Welcome to our Alaska itinerary! If you’re looking for well-crafted tips for an unforgettable trip, you’re in the right place. Please, get inspired!
The call of the wild, or what to see in Alaska in 16 days? Alaska isn’t a completely traditional vacation destination for the average European. We know it from films as a wild land full of mountains and glaciers. Or perhaps flames, if Steven Seagal is somewhere nearby.
However, if you love adventure and beautiful nature, it should definitely be on your “bucket list.” In the article “Alaska – travel itinerary and tips,” Ján Zelina will show you, day by day, the places he and his wife visited on their honeymoon. He’ll also give you a few tips on what to keep in mind when setting out to explore this stunning part of the world.
Before the trip
Alaska is about a 10-hour flight from Frankfurt, and it’s definitely worth flying into the city of Anchorage, where you can also find flights on our website. In this largest Alaskan city, everything is accessible, and it’s no problem to stock up for the entire trip. Prices there are also lower than in other parts of the state.
We camped every night (except one in Fairbanks) and brought all our camping gear with us. For two people, the standard baggage allowance is up to 46 kg total plus carry-on luggage, so packing shouldn’t be a problem. You can find all more detailed information about the individual sections described below at www.alaska.org.
When to go
The best time to visit Alaska is the summer season from mid-May to approximately mid-September. We went in July, when you can expect continuous daylight, temperatures between 10–25°C, and almost ubiquitous mosquitoes. It’s nothing unbearable, but I definitely recommend bringing insect repellent.
Dining / Food
For anyone who wants to stay flexible, I recommend always having a stove, water, and a travel lunch on hand. This way you won’t be unnecessarily limited by extra driving and searching for food, which is rarely available nearby anyway.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Anchorage
It’s definitely worth renting a car and booking it in advance. Ideally, pick it up directly at the airport, where the cost is around €80–100 per day. We eventually found a car for about €50 per day. (car link)
If you decide to camp, I recommend buying your gas canister at Bass Pro Shops, where shopping is an experience in itself. The store looks like a work of art.
Day 2 – Heading to Talkeetna and Mt. Denali
Given the beautiful weather, we headed toward Talkeetna, from where small commercial planes offer sightseeing flights over Mt. Denali. You don’t need to book the flight in advance, but when the weather is nice, it’s definitely worth it (with a glacier landing, it costs around €300–350 per person).
If your next destination is Denali National Park, it’s definitely worth moving closer to a campground in the evening, which I recommend booking in advance. Either directly at the entrance to Denali Park or in a nearby town.
Day 3 – Denali park – Wonder Lake
After a two-hour drive, we arrived at the central parking lot in front of Denali Park. You can only drive your own car for the initial part of the park; most of it is accessible only by bus. The bus is included in the entrance fee (around €80 per person), and how long you stay is up to you. Once in the park, you just need to flag down any bus, and it will take you where you need to go.
For adventurers, I recommend staying overnight at Wonder Lake Campground (but you need to book it in advance). It’s the most remote spot in the park, about 80 km from the entrance (5 hours by bus). It offers a beautiful view of Mt. Denali, but be prepared for heat and, above all, annoying mosquitoes.
The biggest adventurers can camp anywhere in the park’s wilderness, but you must obtain a permit and complete a short training session directly at the park entrance. Bears and other wildlife are ubiquitous there. Nothing can be purchased inside the park, and drinking water is available only at one visitor center within the park. You need to bring everything with you.
Day 4 – Camping on the way to Fairbanks.
After an intense but futile battle with mosquitoes (that’s when you’ll realize how much repellent you’ll need in Alaska), we decided to return to the car and head toward Fairbanks.
Day 5 – Fairbanks
The next destination is Fairbanks, the northernmost point of true civilization. It’s definitely worth stopping for a very tourist-oriented tour at the former gold-mining camp Gold Dredge No. 8, where you should reserve your entry (a phone call the day before is sufficient).
For hot springs lovers, it’s worth visiting Chena Hot Springs, and for fun, the Ice Museum located right in downtown Fairbanks. The town is known for gold mining, as well as the ice carving championships held in March. A ride on a historic paddlewheel steamboat is also an interesting experience.
Day 6 – Glennalenn
The following day, we set off on a long journey south. Near Fairbanks is the village of North Pole, where you’ll be greeted by reindeer, a massive Santa Claus, and a very kitschy Christmas decoration shop open year-round.
We continued toward Delta Junction and then down to the Glennallen settlement. There’s a pleasant campground there, complete with showers and a small grocery store where you can restock supplies and fuel (I recommend filling up with fuel whenever possible).
Day 7 – Kennecott
Despite the risk of voiding the car insurance, we decided to go all the way to Kennecott. It’s a ghost town, the largest copper deposit in the world, and definitely a unique experience. The last 80 km of the road is unpaved and requires careful driving (insurance doesn’t apply with most car rental companies). The only real risk is a flat tire, which isn’t a problem to change and then repair in town.
There are two campgrounds in town that don’t need to be booked in advance (though checking ahead doesn’t hurt). Both campsites have only very basic sanitary facilities and no electricity.
Day 8
There are three key points of interest in this area: the campground, downtown Kennecott, and the mining area itself. Transportation between them is available via a local bus, with one-way tickets costing $5 per person.
