Alaska Power
Q: I need to buy an adapter to charge my camera. Are your power points the same as the U.S.?
A: Alaska uses the same power as the rest of the United States – 110 Volts/60. So one adapter for all your travels in U.S.A will be fine.
Best Time to Visit Alaska
Q: What is the best month to visit Alaska?
A: Alaska is a great place to visit anytime of the year. The “best” month to visit really depends on what you want to do in Alaska. The summer tourism season is mid-May to mid-September, with the peak season from June 15th to August 15th.
May is a great value time to visit Alaska – the weather is warming up, the trees are blooming and the grass gets greener every day. Usually, May is a drier month than later in the summer. Alaska tends to get more rain as the summer goes on. Tours throughout Alaska begin operating around May 15th. Due to the early season, many tours and hotels offer discounted prices. The time periods prior to Memorial Day and after Labor Day are considered the “shoulder” season which translates to less crowds and more opportunities for discounts.
Peak season offers the widest variety of tours, the best weather and the best wildlife viewing opportunities. June offers the most hours of daylight and historically is the driest summer month. The flowers around town are in bloom and the tourist season is in full swing. Many believe that June is the best month to see Alaska.
July is peak tourist season in Alaska and is the warmest month of the year. Peak season means largers crowds on tour buses and day cruises. If you are planning to visit Alaska in July, we recommend booking your vacation in January for best availability. August may be a little rainier but it is generally warmer than June and the bugs have decreased. The crowds begin to diminish as the summer comes to an end. We also see less daylight in August but unless you have seen Alaska in June you probably won’t notice!
September brings cooler temperatures and darker nights. The cooler temperatures bring beautiful colors to the trees and tundra and the darker nights offer the opportunity to view the Northern Lights. The tourism season is winding down so you will find fewer crowds and lower prices. There will be some tours that stop operating in early September but most tours continue until mid-September. Denali hotels and businesses close for the winter about that time as well.
Don’t let the weather be your only consideration. Alaska weather is highly unpredictable and whatever the weather brings for your vacation, we recommend getting out and having fun. The variable weather is part of the Alaskan experience so come prepared and enjoy the experience whether the sun is shining or not! Choose the month that works best for your schedule, your budget and offers what you most want to see and do. We hope to see you soon!
PS. For further details you can also check out our blog post on what are the best months to travel to Alaska?
Alaska Hotel Tax
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.
Alaska Travel Packages Start Dates
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.
Alaska’s Major Airport
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.
Rainy Season in Homer
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!
Meals Included?
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.
Independent Alaska Travel
Q: Are your tours for a group of people or a couple of people at one time? How do you get from one point to another?
A: Most of our tours are considered self-guided tours. This means that you are traveling as an individual throughout your trip. This allows you to customize your trip exactly how you want. Your tours and transportation will be with other independent travelers. We provide very detailed information on your trip 45 days in advance by mail. It will have all of the addresses, phone numbers and information on what to do when you arrive. All of the hotels we work with will offer courtesy shuttles to and from the rail depot and to and from the airport. For any of the scheduled activities they will either depart from your hotel or the hotel will provide a shuttle to get you where you need to be for the tour.
We do offer a few escorted tours. These would be as a group moving together, with a driver, as well as a tour guide to assist throughout the tour.
Prudhoe Bay Tours in 2012
Q: I heard that there are no tours operating to Prudhoe Bay in 2012. Is this true?
A: No! We still offer tours to Prudhoe Bay. It is a two-night, three day trip that travels via air and the Dalton Highway and includes a tour of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. Holland America and Princess Cruises are not offering tours to Prudhoe Bay in 2012 due a hotel closure. The tour we offer uses different accommodations, so it will operate next summer.
Alaska Reservations for International Travellers
Q: We are not U.S. citizens, nor do we live in the United States. Can we make reservations through your company?
A: We are able to book your Alaska vacation for you regardless of where you are from. We can book complete land packages and can book Alaska cruises with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line or Celebrity Cruises.
