Introduction

Join us as we see America’s “Last Frontier” first hand.  Marvel at the size of this largest state in the U.S. with all its awesome natural wonders that can only be fully experienced on a land, sea, and air tour.  Bring plenty of digital space because everyday is a “Kodak” moment from sunrise to sunset (or does the sun set?)

Travel by van, plane, sight-seeing vessel, fishing boat, and Mississippi- style riverboat.  See agriculture as we visit an area where 90 pound cabbage and 30 pound turnips are grown and get acquainted with musk ox farming. Opportunities to see wildlife will seem endless. Take advantage of the opportunity to catch world-class halibut on a day of fishing in Cook Inlet and one day fishing salmon on the world- renowned Kenai River.  As we travel in our van we are likely to see moose, bears, and more.  Cruise Kenai Fjords National Park, and visit the Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward.  Sea lions, sea otters, whales, moose, caribou, timberwolves, grizzly bears, black bears, and numerous sheep are among the animals we will see in their natural environment.  In addition, you will have an opportunity to see Mt. Denali, the University of Alaska, a recreated Athabascan village, and glaciers.  The highlight of the trip, of course, will be the day of halibut fishing. 

We hope you can travel with us on this unforgettable, activity-filled  tour of one of the most fascinating and scenic places in the world.

Day 1-We arrive in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.  After getting our luggage, we will head to our hotel for an overnight.  Depending on our

arrival time, we may have time to explore the city of Anchorage before we

 “hit the hay”.

Day 2– Jerry will pick up our van for the duration of the trip this morning.

After breakfast we will see the mountains in the background as we head to

the eastern side of Alaska and toward the town of Delta Junction, the

town where the Alaskan Highway (Alcan) ends.  The route leads us

through a beautiful scenic area of Alaska as we pass by Matanuska Glacier

and the Wrangell-Elias Mountain Range.  Always have your camera ready

because you never know when a moose, bear, or some other critter will

appear along or on the road.  After a short stop at the visitor’s center, we

will stop at the Steakhouse of Delta Junction for supper before going on to one of our favorite bed and breakfast stays with Rick and Bonnie.

Day 3-Our first stop is near Rika to check out the roadhouse and then

continue on with a view of the Alaska Pipeline up close.  We see it often as

we continue on for the next couple of days, and you might agree with me

that it could be considered the eighth wonder of the world.  Although we had a great breakfast, you might be hungry by now for a little ice cream at a famous motorcycle stop and gift shop.  Our following stop will be at

North Pole, just a few miles out of Fairbanks.  This is a good place to

mail any postcards, to get them postmarked “North Pole”.  We also see

Santa’s house.  Notice the light poles in town.   Our last stop is Fairbanks

for today.  Following our fast-food lunch, we have another short drive to the Museum of the North, located on the campus of the University of

Alaska, Fairbanks.  The unique, modern architecture of the outside seems

to be in contrast to the artifacts that cover the history of Alaska from native inhabitants to early settlers and the gold rush. One highlight for many at the museum is the “Into the Wild” actual bus.

While Fairbanks may be one of the coldest cities in Alaska in the winter, it is one of the warmest in the summer, with temperatures frequently in the 70’s and 80’s.  We will eat local style before heading to our entertainment for the night, a light-hearted, comical look at the colorful characters from early and present day Fairbanks. After a long day we retire to our hotel for the night.

 

Day 4-Today is a well-earned relaxing day as we cruise the Tanana River on

an old-fashioned paddle wheeler. Paddle-wheel tourist riverboats still ply

the Chena and Tanana Rivers, and we have reserved seats on board for

this morning’s cruise.  The Mississippi style riverboat cruises to an

authentic (recreated) Athabascan village where many of the traditional

skills and lifestyles of the native people can be seen in one place.  Skills

include salmon fishing, wood carving, dog handling, and working with leather and skins.  Guides at this village are native Alaskans. We return to our riverboat departure point around noon where we will enjoy a miner’s stew lunch.  We head south to enjoy the exciting scenery and events that await us.  

