our 1st alaska trip

[VincentL]

Planning our 1st trip to Alaska in 2016. Will be traveling via a 2009 GMC 2500HD towing a 2015 21ks viewfinder trailer. I am seeking all comments and experiences on going by caravan...All comments greatly appreciated. Thank You

[Veebyes]

The question is why are you even considering a caravan trip? Do you do chaperoned trips in the Lower 48?

We have done the North 3 times on our own. Each time the trip was in excess of 120 days from MD.

Alaska is not the dark side of the moon. The roads are plenty good, provided one pays attention & drives at an appropriate speed. The roads are not covered with wildlife. Spotting chances are better if you are traveling on your own. If you break down chances are the next vehicle coming down the road will stop to check on you. We have had people stop for us when we have stopped for picture taking.

A caravan offers structure & a degree of security but if you have a breakdown the caravan will not wait for you to get it fixed. A caravan uses CGs just like the commercial ones in the lower 48. On your own you can do the state rec area CGs where you never know what might come strolling through at night.

On your own, if you are a people type person, you will meet plenty of people doing just what you are doing with plenty of tales & advice to swap.

[magic43]

There are valid arguments to be made for each style/mode of traveling anywhere.

We made our previous Alaskan trip in a 26' Class C with no toad and we made last year's BC trip in our TC. Our 2016 Alaskan trip will be made in our new 23' FW.

[2gypsies1]

Fishhunter wrote:
Best to travel around Alaska in a smaller TT or TC. There aren't a lot of places you can fit a 40' pusher in, especially in the State Parks.

I'll have to disagree with you on this one. We had absolutely no problems fitting our 40' motorhome into public campgrounds in Canada, the Yukon and Alaska. They are always our first choices - anywhere we travel. Plus we did a lot of boondocking in gorgeous areas.

[Fishhunter]

Best to travel around Alaska in a smaller TT or TC. There aren't a lot of places you can fit a 40' pusher in, especially in the State Parks. Caravaning is going to be restricted to the big campgrounds so you will miss out on all the small out of the way places. If you don't need full hookups and a crowd around you there are lots of nice places to dry camp a few days by a lake or river. Myself I couldn't imagine being stuck in a caravan and being subject to their itinuary and schedule

[Uma___Papa]

Agree with getting the above mentioned books, Milepost and Alaskan Camping by the Church's. We went to Alaska this past summer on our own, took our time and seen what we wanted to. Had such a good time DH wants to go back again this summer. We did check into a CG that had several caravan groups while in Canada, we noticed the visiting among them so if you like that go for it. BTW we never once made a reservation for a site the whole time we were out there. Once we got the very last spot at a CG near Denali we figured no big deal if we didn't get a spot just part of the adventure.

[2gypsies1]

In addition to the Milepost which is perfect for maps and what to see along the way, another publication to purchase is Mike and Terri Church's 'Alaskan Camping' book which includes Canada and the Yukon, also. It will be your bible for finding all kinds of campsites - RV parks, public parks and boondocking spots.

Also purchase the TourSaver 2/1 coupon book. One glacier cruise (a must) will pay for the book and you'll surely want to do additional tours.

[4X4Dodger]

I first drove the Alaska Highway in late November 1972 on my way to my new duty station, Elmendorf AFB. I was driving a retired CA highway patrol car that turned 100,000 miles about Oregon. I started from Biloxi MS via San Diego (family) To Anchorage.

The road today is vastly, vastly improved over that time and there is no reason to caravan. There are plenty of services of just about everything you need all along the way.

I would just buy the Milepost and use it. It is really all you need and it's a mile-by-mile explanation of everything along every route you can take to Alaska and in Alaska.

Just Go have fun and dont worry.

I will be leaving the Baja in March and heading north to Alaska myself.

