14 days tour

Alaskan Wildlife & Wilderness, Operated By Quark

Alaskan Wildlife & Wilderness, Operated By Quark

This tour includes:

Transport

All transportation is by private vehicle, ferry and cruise. 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. All are equipped with air conditioning, Bluetooth-compatible stereo, and USB charging ports throughout.

Others

All camping equipment (excluding sleeping bags)

Meals

There 12 breakfasts, 11 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. Occasionally, you eat out in local restaurants. To help you budget for these meals, average costs are: Hotel breakfasts: US$12-US$17 Lunches: US$15-US$20 Dinners: US$20-US$35, not including alcoholic beverages Drinks cost on average: Wine: US$7-10 per glass Beer: 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.

Accommodation

Our US camping tours use national and state park campsites and a wide assortment of private campgrounds. Campgrounds in Alaska tend to be fairly rustic and remote, but most will have flush toilets and hot showers. The Denali campground offers close proximity to the park but is close to the highway so can be quite noisy. If you are a light sleeper, you might want to take earplugs. At Maclaren Lodge in the Alaska Range, we camp on the public land close to the lodge and have access to its facilities. The campsite in Wrangell-St Elias National Park is basic, without showers and with a long-drop toilet. The campsite in Seward charges US$1-US$3 for showers (paid locally). The campground in Homer has beautiful views of Kachemak Bay, but the ground is gravel and also accommodates RV camping. We sleep in high quality, heavy-duty tents and solo travellers will share with one other passenger of the same sex (unless opting to purchase the single supplement). Our camping equipment also includes field kitchens, inflatable sleeping pads, food storage and camp lanterns. Most campsites have a quiet time from 10pm to 7am. Please respect your fellow campers who are there to enjoy the peace of camping. Camp duties An essential part of a camping tour is helping out with the day-to-day camp duties and everyone will assist with the setting up and packing up of the campsite. Your tour leader will provide guidance on what to do; typically it will only take 15 minutes to set up or break down the tents and camp kitchen. Before you know it, youโ€™ll be enjoying home sweet home in the great outdoors. Your tour leader will also co-ordinate and assist the group with food shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up. Sharing the camp duties is a great way to bond with your fellow travellers and the group camaraderie is all part of the experience.

Guide

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.

Not included:

Others

โ€” Flights โ€” Travel insurance โ€” Single accommodation (available on request) โ€” Visas or vaccinations โ€” Airport transfers โ€” Optional activities (paid locally)

Flights

International flights are not included

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Optional

Alaska Native Heritage Center US$25 Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center US$15 Tony Knowles Coastal Trail US$free Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum US$10 Denali scenic flight US$524 Dogsled demonstration in Denali US$free Mountain biking in Denali, US$20-$57 Whitewater rafting in Denali US$92-$187 Ghost Town tour - Kennecott Copper Mill US$28 Scenic flight US$120-$270 Valdez Sea Kayaking US$259 Floatplane Bear Viewing Tour (Smokey Bay Air) $725 Kayaking $40

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Alaskan Wildlife & Wilderness, Operated By Quark

  • Day 1 Day 1: Start Anchorage
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Start Anchorage

      Welcome to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska with only 300,000 people and a city that has undergone quite a change since the 1964 earthquake. Now a bustling city fuelled by an oil boom and tourism, it wasnโ€™t that long ago that Anchorage was the last outpost before heading into the Last Frontier. This is a city mixed with metropolitan luxuries and unrivalled natural wonders. Itโ€™s not uncommon to find bear roaming the outskirts; this is one truly wild place. A great way to spend your day is to wander around town, speaking to the local people and checking out some of the great cafes and restaurants. A welcome meeting will be held at 6pm for you to meet your tour leader and fellow travelling companions. Optional activities: Alaska Native Heritage Center: US$25 Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center: US$15 Tony Knowles Coastal Trail: Free Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum: US$10 Accommodation: La Quinta Inn & Suites Anchorage Airport (or similar)

