Alaska tours & travel

The culture of Alaska is indelibly shaped by the environment. The harsh winter, connection to the Arctic Sea and permafrost means life in Alaska is not for the fainthearted. The remote and wild environment fosters both a spirit of independence and a strong community. When there are so few people in such a vast state, it makes sense to share resources and keep your friends close.

Nature-based hobbies like hiking, fishing and snow sports are all popular. The main city of Anchorage has a small but passionate arts scene including the well-curated Anchorage Museum and a number of Native arts and crafts galleries.

Around 18 per cent of Alaska’s population is indigenous, of either Alaskan Native or American Indian descent. Alaska’s Native people consist of dozens of nations and tribes including Aleut, Inupiat and Yupik people. While many indigenous Alaskans live in small rural communities, a growing number now live in urban areas like Anchorage. Climate change has proved particularly devastating for Alaska’s indigenous people and their traditional way of life. As rising temperatures change the landscape and affect animal migratory patterns, hunting and fishing have become more difficult.

Ancient

It’s believed that humans first arrived in the area between 12,000 and 15,000 years ago after travelling from what is now known as Russian Siberia. This theory assumes that Russia and North America were once connected by a land bridge until rising sea levels caused the land between them to submerge and become the Bering Strait.

Pre-colonial

A detailed history of Alaska has been relatively difficult to uncover due to both the destructive nature of colonialism and the challenges the environment poses to researchers. It’s generally understood that most of the land’s inhabitants were somewhat nomadic until about 5000 years ago when evidence suggests some groups began to build permanent settlements.  

Colonisation

Russian colonisation of Alaska began in the early 18th century in pursuit of natural resources and to spread the gospel of Orthodox Christianity. Fur was of particular interest to Russia, and Alaskan Native people were often enslaved and forced to collect otter pelts for Russian companies. Brutal treatment, murder and disease killed an estimated 50 per cent of the pre-Russian population, despite the fact that very few Russians actually settled in the area permanently. 

Russia ‘sold’ Alaska to the United States in 1867. Indigenous Alaskans objected to the sale on the grounds that they had never given up the land to Russia in the first place, a fact that would become important in 20th-century legal stoushes. As part of the greater missionary goals of the United States, the systematic eradication of indigenous languages, culture and arts was practised in Alaska – now a US territory – from the 1860s until the early 20th century.

Modern

The late 19th century saw the discovery of gold in Canada’s nearby Yukon Territory, known as the Klondike Gold Rush, which brought a wave of prospectors to Alaska because of its transport links to the Yukon. Gold was later discovered in Alaska itself and new cities, such as Fairbanks, were built to support the rush.

Alaska officially became a US state in 1959. In the late 1960s, the discovery of valuable oil reserves became entangled with the Native title movement, as a proposed oil pipeline would run through land that indigenous Alaskans believed belonged to them. Richard Nixon signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act as a result of this tension, which granted over 44 million acres of Alaskan land to indigenous people, plus almost one billion dollars to be divided among numerous communities and groups. To this day, Alaska continues to be at the centre of a battle between the conservation and exploitation of natural resources.

In keeping with a way of life that still revolves around hunting, fishing and nature, Alaskan cuisine is big on game, seafood and small amounts of locally grown produce. While traditional Alaskan fare tends to be simple, you’ll find a diverse selection of restaurants in larger towns. Fusion has been particularly popular of late, with plenty of chefs experimenting by marrying fresh Alaskan seafood with Asian spice and flavours. 

The food may not be the reason you’re travelling to Alaska, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth sniffing out. Here’s our list of must-try dishes in Alaska:

1. Salmon
   Alaska’s wild salmon are iconic. An important part of indigenous diets pre-colonisation, salmon today is both a vital part of the state’s economy and a source of pride and identity for locals. Of the five varieties – king, sockeye, coho, pink and keta – each person has their favourite and a preferred way of cooking it.
2. Reindeer hotdog
   These wieners aren’t just a novelty for tourists, they are plenty popular with locals too. Grab these strongly flavoured sausages – actually a mix of lean caribou meat and pork or beef to bind it together – from food carts in bigger towns like Anchorage, or from supermarkets state-wide for a very Alaskan camp barbecue.
3. Berries
   Cold weather and a pristine environment make Alaska a haven for berry production. Late summer is best for blueberries and strawberries, while crowberries taste sweeter after they’ve been ‘burned’ with a little winter frost. While wild berry picking is a popular pastime in Alaska, remember that there are plenty of poisonous and lethal berries that grow in the state too, so be cautious.
4. Red king crab
   The king crab more than lives up to its name. It has a body the size of a dinner plate and the males weigh an average of three kilograms (6.6 pounds). You’ll see their spiky legs – which some say is the tastiest part – adorning menus throughout the state, often served with just a little lemon so the soft white meat can speak for itself.

