Category: Summer Tours

Traveling is a gift, and everyone goes on adventures in different ways. At Alaska Wild Guides, we’ve met them all: large tour groups, couples, groups of childhood friends and even solo travelers. Of all the people we’ve met throughout our journey as a company, some of the most fascinating and inspirational are solo female travelers.

Solo female travelers are not always as common as other travelers in Alaska, but when we do encounter them, we find them to be interesting, driven individuals. Solo female travelers represent the strong pioneer women who helped shape the region. They represent what’s great about traveling as a whole, and are true inspirations.

We love encountering solo female travelers in Alaska because they embody the spirit of bravery, wildness and happiness. It’s not that other types of travelers don’t also embody these things, but the experience of traveling as a female alone in the wild is certainly one to be admired and learned from.

Here are some of the top reasons you should consider traversing Alaska solo.

Do whatever you want

Sharing travel experiences with friends and partners can be fun, but one of the best things about traveling alone is that you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. There are no compromises, no arguments over which path to take, no turning back early because one person is tired.

Traveling solo means following all of your dreams and desires and not letting anyone get in the way of that. This is a gift we all need to give ourselves once in a while.

Push yourself out of your comfort zone

Sometimes, when you travel with people you’re comfortable with, you have a harder time straying from your “norm.” It can be tough pushing yourself past your boundaries and straying from the familiar, even when you’re in a new place.

Traveling alone can be a new experience in and of itself. Many female travelers are scared to go it alone, whether due to safety or the unknown, but return from their trips with newfound self-confidence and a desire to push the limits a little more.

Get in tune with your body and brain

When you’re traveling alone, you have a lot of time to spend with you and only you. This can be a great time for introspection and learning more about yourself. Dig deep to understand your strengths and weaknesses, think through situations causing you stress and take the time to learn something new about yourself along the way. You may find things that surprise you!

Meet new people

Finally, traveling Alaska solo gives you the amazing opportunity to meet new people and potentially create lifelong friendships. Traveling with friends is great, but you tend to socialize with those familiar to you instead of branching out.

Traveling alone forces you to interact with strangers, ask for help and strike up conversations that could grow into lasting personal relationships.
Find your adventure in Alaska

Whether you’re a solo female traveler or any other individual heading to Alaska for a dream vacation, don’t forget to push yourself to the limits, enjoy your time and, of course, have fun. If you need help on where to turn, seek the advice of Alaska Wild Guides, a local wilderness adventure tour company.

Alaska is a beautiful state filled with amazing things to see and experience. The scenery, wildlife and activities seem endless, and getting to do all the things you want to do is impossible without careful planning.

Aside from figuring out what to pack and where to go, one of the most important (and often forgotten) parts of planning an Alaskan vacation is identifying how to get around Alaska. You have a lot of options, such as a car, RV, plane, train, bus or boat. Depending on where you go, you may need to use a combination of methods to arrive quickly and safely!

Here are some of the top ways to get around Alaska:

• Drive:

  If you want to see Alaska on your own schedule, renting a car and traveling around the state on its major highways is sure to result in some gorgeous views. Cars give you the freedom to go where you want, when you want, and you can even take them onto ferries if you need to get to more remote areas.

• Tour via bus:

  If renting a car isn’t your speed, you can also see a lot of Alaska via bus tours. Touring companies offer guided excursions via coach bus that can bring you to some of the best spots while allowing you to relax, enjoy the ride and dedicate all your attention to the scenery.

• Rent an RV:

  Renting an RV or motorhome allows you the freedom of driving without needing to stop at or pay for hotels. Motorhomes are an extremely popular way to travel across Alaska and in some cases may be cheaper then renting a car. Also factor in that you can cook meals on the go and things just got more affordable.

• Travel by boat or ferry:

  Alaskan cruises are a popular tourist experience, but even short trips via boat and ferry can show you a lot of the beauty Alaska’s water has to offer, including its marine life, which you don’t get to see elsewhere. The Alaskan Marine Highway ferry system also offers a full system of boat travel to reach destinations in all major regions of the state.

• Hop on a bush plane:

  A large portion of Alaska isn’t accessible by road, so many travelers opt to get around the region by taking small bush planes to more remote destinations. Air travel is a great way to get to otherwise inaccessible locations and can provide you with absolutely breathtaking scenery you won’t get on land. You can often catch a flight to get to a destination or hover in the air to sightsee on a tour.

• Take the train:

  Train routes like the Alaska Railroad offer travelers beautiful views as they relax in cozy train cars and coast through the Alaskan scenery. Taking the train is a great way to get to destinations that are farther away.

You’ll want to select the mode of transportation that best fits your goals for your trip. However, some of the best vacations actually use some or even all of these methods!

Part of the fun of planning your vacation will be figuring out how to get around Alaska. If you still have questions, contact a local expert from Alaska Wild Guides, a wilderness adventure tour company familiar with the area.

Of course, remember that planes, trains and automobiles aren’t the only ways you can get around and see all that Alaska has to offer. You can also take more exciting methods, like kayaks, jet skis and snowmobiles! Check out our day and multi-day adventure tours to take your trip to the next level.

We get it—the summer seems awfully far off right now, especially here in Alaska while the days are still short and the mercury is bottoming out. But if you’re looking to come to Alaska this summer, it’s a good idea to start planning out your excursions as early as possible, as they can book up quite quickly during the tourist-heavy summer season.

One of our favorite tours we offer to our summer visitors is our jet ski tour in Alaska. On this tour you’ll depart directly from Whittier Harbor and cruise along nearly 70 miles of gorgeous Alaskan coastline, up into the Blackstone Bay. Along the way you’ll have the opportunity to get up-close looks at 10 glaciers, including a pair of tidewater glaciers that produce icebergs that are perfect homes for harbor seals. Many of our visitors have never seen seals in the wild before, so this is a great treat for them!

Blackstone Bay also features one of the largest kittiwake rookeries you’ll find in the world. Kittiwakes are birds that love to nest along steep cliffs and fish in the crisp Alaskan waters. They often come out in large numbers and are very impressive to watch as they dive to the water to scoop up fish.

About the jet skis

Some people who come on our jet ski tour in Alaska have never jet skied before, while others are major jet ski aficionados. We have top-of-the-line, high-performance jet skis that are capable of very nimble, easy maneuvering. Their high-tech braking systems allow for the ultimate in control while idling in front of glaciers so you can enjoy the view without having to worry about losing your balance.

There are plenty of other safety features, too, to ensure your comfort throughout the entire ride. There are upgraded stability features, as well as an extra-large cargo area. Even inexperienced riders will be able to easily control their jet ski and feel completely comfortable and safe along the entire journey. We also provide all jet ski riders with dry gear to keep them warm and safe.

We also offer two-passenger Sea-Doo GTI SEs, which have 30 percent better fuel efficiency than any other similar jet ski on the market. This is because we care greatly about protecting the Alaskan wilderness and the Prince William Sound while you’re out having a memorable adventure.

Our jet ski tour guides are looking forward to meeting you and giving you an adventure you’ll never forget. The cost for these tours starts at $340 per person, with a minimum of two clients per tour. The tour departs daily at 1 p.m. Again, be sure to call ahead and book your tour as soon as you know when you’ll be here this summer—we get a lot of visitors in the summer months and this is a very popular jet ski tour in Alaska, so it’s important to book your excursion well in advance to ensure you get a spot! All of us at Alaska Wild Guides look forward to seeing you!

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