoe Lake trail is one of the more challenging, but worth it when you get down to the lakeshore. On that hike, we saw an Arctic ground squirrel depositing food on her midden, and a Northern goshawk sitting near her nest. (4) Exit Glacier trail was my most challenging, but when I got back down I was very proud of myself for keeping up with the group (I'm 80 years old). The modern duplex cabins are comfortable and privately located. The itinerary you receive before the trip is very accurate in describing all the activities. On our drive to Pretty Rocks landslide, we saw a Grizzly bear, a caribou running down the middle of the road, moose, and a Dall sheep down off the mountain. On the boat trip we saw a glacier calving (very interesting sound), sea otters, a humpback whale with her calf, seals floating on the ice near the glaciers, and puffins flying, swimming and resting on the rocks. (Be sure not to miss the puffins at the SeaLife Center, where you can visit them up close in a visitors' room). This Road Scholar program was a very educational way for me to visit Alaska for the first time.

The trip was wonderful. Katie May did an awesome job. Two suggestions would be to have oral introductions on the first night and stay one night between Denali and Seward to “shorten “ the trip. The activities in Seward were particularly impressive. I loved all the locations and the employees.

Excellent in every way! The Denali Education Center did a wonderful job arranging the trip, and the group leader, Nate, was outstanding. I had some limitations on hiking; Nate was able to accommodate my desire to visit the NPS sled dog kennels in place of one hike. My roommate and I loved the little cabins at the DEC, and the food was outstanding. The late spring resulted in our group seeing a spectacular array of wildflowers. The temps in the 50-60-low 70s were a lovely break for this Nashvillian. It did rain rather a lot the last several days, and several of us did get seasick on the wildlife cruise out of Seward, but seeing the humpback whale, sea otters, seals, orcas and a calving glacier made up for that. And we actually got to see Mt. Denali! I highly recommend this trip.

What a wonderful experience, learning about the enormity of the 49th state, its original inhabitants, history, geology, flora and fauna! We were privileged to see and explore so many aspects of Denali and Kenai Fjords with expert guides and a terrific group leader. Great trip!

I am a 73 yo female with no impediments to walking 3 or 4 miles and up to 300-400 ft elevation. The program had hikes that lasted 2-4 hours which included stops to look at and photograph flowers and animals and also rest a while.. So the pace was comfortable for me. Some days we hiked in the morning with lectures or museums in the afternoon and other days we hiked in the afternoon after lectures in the morning. So the program was designed to offer a variety of things to learn at a manageable pace. At night I was tired but not exhausted. In the morning I was ready for the day's activities. I enjoyed my first program with Road Scholar and would consider doing another one.

I highly recommend The Best of Alaska’s National Parks: From Denali to Kenai. It was filled with educational presentations, hikes and knowledgeable and friendly staff! A variety of healthy menus to feed the body and soul in the wilderness was equally as good as the above!

I really enjoyed the trip. The accommodations in Denali were wonderful. All the time was good and the staff excellent. The food was great. Just wish there had been seat belts on the bus provided for the long trip from Denali to Seward.

Alaska was spectacular but our program was disappointing. Personnel who hosted and led the program were nice, helpful and well informed. We felt we should have been informed about the road closure which diminished the possibility of seeing the mountain. We never even got close to it. We were disappointed with the quality of the hiking in Denali, most on paths and trails at or near the visitor center. One day of that would have been enough. Stretching it to four days by adding more of the same plus a lot of classroom time failed to recognize the major investment of time and money that participants made to visit the park. We were disappointed in the food. At the Riverside in Fairbanks we would say it was just poor quality. At the Denali Education Center there were a few good meals but we’d say it was mostly mediocre with a few bad meals. In both Denali and Kenai Fjords it felt to us like people were going through the motions at the end of the season and focused at least in part on going home. Our faith in Road Scholar to stick to best times, rather than all available times was diminished. Despite several calls through spring and early summer the travel office left us hanging up to the last minute. Then in July when we finally called and insisted that they book the flights we were presented with terrible flight times at twice the cost of what we would have paid if booked in spring. We will never again rely on the Road Scholar travel office. We may or may not consider another Road Scholar program. Our previous experiences have all been very good and that counts from something. But Road Scholar had been our first and only choice until now. We will be doing more shopping around for future travel. We got some good recommendations from others on our program who seemed to us to be equally underwhelmed by this program.

This program was fantastic with eye-opening hikes, hands-on lectures and mindful learning about the huge, but fragile state of Alaska and all of its treasures.

The Alaskan national parks program is wonderful, do not miss out on something that may disappear in the future.

I loved my 1st Roads Scholar program - The Best of Alaska's National Parks - especially where we stayed in Denali - Denali Educational Center, fantastic food z& amazing instructors (Bones). The boat trip from Seward was also a highlight- saw lots of Orcas, sea lions, glaciers calving

Thos program was incredible. Julie Noel was a wonderful group leader, and all of our lecturers and hiking guides were exemplary. Denali was a dream come true. The Denali Education Center and its staff were wonderful and so welcoming. Not to mention the food!! Seward was a charming town, and we enjoyed our wildlife/glacier viewing cruise in (rare) sunshine! This program does an excellent job of combining a great deal if instruction with quite a few terrific (also instructional) hikes.