Plant-based options

Vegetarians and vegans have no shortage of options in Anchorage, Alaska’s progressive hub. Vegetarians won’t have to look too hard for options in smaller towns like Homer and Seward either, though vegans may have to make do with fries and a salad. If you’re going truly wild and hitting the backcountry, it’s a good idea to stock up on food at the supermarket before you go. Many small lodges will have a small restaurant attached, but the offerings will likely be whatever the owners managed to bag on their most recent hunting or fishing trip.

Travelling with a local makes this all a lot easier. If you do travel with Intrepid, let your leader know your dietary requirements at the start of the trip and they can make sure you don’t go hungry.

Alaska is a massive state and its diverse and dramatic landscapes are a big draw for most tourists. It’s bordered by Canada to the south and a third of the state falls within the Arctic Circle.

There are rugged mountains throughout the state like the Brooks Range in the north, the highly volcanic Aleutian Range in the southwest, and the Alaska Range in the southcentral, which includes North America’s tallest peak in Denali (6190 metres/ 20,310 feet).

With over 10,000 kilometres of coastline and a number of islands and inlets, plus a spiderweb of rivers that flow through the state, Alaska is as much a state of water as it is of mountains.

Alaska is an outdoorsy state that’s big on experiences, so the best things to buy are activities. A glacier hike in Wrangell-St Elias or a marine safari on the Kenai Peninsula may not be cheap, but they’re sure worth saving for. If you do have some cash leftover, the best Alaskan gifts are still of the practical variety. Remember that it’s a good idea to check with your local customs officials to ensure that you can bring certain items back into your home country. Australia and New Zealand have particularly strict quarantine laws.

Ulu knife

Used by indigenous Alaskan women for thousands of years, this curved knife was perfect for tackling the many tasks associated with preparing freshly caught game and fish for dinner. Just remember to put it in your checked luggage.

Jams and preserves

Alaska’s famed berry harvest has led to a strong jam-making tradition. A jar of locally made preserve will travel well and makes a sweet gift in more ways than one.  

Qiviut items

Made from the underwool of musk oxen, qiviut is warmer and softer than wool and can be used to make everything from hats to sweaters. While some qiviut is produced on dedicated farms, it is possible to find collectives and cooperatives of indigenous craftspeople who still do things the old-fashioned way by picking the naturally shed wool from bushes in the spring and knitting it by hand.

Baskets

Using weaving techniques perfected over thousands of years, craftspeople from the many different indigenous groups create baskets by hand. The Alutiiq people, for example, produce finely woven baskets (and all kinds of useful things) from the seagrass that grows in their ancestral homeland along the southcentral coast.

The Alaskans may live, and thrive, in some pretty harsh conditions but that doesn't mean they don't know how to let their hair down.

Fur Rendezvous Festival

Affectionately called the ‘Rondy’, the Fur Rendezvous is a winter festival and celebration of all things Alaska. It takes place in Anchorage annually and the irreverent celebrations – which include dog sledding and a fur auction – began in 1935, when one local hero decided that surviving the winter would take one giant party. This 12-day festival is still one of the biggest events in Alaska, drawing folks from all over the state as well as the lower 48.

Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously, and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:

From Australia?

Go to smarttraveller.gov.au

From Canada?

Go to travel.gc.ca

From the UK?

Go to fco.gov.uk

From New Zealand?

Go to safetravel.govt.nz

From the USA?

Go to travel.state.gov

From South Africa?

Go to gov.za

From China?

Go to 12301.cn

The World Health Organization also provides useful health information. Go to who.int for more details.

