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Alaska classic camping tour and adventure

country:Alaska
location:Alaska 
departures:2010: 28 Jun, 26 Jul, 23 Aug
price:From £1399 - £1489 (14 days) excluding flights. Price includes camping fees & equipment, all camping meals, transportation, 2 nights luxury wilderness camp, 2 nights hotel, admission to National Parks and sea kayaking
vouchers:Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
Alaska Camping Tour

Starting the journey in Anchorage, your first stop on this Alaska camping tour is the incredible Denali National Park. Home to the highest mountain in North America and incredible wildlife including grizzly bears and moose, it's the perfect introduction to Alaska. From Wrangell-St. Elias, Valdez and the Kenai Peninsula, our final nights at a luxury wilderness camp will be sure to impress!

Food: Whilst our leaders shop for fresh food and organize the daily meals, you are welcome to lend a hand in the 'kitchen' or at the BBQ. Our international groups regularly create and enjoy delicious meals together and on occasion they also sample the local cuisine at nearby restaurants or whilst in the city.

Optional activities: Besides the many included activities and guided day hikes on this Alaska camping tour, there are often numerous optional activities from which to choose. Snorkelling, rafting, glacier trekking and even a scenic helicopter flight are just a few examples. Optional activities are not included in the tour price, so you're able to select interesting activities according to your own taste and budget. The tour leader will be happy to answer any questions and organise these activities locally on your behalf. And with our longstanding relationships with local outfitters, we will be sure to get you a preferential rate.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:Arrive Anchorage. Arrive into Anchorage and transfer (not included) to our gateway hotel at your leisure. Rest of day to relax and prepare for your adventure. Meals: Paid locally | Accommodation: Hotel included
Day 2-4:Denali National Park. We begin by traveling to Denali National Park where nature survives in a timeless state. Surrounding the tallest mountain peak in North America, grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, marmots and wolves, all roam the park. Activities such as river rafting, dog sled demonstrations or walking on a quiet nature trail are available near our lovely campground setting bordering the park. The following two days are free to explore the backcountry, which offers scenic views of the taiga and sub-arctic tundra, superb opportunities to view wildlife, and access to limitless hiking options for all fitness and adventure levels. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Camping included
Day 5:Alaska Range. We follow the old Denali Highway east across the foot of the Alaska mountain range where we then spend the night in rustic cabins. There you will experience the quiet lakes of the tundra, a birder's paradise, while watching for caribou, or experience excellent fishing for grayling. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Cabins included
Day 6-7:Wrangell-St Elias National Park. Next follow the pipeline south where we turn off the main highway and head into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Camp on the banks of the Kennicott River in the shadow of Mount Blackburn with a beautiful view of Root Glacier. The next day is free to explore this vast wilderness region from the historic area of McCarthy and Kennicott. Activities available are hiking, mountain biking, sightseeing, and glacier walking. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Camping included
Day 8-9:Valdez. Heading further south, we climb Thompson Pass on our way to spending two nights in Valdez. Tucked away at the end of a glacier-carved fjord, this is the most northerly ice-free port in the Western Hemisphere and the terminus of the Alaskan Pipeline. The next day, you may take the opportunity to explore this part of Prince William Sound by sea kayak. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Camping included
Day 10-11:Kenai Fjords National Park. After an awe-inspiring ferry ride through Prince William Sound you arrive at the colorful fishing village of Seward for seaside camping. Choices of activities include hiking Exit Glacier, fishing the waters of Resurrection Bay, or a boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park. Spectacular views of this rugged coastline and the Kenai Mountains, sea mammals, premier bird watching, and a visit to a tidewater glacier for the sights and sounds of icebergs being calved into the sea, are all part of the boat tour. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Camping included
Day 12-13:Luxury Wilderness Camp. Then venture to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula, from Homer we will travel by boat to our luxury wilderness camp overlooking Kachemak Bay and surrounded by the magnificent Kenai Mountains. Experience a true Alaskan adventure in this remote wilderness paradise, with activities such as sea kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, and beach combing. Enjoy home-cooked meals, including a salmon bake, while basking in the breathtaking scenery. Meals: Included | Accommodation: Luxury camping included
Day 14:Anchorage. Returning to Anchorage in the late afternoon completes our excellent adventure. Tour ends at 18:00 hrs in Anchorage.
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
how this holiday makes a difference
This Alaska Camping tour is designed for those who want to explore Alaska’s rugged natural beauty and discover why visitors are so passionate about this beautiful region. We travel in small, intimate groups (maximum of 13 passengers) and have the benefit of a professionally trained local guide who knows the best places in the national parks, national monuments and wilderness areas to respectfully observe wildlife, to enjoy fun, adventurous activities and appreciate the flavours of the local culture.

