Compare Alaska’s Winter Magic Northern lights, dog sledding, and helicopter sightseeing by Off The Beaten Path vs Desert Escapes of California & Arizona - end Phoenix, Summer 2021 by Small World Tours And Cruises

Day 1

(Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs) Meet your guide and traveling companions this morning and begin to get a larger sense of your surroundings on the scenic drive from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs. After we arrive at our quaint hot springs resort, the remainder of the afternoon is yours to soak in the indoor or outdoor hot springs pools, or take the resort’s renewable energy tour, ice skate on the pond, or cross-country ski or snowshoe on the lodge’s 440-acres of well-marked trails. (Your guide can show you the basics, and ala carte equipment rentals are available.) Around 10 p.m., we board a snow coach for the 30-minute ride up to the viewpoint, which looks over the valley and is far from city light pollution. There’s a heated yurt there, where you can help yourself to a hot beverage (rustic outhouses are on-site). Word quickly spreads when the aurora is dancing outside, so we can step out to bask in the otherworldly glow of the phenomenal northern lights. Created by interaction between solar wind and the earth’s magnetic field, the lights dance, shift, shimmer, drape, and glow in hues of green, and sometimes blue and pink as they undulate in the sky. Many northern cultures interpreted the lights as spirits dancing, and you’ll understand why. The snowcoach takes us back to the resort at 2 a.m.

Day 2

(Chena Hot Springs) Sleep in this morning after last night’s aurora quest, and when you do get up, the day is yours to enjoy as you like. Dip in the outdoor hot springs “rock lake” (adults only) for a unique Alaskan experience, or relax in the indoor family pool. Along with the skating, skiing, and snowshoeing, you can (for extra cost) sign up for a horse-drawn sleigh ride, snow machine tour, dog sled ride and kennel tour, or even a 2-hour dog mushing school. And be sure to give yourself time to tour the ice museum, with its amazing ice sculptures. Tonight is another chance to view the northern lights, either from the hilltop yurt or hot springs pool.

Day 3

(Fairbanks to Girdwood) This morning we catch an hour-long flight to Anchorage, then drive about an hour to Girdwood, a gold-camp-turned-ski-town at the base of the Chugach Mountains. After lunch we’ll strap on some snowshoes and head out on the Winner Creek Trail, which is right behind the resort. It’s beautiful tramping through the quiet, snowy, temperate forest, watching for moose and other wildlife.

Day 4

(Girdwood and Prince William Sound) The sky’s the limit today on an eye-popping flight-seeing excursion into the backcountry of the Chugach Mountains and out over Prince William Sound. In the mountains, we’ll fly over glacially formed valleys and vast, translucent blue glaciers, and (weather permitting) land on a glacier or high on a ridge with a 360-degree panorama of mountains and glaciers. Our return trip takes us over the pristine waters of Prince William Sound, where the clear waters and rocky fjords offer breathtaking landscapes and excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. The afternoon will be at your leisure for downhill or cross-country skiing or taking advantage of the resort’s spa, fitness center, and shops.

Day 5

(Girdwood and Seward) A scenic hour and a half drive this morning takes us along Turnagain Arm and down to the little town of Seward. Just outside town we meet the Seaveys, a renowned (and winning!) Iditarod racing family. They’ll teach us the fundamentals of driving a dog team and before we know it we’re mushing our own teams through scenic wilderness to Exit Glacier. Don’t forget your camera! The scenery is incredible, and there’s a good chance of seeing moose and bald eagles on the 16-mile run. If there's time, we'll visit the Alaska SeaLife Center before we head back to Girdwood. Tonight we’ll celebrate this memorable trip with a farewell dinner at the fabulous 7 Glaciers Restaurant.

Day 6

(Anchorage for departures home) Shuttle back to Anchorage this morning for connections home

Day 1: Arrive in Palm Springs

Meals: Dinner

Accommodations: Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Palm Springs.

Welcome to Palm Springs. A star-studded city nestled in the Sonoran Desert of southern California, it was the getaway for Hollywood legends Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Dean Martin and Loretta Young in the 1950s and 60s. It now prides itself on its glory years with a nod to its glitzy past evident in its retro architecture. Once you have arrived at the airport a transfer will take you to your hotel, where you will meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers at 18.00 for a Welcome Dinner.(Dinner with Wine)

Day 2: Out and about in Palm Springs

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Start the day with a tour of Palm Springs’ mid-century architecture with a history and architectural expert. Learn about the architects that have shaped the landscape of Palm Springs, including Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Donald Wexler and the Alexander brothers. Later, you’ll experience the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tram car, as it travels over two-and-one-half miles along the breathtaking cliffs and transports you to the pristine wilderness of the Mt. San Jacinto State Park. As you ascend on your ten-minute journey, the tram car rotates slowly, offering amazing vistas of the valley floor below. A Highlight Dinner at a local restaurant introduces you to the best of what Palm Springs has to offer.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Day 3: Exploring Joshua Tree National Park

Meals: Breakfast

This morning you’ll depart from your hotel for an excursion to Joshua Tree National Park, which is characterized by the strangely shaped Joshua trees, rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. The ecosysytems of the Mojave and the Colorado come together here with a variety of plants and animals that thrive in this surreal environment shaped by winds and occasional rainfall. Your knowledgeable Travel Director will bring the park’s history and geology to life. Enjoy some time at leisure this evening and get to know this desert oasis on your own terms.(Breakfast)

Day 4: Palm Springs and Scottsdale

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodations: Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale.

Today you’ll move from Palm Springs to Scottsdale. Once you’re in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area stop at the Heard Museum for a guided tour. The museum is dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art.(Breakfast)

Day 5: Flavour of Arizona

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Start the day with a guided tour of your famous hotel, Valley Ho. Meet a Local Expert who will take you on a guided tour of the property and talk to you about its glitzy Hollywood history and architecture. Later, meet with the chef of this evening's experience for a walk through the stalls of the Old Town Farmers Market. This afternoon enjoy an Insight Choice between a small-group tour of Old Town Scottsdale on golf carts or a visit to the Museum of the West. In the evening, you’ll be introduced to the authentic flavours of the region as you head to a cooking demonstration and hands on experience. You’ll learn to cook classic Southwestern and Mexican staples such as enchiladas, spicy meat dishes and Spanish rice. Once you’ve learnt from the expert, sit and indulge in your tasty masterpiece.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Day 6: Gastronomic Tucson

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Tucson.

Wake for a hearty breakfast at your hotel before joining a guided tour of Taliesin West, the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards move on to Tucson. Meet a Local Expert who will guide you through the city on a Foodie Tour, which will be included as your lunch. Tucson is known for its farmer’s markets, annual food festivals and fairs that specialise in southwestern cuisine.(Breakfast / Lunch)

Day 7: Tucson and Saguaro National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

In the morning you’ll make your way to historic Tombstone, where a guided tour with a Local Expert will introduce you to the once bustling boomtown of the Wild West. Then it offered much-needed entertainment to the many miners that spent hours underground. This afternoon you'll visit Saguaro National Park. Situated in southern Arizona on either side of the city of Tucson, this beautiful park seduces visitors with its wild, rugged features and striking views of the desert landscape. Later this evening, toast to your travels with your new friends at your Celebration Dinner before your trip comes to an end tomorrow. There will be time for stargazing after your meal with a professional astronomer. Look up to the stars through the largest moving compound telescope in the world, as an expert explains the science behind what you’re seeing.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Day 8: Depart Phoenix

Meals: Breakfast

It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travellers as your trip comes to an end. Take our organised transfer to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport arriving at 11:00.(Breakfast)