Pretty much any trip to Alaska can be considered an 'adventure', since the land is so wild and rugged in most places. Even relatively benign activities like RV'ing and fishing can have their share of adventure, when set against the backdrop of isolated wilderness and with untamed wildlife all over the place. But for those hungry for a true adventure, Alaska offers a chance to push yourself to the limit and really find out what the word means.
Alaska is 586,000 miles of mostly uninhabited, mostly unspoiled wilderness, along with thousands of miles of coastline. So the opportunities for adventure are numerous. Depending on what aspect appeals to you most, you can choose from any number of ways to experience the land outside of what might be considered 'the norm' by most people who choose to visit this rugged land. Nevertheless, enough adventurers come here that a healthy industry has grown up around the demand, meaning that you can embark on your own adventures properly prepared, and get pretty much everything you might need for the trip right in Alaska.
The biggest decision you will face when deciding on an adventure vacation in Alaska is what kind of an adventure are you after? There are so many options you could easily fill a whole summer up and still not have scratched the surface. Obviously, not all will appeal to you, so pick the one that does the most, and start from there.
The first choice to easily transform a regular vacation to an adventure, is to go camping. Camping in the wilderness, even in the roadside camps, is so different from our day to day lives that it makes things immediately interesting. Combine that with wild animals that like to come visiting, especially big wild animals like Grizzly bears, and you've turned a trip into and adventure. For those who really want to experience something, hiking into the interior with all your food and gear on your back and camping far from the roads is a simple adventure to arrange, but guaranteed to be a memorable experience.
Backpacking into the interior is a popular choice, especially into the beautiful and rugged mountain ranges. This is a much more demanding adventure, and those planning such a trip need to be in great shape and have had a fair amount of experience, before attempting it in Alaska. The isolation factor alone makes rigorous planning very important. There are many options for trekking in Alaska, including the incredible Denali National Park, with six million acres of preserved wilderness available. Set against the stunning Mt. McKinley and teeming with wildlife, these trails are a fantastic choice for experienced hikers seeking the trip of a lifetime.
For those wanting to take it up another level, there are many opportunities for mountaineering in Alaska. This should only be considered by experienced mountaineers. However, professional guides are available and can make a mountaineering adventure much less daunting.
Then there are those who prefer the water over land. Alaska has 40% of the entire coastline of the United States, much of it very wild and rugged. Sea kayaking is a popular choice, and there are many options for renting kayaks and gear, as well as guided tours. Whale sightseeing is possible, and nothing beats seeing whales in the wild from a kayak. Camping on islands and along the coast can easily extend the trip to a week long adventure or more.
Whitewater is another popular option for adventurers. Guided rafting trips can take you down some pretty hairy rivers, in a relatively safe fashion, and with practically luxury accommodations along the way. Or for rugged individualists, the trip of choice is being flown in to the headwaters of a wild river and making their own way down, often for weeks at a time.
No matter what choice you make for your Alaska adventure vacation, you are virtually guaranteed a trip of a lifetime experience. Those who aren't serious adventurers, or lack experience, should look into the many guided tours that are available. These are professionally planned and managed trips that can take you to remote locations you would otherwise probably not consider. Though the cost can seem fairly high on the surface, if you consider that it could be the difference between a great memorable time, or simply not taking the trip at all, it might be worth it. Adventure trips are all about the individuals taste and level of comfort, important considerations in planning any trip, and even more so for somewhere as wild and rugged as Alaska. For those who do choose to go, be prepared to have a really great time.
Pretty much any trip to Alaska can be considered an 'adventure', since the land is so wild and rugged in most places. Even relatively benign activities like
Read more...
Due to its popularity with the retiree crowd, many parents of young children don't consider Alaska family vacations as a good choice of destination. There certainly are some things to consider
Read more...