Camping and Multi-Sport Adventures

Small groups (10 max) • Great guides • Deluxe equipment • Gourmet meals • Active experiences

• Activities
• What’s Included
• Each Trip features
• Guides
• Campgrounds
• Transportation
• Equipment
• Meals
• Permits
• References

We camp in and near Alaska’s national parks and protected areas. Our days are filled with exploration and adventure as we enjoy the greatest multi sport adventure tours in Alaska. Our evenings continue with the luxuries of camp life; marshmallows by the campfire, evening walks through the woods, and those beautiful Alaskan sunsets shared with new friends.

The camaraderie that develops among a small group while camping in the outdoors can’t be beat. Travel to Alaska with Alaska Outdoors camping tours and discover a wild and natural place without the confines of rigid itineraries and walls to insulate you from the Alaska you came to experience.

Hiking

All of our trips feature excellent hiking opportunities each day. Hike along crystal clear creeks, view spawning salmon or climb towering mountains for sweeping views. Exploring Alaska by foot is one of the most rewarding experiences available in Alaska. For the serious hikers out there check out our Wildland Hiking Tour.

Canoeing

On our tours that include the Kenai Peninsula and/ or Tangle Lakes, we will canoe beautiful lakes and ponds. We’ll paddle the shores in search of wildlife and seclusion. Canoeing is an outstanding way to get away from it all. If you’ve never been canoeing before we’ll be happy to show you how easy it is.

Multi-sport tours

If hiking and canoeing aren’t enough to keep you busy there are a variety of additional optional day trip adventure tours at each of our destinations. These activities are offered to you by the tour operators that are the local experts of the places we visit. Of course, we have our favorite activities based on years of experience and will gladly make recommendations. We’ll bring you directly to the tour operators (they know us well) and can even get you a discount most of the time. Our experience has been that this approach to travel in Alaska is very cost effective, and it allows you to customize your tour as you wish.

Most Alaskan tour companies include some of these same activities in their itineraries. They then contract with local companies to conduct the trip and pass the cost (and more) along to you. They do this in order to offer an “all inclusive trip”. What you get is an overpriced tour with a rigid itinerary and no opportunity to explore at your leisure.

See our individual tour descriptions for optional tour prices and compare with other “inclusive tours.” You will find our trips to be an excellent value.

With our help exploring Alaska is easy, fun, and affordable.

Some of the additional adventure tours available depending on your chosen itinerary

River rafting

There are a lot of rivers in Alaska and no matter which itinerary you choose you will have the opportunity to raft on both whitewater and scenic rivers.

Glacier/wildlife cruises

Cruise the waters of Kenai Fjords and/or Prince William Sound to view marine wildlife and tidewater glaciers.

World-class fishing

For the anglers out there, consider fishing the waters of the Kenai River for salmon and trout. If you prefer ocean fishing, the oceans near Kenai Fjords National Park or Valdez are excellent for Salmon and or Halibut. River and/or ocean fishing is available on each of our itineraries.

Sea kayaking

Sea kayak to the face of a calving glacier near Valdez on one of Alaska’s most beautiful and serene day trips. Sea kayak near Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward to view spawning salmon and picturesque waterfalls.

Mountain biking

Rent a mountain bike and ride into Denali National Park. Or take the bus in part way and ride back. Mountain biking on the Denali park road is outstanding. Or experience great single track on the Kenai.

Flight seeing

Fly among some of the largest mountains in the world near Denali National Park. The scenery will leave you breathless! Or fly over the huge ice fields of the Wrangell Mountains within Wrangell St. Elias National Park.

Horseback riding

Local stables offer the opportunity to explore Alaska by horseback at several locations.

Sled dog kennels

Visit an active sled dog kennel at Denali National Park.

Feel like going for a hike? Go for a hike. Want to go flight seeing and land on a glacier? Go for it! Your guide will offer suggestions as well as make all of the arrangements, leaving you free from the hassles of researching, booking and logistics. They know this great land well and will enrich your experience with their knowledge and skill.

Optional activities are merely suggestions and do not include all of the possibilities. All activities may not be available at the time of your tour. Contact our office for more information.

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What’s Included

Alaska Outdoors' tours include a full time, professional guide, campground and park entrance fees, comfortable transportation, top quality camping equipment and all but two excellent meals per 7-10 day trip. These meals are taken at restaurants in order to take advantage of local cuisine (the sea food is very good) and for the ease of logistics.

If you wish to sample some of the additional activities available, these can usually be arranged in the field by your guide and common credit cards (Master Card and Visa) are generally accepted.

Not included are hotel accommodations before and/or after your trip, optional activities, alcoholic beverages, and guide gratuities.

