Alaska Guided Tour Caravan

[boss302]

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 price. I have found 3 that I believe do it but they seem really costly. I was wondering if it was just as good to plan our own trip or am I just asking for trouble. I have heard that some of the roads are bad and am a little bit uncomfortable at this point whether I want us to be on our own. Please give me some advice to decide one way or the other.
Thanks

[Gjac]

427435 wrote:
Gamecock reminded me of something. The trip to and from Alaska was as enjoyable as the time actually spent in Alaska for us.

This was my conclusion also, but my wife thought the trip was too long. I think it really depends on the person as to whether you should travel with a caravan or not. We went with another couple that already made three trips there so she felt more comfortable. Some people like the roller coaster and some the merry go round, I like the rollercoaster my wife the merry go round.

[nevadanick]

Were in Tok on our way up right now. Travelling with freinds and would not ever go with a caravan. In fact we ended up in the middle of one and now get up earlier to avoid them. Get the milepost and plan yourself, its really quite easy and as you go you can change your plans and you cant do that with the group. We are a wekk later than i thought we would be just getting to Tok.

[427435]

Gamecock reminded me of something. The trip to and from Alaska was as enjoyable as the time actually spent in Alaska for us.

[Gamecock7483]

My wife ,daughter and I went in 2014 pulling a 32 foot FlagStaff 5th wheel with ford F250 diesel truck. We traveled alone and was the best trip we ever took. All of us loved it. I admit I was a little reluctant at first as we were relatively new to RVing and certainly never had taken a trip of this magnitude. Diesel fuel was readily available which was a concern of mine. I carried 15 extra gallons of fuel, but never used them once. As has been stated, take your time and enjoy the trip - it is a journey and not a destination. Including travel in the US to get to Alaska and back, we put 15,400 miles on our truck. There are some rough roads, but not nearly as bad as I expected. The steepest hill we went up or down was a 11% grade.

Enjoy your trip.

[time2roll]

Can you take it one-way? Then see what you missed on the way back...

[2gypsies1]

I guess I don't know how you saw more on a tour than if you had gone alone. There aren't many roads. Everyone goes basically the same places and does all the popular attractions.

We had a Jeep so we went off pavement. We drove the gravel Hatcher Pass Rd. and got a lesson from a group of fun people on hang gliding.

Just in talking to a restaurant owner near Dawson City he invited us to see his huge generator setup in the back and explained how he survives the winter staying up all night to add wood to the stove.

We talked to a sled dog owner and she invited us to her home and a full tour of her operation. We got a ride on her summer training sled.

We did a lot of geocaching on the trip taking us to out-of-the-way places but a memorable one was finding some in the Carcross Desert on a tree in a sand dune. Yes, a desert in the north country!

We got our own private tour of Skagway by a park ranger early morning before the hoards of ship passengers disembarked.

We booked a backcountry fishing trip from a guy from 'Deliverance'.

On our way to Valdez we stopped at Worthington Glacier. We talked with the state employee and asked if we could spend the night on the parking lot. She stated "only if I sign you up to be a volunteer and you oversee the area for me tonight". What a fantastic campsite we had there.

We hiked Winner Creek Trail from Girdwood and had to use a hand tram to cross a canyon.

We toured Pratt Museum in Homer and admired all the surrounding flowers. A woman overheard us and invited us to her home for lunch and a tour of her garden.

We spent 10 nights in Denali Nat'l Park itself and saw 'THE' mountain 7 of 10 days and saw every one of the big 5 animals. We took walks on the soft tundra without anyone in sight. We walked back to the road and the next shuttle bus picked us up. We did these awesome hikes in absolute quietness during our 10-day stay.

...just a sampling what you can do on your own. 🙂

[Old_Blue]

We went with Adventure Caravan on our first and only trip to Alaska and had a great time and saw probably more with the tour than we would have alone. Yes, it is a bit expensive but with Adventure we never worried about camping, sights, and just plan great memories and many friends.
Just my thoughts
A long way from home and we weren't alone..
Have a great trip
Bill

[catkins]

We did a caravan with Adventure Caravans in '08 and was one of our best RV trips ever. Yes, you are someone else's schedule but we had access the things we would not have know about nor had access to at several times during the tour, even if I had read the Milepost.

You can choose to socialize when/if you want to. There is great relaxation in not worrying about where to go and not worrying about where to stay. We had a wagonmaster who briefed us the evening before driving on the next day's destination, what to stop and see and where to fuel up. We had a tail gunner who was the last to leave the park and was there to assist if anyone had an issue and over the course of the 58 days, was needed multiple times to lend assistance or to seek repairs.

I, as the planner/driver, could simply relax and enjoy the trip. Is this for everyone, Nope! We actually are doing a second Adventure Caravan to the Canadian Maritime provinces in 2017. Using them for the same reason - I know nothing about the area,ferries and best sights to see. Could I figure it out - likely. Is the price worth it for us - yes.

If I were to go to Alaska a second time, I would go with friends. We did a "time out" a couple of times where we did not go on a bus tour but did our own thing for a day locally.

Making the decision is not easy as the price tag is big. When I figured out what was included and then how much I would save, the daily price was not very high for ease on me travelling. For us, we were happy with our decision.

Please PM me if you would like any further information or to even chat via phone about our experience. Enjoy your adventure whatever you decide!!

[J-Rooster]

I would suggest carrying a spare tire! I don't carry a spare (haven't since 1976) but if I was going to AK. I would. Good Luck on your trip!

[OLYLEN]

If you have been out west in your MH you will be right at home in Canada and Alaska. As far as roads I have been on the same thing state side but you will see much more in the way of frost heaves, biut most will be marked with a flag a cone or you will see a wiggly stripe for a centerline or fog line. You will quickly learn slow is better and find as we have friends along the way. With a tour you will be on their time not yours. Get on a couple of the Alaska blogs and get two or three books and a good GPS, although it's hard to get lost, not that many choices for roads. I would carry a spare either mounted or just the spare tire. RELAX AND HAVE FUN!

LEN

[2gypsies1]

subtroll wrote:
The social side is better than the scenery.

Huh? Then why bother going if not interested in the scenery?

[Dance_Chick]

While we didn't go on a RV trip to Alaska, we did go on a cruise & land tour. IT WAS THE WORST TRIP WE'VE EVER TAKEN. We were absolutely miserable. We were on someone else's schedule and at their mercy. I suspect this would be the same thing. We decided after that trip that we will never go anywhere that we aren't in control of when & where we go. I'd give considerable thought as to what type of traveler you are.

[pigman1]

Go by yourself. We first went up in 2006. Trip of a lifetime. Yeah, sure. Went back in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and are planning for 2017. We spend the whole summer, from May thru September. It's only a long trip, and help is available anywhere along the way. We wander and only use CG reservations if there is a particular event we need to attend like July 4 anywhere, Denali, Women's Salmon Derby in Valdez, etc. If you are concerned, call a day or 2 ahead and space WILL be available. Take your time, move when you want and stay as long as you want to. LOTS of things to do and places to see. Get a Milepost, and do your planning as to what you want to see, and then modify as you need. Enjoy, and if you fish, you'll think you're in Heaven.

[mockturtle]

My dog and I went alone last year and enjoyed it thoroughly. I would not have been happy traveling with a group but some people prefer it. There are so many free places to camp in AK--even for larger RVs--that it seems silly to pay so much for accommodations.