 

Day 5– Today is our trek into the great Denali National Park.  After an early breakfast we begin our bus tour of Denali National Park some time

between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.  Although the visibility of Mount McKinley

varies, we hope to have a clear day with active animals. We will see sheep

and caribou and may see moose, timberwolves, ptarmigan, and grizzly bears.  Our professional driver/guide is experienced at seeing wildlife, but

also appreciates your help at spotting animals since he or she is also driving

the bus.  Should Mount McKinley be visible, we will be in for a treat and for photo opportunities.  This is an amazing view of Denali that is especially awe inspiring because it rises higher above its nearby surroundings, 18,000

feet, more than any other mountain in the world.  Mt. Everest rises only 11,000 feet above its surroundings.   Lunch and frequent stops will be provided enroute.  We spend a few minutes at the end of our trip in the small shops that line the highway in Denali.   We will overnight a short drive from Denali National Park.  Our lobby will be in a 1934 Alaskan Railroad train car.

 

Day 6-Today we’re on our way south.  Our first stop will be in the

village of Talkeetna.  Located on the edge of Denali National Park, this

village was the inspiration for the TV show Northern Exposure.  After

eating lunch and visiting the many shops, we head south to our next stop,

Wasilla, home of Sarah Palin.  We continue on to the famous Iditarod Trails Dog Race Museum in Wasilla.  This museum is dedicated to the

heroic efforts of dog mushers competing in the annual 1000 mile Iditarod

Sled Dog Race.  We view an interesting, short video about the Iditarod

race, see sled dogs and puppies, and have a chance to ride behind sled

dogs if you choose.  We will spend the night in Wasilla, the home town of

the Republican Party’s Vice- Presidential candidate in 2008.  Our lodging tonight is a beautiful home.  Take time to explore all of the wall enhancements present throughout.

 

Day 7-This morning we will start with a stop at the Visitor’s Center in

Palmer, the heart of Alaskan agriculture, less than an hour’s drive from

Anchorage.  Palmer owes its existence to the hardy pioneers who

homesteaded the land when the railroad was built in the early part of this

century, and to the more than 200 families who came in 1935 from

America’s depressed Midwest to establish the Matanuska colony.  The

colonists, as they are still called, arrived in May and lived in tent camps in

and around Palmer until their homes were ready.  They drew lots for their

 40 acre tracts.  They cleared the land and planted it and, in the face of

many obstacles, established the Palmer area as the center of Alaskan

agriculture. Next we stop at a musk ox farm.  The Musk Ox Farm, located

just outside of Palmer, is home to a unique domestication project which

began in 1954.  The Musk Ox Farm is an ideal place to observe and

photograph these animals at close range.  On our tour you will learn about

the history of the musk ox, a prehistoric remnant of the last great Ice Age,

and how it has been domesticated on the farm.  You’ll see cows, powerful

bulls, and tame yearlings.  The Musk Ox Project promotes the use of qiviut

(the fine under-wool of the musk ox) as the basis of an Arctic native textile

industry, which provides an economic supplement to subsistence

communities throughout Alaska.  We will spend the afternoon exploring an

abandoned gold mine and enjoying the wonderful scenery on the way to

Hatcher Pass.  We will return to our home in Wasilla for the second night.

 

Day 8-As we drive south of Anchorage, our first stop is at Potter’s Marsh,  just outside of Anchorage.  You will be able to see several species of birds

and perhaps a moose strolling through the marsh or salmon spawning

below you, as you wander along the 1500 ft. long marsh watching

boardwalk. We will drive southeast to spend some time at Girdwood 40

miles south of the city.  We stop at “The Great Alaskan Tourist Trap” briefly

before taking to one of the area trails. Along this stretch of highway from

south of Girdwood to Seward take special note of the tides which are

among the highest in the world at up to 40 feet.  We may see only muddy

flats at low tide or water-filled inlets at high tide.  We will enjoy our lunch at another unique restaurant where you can enjoy a sandwich, pizza, or a

bottomless bowl of soup.  We will pass by the Alaska Wildlife Center.  Here

injured and orphaned animals are rehabilitated and provided with a home

similar to their native habitat.  We will see elk, as well as bears, moose,

eagles, and whatever other critters may be in need of help. We will continue south along the highway which can produce an avalanche of scenery to the end of the road at Seward.  We should have time to do a little walking up close to the Exit Glacier before checking into our hotel.   You may optionally see the Alaska Sea Life Center, a research and rehabilitation center partially built with a 56 million dollar fine paid by Exxon after the oil spill.  Our last stop will be a nearby restaurant of your choice.