  • Day 2 Day 2: To Denali National Park Via Talkeetna (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: To Denali National Park Via Talkeetna (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Leaving Anchorage, we enter the wilderness almost instantly and head towards Talkeetna where we can try reindeer sausage, a local delicacy, before arriving in Denali National Park. Home to the highest mountain in North America, legendary Denali (20,321ft/6,194m), the park covers 6m acres (2.43m ha) and houses some of the most unspoiled wilderness and spectacular scenery in Alaska. Optional activities: Dogsled demonstration in Denali: Free Mountain biking in Denali: US$20-US$57 Whitewater rafting in Denali: US$92-US$187 Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

  • Day 3 Day 3: Optional Activities In Denali National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Optional Activities In Denali National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Enjoy two full days exploring the park with an included bus pass on the Ellison Shuttle โ€“ the only way to get into the incredible (and vast) wilderness. Try to spot Alaskaโ€™s Big 5: caribou, Dall sheep, moose, bear and wolves. Denali is one of very few national parks where you are encouraged to find your own path off the trails, great if youโ€™re looking for unadulterated adventure. There are plenty of optional walks and activities in Denali. As the trails are wild and unmarked, the hiking opportunities are endless. Your tour leader will suggest some spots of scenic beauty and the best places to view wildlife. Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

  • Day 4 Day 4: Another Day Of Optional Activities In Denali National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Another Day Of Optional Activities In Denali National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Today we discover more of Denali National Park and its vast wilderness, exploring the many optional walks in this spectacular location. Accommodation: Denali Grizzly campground

  • Day 5 Day 5: To The Alaska Range (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: To The Alaska Range (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Head into the heart of the Alaska Range to spend the night camping at Maclaren Lodge. With spectacular views of the surrounding valley, this campsite provides the ideal setting for an authentic Alaskan experience. The remote location is something to savour with the chance to look for grazing caribou near the quiet lakes of the tundra. This is also a birderโ€™s paradise with many species often sighted. Accommodation: Maclaren Lodge campground

  • Day 6 Day 6: To Wrangell-St Elias National Park (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: To Wrangell-St Elias National Park (Breakfast)

      The scenery comes thick and fast on this trip, and today is no different. Drive through the dramatic Copper River Valley and stop for a short walk on the Liberty Falls Trail, just off the Edgerton Highway, en route to McCarthy (population: 40 in the summer, 17 the remainder of the year). This quaint settlement at the centre of a mass of mountains, glaciers and wilderness will be our base to explore Wrangell-St Elias for the next two nights. Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve contains nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States, including the second highest, Mount Saint Elias (18,005ft/5,488m), and is the most glaciated region in North America. Accommodation: End of the Road campground

  • Day 7 Day 7: Wrangell-St Elias National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Wrangell-St Elias National Park (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Today we have the chance to enjoy more of the optional activities in Wrangell-St Elias. This imposing landscape of glaciers, mountains, forest and wilderness has wonderful wildlife-viewing opportunities โ€“ Dall sheep, mountain goats, caribou, moose, grizzly and black bears are some of the inhabitants. Optional activities: Ghost town tour at Kennecott Copper Mill: US$28 Accommodation: End of the Road campground

  • Day 8 Day 8-9: To Valdez; Via The Worthington Glacier And Thomson Pass In The Chugach Range (Breakfast,Lunch)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8-9: To Valdez; Via The Worthington Glacier And Thomson Pass In The Chugach Range (Breakfast,Lunch)

      Our journey continues towards Valdez, passing through the Chugach Range. On the rivers, fish wheels have been built to catch salmon migrating upstream to spawn. Stop at the Worthington Glacier, adjacent to the Thompson Pass, for a short walk. Explore the busy seaside town of Valdez, a return to civilisation after the mountainous isolation of McCarthy. Valdez is a new town, a major earthquake destroyed the old one in 1964. There are various nearby hiking trails, such as the Mineral Creek Trail or the Keystone Canyon Pack Trail. You can also visit the museum to learn about the native culture, gold rush history and the famous pipeline. You could also enjoy a sea kayaking excursion to get up close to the glacier. For the next two nights, we enjoy hotel comforts. On the second day in Valdez, the day is free to discover this fascinating area. Optional activities: Valdez sea kayaking: US$259 Accommodation: Totem Hotel & Suites or Best Western Valdez (or similar)

