Alaska holidays

Alaska holidays are all about jaw-dropping scenery. The national parks here are incredible, but Wrangell-St Elias National Park should be at the top of your list. This enormous reserve – which is bigger than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Switzerland combined – is home to nine of North America’s 16 highest mountains. But the star of the show is the Hubbard Glacier. A whopping 76 miles long and seven miles wide, this huge wedge of ice will leave you spellbound.

To the west, Denali National Park boasts North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley. With only one road and one entrance, this six-million-acre park is ideal for a scenic drive. You can admire the green forests and snowy peaks, while keeping your eyes peeled for bears, moose and wolves.  

Want to see some of Alaska’s beautiful waterways? Make tracks for Kenai Fjords National Park or Glacier Bay National Park. The former is where you’ll find the Harding Icefield, which has been formed by the constant flow of icy waters from 40 glaciers. Meanwhile, UNSECO-listed Glacier Bay boasts three million acres of rugged coastline, mountains, glaciers and fjords.

As you might expect from an area famous for its wilderness, Alaska has a great variety of wildlife, ranging from bears to bison. Denali National Park is a brilliant place to see Alaska’s animals, as visitors are encouraged to get off the trails and explore. There’s a good chance you’ll cross paths with deer, caribou, foxes and red squirrels. And, if you go on a guided walk with a ranger, you might be lucky enough to spot moose, wolves and grizzly bears, which can usually be found on the banks of Savage River.

Alaska holidays also serve up plenty of whale-watching opportunities. It’s possible to see whales throughout the year, but June to September is when sightings are more common. You can go on a boat trip through the Kenai Fjords or Glacier Bay National Park, where humpback, grey and beluga whales are often spotted, as well as orcas and porpoises. Alternatively, sail along the Inside Passage between June and July, when hundreds of humpback whales come to feed in the ice-cold waters.

Your days will undoubtedly be spent discovering grand landscapes – but, to see them, you’ll need to base yourself in one of Alaska’s lovely cities. Dotted along the curve of Alaska’s southern coast, Anchorage, Juneau ad Valdez are all great options.

Serving up 300 miles of wilderness trails and lots of adrenaline activities, Anchorage is ideal for adventurers. You can try dog-sledding, cycle along the coastal trails, or go white-water rafting in nearby Chugach State Park. Find out more about Alaska’s indigenous communities at the Native Heritage Centre, or take a daytrip to Kenai Fjords National Park.

About 100 miles east of Anchorage, there’s Valdez. This city is conveniently placed for visiting the dramatic Columbia Glacier and Keystone Canyon. Plus, you can go on a boat trip through Prince William Sound to see giant icebergs and remote islands.
Or you could head further south to Juneau, the state capital of Alaska. This large hub has all sorts of things to do, including zip-lining, white-water rafting and whale-watching. But the highlight is Mendenhall Glacier – an impressive sheet of ice which stretches for 12 miles.

Whether you’re hiking, sailing or wildlife-watching, Alaska holidays generally involve a lot of time outdoors. So it’s best to plan your trip between mid-May and mid-September, avoiding the cold, dark winter. From late spring, the days get much brighter, longer and warmer, allowing you to really make the most of your time here.

Temperature-wise, there’s not much difference between the seasons – spring and autumn average 12°C, while summer sees temperatures around 18°C. So the best time to go to Alaska really depends on what you want to do. You’re most likely to see whales between June and July, and bears are also easier to spot in July – you’ll find them hunting in the rivers, as millions of salmon migrate upstream. But if you’d prefer to do lots of hiking, consider going to Alaska in May or September, when the trails are generally quieter.