This trip gives a great overview of the Denali area and Kenai Fjords. The history, information of flora and fauna, and the animals of the areas is thoroughly covered. One also learns how people live in the areas. Lots of seeing and learning of Alaska

The Last Frontier - Go where not many people go! Into Denali National Park, as far as you can and be crossing a bridge on foot when a ranger comes up and takes your arm, and guides you to a safe spot as a bear is coming down the road. Take a day long boat ride in the Kenai Fjords and see puffins, orca whales, otters, eagles, seals and glaciers calving! Stay in cozy cabins inside the park, eat great meals, and be attended by our great guide and leader, Julie N. She certainly knew how to "herd cats". Bring hiking shoes or boots, layers, think fleece, hiking poles, if you need, a hat, backpack, and your quest for adventure and curiosity. You will have a life changing adventure.

If you want to experience Alaska and see wild place, this is the trip for you.

This program was a great combination of educational activities and outdoor experiences.

This program was a perfect combination of seeing the beauty of unpopulated areas like Denali and the cities and what they have to offer. I learned so much about Alaska and its beauty and the ecosystem. The guides and activities were amazing and the hiking we did was enough to be a little challenging, but not too hard for the average person. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough.

Please be aware that if your traveling partner drops out of the program and it happens that another person of the same sex has a traveling partner who drops out of the program, Road Scholar policy evidently is to have the two who didn't drop out room together even though they are strangers. While this worked out for me and the stranger I roomed with, it didn't sit well with either of us. The program itself is fantastic, but this policy is the pits. It's just wrong. And if something should go wrong between the two strangers, Road Scholar is asking for trouble.

Alaska has been a must-see destination of mine forever and this program provided an enlightening view of the subarctic region and its vast glory. Denali was exquisite (a rare treat), and the fjords/glaciers did not disappoint. Group Leader Darrel was a wonder: personable, capable, good natured and handled the unexpected well. Field guides/lecturers Kristin and Bones were gems with fascinating lives, incredible knowledge, and a passion for Alaska that was infectious. All of the above were highpoints of the program. If I have a criticism, it would be Road Scholar's policy regarding COVID outbreaks, and measures to mitigate them. Improvements would be welcome.

Alaska was a bucket list destination for me. This trip did not disappoint! Staying at the Denali Education Center was so special: beautiful riverside location, comfy cabins, delicious chef-driven meals, expert speakers, and traveler camaraderie. (Maybe too much fun led to Covid diagnoses?) I enjoyed learning about park history and the characters who played important roles. Museum trips offered additional perspective on the geology, native peoples, animal and plant life of Alaska. I highly recommend this adventure.

I learned a lot about Alaska. The staff at the Denali Education Center are exceptional people and provided a wonderful experience.

Fantastic trip! Lived up to expectations. All went well, but for one problem with Covid. Several members on the trip tested positive on day 3 or 4. Ten more did; by the end, 15 of 30 were positive. We did get it, but at the end, so we didn't lose anything. I have to commend our group leader, Darrell Johnston, very highly! Not only as an example of what a group leader should be, but also as a top notch crisis manager! What ever problem came up, including the growing number of positive Covid tests, he made fantastic adjustments, and kept things moving in the right direction. This was a trip maker for all of us. He got extra rooms, buses; alternate eating arrangements, test kits and explained policies and procedures very clearly. As a former Assistant fire chief, I could appreciate his effective approach to problem solving. It was our 50th Anniversary trip; his handling of all the situations really saved the trip. It could have been very different but for his approach to everything. He deserves any reward you can give him!! You have a gem of a group leader! Sam and Deb

I highly recommend the National Parks of Alaska trip. It was one of the best of the 11 Road Scholar trips we have taken. It has a great deal of variety and excellent information about Alaska that went beyond what we expected.

Well organized and informative trip

What a wonderful experience this trip was. Alaska is such a unique place, and I learned so much about the history, geology, plants and animals of the state. I saw animals and birds that I had never seen before in their natural habitat (Grizzly bears, caribou, orcas, sea lions, seals, puffins). As a lover of horticulture, I was fascinated to see how plants adapted to the harsh climate of Alaska. And talking to fellow participants about their travels encouraged me to think about other places to visit. All in all, this program was a great experience.

This is an excellent program for those wanting a taste of the many faces of Alaska. We traveled from the interior to the coast, entranced by the landscapes and the animals in each environment. The speakers, hikes, and museums were wonderful. The Denali Education Center staff was enthusiastic and accommodating. It was a great experience!

Dinali National Park is like no other park. 6 million acres is astounding and affords an understanding of what the pioneer experience in America was like. Skip the cruise and take a hike!

The Best of Alaska’s National Parks is a fantastic program. We got to experience the best of two aspects of Alaska - the interior wilderness of Denali National Park and the sea coast of the Kenai Fjords National Park. The naturalist-led hikes are informative and really help you to appreciate the wonders of the area. The boat trip on Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska showed the glories of glaciers and the animals living in and on the sea. The accommodations are very nice, particularly the Denali Education Center. There is a good balance between being in the outdoors, exploring interesting museums and listening to lectures. I really can’t say enough good things about this trip.