  • Day 9 Day 10: Transfer To Seward (Breakfast,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10: Transfer To Seward (Breakfast,Dinner)

      Today we leave Valdez and transfer to Seward (approximately eight hours). Sit back and enjoy the beautiful Alaskan scenery; if weather conditions are clear enough, you might get a glimpse of prominent peaks such as Mount Blackburn, Mount Wrangell and Mount Drum. We also drive past Matanuska Glacier before making our way to the small fishing town of Seward. Accommodation: Forest Acre campground *There is a ferry that runs from Valdez to Whittier, through calm fjords and past immense glaciers. For 2024 departures, the ferry company will release the schedule between November 2023 and January 2024. If a ferry operates on the correct day for a specific departure, we take the ferry to Whittier then continue the journey by land.

  • Day 10 Day 11: Full-Day Wildlife Cruise Around Resurrection Bay And The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (Breakfast,Lunch)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 11: Full-Day Wildlife Cruise Around Resurrection Bay And The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (Breakfast,Lunch)

      Set off on a full-day wildlife-viewing cruise around Resurrection Bay and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. To maximise the experience, the guide provides a detailed commentary on the wildlife we see and the area. On previous trips, travellers have spotted sea lions, otters, Dallโ€™s porpoise and an endless variety of seabirds including puffins and eagles. Orcas often appear and, if weโ€™re lucky, humpback whales may grace us with their presence. Accommodation: Forest Acre campground

  • Day 11 Day 12: Walk The Harding Icefield Trail To Exit Glacier; To Homer (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 12: Walk The Harding Icefield Trail To Exit Glacier; To Homer (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      The staggeringly beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park offers wonderful wildlife- and bird-watching opportunities amid dramatic fjords and glaciers. Within the park is the huge Harding Icefield, claiming 300sqmi (775sqkm). If weather conditions permit, take a spectacular walk from Exit Glacier to the Harding Icefield for views of deep crevasses and huge seracs. At an elevation of 2,950ft (900m), we eventually reach a lookout point over the icefield for out-of-this-world views. The walk is strenuous and entirely dependent on weather conditions; if there is too much snow and ice on the trail, it may be impassable. Thereโ€™s an easier option available if you prefer, using an accessible trail to reach a different viewpoint of the glacier. Afterwards, we transfer (three hours) to the quirky fishing town of Homer, our destination for the next two nights. Accommodation: Homer Spit campground

  • Day 12 Day 13: Free Day In Homer (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 13: Free Day In Homer (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

      Take a deep breath and enjoy Alaska at your own pace with a free day in Homer. Sitting at the end of the Sterling Highway, Homer is surrounded by wilderness, wildlife and ocean. Take your time, enjoy a low tide beach exploration, check out the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center exhibits, or stroll through town and grab a snack at a cafe or brewer. If you want to explore Kachemak Bay, Homer is great for adding an optional kayak adventure. Optional activities: Kayaking: US$40 Accommodation: Homer Spit campground

  • Day 13 Day 14: Walk At Alyeska; To Anchorage; End (Breakfast,Lunch)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 14: Walk At Alyeska; To Anchorage; End (Breakfast,Lunch)

      After breakfast and packing up camp, we drive for a couple of hours to Alyeska in the Chugach Range, which is ideal for a final wilderness walk before returning to the state capital, Anchorage. Containing around half the state population, Anchorage in some ways looks just like any other sprawling American town, and after nearly two weeks in small towns and villages, the bustling streets will feel somewhat different. Explore the art galleries and craft shops where you can see beautiful Inuit handicrafts being made. This tour ends at our gateway hotel in Anchorage at approximately 5pm. We can book your post-tour accommodation if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9pm.

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 16 / Max: 80

Age range allowed for this experience.

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