Alaska Wildlife & Wilderness

Experience Overview

With twinkling glaciers, rushing rivers and some of the most beautiful hikes in North America, Alaska has the wow factor. The wildlife is legendary, thriving on land and in sea. And as one of the last bastions of true wilderness, it is the perfect place to spot animals in their natural habitat, including Alaska’s own Big 5: bear, moose, Dall sheep, wolf and caribou. Join this wilderness trip to experience it all, with bear-viewing opportunities, wildlife cruises and wilderness walks. Visit the vast expanse of peaks and glaciers in Denali National Park and enjoy excellent opportunities to see marine giants, including humpback whales and orcas, in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Profile
— Accommodation: 1 Classic night (hotel), 8 Simple nights (participatory camping) — Mix of longer and shorter walks (guided and unguided) — Group normally 5 to 13, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 1 Classic night (hotel), 8 Simple nights (participatory camping) — Mix of longer and shorter walks (guided and unguided) — Group normally 5 to 13, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Trip For You
This tour is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Three. Visit our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife ratings. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us. This is an active and varied trip, suitable for people with reasonable fitness. Walks, hikes and activities range in difficulty from easy to strenuous. The walk on Day 7 (Harding Icefield Trail along Exit Glacier) has challenging parts with uneven and sometimes slippery terrain - there are sections of scree and snow, so walking poles are recommended for this day. The views across Exit Glacier are well worth the journey! The tour leader will organise the optional activities on your behalf and you will pay locally in card or cash (depending on the activity), however we recommend to book the optional bush plane at Mount Denali (Day 5) in advance to guarantee availability. Find the main optional activities listed under each itinerary day description, along with guideline prices, which although correct at the time of publication, can fluctuate throughout the season. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour. Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and from time to time your tour leader may suggest changes. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction or event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a tour highlight. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, local weather conditions and time of year. All travellers over the age of 70 will be requested to complete a self-declaration of fitness form prior to travel. Our tours are a unique experience and much of your enjoyment comes from the team spirit of the group and the fun we have together, as well as from the local setting. We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of bringing a positive attitude with you on tour; a guarantee to enjoying each and every moment, even in the adversity of the odd rainstorm. There is a high likelihood that you will come into contact with wildlife, including bears. You should always follow your guide's instructions.
Group Description
Your tour leader takes care of all the planning and organisation throughout the tour, they will drive the van taking you from A to B and make sure everything runs smoothly. Your tour leader is there to make sure you get the most out of your tour, organising activities, providing information, answering any questions and sorting any queries or problems. If you have any particular interests or things you would like to do on tour, let your tour leader know at the beginning of the trip and they will do their best to help. Please note, US law regulates the total number of hours your group leader is available to work. Tours are designed to make the most of your time in the States, but there are certain times each day your leader must be off duty from work to rest and recuperate. Due to these restrictions, particularly after the longer driving days, your leader may not be able to join you for some of the daily activities or may need to tend to other work duties.
Eating Drinking
There are nine breakfasts, eight lunches and eight dinners included on this trip. Your tour leader will co-ordinate local shopping and assist the group in preparing healthy, hearty breakfasts, picnic lunches and delicious dinners. Dinner on Day 1 and lunch on Day 10 are not included. To help you budget for these meals, average costs are: Lunch: US$15-US$20Dinner: US$20-US$35, not including alcoholic beverages Drinks cost on average: Wine: US$7-10 per glassBeer: US$5-8 per bottle A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in North American restaurants. Applicable taxes will also be added to all listed menu prices. Please make sure we are aware of any special meal requirements before travelling. We do all we can to accommodate for various dietary requirements but in certain parts of Alaska, specific food types can be limited.
Transportation
Transportation is by private vehicle, cruise and non-motorised inflatable boat. We travel in a private 15-seater vehicle driven by the tour leader. All luggage, equipment, and other necessities are stored in a specially designed trailer or storage area to maximise space and comfort. The size of our vehicles allows us to reach more remote destinations not accessible to larger vehicles and a willingness to rotate seating positions during the trip will be appreciated by all. All are equipped with air conditioning, Bluetooth-compatible stereo, and USB charging ports throughout.
Joining Instructions
Key information Start hotel: La Quinta Inn & Suites Anchorage Airport, 3501 Minnesota Dr, Anchorage, AK Phone: +1-907-276-8884 Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. The welcome briefing usually takes place in the morning of Day 2 Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately 10 minutes’ drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are: Take an Exodus transfer  Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Make your own way The start hotel offers a free 24/7 shuttle service between the airport and the hotel - please contact the hotel directly for shuttle reservations. You are free to arrive any time on Day 1. Due to the late arrival time of the group flight from London, UK, it is likely that the welcome meeting will take place on the morning of Day 2. Details on the time and specific location of your meeting will be available by midday on Day 1. During the welcome meeting, you will meet your tour guide and fellow travellers and spend a few minutes filling out necessary paperwork, so please bring your insurance documents, passport and tour documentation to the meeting. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Arrival complications Sometimes the unexpected can happen; your plane may be delayed or you may even miss it. If you have missed your tour departure, first call the hotel to see if your tour leader has left you a message. If not, call the relevant emergency number and speak to our staff who will be happy to help you catch up with the group. Please note that you are responsible for any extra travelling expenses incurred due to missing your tour’s departure. Catching your return flight There’s a group departure transfer to Anchorage Airport for customers who Exodus have booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. If you have booked your own flights, you may still join this transfer at no extra cost – please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.
Weather Information
Alaska's weather is changeable - expect cloudy, overcast and rainy days as well as some sunshine and long, light evenings (in the far north, the sun does not set at all in June!). June is typically drier than July and August, but on all departures you should be prepared for some heavy rain. There are, great differences between the weather on the coast and in the interior. Average daytime temperatures will be around 17C (63F) on the coast, a few degrees higher inland; however, temperatures nearing 30C (around 86F) are not unusual. Night-time minimum temperatures are around 12C (54F), but a little colder inland and during June (occasionally hitting freezing point) and towards the end of August.
Spending Money
We recommend you take at least US$50 per day for any meals not included in the tour, drinks, snacks and other incidentals. You should also budget for expected tipping, as well as for the optional activities you would like to do. We suggest you bring US$150 cash for the beginning of your trip.
Tipping
It is normal and expected in North America to tip local guides, waiters, bar staff, taxi drivers and anyone who provides a service for you. Service workers are paid a low wage and depend on tips for their livelihood. It can be embarrassing for travellers when confronted by locals who expect a tip, so we have provided a tipping guideline below. A 15%-20% tip is standard in restaurants and you should also expect to tip US$1 per drink in bars, US$1-US$2 per bag for porters, US$2-US$3 for hotel housekeeping as well as 10% for taxi drivers. It’s also typical to tip around 10% for local guides who provide optional activities. Your tour leader will work long and hard for you during your tour and we recommend a discretionary tip of US$12-US$15 per passenger per day if your leader’s performance meets or exceeds your expectations.

Highlights