YMT's Alaskan Vacation Adventures!

AlaskaOffers Proposed Great Northwest Tour and Alaska Cruise Itinerary

Day 1 (Thursday) – Fly to Salt Lake City, Utah: Today, your Alaskan adventure begins with your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival at the Salt Lake International Airport, those who purchased their airline tickets from Your Man Tours, Inc. will be met in the baggage claims area and transferred to the hotel. Overnight in Salt Lake City area.

Day 2 (Friday) – City Tour of Salt Lake City and scenic drive to Jackson, WY: Your day begins with a very interesting tour of Salt Lake City. Sights you will see include Mormon Square, the Beehive House, Delta Center, Salt Palace Convention Center, the State Capitol Building and much more of this extremely interesting city. Just outside of Salt Lake City you will view the Great Salt Lake at the base of the beautiful Lakeside and Terrace Mountains. Later today you will get a preview of Teton and Yellowstone Parks as you travel to Jackson, WY by way of Caribou and Bridger-Teton National Forests for your overnight in Jackson area.

Day 3 (Saturday) – West Yellowstone, MT via Teton and Yellowstone National Park: Today, your eyes will be filled with the breathtaking beauty of two of our greatest national parks, Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Teton National Park adjoins Yellowstone to the north and is an impressive way to start the day. This high alpine valley with abundant wildlife has some magnificent views of the granite crest of the Grand Teton Range. Yellowstone, a masterpiece of unspoiled nature, is the most beautiful in the U. S. and probably in the world. With its boiling geysers, hot springs, steep canyons, mud volcanoes, deep pine forests, dizzying waterfalls, and fossilized trees, Yellowstone is a glorious, untamed cross section of North America. Your highlight will be seeing Old Faithful gushing 100’s of feet in the air. This will be one of the most awesome sightseeing days of your trip.

Day 4 (Sunday) – Butte, MT via North Yellowstone National Park: Today will be another outstanding day in Yellowstone National Park, before departing for Butte, MT. Your sightseeing will include Norris Geyser Basin, noted for pretty springs and open areas of geysers, vents and fumeroles. Then on to the Canyon area known as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone for a spectacular view from the North and South Rim. The Lamar Valley is next. Keep a look out for wildlife such as Bison, pronghorn antelope and perhaps a bear or wolf as you travel through these rolling hills. The geothermal features of Mammoth Hot Springs are next, the terraces and springs are beautiful. Exiting Yellowstone at Gardiner you will say goodbye to the oldest park in the national and proceed to Butte, MT for your overnight.

Day 5 (Monday) – Spokane, WA by way of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene: Today, you will travel through Montana’s “Big Sky Country” into northern Idaho for a fantastic picture stop in Coeur d’Alene. Lake Coeur d’Alene is the center piece for this resort city and is a very worthwhile stop. Then, on to Spokane, Washington and a tour of Riverfront Park and the sites of Expo 74. Overnight in Spokane area.

Day 6 (Tuesday) – Penticton, British Columbia via the Grand Coulee Dam: This morning on Highway 20, which is one of the most spectacular highways in the state of Washington, is the Grand Coulee Dam. This is a must stop for pictures of this 555 foot high, 5,223 foot wide engineering marvel. Upon arrival in Penticton you’ll see that it is a resort city for all seasons. Cradled within tree trimmed mountain slopes, dramatic clay cliffs and bordered by Okanagan and Skaha Lakes, Penticton has the natural beauty visitors seek. Overnight in Penticton area.

Day 7 (Wednesday) – Transfer to Vancouver, B.C. via the Cascade Mountains to board Holland America Cruise Lines ms Volendam: This morning you are off to Vancouver. Vancouver is a place where the mountains and the oceans seem to have had a love affair and given birth to this wonderful city. En route to Canada Place Pier you will experience the ambiance of this cosmopolitan city. You will pass through Gastown, which is the most historical and interesting part of Vancouver. Next, it’s Bon Voyage as you sail from Vancouver Harbor and under Lion’s Gate Bridge to your awaiting Alaska experience. Holland America’s stellar five-star service will soon take your breath away.

Day 8 (Thursday) – Cruising the Inside Passage: When explorer John Muir first sailed the Inside Passage he could hardly tear himself away from the rail for fear of missing some new marvel. “Never before,” he wrote, “have I been embosomed in scenery so hopelessly beyond description tracing shining waves through fjord and sound, past forest and waterfall, islands and mountains...” All this while you’re gliding along in the lap of luxury aboard Holland America Lines.

Day 9 (Friday) – Juneau (Arrive 2:00 PM; Depart 11:00 PM): In Alaska’s capital you may choose to taste salmon baked over an alderwood fire, pan for gold, flightsee the Juneau Ice Field or, walk right up to the Mendenhall Glacier located just outside the city limits. There are ample shore excursions to fill your day. Juneau is nestled at the feet of snowcapped Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts and is nicknamed “Little San Francisco” because of its narrow streets and flights of wooden steps hugging the hillside on which its multicolored houses are built.

Day 10 (Saturday) – Skagway (Arrive 7:00 AM; Depart 9:00 PM): Where the Gold Rush began, Skagway was the turbulent staging point for prospectors hell-bent on getting to the Klondike gold fields. Go ashore. Stroll the weathered boardwalks and drop in at old-time saloons or shop for gold nuggets. You can purchase tickets for a ride in a vintage parlor car up the historic White Horse Pass, via the narrow gauge railway. Skagway has preserved the atmosphere of the 1898 gold rush better than any other town in Alaska.

Day 11 (Sunday) – Scenic cruising Glacier Bay National Park (Cruising Glacier Bay 7:00 AM-4:00 PM): One of Alaska’s noblest and most impressive natural beauties is the climax of your cruise. The overwhelming grandeur of glaciers, exotic wildlife, and pristine environment combine to offer a breathtaking view of raw nature. You’ll spend the entire day cruising a 60 mile passage, passing glaciers galore, abundant wildlife and scenic beauty unique in all the world. Great chunks of the glaciers are continually falling into the bay with a deafening roar, which enhances the fascinating spectacle.

Day 12 (Monday) – Ketchikan (Arrive 10:00 AM; Depart 6:00 PM): Nicknamed “the salmon capital of the world,” this important fishing port is also home to the world’s largest collection of Native American totem poles. You will enjoy your stroll through the picturesque waterfront district of this quaint boardwalk city built on stilts, as well as the historic and former “Red Light” district amid gold shops, gift shops and restaurants.

Day 13 (Tuesday) – Cruising the Inside Passage: By now you have been totally spoiled with your way of life aboard ship. So why stop now? Make the most of the Holland America’s stellar service, spacious staterooms, dining varieties and premium cuisine, the spectacle of magical nights and the magnificent vistas which surround you.

Day 14 (Wednesday) – Disembarkation and transfer to Seattle: This morning you will disembark and board your spacious motor coach for the short, yet scenic drive to Seattle. En route you will pass through Washington’s evergreen forests, view her mighty Cascade Mountains and be amazed at the great lumber mills that harvest the nearby forests. Overnight in Seattle area.

Day 15 (Thursday) – Depart for Home: It is on to the airport for your flight home. Although your vacation is coming to an end, you will take with you new friends, memories, stories to share, and plans for your next YMT adventure!