Planning a cruise and land vacation to Alaska? One place we recommend including in your itinerary is Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It’s the nation’s largest National Park, spanning from the Canadian border to south central Alaska–over 13.2 million acres. Wrangell-St. Elias has four major mountain ranges, with 9 of the 16 highest peaks in the U.S. which include Mt. Wrangell and Mt. St. Elias (18,008 ft). The glaciers formed in the mountains extend down to almost the Gulf of Alaska. High-grade copper ore veined through these mountains until frontiersmen discovered it while looking for gold.
You can visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park on a Princess Alaska Cruisetour
Princess Cruises has several cruise-plus-land tour options in 2014 that include a stay in the largest wilderness (six-times larger than Yellowstone) in the U.S. The 13-15 day cruisetours begin or end with a 7-day cruise between Vancouver and Whittier. You can take the 13-day “Off the Beaten Path” Cruisetour, or add another day for the 14-day “Off the Beaten Path” Cruisetour, or there’s the 15-day “Connoisseur Deluxe Escorted” Cruisetour.
All three choices include a two-night stay at Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, overlooking Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The lodge resembles the traditional national park lodges. It’s rustic, relaxing and all about the views. The lodge sits along the bluff that overlooks the vast wilderness and mountain ranges. The dining room has a wall of windows so you can enjoy your authentic Alaskan cuisine with views of the expansive wilderness and snow-capped mountain peaks. But if you want to do more than just enjoy the view…there are plenty of excursions to take advantage of while you’re there.
BY FOOT
Kennicott Explorer–Explore the historic copper mining town of Kennicott. Learn about the origination of McCarthy, AK and experience life in the Last Frontier. Cool fact: No drinking or gambling was allowed in Kennicott, so that’s why McCarthy sprang up.
Worthington Glacier Hike—Grab your parka for a hike on the ice blue Worthington Glacier. Once you reach the glacier, your guide will provide you with a pair of crampons and take you out onto the glacier.
BY DOG
Sled Dog Demonstration & Ride—Play with Alaska’s sledding competition dogs. See how the Husky dogs train during the summer months, and join a local musher and his dog team on an adrenaline-pumping ride on a wheeled cart through the wilderness.
BY WATER
Salmon Fishing by Raft—Full Day or Half Day – Combine the scenic wilderness rafting experience with a fishing pole. You’ll be able to catch salmon without competing with the bears.
Wild & Scenic Backcountry Rafting—Want to go faster? Ride the rushing whitewater of the glacier-fed Klutina River on a raft through a forested valley and tall canyons. Your guide will tell you how this river was used during the gold rush and utilized by the U.S. Army.
BY AIR
Wrangell St. Elias Air Panorama—See the largest national park in the U.S. by air! You’ll see all of the Wrangell-St. Elias Park mountain ranges and have the best views of the glaciers, lush valleys, mud volcanoes and wildlife.
Book your Princess Alaskan cruisetour with CruiseExperts.comwildlife.
Historic Kennicott and Wrangell-St. Elias Flightseeing Adventure—Flightseeing is the best way to see the vast wilderness and some of the most breathtaking views. On this tour, you’ll also get to explore the old copper mining towns of Kennicott and McCarthy.
IT’S TIME TO BOOK your 2014 Alaskan Cruisetour
Now is the time to book your Alaskan cruisetour for next year. Call a CruiseExperts.com agent today to get more information on Alaskan cruises and cruisetours and we can help you plan the trip of your dreams. Call 1-888-804-CRUIse(2784) or visit our website at www.CruiseExperts.com.
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