Day 9-We spend the day on a cruise of the Kenai Fjords National Park. In

the past on this cruise we have seen salmon, sharks, orcas, porpoises,

whales, sea otters, sea lions, black bears, and sheep.  In addition, we will

probably be able to experience the calving of a glacier and hear the

thundering sound. Included in the cruise is a healthy lunch on the boat

before returning to the mainland.  Then we head north and west to Soldotna.  Our first stop this afternoon will be a stop to get our fishing licenses for our two days on the water. Our overnight will be in Kenai with a fun time tonight at the local Mexican Restaurant.

 

Day 10– This is fishing day. Today we will be going to the great Kenai River for a day of sockeye and/or silver salmon.  The salmon are always a great deal of fun to catch.  We will return to Soldotna  to pick up groceries  for the next few days and to have lunch. Tonight’s meal will be the catch of the day….Our salmon catch.

Day 11– We will head back to the village of Ninilchik which takes us back in time to an earlier era in Alaska. This small village of Ninilchik has around 200 fishing outfitters leaving from the harbor.  We will make a quick stop at one of the area churches, a Russian Orthodox Church built by Russian residents during the early 20^th century.  We will have lunch on this sight-seeing day at one of our favorite pizza parlors. Then we go on to Homer on the opposite side of the Kenai Peninsula from Seward.  We will have a chance to shop and eat on the world-famous “spit” to dine on halibut or salmon before we spend our night back in the Bear Paw cabins.

Day 12-This is fishing day!  Hopefully you were able to sleep after

dreaming about world record halibut.  A few years ago a world record halibut was caught in Cook Inlet out of Homer, just south of here, that weighed 453 pounds.  We will, however, do a smaller size range fishing day on this trip for better eating.  Our catch can be packed and prepared for shipping home in this village.  We will spend a second night here. The evening meal will be the catch of the day….  OUR halibut catch!

Day 13-We will pick up our frozen fish this morning and head back to

Anchorage.  This is the day we arrive safely back in Minnesota to share all the fish stories with our friends.  Our last day will vary depending on our flight times (we may stay overnight for one more night or take a late departure flight today).

Day 14- Arrive home

 

Who We Are
Jerry and Diana Kokoschke and More for Le$$ Tours

We are career teachers who have put together tour
packages that we feel would be interesting to many people. 
Jerry has a BSEd in English and German.  Diana has a BSEd
and MSEd in special education.

We spent the summer of 2002 operating a bed and
breakfast house in Germany for a non-profit organization,
which allowed us to enjoy German life from the inside. 
We also have hosted 23 exchange students in our home and
have traveled to visit many of these students.  We were
encouraged by friends to develop tours to non-traditional
places that we had encountered.

Because we have direct contact with all of our
destinations, we are able to offer more sights at a lower
cost to you.  Thus, we developed our name, More for Le$$
Tours, in 2000.

We lead very active lives in addition to our travels.
* Jerry is a retired teacher after 35 years, a Melvin Jones Lions Club recipient,
an auctioneer, an avid fisherman, and enjoys gardening and
woodcutting.

* Diana is a retired teacher after 43 years, operates a tax and financial services
 business, books all the tours, is organist for her church, and
enjoys doing cross stitch.

Why Travel With Us?

* No hidden or optional tour fees-all included

* Personally selected 3* and 4* hotels

* Most meals included (except on some trips)

* Personally selected sights and activities

* No flag leader—literature, maps, and suggestions for each

    sight are provided

* Efficient use of time provides more opportunity for experiences

* Inside information from natives

* Interesting background materials in all areas (we are teachers

    at heart)

* Lower costs because we do everything by ourselves.

