Selecting a tour guide
Get a good guide!
Before booking your Alaska tour, ask who your guides are, what level of experience they have, and are they full time Alaskan or summer residents. Do you want a local or a seasonal resident as a tour guide?
Are they experienced?
Find out if your guides have degrees in science or anthropology or any specific education that will add to your tour. It is always fun to have master birders or geologists leading your trip. Also ask if your guides have any photographic experience. This can really give an edge when watching and photographing wildlife.
Where to go?
So much beauty, so little time.
Decide if you want to see the glaciers and fjords of southeast Alaska, the majestic beauty of the Denali region with the tundra and wildlife, the austere wilds of the high arctic or the expanse of the interior. Then ask what time of year you want to go. Winter can be as fun as summer for the adventurous.
What to do?
Dog sledding is a wonderful winter tour option.
Sea kayaking, fishing, rafting, hiking, backpacking, dog sledding, skiing, road touring are all options for a grand Alaskan adventure. Pick your adventure choice and research the tour options. Get in touch with the Alaska Wilderness Recreation Tourism Association (AWRTA, http://www.awrta.org) to research tour operators and companies.
Need some help?
There are many great organizations to help you plan your Alaskan tour. The Juneau Visitor and Convention Bureau is a wonderful resource for southeast Alaska. The Alaska Tourism Council is a good statewide aid. And for those venturing to the high arctic, Welcome to Alaska has advice for outfitters in Barrow. Find the links in the Resource section below.
Article Written By Eric Cedric
A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.