This is a camping based tour and we utilize state/national/private owned campgrounds. Our group is self sufficient as we provide camping equipment and a portable kitchen. We shop locally and prepare nearly all of our meals (when camping) together, and when we overnight in a hotel on the Alaskan range (1 night), we stay in a locally owned lodge, eat our meals in locally owned restaurants and utilize established local suppliers for activities en route that help support local business and keep money in the community. We also enjoy 2 nights in our luxury wilderness camp with included meals in a truly unique and beautiful location.

We have over 13 years of experience operating small-group adventure tours (13 client maximum) throughout North/Central/South America that foster understanding, appreciation and conservation of the cultures and environments we visit. We are committed to working with our clients and the peoples of our host destinations to ensure direct economic benefits at a community level. Whether we visit Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias or Kenai Fjords National Park, we aim to operate beyond best practice guidelines and to provide a tour programme that creates a positive impact on the lands that we visit and a lasting impression for those who travel with us.

We achieve this by implementing the following methods:
Working with Local Guides - The tour is led by one of our fully trained local guides. Prior to leading our groups, guides must successfully complete our pre-season intensive training programme which lasts approximately 4 weeks. During this time we support the guides with accommodation, activities and supplemental salary.

Local Arrangements - We utilize private vehicle and local suppliers for accommodation and activities throughout to ensure the economic benefit stays in the local community. This includes working with locally owned sea kayak/glacier-walking/rafting/etc operators and lodging in locally owned hotels/lodges whenever possible. We work directly with our long-established friends along the Kenai Peninsula and spend two nights at their luxury wilderness camp including home-cooked meals (e.g. fresh salmon bake).

National Park and National Monument Visits - On this tour, we include visits and entry admission to all national parks and monuments listed in the itinerary. Fees support park upkeep and conservation projects, and we encourage our clients to visit the visitor centres for additional information about the region.

Educating Travellers - Our published traveller’s code of conduct is further promoted by our leaders throughout the tour, and particularly in the first night’s orientation talk. If you would like a copy of our RT policy or traveller’s code of conduct, please contact us prior to your trip or alternatively, download directly from our website.

This includes policies on the following:
Recycling - Established policy to support recycling (and to educate our clients on recycling) on all of our tours in North/Central/South America. We aim to utilize properties that recycle glass and plastics. When this service is not available, we will pack and store recycling in our own containers and drive them to a suitable facility

“Leave No Trace”- Leave No Trace is a national and international campaign designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts about how to reduce their impacts when enjoying the outdoors. Because this trip spends much time exploring the National Parks and "wilderness" areas, familiarizing clients with the "Leave No Trace" ethic will help minimize the impact on the natural environment

Carbon Off-Setting - We partner with Climate Care to encourage clients to off-set domestic/international flights. We are committed to off-set vehicles’ emissions and as such, we match client contributions up to £5,000 per year

Office Based Energy - 100% of our UK corporate headquarters’ power is green (renewable)

Charitable Project Support - We contribute to local charities and projects such as “Tourism Cares for America” (of which we are a founding member), “Friends of Big Bend” and the “Mojave Desert Land Trust”- organizations dedicated to improving and/or expanding national parks.

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