Go deep into the icy Alaskan wilds
Alaska may be part of the USA, but it feels like another world. This Lonely Planet Experience gives the freedom to hike, kayak, climb or fly your way through the iconic Denali and Wrangell-St Elias national parks. It’s a big, bold landscape filled with incredible mountain ranges, diverse wildlife and shining glaciers. Delve well and truly deep into the wild before reemerging into civilisation with stops in Anchorage and Valdez, and have plenty of free time to explore this beautiful landscape at your own pace.
A powerful partnership
Lonely Planet and Intrepid Travel share the same philosophy: we help curious people explore the world.
Drive across frozen plains and past massive peaks, walk across remote tundras to glacial rivers and kayak in the spectacular waters of Prince William Sound.
Look out for diverse wildlife like moose, grizzly bears, and wolves in Denali National Park, then get close to sea otters, puffins and humpback whales on an optional kayak trip among glaciers in Valdez.
See North America's biggest collection of glaciers and some of its tallest, most impressive mountains in Wrangell-St Elias National Park – the world's largest internationally protected area.
See both sides of the Kenai Peninsula – Homer, with remote beaches and the stunning Kachemak Bay State Park, and Seward, with accessible glaciers and marine life.
Spend two nights at a remote hostel that can only be accessed by kayak or water taxi.
This is a participatory trip. That’s a fancy way of saying you’re not just along for the ride – you’re part of a team! You know the phrase ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’. Well that’s extra true on this trip. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and help out with camp activities like food prep and washing up. It’s all about giving your new travel mates a hand – everyone knows there’s nothing worse than trying to put up a tent on your own!
That teamwork also extends to our optional food kitty of approximately USD 90 per week, run to cover the cost of meals. This kitty saves you worrying about stuff like where to get food or what exactly sales tax is, and actually helps keep your costs down. Instead of paying individually as you go, it means we can bulk purchase items and cook our own food – though there’s always the chance to use it for the occasional pizza night! The kitty is optional and for your convenience, so if you've got specific dietary requirements you can opt out and purchase (and cook) your own food.
Some of the roads on this trip can be extremely long and fairly bumpy. You could be driving down a remote dirt road for hours at a time, but that's all part of this Alaskan adventure.
As Alaska is a huge state with large distances between towns and cities, be prepared to spend a lot of your time in the car. Some journeys can take up to eight or nine hours, but there will breaks along the way. This is also a great way to see a variety of Alaskan landscapes.
While Alaska can experience warm summers, you should still be prepared for cold temperatures, especially at night. Bring warm clothing with you, including base layers, a warm hat, gloves and a thick coat.
Mosquitoes are found across the USA, even in the colder regions. They can be a problem a lot of the time, especially in July. It’s recommended that you bring insect repellent with you and anything else you think is applicable.
The summer months in Alaska see very long daylight hours, with the sun not completely setting until after midnight. As most people are likely to sleep before midnight, you might want to bring an eye mask to block out the light.
The weather around Denali can be extreme at times. Be prepared for blizzards, ice cold winds and quick shifts in weather. It is Alaska after all.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Alaska Adventure trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1.
2. On the final day, this trip finishes at approximately 5 pm on arrival into Anchorage. If departing this day, please do not book any flights before 9 pm.
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Night 4 (Maclaren) and the 2-nights at the hostel in either Homer or Seward (depends on the departure) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. If you wish to spend more time in Anchorage, we'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
5. To save you money and the hassle of booking multiple trips, this journey is a combination of some of our most popular adventures so your leader and the composition of your group may change.
6. Please note that the legal drinking age in the US is 21 and in some parts of Canada it's 19.
7. A sleeping bag is required for this trip.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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