We’ll pick you up at around 8:00 am at the Anchorage location of your choice. We will recommend a variety of accommodation options depending on your budget and interests and can help you make reservations. Your tour will end when we drop you off between 5:00-5:30 p.m. at the Anchorage location of your choice on your final tour day.

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Guides

Alaska Outdoors' guides are experienced and professional. They are certified in first aid and CPR and are knowledgeable of Alaskan natural and cultural history. They will go out of their way to ensure that your trip is seamless, enriching, and fun. Your guide will act as your resident expert and you can count on them to take great care of you.

To receive a bio of any of our currant guides please contact us.

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Campgrounds

We utilize established camping areas near and within parks and protected areas as our base camps. We select campgrounds based upon their scenic beauty and secluded nature. Many of our camping areas have running water; others are a bit more rustic with clean outhouse style facilities. Pay showers are usually available every other night.

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Transportation

A comfortable full size 15 passenger van equipped with cloth interior and climate control will be courteously driven by your guide. Since our group numbers are low (Max 10) everyone will have a window seat with plenty of room to spread out while traveling. On travel days we stop for photographs, wildlife sightings, lunch, and short walks.

We use heavy duty box style (enclosed) trailers to haul our camping equipment and your luggage. Many tour companies in Alaska transport their heavy equipment (and your luggage) on the roof of their vans on roof racks. We believe from experience that putting this much weight on the roof creates an unstable driving condition and an unnecessary hazard.

Our heavy duty trailers are more secure, weather proof, animal proof, and are easier to load.

Tours that cross Prince William Sound travel the Alaska State Ferry past the massive Columbia Glacier. We’ll drive our vehicle onto the ferry and head to the upper decks where we can relax and enjoy Alaska’s world famous coastline. The trip past the Columbia is especially exhilarating as we move through a sea of floating ice. If we’re lucky we can see whales, sea lions, seals, and lots of shore birds.

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Equipment

We provide all top of the line equipment. Our tents are weatherproof, roomy and easy to use. We use new 4 person Eureka Outfitter all season tents that are excellent in all weather conditions. Two people will share each tent unless you prefer your own. Each tent comes with a vestibule (a covered porch for a tent) for added comfort and convenience.

Our custom kitchen shelters are a breeze to set up and are fully enclosed with mosquito netting. They are weatherproof and provide protection from the occasionally pesky bugs. On our early and late season trips we often use a heater for chilly mornings.

Our propane cooking systems allow us to prepare complete hot meals with ease. We carry a complete collection of kitchen utensils and equipment to prepare an excellent variety of meals in the field.

All you need to bring is a sleeping bag and pad. Or, if you prefer, rent one from us for $25 each or $45 both per trip. Our sleeping bags are rated at 20 degrees, come with a fleece insert and are extra roomy. Our pads are 1 1/2 inch closed cell foam, are very comfortable and practically indestructible. We will send you a detailed packing list suitable to your Alaskan adventure when you book your tour.

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Meals

Your guide, with a little teamwork from the group, will treat you to a variety of expertly prepared meals. We have worked with excellent outdoor cooks to create menus that are wholesome, hearty, and consistently good. You won’t go hungry. We've even had requests for an Alaska Outdoors cookbook (Due in 2005)!

Breakfasts are varied and generally consist of eggs, pancakes, French toast, cereals, fruit and the like. Special additions like fresh blueberries, real maple syrup, and good locally roasted coffee are the norm. Our hearty breakfasts will prepare you for the wilderness each day.

Lunches are generally deli style with a wide selection of meats and cheeses, including locally smoked salmon and halibut (the local specialty). Plenty of fruits and vegetables are always available as are crackers, trail mix, dried fruit, nuts etc. Hot soups with bread and salad are featured on some days.

For dinner your chef/guide will treat you to famous fresh Alaskan seafood, barbeque, and pasta dishes, just to name a few. A typical dinner might include grilled meat with fresh steamed vegetables and wild rice. Or with a flair, Mexican fajitas with all the extras like guacamole, sour cream and fresh salsa. Our meal planners have developed a variety of well balanced meals that generally include appetizers, a main course, and dessert.
Alternative meal suggestions are encouraged and special dietary needs can usually be accommodated.

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Permits

Alaska Outdoors, LLC operates under permit from the following land management agencies:

• National Park Service
• Alaska State Parks
• Chugach National Forest
• Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
• Bureau of Land Management

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References

Our vast experience, meticulous attention to detail, and untiring commitment to making each trip special is what sets us apart from similar tours in Alaska. We encourage you to contact our past guests and learn what they have to say about us.

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