The most awe-inspiring aspects of Alaska, from Denali National Park and spectacular Mt. McKinley to the Kenai Peninsula's wildlife-rich waters are seen via glass-domed railcar, tour boat, and luxury motor coach on the new Escorted Alaska Explorer tour from Gray Line of Alaska, a division of Holland America Line.

The eight-day, seven-night tour roundtrip from Anchorage combines the best of Alaska's wilderness and cultural attractions. The tour is fully escorted, with a knowledgeable tour director to ensure a seamless multi-component travel experience.

The tour departs on Saturdays: May 22, June 19, July 3 and 17, August 14, and Sept. 4. The value-season fare per person double occupancy is $1,625 (May and September); peak season is $1,855. The fare includes hotel, transportation, and some meals.

Among the tour highlights is a journey through the remote Alaska wilderness, inaccessible by car, onboard the luxurious McKinley Explorer railcars, which are the largest railcars operated in Alaska. During the tour, guests breakfast on freshly prepared regional cuisine as they travel to Denali National Park. Tour activities include the homespun Cabin Nite Dinner Theater, a tour into the park to view big game and other wildlife, and optional experiences such as a jet boat ride or helicopter flightseeing.

Group members visit quaint Talkeetna and enjoy an overnight at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, with more flightseeing and river-tour options. The motor coach return south includes a cruise to Portage Glacier aboard the mv Ptarmigan and an overnight at the Kenai Princess Lodge overlooking the Kenai River.

In Seward, guests take an adventure cruise along the dramatic Kenai Peninsula coastline, punctuated by misty glacier-carved fjords, watching for whales, sea lions, porpoises, and sea otters plus goats, moose, bears, and bald eagles. Back in Anchorage, the tour visits the remarkable Alaska Native Heritage Center and concludes with a farewell dinner at the Sourdough Mining Company.

Gray Line of Alaska has operated independent tours in Alaska for more than 50 years. For 2004, the company offers 26 multiple-day package tours that can be customized, as well as sightseeing tours in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Skagway, and Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon.

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Media Contact: Jennifer Larsen +1 206-281-3535 glainfo@hollandamerica.com