Overall our trip was perfect! The variety of activities and the length of stay in each location was ideal. We felt like for our first trip to Alaska we saw a great variety of landscapes and wildlife.
We started with a week aboard an UnCruise boat on the inside passage and as far north as Glacier Bay National Park. We saw lots of humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, and many types of birds, beautiful rainforest and stunning glaciers. Next we traveled to Denali National Park and had the opportunity to hike the mountains and tundra and see grizzly bears, caribou, moose, beavers and lots of birds and small animals. Lastly we spent a week on the Kenai Peninsula first on the Kenai River, then rafting to Skilak Lake and staying at the Backcountry Lodge and lastly traveling by boat through Resurrection Bay to the Glacier Lodge where we had gorgeous views of the Pederson Glacier from our cabin. On this leg of our trip we saw lots of shorebirds, black bear, otters, harbor seals, stunning scenery and several glaciers. We had the opportunity to hike, kayak, canoe and just sit on our porch and enjoy the amazing scenery.
Both my husband and I absolutely loved our trip and wouldn't have changed a thing about it. We highly recommend Adventuresmith, Taylor and our itinerary to anyone who is looking for an active, outdoor adventure trip in Alaska.
Accommodations Review
All of our accommodations from the Safari Explorer UnCruise boat, Camp Denali Lodge and the three Kenai Lodges [Kenai Riverside Lodge, Kenai Backcountry Lodge, and Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge] were amazing and all unique in their own ways.
Meals Review
The meals on each leg of our trip were amazing first class dining experiences. Our favorites were the Safari Explorer and the Kenai Backcountry Lodge.
Crew & Guides Review
We had many different trip leaders and guides throughout our trip and all of them were excellent. They were all knowledgeable in their own areas and helped us to learn about the history or each area we visited, the wildlife in each area, as well as the animals that were native to each area. Even the chefs informed us about the meals we were enjoying. All of our guides, chefs and leaders were so enthusiastic about their areas of expertise.
Itinerary Review
We liked various parts of each leg of our trip. The inside passage for the marine life and the Tongass National Forest and Glacier Bay National Park. Denali National Park for the great hiking, glaciers, the tundra which I knew nothing about but learned to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of as well as the wildlife of the park. And the Kenai Peninsula portion of our trip for the activities like rafting the Kenai River, hiking through the stunning scenic countryside and enjoying the peace of the Backcountry Lodge and boating from Resurrection Bay to the Glacier Lodge and seeing the glaciers coming down from the Harding Icefield. Juneau and Anchorage were not very pretty towns but we were glad that we had the opportunity to see them.
AdventureSmith Explorations Review
AdventureSmith, and specifically Taylor, was so thorough and meticulous in planning our trip. She had first hand experience and knowledge of each location and planned our trip with the perfect amount of time in each location. I don't think we would change anything about our itinerary. We would absolutely recommend AdventureSmith and specifically Taylor to anyone contemplating traveling to Alaska.
Traveler Advice
Let AdventureSmith plan your trip and you won't regret it!
Featured in this Traveler Review