 

The cost of the tour is $ 3950 per person, based on double
occupancy.  Supplement for a single traveler is $250.  Children
staying in a room with a parent will be at a reduced rate.

More for Le$$ Value with everything below included:

• Roundtrip transportation from your area
• 13 nights at personally selected hotels
• 27 Meals, including 12 breakfasts, 10 dinners and 5 suppers

• Personal tour leader to accompany you from start to finish

More for Le$$ Value all-inclusive tours and activities included:

• Musk Ox Farm
• Iditarod Headquarters
• Abandoned Gold Mine
• Denali Bus Tour
• Denali Park Sled Dogs
• Museum of the North
• Riverboat Discovery
• Golden Heart Revue
• North Pole Santa’s House
• Potter’s Marsh
• Exit Glacier
• Rika’s Roadhouse
• Mat-Su Visitor Center
• Close-up Pipeline Viewing
• Kenai Fjords Wildlife/Glacier Cruise
• Ninilchik Russian Church
• 2 Fishing Day-equipment, bait, license
  and guide service

 Activities are subject change due to situations that arise.

More for Le$$ Tours Terms and Conditions

To maintain our lower level of overhead, please read and agree
to the following conditions for our tours.  Our goal is to provide
you with more sights, better accommodations, and the best tour
available at less cost to you.

Prices
Prices shown are per person, double occupancy, stated in
US Dollars.  Single supplements are specified.

Deposits of $1000 per person are due upon reservation.  
Please send check to address on payment page or pay by credit
card.  We will need your deposit to guarantee a spot with this trip.  Payments made by credit card will be charged 2%
convenience fee to cover our cost for that.

Additional payment of $1500 per person will be due
February 1, 2024 and Final payment of $1250 will be due on
May 1, 2024.

Deposit and payments indicate that you have read and
consent to the provisions contained within this terms and
conditions section.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellation in writing prior to February 1, 2024, will
receive payment refund less non-refundable portion of
deposit of $500.  From Feb 1 to May 1, 2024, initial deposit
of $1000 will be withheld unless replacement is found. 
After May 1, entire cost will be non-refundable.

Air fares will become an additional portion of non-refundable
funds once they have been purchased.

If the minimum required number of participants is not met for
any given tour, all money will be refunded to all registered participants.

 

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance with
cancellation coverage to protect yourself in case you need to cancel. 
We recommend Travel Guard Insurance, as they have competitive
 rates.  Since I am a registered insurance agent, I would be able to
assist you with that purchase if desired.

The tour does not include:
*Alcoholic Beverages
*Fish Processing and Storage
* Luggage fees on flights
*Optional visit to the Sealife Center in Seward
*Personal expenditures, such as room service, tour manager, or
driver gratuities.

Special Requests
Additional days may be added at registration time.  If there are
special medical or dietary requests, please inform us of the specifics
at the time of registration to allow us time to try to accommodate
for these requests.

Smoking Policy
We operate with a no smoking policy on the tour bus and
at the sites for the comfort of everyone on the tour.

Liability Issues
Neither we nor any other vendor or person connected with
 this tour shall be liable to the participant directly or indirectly
for any accident, damage, delay, or injury caused to the
participant, including, but not limited to, acts of war,
 malfunctions of equipment, strikes, theft, weather,
quarantines, or change of itinerary.  If additional costs are
 incurred due to any unforeseen reason, such as hotels, meals,
and transportation, these costs will be the participant’s responsibility.

Please reserve a space on the _________________________tour
 for ________person

Complete address_____________________________________

____________________________________________________

Phone Number and Email Address__________________________
_____________________________________________________

Birthdates  (for flights)
______________________________________________________

Medical Concerns (if any)
_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________Emergency Contact Information______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Anything else we should know? ________________________________________________________

Find enclosed $1000 deposit per person.  This deposit indicates
that I have read and agree with the terms and conditions as
stated in the brochure.

More for Le$$ Tours
44147 460^th Ave
Perham, MN 56573

Questions?  diana@moreforlesstours.com or call 507-456-6611