Alaska Guided Tour Caravan
We are currently looking to go to Alaska next summer in our 36 ft. motorhome for about three months. Has anyone taken one of these guided tour caravan and if so which company and was it worth the pri...
Forum Discussion
It is absolutely not difficult to go on your own...and you won't be alone. Thousands are going to the same places you are. You meet up with folks time after time in the campgrounds or other places. Canadians and Alaskans are great folks and will willingly help you in any way. They are proud of their areas and love to talk about places to see and go.
Have you driven construction areas this summer near your home? Alaska has only a short time to do their road repairs and summer it is. It's no different than the lower 48 although some of the areas will be longer in length. The key is to drive slow on the gravel areas. If you have the summer you have plenty of time to get there. Don't be in a rush. As soon as you cross the Canadian border there will be awesome things to see in Canada and the Yukon. Don't just make a beeline for Alaska.
There is a particular section of highway after you leave Tok, Alaska that is noted for it's frost heaves. Go over one and you'll know how to spot them from a distance - the road will be a little wavy. The highway department tries to put a cone or marker at these spots but doesn't catch every one. That's when you'll be taking it slow. Basically, about the only other major gravel area will be around Destruction Bay (rightly named). It is constantly under repair because of the permafrost under the highway. It will never be a smooth paved highway. You just go slow.
We didn't have one repair issues or windshield damage to our 40' motorhome towing the Jeep on our all-summer trip. People that do are either overloaded or drive too fast.
All you need to purchase online, is the Milepost book which is great for history and maps. We had it open every day as we drove and read to each other the history of the areas. Don't rely on it for campgrounds. They are paid advertisements.
Instead, purchase online Mike and Terri Church's book 'Alaskan Camping' which includes Canada and the Yukon. It will be all you need for finding RV parks, public campgrounds and great boondocking areas right along the highway in scenic areas. They lived in Fairbanks and traveled back and forth many years in their RV so they really have great descriptions and GPS coordinates/maps for all camping spots. The Provincial parks in Canada and the Yukon are great - similar to our state parks.
The last thing to purchase is the TourSaver 2/1 coupon book - again, online. Buy one admittance and get the other free. One glacier tour will pay for the book and you'll want to do at least one.
Some of the horror stories you hear are passed down over the years. The majority of driving will be on good paved roads. Don't hesitate to go on your own.
With a caravan you will be on a schedule. What if you loved an area and wanted to spend more days or hated it and didn't want to even spend the night? People say caravans reserve your campsite and arrange for your tours. That's a very simple thing for anyone to do. They're reserving for a large group that's why they need to reserve. Going alone you don't need reservations for the majority of places. Pull in early afternoon and you'll get a site.
The only reservation we had for the summer was the July 4 weekend and for staying 5 nights in Denali Nat'l Park's farthest campground you can drive - Teklanika. For those we made reservations 2 or 3 weeks prior when we could better judge when we'd be there. As it turned out for Denali, we were in the area early so on a whim we boondocked along the highway in a beautiful spot the previous night and drove into the park the next morning. We easily got 5 additional nights in Denali's front campground, Riley Creek. There was plenty for us to do in 10 nights and we saw 'THE' mountain 7 of 10 days (many never see it) and every large animal that resides in the park.
Yes, go on your own! Have fun planning and as you do, come back as ask detailed questions.
Also...go on this site to the Alaska/Canada forum - lots of good information there. Each year there is a specific post for those going that year. There is already one started for Alaska 2017. Follow it throughout the winter months - there will be lots of excited chatter!
Have you driven construction areas this summer near your home? Alaska has only a short time to do their road repairs and summer it is. It's no different than the lower 48 although some of the areas will be longer in length. The key is to drive slow on the gravel areas. If you have the summer you have plenty of time to get there. Don't be in a rush. As soon as you cross the Canadian border there will be awesome things to see in Canada and the Yukon. Don't just make a beeline for Alaska.
There is a particular section of highway after you leave Tok, Alaska that is noted for it's frost heaves. Go over one and you'll know how to spot them from a distance - the road will be a little wavy. The highway department tries to put a cone or marker at these spots but doesn't catch every one. That's when you'll be taking it slow. Basically, about the only other major gravel area will be around Destruction Bay (rightly named). It is constantly under repair because of the permafrost under the highway. It will never be a smooth paved highway. You just go slow.
We didn't have one repair issues or windshield damage to our 40' motorhome towing the Jeep on our all-summer trip. People that do are either overloaded or drive too fast.
All you need to purchase online, is the Milepost book which is great for history and maps. We had it open every day as we drove and read to each other the history of the areas. Don't rely on it for campgrounds. They are paid advertisements.
Instead, purchase online Mike and Terri Church's book 'Alaskan Camping' which includes Canada and the Yukon. It will be all you need for finding RV parks, public campgrounds and great boondocking areas right along the highway in scenic areas. They lived in Fairbanks and traveled back and forth many years in their RV so they really have great descriptions and GPS coordinates/maps for all camping spots. The Provincial parks in Canada and the Yukon are great - similar to our state parks.
The last thing to purchase is the TourSaver 2/1 coupon book - again, online. Buy one admittance and get the other free. One glacier tour will pay for the book and you'll want to do at least one.
Some of the horror stories you hear are passed down over the years. The majority of driving will be on good paved roads. Don't hesitate to go on your own.
With a caravan you will be on a schedule. What if you loved an area and wanted to spend more days or hated it and didn't want to even spend the night? People say caravans reserve your campsite and arrange for your tours. That's a very simple thing for anyone to do. They're reserving for a large group that's why they need to reserve. Going alone you don't need reservations for the majority of places. Pull in early afternoon and you'll get a site.
The only reservation we had for the summer was the July 4 weekend and for staying 5 nights in Denali Nat'l Park's farthest campground you can drive - Teklanika. For those we made reservations 2 or 3 weeks prior when we could better judge when we'd be there. As it turned out for Denali, we were in the area early so on a whim we boondocked along the highway in a beautiful spot the previous night and drove into the park the next morning. We easily got 5 additional nights in Denali's front campground, Riley Creek. There was plenty for us to do in 10 nights and we saw 'THE' mountain 7 of 10 days (many never see it) and every large animal that resides in the park.
Yes, go on your own! Have fun planning and as you do, come back as ask detailed questions.
Also...go on this site to the Alaska/Canada forum - lots of good information there. Each year there is a specific post for those going that year. There is already one started for Alaska 2017. Follow it throughout the winter months - there will be lots of excited chatter!
