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Q: Do you offer any tour packages for watching parts of the Iditarod?
A: We do not offer any tours during the winter. For winter tours including the Iditarod, I would suggest contacting Salmon Berry Tours based in Anchorage. They have a good reputation and can set you up with a tour and viewing of the Iditarod. Premier Tours also offers an escorted winter tour that includes the Iditarod.
Q: What are the hotel taxes and other fees that are in addition to the package rate?
A: Taxes and fees vary by city and hotel. Hotel bed taxes range from 2% to 13% depending on location. We would be happy to prepare a quote for you that includes all of the fees and taxes.
Q: How do I know what dates the tours you offer depart? Is there a way of finding out this information without requesting a quote?
A: You can select the start date for the package you are interested in, and any of our packages can be modified to suit your needs. There is not a specific date you start the package on, it’s up to you. The vacation packages are customizable land packages that operate from mid May through mid September.
We do also offer fully escorted tours which do have specific start dates that can be found on our website.
Q: I plan to visit Alaska at the end of September 2012. What hotels will be open then?
A: Hotels in Alaska’s major cities (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau) are open year round. Most of the hotels in Denali and Talkeetna will be closed for the winter. As a general rule, Denali is closed up for the winter around September 20th. Also transportation and tours will be very limited then as well.
Q: Where is Alaska’s major airport?
A: Alaska’s major airport is located in Anchorage – the Ted Stevens International Airport. There are many smaller airports throughout our state as well.
Q: When is the rainy season in Homer?
A: Unfortunately, Alaska does not have a predictable rainy season as the weather up here is very unpredictable. Please visit our weather blog for more information on what to expect from Alaska’s summer weather!
Q: We have a very short amount of time but would like to see Denali. We arrive in Whittier via a cruise on a Saturday. Is it possible to get to Denali and take an afternoon tour, spend the night in the park and travel by train to Anchorage Sunday morning? What do you suggest?
A: Unfortunately there is no way to make it to Denali for an afternoon tour when you arrive by cruise ship. You could rent a car when you get to Anchorage via your cruise transfer and drive to Denali but you wouldn’t be able to do a tour. You would be limited to driving just thirteen miles into the Park. As an alternative to driving to Denali, I would suggest a visit to Talkeetna, Alaska.
I would recommend taking the Park Connection transfer from Whittier to Talkeetna. While in Talkeetna, you could take a flightseeing tour that would take you over Mt. McKinley and other spectacular peaks. Overnight at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and return to Anchorage via the Park Connection on Sunday. The bus would get you back to Anchorage before 2pm. If you wanted to take the train, you would not arrive back in Anchorage on Sunday until 8:30pm.
Q: What are the best months to come to Anchorage?
A: The best time to come to Anchorage depends on what you want to see and do. If you are considering a winter trip to Anchorage, you would want to schedule your trip around the start of the Iditarod which is the beginning of March. If you are planning a summer vacation, most tours start operating around the middle of May and run until early to mid-September. Peak travel season months are June and July.
Q: Do your vacation packages include food?
A: As a general rule, the vacation packages do not include food. There are some tours within the package that may include a meal. Most of the national park tours, both in Denali and Seward, include a meal or snack and some of the hotels we book have breakfast included.
We offer two unique dinner experiences – the Cabin Nite dinner theater in Denali and the Alaska Salmon Bake in Fairbanks.
Meal costs in Alaska average about $8-12 per person for breakfast and lunch and about $15-28 per person for dinner. Also, most destinations have convenience stores that offer boxed lunches and other items for the day.
Q: I would like to take a cruise to Dutch Harbor and the Pribilof Islands. Can you help me book this?
A: Unfortunately, none of the major cruise lines we work with (Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity) go to Dutch Harbor or the Pribilof Islands. The Alaska Marine Highway, our state ferry system, does go to Dutch Harbor and other neighboring communities in the Aleutians. We do not book the ferry. We recommend making your reservations through Alaska Ferry Adventures.
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Alaska Tour & Travel Box 221011 Anchorage, AK 99522 |
