Alaska Wildlife & Wilderness

• Accommodation: 1 Classic night (hotel), 8 Simple nights (participatory camping)
• Travel by private minibus, cruise and non-motorised inflatable boat
• Group normally 4 to 13, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

There are nine breakfasts, eight 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. Dinner on Day 1 and lunch on Day 10 are not included. To help you budget for these meals, average costs are: Lunches: US$15-US$30 Dinners: US$20-US$40, not including alcoholic beverages Drinks cost on average: Wine: US$10-US$15 per glass Beer: US$6-US$9 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.

Alaska's weather is changeable - expect cloudy, overcast and rainy days as well as some sunshine and long, light evenings (in the far north, the sun does not set at all in June!). June is typically drier than July and August, but on all departures you should be prepared for some heavy rain.

There are, great differences between the weather on the coast and in the interior. Average daytime temperatures will be around 17C (63F) on the coast, a few degrees higher inland; however, temperatures nearing 30C (around 86F) are not unusual. Night-time minimum temperatures are around 12C (54F), but a little colder inland and during June (occasionally hitting freezing point) and towards the end of August.

This tour is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Three. Visit our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife ratings. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

This is an active and varied trip, suitable for people with reasonable fitness. There are a variety of walks, both guided and unguided. Walks, hikes and activities range in difficulty from easy to strenuous. The walk on Day 7 (Harding Icefield Trail along Exit Glacier) has challenging parts with uneven and sometimes slippery terrain - there are sections of scree and snow, so walking poles are recommended for this day. The views across Exit Glacier are well worth the journey!

The tour leader will organise the optional activities on your behalf and you will pay locally in card or cash (depending on the activity), however we recommend to book the optional bush plane at Mount Denali (Day 5) in advance to guarantee availability. Find the main optional activities listed under each itinerary day description, along with guideline prices, which although correct at the time of publication, can fluctuate throughout the season. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour.

Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and from time to time your tour leader may suggest changes. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction or event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a tour highlight. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, local weather conditions and time of year.

All travellers over the age of 70 will be requested to complete a self-declaration of fitness form prior to travel. Our tours are a unique experience and much of your enjoyment comes from the team spirit of the group and the fun we have together, as well as from the local setting. We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of bringing a positive attitude with you on tour; a guarantee to enjoying each and every moment, even in the adversity of the odd rainstorm.

There is a high likelihood that you will come into contact with wildlife, including bears. You should always follow your guide's instructions.