[bee_46]

We have never used a caravan on our three trips to Alaska, but have observed them in the campgrounds. The main draw it appears, beside having everything planned for you, is the social aspect. Many times we saw groups from the caravans congregated by an RV with afternoon cocktails. As we are not drinkers, this is not attractive to us. We also travel in a Class B and noticed that most of the campers with the caravans are large Class A's. There is nothing wrong with this, but it just seems that this is not our "style".
We have on all of our trips changed our itinerary for one reason or another. On was mechanical trouble that stopped us for 6 days, and the others were our choice either to stay in a location longer or leave earlier. All of these would have not worked with a caravan.
I did take the itinerary of a caravan to help determine some of the most popular places to visit on our first trip and on our next two trips we returned to the places we liked the best and added some places we had not visited before.
My husband and I do a lot of photography and will often just head off to look for things to photograph and we do not work on a time table. Thus a caravan is not for us, but might work very well for you. No one can make that decision for you.

[rag-ftw]

Be advised this is my opinion only and worth exactly what you are paying for it!

Advantages of caravan:
Route planning done for you
Tons of daily social interaction
See the most places in the least amount of time
Security of tail-gunner to call for help if you break down in the middle of no where
You will see all the major shows and other attractions along the road
You will stay in the nicest RV Parks
Disadvantages of caravan:
All the above with the exception of the tail-gunner

We took 4 months to drive the Alakan Highway and around Alaska in 2012 and 2014 solo. I am pretty handy with maintenance tasks and we are both anti-social so the caravan was not an option for us. Plus being able to spend 5 days each in Teklanika, Soldotna, Homer, Ninilchek, Valdez, and along the haul road to Deadhorse was not an option on a caravan.

As previously mentioned, it is pretty hard to make that trip and not be impressed. Just pick one and Do It!

[CA_Traveler]

In 2013 the online caravan trip detail information was very limited (all caravans). Perhaps they want you on the caravan rather than using their guide.

We met a couple that let us copy their caravan travel information and it contained pages of detail. Most of it we had already figured out but it proved useful. BTW One of their group spent 10 days in Fairbanks for MH repairs and the group did not wait.

We wanted to be on our own plus we balked at the high caravan cost. But we went to some of the same CG's, tours, restaurants and spent much more than planned.

Two different experiences: Deep Creek Beach 30 miles north of Homer, dry camping. We were amazed at the boat launching, eagles and camping on the beach. We had to burn some coal in the fire and that was an experience with the smoke and it stays hot for a day... Fjord Express out of Skagway/Haines to Juneau was a fantastic trip. Not a canned run as the owner is extremely knowledgeable of the area. He heard of whajavascript:;le feeding and from Juneau ran 8 miles south (Haines is north) and the 3 whales were still feeding. $160 each and we would go again. Can't recommend most of downtown Juneau as it's a Caribbean jewelry shopping mega for the cruise ships. Skagway has some of that as well.

Caravan advantages: No CG check in as everyone has a radio and you follow directions directly to your site. It's a group experience. No driving to a tour or restaurant as their is a bus/van for the group. A morning meeting explaining the days activities, driving, etc.

[PA12DRVR]

Opinion follows since I've never taken a caravan to Alaska, but have seen the summer roads chock-a-block full of caravans:

1) Driving to Alaska isn't the mythic and daunting experience it was 30 years ago. Just get in your rig and head NW.

2) There are (IMNSHO) too many variables to be locked in to the caravan's schedule even (as I'm sure they do) if they make it somewhat loose. As mentioned above, what if the weather clears on the last day of the stay in McKinley? Or...what if the tour boat captain says that it's safe enough to go out but rougher than heck and it won't be fun, but the itinerary says today's the day for the tour?

3) Caravans, I understand, start from various places, but what if, for example, one finds the Kluane area to be spectacular (not as spectacular as Alaska, of course. 🙂 ) and wants to spend 2-3 days around there? Or 2-3 extra days around Whitehorse? In addition to the lack of flexibility that could impair the Alaska portion, what if one finds Western Canada to be scenic and wants to prolong that part of the trip.

