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12 | Winter Wonderland Tour DAY 1: ARRIVAL Transfer to your overnight accommodations in Anchorage, an urban enclave surrounded by miles of pure wilderness, and rest up. The adventure begins tomorrow. DAY 2: TURNAGAIN ARM, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER & ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER Board a motor coach and take the southern route along Turnagain Arm, one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in the U.S. Stop on the way to Girdwood at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Alaska Sealife Center to end at the Hotel Alyeska, where you'll stay for two nights. (B, L) DAY 3: GIRDWOOD Take advantage of a day at leisure to partake in the optional tours and amenities offered at the resort. A tram ride providing spectacular views of the valley is included with your stay, so be sure to hop on! (B) DAY 4: ANCHORAGE, ALASKA ZOO & IDITAROD Back to Anchorage you go, where you'll be taken on a tour of the city and go behind the scenes at the Alaska Zoo. Free time allows a chance to stop in at the Anchorage Museum, a must for the art and history of Alaska. Unpack—you'll be spending the next four nights here. Tonight, kick off the Iditarod festivities with dinner at the Mushers' Banquet. (B, D) DAY 5: MARTIN BUSER & IDITAROD HEADQUARTERS Travel north to meet four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser at his Happy Trails Kennel, where you'll be regaled with personal stories while enjoying the grandiose scenery of the Iditarod Trail. Return to your base in Anchorage to visit the Iditarod Headquarters and see a replica Iditarod station up close. (B) DAY 6: IDITAROD Today marks the start of the Iditarod, and you'll be right there to cheer on mushers from all over the world. In the afternoon, enjoy a cultural visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Another day of the Iditarod awaits, but your farewell dinner will take place this evening. (B, D) DAY 7: IDITAROD SLED DOG RACE On your last day, you'll be taken to Willow for the official start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race; mushers traditionally take off every two minutes across Willow Lake to begin their 1,131-mile journey by dogsled to Nome. The food and drinks in the Willow Community Center will be welcome after the cold, and vendors will also have local crafts for sale, so you can pick up that perfect souvenir before taking your coach back to Anchorage for your last night's stay. (B, S) WINTER WONDERLAND TOUR 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS Featuring Alaska's World-Famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race and Mushers' Banquet Meals Included: (B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (S) Snack, (D) Dinner 1 1 5 1 4 4 3 2 2 11 A L A S K A R A N G E Denali (Mt. McKinley) Bering Land Bridge Natl. Pres. Gates of the Arctic NP Arctic NWR Yukon Flats NWR Koyukuk NWR Nowitna NWR Kodiak NWR Kenai Fjords NP Alaska Peninsula NWR Denali NP & Pres. Lake Clark NP & Pres. Katmai NP & Pres. Selawik NWR Kanuti NWR Innoko NWR Yukon Delta NWR Togiak NWR Wood- Tikchik SP Yukon- Charley Rivers Natl. Pres. Wrangell- St. Elias NP & Preserve Bristol Bay Norton Sound Kuskokwim Bay Gulf of Alaska B e ri n g S t r a i t Y u k o n R i v e r K u s k o k w i m R . Anchorage Fairbanks Nome Council Bethel Denali Seward Glenallen Homer Girdwood Valdez Cordova Kodiak Teller Dillingham 0 200 miles 0 200 km Palmer Kobuk Val. NP Kotzebue DAY 8: DEPARTURE A transfer will deliver you to the airport in Anchorage, completing this incredible experience. Pre- and post-tour stays as well as cruise alignment options are available for this tour. Consult your travel agent for more details on this and other escorted itineraries.