Part of the allure of an Alaskan adventure is the chance to see the diverse wildlife that roams the land and fills the waterways. With huge chunks of truly untamed wilderness, Alaska often has more in common with a safari than a walk through a nature reserve. You may just be lucky enough to see some of these:

Bald eagle

A modern emblem of freedom in the US, the bald eagle has also traditionally been revered among numerous Native American groups. What’s so special about the bird? It’s a combination of size, speed and style. With females sporting a wingspan that can reach 240 centimetres (eight feet), a dive speed of up to 160 kilometres (99 miles) per hour and an iconic look, the baldie is bad to the bone.

See them: Look up for a chance to see them in Denali National Park, Resurrection Bay and Anchorage, year-round.

Puffins

Easily distinguished by their orange beaks, puffins in Alaska come in two varieties – tufted and horned. The tufted kind is all black with yellow feathers on either side of their head, while the horned ones have white bellies.

See them: Around Valdez, Homer and the waterways of Kenai Fjord National Park in summer. 

Grizzly bears

These creatures are located throughout Alaska though they do tend to spread out, so spotting them is a rare treat. That being said, their impressive size makes them easy to see, even from a distance. Females can weigh up to 360 kilograms (800 pounds), but males really take the salmon-cake with top weights of 770 kilograms (1700 pounds).

See them: It’s possible to see grizzlies from March to September, depending on the area, but the peak time for viewing is generally June to July. The best spots are Kenai Fjords National Park, Denali National Park and Wrangell-St Elias National Park.

Black bears

It’s the face shape and nail length, rather than coat colour, that will help you tell black bears from brown bears (like grizzlies). While they can be any colour from black to brown, their longer, straighter face (some have called it Romanesque) and short claws make it relatively easy to tell the difference.

See them: Black bears, like grizzlies, hibernate during winter. The best times for spotting them are the warmer months from March to September when they hunt for fish in Kenai Fjords National Park and live in the forests of Denali National Park and Wrangell-St Elias National Park.

Moose

It’s the males that have the antlers, which they grow a fresh set of every year, giving new meaning to the phrase ‘grow a pair’. Male moose begin shedding the velvet coating on their antlers around September in preparation for dropping them in the winter months, a very gnarly process that is a real treat, albeit a gross one, to see in real life.    

See them: Pretty much everywhere throughout the year, though the best spots are in Denali NP, Wrangell-St Elias NP and Anchorage.

Caribou

You may know caribou by their more whimsical name – reindeer. Santa’s hoofed helpers have natural snowshoes and gorgeous, multi-pronged antlers adorn both males and females.

See them: There’s a fairly large herd that lives inside Denali National Park, and your best chance for catching these active animals is during the summer months.

Dall sheep

These white sheep sport a wise expression and curved horns, though the males undeniably have a more impressive set. They have the distinct honour of being the northernmost wild sheep in the world and they will eat almost anything to survive, from grass and moss to soil.

See them: As they tend to live in rocky, mountainous areas, your best bet is near rugged environments. Be particularly alert on some of the hiking trails in Denali NP, like the Savage River Loop and the trails around Igloo Mountain.

Sea otters

With a face that looks adorably stunned at all times, these beautiful weasels are playful and dextrous. Their amazing coats meant they were hunted to the brink of extinction by the 20th century and while numbers are improving, they remain a threatened species in Alaska.

See them: In the waterways around Valdez, Homer and Seward. 

Humpback whales

Humpbacks are big enough to be spotted from land, but there’s nothing quite like seeing one from the water by boat or kayak. Even the runts grow to around 12-metres (40-feet) long and a 10,000-strong pod heads to Alaska every summer.

See them: Resurrection Bay is a reliably great spot for whale watching in the summer months. You can also spot them in Prince William Sound and off the coast of Homer.

Orcas

The ‘killer whale’ is technically part of the dolphin family. With their glossy black back and striking white bellies, there is little chance of missing these mammals if they are close by, and luckily for you, they tend to travel to Alaska’s waters in large pods.

See them: Resurrection Bay is a reliably great spot for whale watching in the summer months. You can also spot them in Prince William Sound and off the coast of Homer.

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Alaska adventure, check out these books:

• The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey
• Ordinary Wolves – Seth Kantner
• Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer
• Ada Blackjack – Jennifer Niven
• Tao of Raven: An Alaskan Native Memoir – Ernestine Hayes
• Coming into the Country – John McPhee
• Two Old Women – Velma Wallis
• ALASKA: a novel – James A Michener