Last but not least: Alaskans are generally a friendly bunch and more than willing to help out if there is a broken down RV on the road. 'Course, they'll grumble a bit more while helping if they've been stuck behind 20 RV's going to Homer on a Friday afternoon.

[2gypsies1]

Dick_B wrote:
You'll get lots of negative comments from the independent RV owners who travel Alaska on their own BUT the main advantages of a caravan are: all of the planning, scheduling, reservations etc. are made by somebody else and all you have to do is follow the leader AND it is the most efficient way to see the sights in the shortest time. You also have the safety in having a Tailgunner who makes sure that everyone makes it to the next destination; not so when traveling alone.

First, regarding reservations: we made two for the whole summer trip and those were only made a couple weeks prior to getting to those particular areas. One for for the Teklanika campground in Denali Nat'l Park and one was for July 4 weekend (Alaskans like to camp, too). As it turned out for Denali, we were early getting to the area so on a whim we boondocked nearby and drove into the park early morning. We easily secured a site without reservations for our 40' motorhome in Riley Creek, another campground in Denali. So we stayed 10 nights in the park in two completely different areas.

We didn't make reservation for any other camping spot or for any of the attractions (glacier cruise, etc.). We just showed up.

Caravans make tons of reservations because they're coming into those places as a big group, not as individuals.

Planning the trip? We didn't. Everyone travels the same roads and everyone goes to the same places. We read up on our next days' travel the night before and then we knew what we wanted to stop for. Unless you're on a very limited time schedule, you can easily see everything along the route without planning when you'll be there.

Also, going by yourself you don't have to do things that you're not interested in doing. If you don't want to stop for the night yet, you can keep driving. If you want to stop at a gorgeous place for the day after only driving 50 miles, you can do so.

The whole trip is long. Just break it up into segments and don't think of the whole trip at once. Take one day at a time and spend a few days or a week in a particular spot if you like it. Don't rush.

As far as safety or maintenance, there are hundreds of RVers traveling with you daily and very friendly local folks who will gladly help you in any way. You'll meet up with them time after time. If you have a major breakdown (highly unlikely) the caravan is not going to wait days for you to get repairs. You'll be on your own at the repair facility just like traveling alone. We had no problems and no damage on our trip and many do not.

For lots of excellent ideas, click on the 'Clicky' at the top of this forum page for Alaskan Hints - lots of good information by folks who have driven there.

[Tee_Jay]

If you really want a caravan, go for it.

We go every year as we summer on the Kenai, and we lived there in the '60's and '70's. Sue T. lives near Whithorse, and there are others who live in Alaska and comment here.

The caravans charge a lot of money, last I looked it was $5,000 and up. For that you get paid campground fees, which average about $35 a night with full hookups, except only 30 amp service and a central sewer dump is common. They have a rigid schedule, but is is reasonable and based on the popular attractions and many years of refinement. Your fee includes some attractions. There are also periodic planned social events, some of which you must contribute food and such to. Put another way, they charge you 2X+ the cost of the included amenities at retail.

The social structure of caravans is not, in my opinion of watching them in campgrounds, friendly to the travel trailer. Large motorhomes rule the roost. Others experience may vary wildly, it is just what has been observed.

The itinerary does not start until Dawson Creek, and usually ends near there. Lots to see and do between AZ and Dawson Creek. Also, elapsed time and the dates are important.

OK, I'm sort of down on caravans, for the reasons stated. A lot of folks like them based on their frequency and large numbers. Most of them drive diesel pushers.

It is a wonderful trip, however you decide to go.

[bob_nestor]

Some people are hesitant about doing an Alaska trip alone and for them a caravan is a good solution. Others have no problem going alone.

If you seek company for the trip and would like to travel with one or two others without the cost and formal structure of a caravan that's also possible. There are forums on sites like RVillage where you can meet like minded people and organize your own personal caravan.