Marilyn Foster: Listen to the call of the wild in Alaska

Right now as I sit here trying to keep cool, a trip to Alaska sounds like the perfect place to be. The average summer temperature this time of year is about a perfect 70 degrees in Anchorage.

About this time next year, the Chamber Travel Club is going to cool off in Alaska while here it will be the typical hot, hot end of July. As the title of the tour denotes, we’re going to respond to the “call of the wild” and hop on a flight right out of Reno to take the up close and personal land journey beginning in Anchorage. Then we’ll hop on a boat and a train to better see the breathtaking and awe-inspiring land for which Alaska is so well known.

The day after we arrive in Anchorage, we’ll board the Alaska Railroad Denali Star train seated in the deluxe dome rail car for the 8-hour journey through the heart of Alaska allowing us to see some of the most spectacular and diverse scenery on earth. We’ll get the feel of the Alaska frontier as our train rolls through mountains, along waterways, and through valleys allowing glimpses of the many varieties of wild animals for which this state is known.

We’ll spend two nights in Denali State Park and on the second morning will venture deep into the park to see the wild animals on a 5-hour Tundra Wilderness Tour making stops every 90 minutes to shoot photos. The park is home to what used to be called Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America.

The coastal community of Seward is next on the itinerary and it is here we will spend 3 nights. We’ll travel along the scenic Seward Highway. The highlight of our stay here will be a half-day cruise on the Glacier Express to see the spectacular marine life as we travel through the majestic Kenai Fjords National Park to see the ice-capped fjords and glaciers. The park is home to more than 30 glaciers – see them before they melt! These deep fjords were carved by glaciers over a thousand years old and only two states can claim these long narrow inlets – Alaska and the state of Washington.

There will be time to explore charming Seward on your own to walk along the waterfront park and beach and visit the Alaska Seal Life Center, the marine mammal rescue center and aquarium.

The trip is being operated by Premier World Discovery featuring first-class hotels, all touring, transportation, round-trip air from Reno to Anchorage, free parking at the Chamber, airport transfers, daily breakfast, two lunches, and two dinners and will be expertly guided.

This is truly a bucket list trip to a beautiful state where you can see the glaciers without traveling out of your own country. And you won’t be able to really experience this type of journey on a cruise with hundreds of other passengers.

Call 775-882-1565 or stop by the Chamber at 1900 S. Carson St. for a free brochure. You can view the tour on the travel club page at https://carsoncitychamber.com/spotlight/details/chamber_travel_club.

If this trip is not of interest and you’d rather go to Italy, Greece, or other destinations, the staff at the Chamber can be of assistance. All current travel offerings are found on the travel club page.

Right now, I wish we were in Alaska enjoying every moment of cool breezes and about 17 hours of daylight. Alaska: The call of the wild will be a trip you won’t soon forget. And the pictures you take will surely be award winning. Departing July 25, 2024.