In the mining town, there’s a visitor center right at the entrance, where you can take a tour of the main mine tower. I definitely recommend it; it’s a 2–3 hour program. In the afternoon, if the weather is good, it’s worth walking to the nearest glacier, which you can reach from the edge even in regular hiking shoes.
Right by the glacier, there’s a tent village with a stunning view. We didn’t check where or whether a permit is required.
Day 9
We still had one day ahead of us, so we decided to hike the trail up to the abandoned upper wooden cable car station, from which mined ore was transported down for processing. The trail starts at the visitor center and has an elevation gain of about 1,200 meters, making it a solid full-day hike. The lower section is relatively uneventful, but from the halfway point upward, the views become beautiful. You can pay for a quad bike ride to the midpoint of the climb, which can save a lot of time. Either way, it’s a full-day program.
Day 10
We packed up the tent and set off toward Anchorage. We split the journey and slept at a fishing campground that had no drinking water, no shower, and only a dry toilet. Americans go there in huge motorhomes with all the comforts. Anyway, if you want a proper shower, it’s worth staying overnight again at the campground in Glennallen.
Day 11 – Eklutna Lake
We set off with the goal of reaching the campground at Eklutna Lake. Along the way, we made a detour to Hatcher Pass, where there’s an abandoned mining town and many accessible, popular hiking trails. That popularity is relative, though—there are very few people and tourists across all of Alaska, so seeing others around is very pleasant. From there, we continued to spend the night at Eklutna Lake, a lake near Anchorage with beautiful scenery.
The campground is state-run ($10 per night per car), payment is made at a fee box at the entrance, and only water and a dry toilet are available. You can rent a bike and ride the easy cycling trail to the end of the lake.
Day 12 – Kenai Peninsula – Portage
We pass through Anchorage again and continue to the Kenai Peninsula, where we’ll spend the rest of our stay. Right at the beginning of the peninsula, there’s a visitor center where you can choose from a wide range of activities (kayaking, day cruises to glaciers, train trips, etc.). The staff member at the center was very helpful, making it an ideal place to ask questions and get oriented among the options.
About a 10-minute drive away is a wildlife reserve where you can see local wild animals up close. We definitely recommend it. For overnight accommodation, we chose Portage Campground (toward Whittier). It’s a very spacious campground with good sanitary facilities and a pleasant atmosphere.
Day 13 – Russian River
Our next destination was Seward, where we spent another three nights. In July, the rivers are known for being filled with massive runs of fish. It’s a fishing specialty and also a popular spot for bears, so visiting the Russian River is quite an adrenaline rush (there’s even an entrance fee, which raises the adrenaline level for more budget-conscious individuals).
Day 14 – Seward
We spent the night at a campground near the coastal town of Seward and set off on a full-day boat trip around the surrounding glaciers. If the weather is good, it’s definitely the only accessible way to get close to the places where the glacier meets the sea.
Day 15 – Exit Glacier
As a top tip for top-notch hiking in the area, we recommend a full-day hike along Exit Glacier. Entry is free, and there’s a nice visitor center at the trailhead.
Day 16 – Whittier
At this point, we began heading back toward Anchorage, and our next stop was the town of Whittier. You get there via a tunnel that’s one-way and only open at specific times, which you should check in advance. Right after the tunnel, by the sea, there’s a campground. The campground feels more like a parking lot, but you can also camp on the grass around it, making it a bit of an oasis. There’s one dry toilet, and payment is made at a machine in downtown Whittier (about $10 per night per car).
As for activities, kayaking is definitely a great option. However, like almost everything in Alaska, you need to book it in advance. The town also has an abandoned military barracks that looks like a typical socialist apartment block. There’s one more apartment building where the majority of the town’s residents live.
Day 17 – Alyeska Ski Resort
On the way to Anchorage, you’ll find Alaska’s largest ski resort, Alyeska, which offers numerous hiking trails (it’s worth going via the Handtram bridge). If there’s an inversion or a clear blue sky, it’s worth taking the gondola up to the summit station, from where it’s only a 20-minute walk to the top of the resort. The ticket price also includes a credit for refreshments at the upper gondola station.
Day 18 – Anchorage
We spent the last night again at Portage campground, where you can take a shower, recycle your last bits of trash, and also leave your leftover propane canister at reception to be passed on to other travelers. The canister, right?
All that remained was the drive to the airport, where we returned the car and reminisced about how amazing it had been to visit the diverse places of this beautiful country. So 14–18 days is truly enough time to see the very best that Alaska has to offer.
What are the current prices for food, transportation, services, and other items? Check out prices and average living costs in the United States.
Author: Ján Zelina
Ján Zelina is from Bratislava and has been involved in audiovisual production for over 10 years, professionally for the last 7 years through his own company, Zeldeo. He began gaining filmmaking experience during high school on a study exchange in Los Angeles and later developed those skills at university in England. He has always had a passion for travel, and in 2012, during a study exchange in Iceland, his hobby and work merged when he started filming for a local tour operator. This gave him the opportunity to travel the entire country with a camera, and later Greenland as well. Alongside commercial projects, Zeldeo studio also handles travel-related genres, such as sailing around the world under the Slovak flag. Video and photography are both his hobby and his profession. So if you’re interested in professional video work, feel free to get in touch—he’s always happy to share his experience.
