Experience the glory of the Alaskan Wilderness at one of Alaska's premier wilderness lodges. Extremely remote, yet comfortably luxurious, Winter Lake Lodge overlooks a shimmering lake where you arrive by floatplane for wildlife viewing, sport fishing and other outdoor adventures. Other options include helicopter glacier trekking into the Alaska Range or taking a cooking class in the kitchen of award-winning chef Kirsten Dixon. Enjoy kayaking, canoeing and perhaps the finest cuisine this side of the Iditarod Trail.
Please note: Guests should fly into Anchorage to begin this program. Guests who require a visa for entry into the United States must obtain it prior to travel.
IMPORTANT: TO INSURE PROPER WEIGHT AND BALANCE ON YOUR FLIGHTSEEING PLANE, GUESTS MUST PROVIDE THEIR ACCURATE WEIGHT NO LESS THAN 60 DAYS PRIOR TO CRUISE DEPARTURE.
DAY 1 - ARRIVE ANCHORAGE
On arrival at Anchorage International Airport you are met by the local Silversea Cruises representative and taken on a brief orientation tour of Anchorage, before transferring to the hotel. If your flight is scheduled to arrive in the morning or early afternoon, please be aware that the hotel's official check-in time is 3:00 p.m. You might wish to consider reserving an additional night to insure immediate occupancy upon arrival.
Embraced by six mountain ranges and warmed by a maritime climate, Anchorage is alive year round with adventure, recreation, seasonal festivities, and sporting events - a modern city surrounded by spectacular wilderness. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense.
Overnight at the Captain Cook Hotel, Anchorage
DAY 2 - ANCHORAGE / WINTER LAKE
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for a brief tour of Anchorage's highlights. Continue to Lake Hood, home to the largest float-plane base in the world. From the base in Lake Hood you board a Bush Plane and fly to Winter Lake Lodge, a 50-minute flight over a lush green landscape of forests, tundra, rivers, and mountains. Descending, the mountains begin to hover over you as you touch down on a two-mile-long finger-shaped lake.
Winter Lake enjoys an ideal setting, tucked away far from civilization amid 15 acres of wilderness. For many, tiny Winter Lake Lodge is the quintessential Alaskan wilderness lodge. Winter Lake is for those who truly appreciate a stay in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by Alaska's glorious nature. Your hosts, Carl and Kirsten Dixon, have created a rustic yet upscale approach to the wilderness lodge. They're true Alaskans who have homeschooled their children and created this family-run business - and their love of nature, food, and people comes through clearly.
As you check-in you are greeted by a carefully trained staff, and the extremely personal service continues throughout your stay. The Dixons have an ability to recruit some of Alaska's best staffers, each of whom have their own specialty to share, whether it's about flowers, photography, or how to cast a fly-rod. An added highlight of your stay is a short included helicopter flight seeing excursion that can be booked upon arrival.
The personal attention comes in an especially intimate atmosphere. Winter Lake Lodge boasts just four units - huge, hand-crafted log cabins that feature handmade furniture and thick carpets. Relax inside, or sit outside and soak in the fields of rare chocolate lilies against the alpine view of Trimble Glacier and the shimmering lake. Lunch is served at the Lodge and an Alaskan themed dinner is included at the Lodge tonight.
Overnight at Winter Lake Lodge
DAY 3 - WINTER LAKE
Today, following a hearty breakfast this morning, the day is yours to enjoy. Activities abound, so you'll never get bored. Learn about the area's rich history as you hike the nearby trails (including the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Trail) past beaver dams, wildflower meadows, and meandering streams, up to sweeping views of the valley. Join the kitchen staff for an impromptu wine tasting. Take a yoga class. Explore the grounds on a mountain bike, and cut across the glass-like lake with a kayak or canoe.
The food is another reason people come - and come back. Kirsten is a celebrity chef in her own right; she was trained at the Cordon Bleu, has published two cookbooks, and regularly hosts TV cooking shows. Her innovative menus, that she manages to put together with ingredients from her own garden, are better than most 4-star restaurants.
Every day, when your activities are done, you return to the main lodge. The Lodge flies in rare cheeses and complements them with matching wines, making for the perfect pre-dinner get-together. Then sit down to a gourmet meal, which takes cooking to an art form. You may even find the berries you picked this morning turned into a pie for dessert!
Lunch and a gourmet dinner are included at the Lodge.
Overnight at Winter Lake Lodge
DAY 4 - WINTER LAKE / ANCHORAGE / SEWARD
After breakfast served at the Lodge, check-out and board the Bush Plane for your return flight to Anchorage. Once there, transfer to Seward for embarkation via the exclusive Grandview Cruise Train. The staff and crew are looking forward to welcoming you aboard.
Bon Voyage!
For rates and availability please contact Silversea Cruises
Package Inclusions:
Flight Details:
Day 2 - Anchorage to Winter Lake Lodge
Day 4 - Winter Lake Lodge - Anchorage
The aircraft used for the flight to Winter Lake Lodge will be a propeller-driven floatplane. The specific type of aircraft will depend on the overall number of guests participating in this program.
Flight durations may vary due to changes in flight schedules.
Luggage Information:
Due to space limitations on the flight to Winter Lake, please plan to travel with a small bag of no more than 35 pounds (approximately 15 kilograms). The balance of your luggage will be stored in Anchorage and transported to the ship on embarkation day.
Visa Information:
If you require a visa for the United States please consult with your travel professional well in advance of your trip. It is the responsibility of the guest to obtain all the appropriate visa documents before your cruise.
Health:
Mosquitoes are at their worst during peak season June, July, and August. If you plan on traveling into the backcountry or in wooded areas make sure to take bug spray along with long sleeved pants and shirts.
Accessibility:
This tour is accessible to all guests who are able to board and disembark a small aircraft without assistance. Those with mobility impairment(s) may find sites where uneven ground makes certain locations unsuitable for wheelchairs.
Note:
The operator reserves the right to alter the order of visits to accommodate local hours and days of operation.
Due to the exclusivity of Winter Lake Lodge, the property imposes strict payment and cancellation penalties. Full payment is due at time of confirmation, and once confirmed this program is 100% non-refundable.
All Land Programs require a minimum number of participants in order to operate as described. If this minimum number is not obtained, Silversea reserves the right to offer the program at a different rate based on private arrangements, or to cancel a specific departure.
This description is a general overview of the highlights of this program. The local Silversea representative will do everything possible to insure that all of the sites described here are visited, though the tour sequence and specific sites mentioned is subject to change. Closure of some sites due to local or national holiday observances, flight schedules, weather or other factors may affect the program, and the local operator reserves the right to substitute other sites if necessary.
Gratuities to guides/drivers, meals and alcoholic drinks other than those noted in itinerary, and other personal expenses are not included in the price of this tour. This program is subject to a 100% penalty for any cancellation notices received 90 days or less prior to sailing.
All Land Adventure fares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until payment is received in full by Silversea. All Land Adventures are non-transferable and non-refundable for any reason, within 90 days of sailing and are recommended to guests 18 years or age and older. Our local operator reserves the right to substitute other sites if local situations, including holidays and weather, require. Silversea shall have no obligation or liability of any kind to guests for the business practices, acts or omissions in connection with or arising out of arrangements with independent contractors, including but not limited to airline carriers, ground-tour operators, and hotels since they are neither agents for nor employees of Silversea Cruises. Silversea's liability does not extend beyond the vessel.