Alaska can be a difficult place to travel; weather, distance, time, and availability are all key factors. Over time, Alaskans build up an expensive set of toys to get around to enjoy the great outdoors and open spaces. Alaska ranks in the highest per capita ownership of recreational vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, boats, and airplanes so Alaskans are good at getting off the beaten path. So, the best way to get out there is to go with a local whether that is a friend, business partner, or a tour guiding company. Since you probably know who your friends and business partners are, I’ll concentrate on tour companies and transportation providers.
Flying to villages and remote destinations can be a challenge.
If you are visiting Alaska, going with a tour company is a great option. There are large and small tour companies that guide all over the State. Tour guided activities range from hiking, ATVing, Snow machining, fishing, bear viewing, paddling, rafting, gold panning, nature viewing……you get the idea. Companies may offer van rides, float plane rides, jet boat rides, horseback rides……again, you get the idea. If you have just moved to Alaska, tour companies are a great way to decide if you like a given activity enough to buy the right set of toys. For instance, before you buy that $15,000 snowmachine, how about going on a snowmachine trip with Glacier City Snowmobile Tours out of Girdwood to see if you really like it? Or, before you drop a cool $1,000 on ice fishing gear (tent, poles, auger, heater, cold weather gear, etc) go to Lake Louise and fish with Chasing Tales Guide Service or any of the many ice fishing guides around Anchorage and Fairbanks.