Alaska in 2012

[koi095]

Hi,

My name is Ron and my wife, Dee, and I are going to Alaska this summer. I'm looking at a tour with Adventure Caravans. They have a trip that starts in Montanna goes to Calgary for the stampede then on to Alaska. It is a 60 day trip. Sounds like fun.

What I would like to find out if anyone has traveled with Adventure Caravans and what they thought of the tour.

Ron J.

[lmsooter]

Ron,

Welcome to the FMCA forums. We have spent approximately 2 years looking at various caravans into Alaska. We have narrowed our choices down to Adventure Caravans. We talked to some of their representatives in March of 2010 at the FMCA convention in Albuquerque, NM. They were one of the couples who lead the caravans to Alaska, We are currently looking at the 58 day trip starting June 20th in Great Falls, Montana. I am sure it would be less expensive for someone to go on their own and you could spend more or less time at various locations according to what you like. But the security of traveling with a group, and directors who know the area, is a positive benefit.

[tjwentling@astound.net]

Adventure Caravan.....very good. We did the same trip in 08 and is was really very good.

We are going back in the summer of 2012 and will not be going with a group. So far we have a two or three other interested. Whereas the caravan is very good they just go too fast and hit too many places that we choose not to stop at.

.

Either way you win. Advanture Caravan has a very well planned travel schedule and they know what they are doing and do it very well. It is just the difference between 25 rigs and a small hand full.

If you have any interest i will forward info to you on our group.

Enjoy Alaska.......you will love it !!

[DeeJay]

I went with Adventure Caravans for the Rose Bowl Parade and was very satisfied. I agree, however, that to do a long tour especially thru Canada you don't need a tour. There is enough books and research already done that you can do it at your own pace. My second year after I was widowed I drove my own motorhome to Alaska and back. Left mid May and returned mid August. If I were to do it again I would do an extra month. We had a small group and dry camped most of the way. The SI's wanted to stay in campgrounds but I convinced them that we could do it without campgrounds. There were times I was completely alone and felt safe. I overnighted in a road side rest area and spoke to a couple who were from near where I was from and asked them that if they heard my horn in the middle of the night to check on me.

The trip is awesome. We arranged side trips at Haines with a travel agent in town to fly to Glacier National Park where we boarded a tour boat for most of the day. Another boat trip to Juneau that also included a bus trip to see the city. Another day we took the ferry to Skagway and the train ride.

When we were at Prince Rupert we timed it to be there so we could take the ferry to Ketchican as walk on's, stay the day sightseeing by taxi, and return via the southbound ferry that night. It was a 24 hour day but we napped on the return trip. Another great adventure we did was to go "fishing with the bears". We arranged to fly out of Soldotona by a float plane. It took us across Cook's Inlet, landed and we stepped right into a boat that took us to a cove where we literally fished with the grizzley bears. Awesome.

We are going to Fairbanks this year. Bob and his wife did the cruise, train, plane trip and I have told him that he missed the best part. BC & AB. So we are going to that. Since they didn't spend much time in Fairbanks we are including that.

BTW you won't be alone long. You keep meeting people at campgrounds (if you choose to stay at them) that you met at previous ones and if you are at all outgoing you will have made new friends.

Donna

[desertdeals69]

We prefer to travel alone or with 1 or 2 other coaches. I like to stop when I want and go when I want. The money we save by not going with a tour group buys our fuel. We spent 2 months doing Alaska and Canada. Went to Burnaby and checked into a campground for 10 days. On the second day the campground shuttle took us to the cruise dock to board the ship for a 7 day cruise to Alaska. On our return the shuttle picked us up and brought us back to the campground. When we left we went north to the start of the Alcan highway. Went to Fairbanks Sam's Club and joined about 60 other RV's in the parking lot for the night. Toured the state for a month and left going through Chicken. Dry camped all the way. At Soldotna there is a Fred Meyers that has a mini campground in the parking lot with a dump station.

[koi095]

Thank you all for the responses. We are going on the tour. I'll report on it when I get back.

[Guest BillAdams]

The tour part of your trip should not be necessary if you do a bit of research. There are huge amounts of info available on RVing to, in and from AK. The Milepost book appears to be an essential before you go. If you prefer to have it all planned out from start to finish with absolutely no room for a change of plans then a tour will always be your best choice.

[dotmel]

Ron, you got to go with ADVENTURE CARAVAN, they are the only ones to go with. We went with them last summer and are still talking about it. We met Carol and Ken when they gave the seminar at FMCA in Indio last year after we already signed up. They ended up being our wagon masters. A caravan gives you a lot of advantages over doing it yourself. I will list my favorites: security in numbers, having a tailgunner, (Maddie and Spence). Having it all mapped out for us and knowing in advance our campground arrangements were already made, having tours paid in advance and all of the wonderful friends we made. There were 22 total rigs, and now 44 new friends we plan to go back east this summer to visit several of them. We are 73 and 75 and are working on our bucketlist and Alaska was the second thing on the list. We will be at the Indio rally this week as seminar room monitors, look us up.

Dot and Mel Bolton

[SergeantMajor]

The 2012 issue of North to Alaska is now online. This is a great free online travel planner for anyone thinking about traveling to Alaska in an RV.

You can also order a free North to Alaska book and Milepost map to be mailed to you.

[SergeantMajor]

Dot and Mel;

Adventure Caravan sounds good. We are going with a group of former/retired military and will be up there about the same time as you. Here is a link to our Alaska 2012 trip in the Lets Meet Up section of the FMCA Travel Forum.

We are hoping the fuel prices do not go too crazy this summer. Can't wait to get up there, especially if it is as hot as last summer in the lower 48 last year.

Hope to see you there!

[dickandlois]

Ron and Dee,

We spent an entire summer in Alaska with the kids. The best time we have had on an adventure! We went by ourselves. Nowhere to be on any one day. Long drive from the East coast, up through B.C. to Prince Rupert, a nice boat ride for the coach and family to Skagway and lots of white lines to run over.

Alaska is still calling us back and we hope to do it again, now that all the kids are out of college. This time we hope just the two of us will take the trip. The kids have other ideas. They are all interested in going again. LoL.

R.M.

[ronmonson]

Thanks for the great links.

[robertbeers]

We have done Alaska by Motor Home five times since 1985 and loved every one of them. Last two we put the trip together for 10 rigs, 63 days, included all camping fees, Several Museums, Glacier Cruise, Fairbanks Stern Wheeler, a few dinners etc fo $3,100.00 per rig. Had optional fly in fishing, flight to Purdo Bay, Halibut Fishing, Salmon Fishing the Copper River, etc, etc. If you would like our itinerary email to beersxx@aol.com.

I 2002 we were going to Inuvik. Got to Eagle Plains on July 3 in the sunshine and woke Juky 4th (my birthday) in a snow blizzard. This is a great road when dry but when wet it is slick as ice. We returned to Dawson City.

[tjwentling@astound.net]

See your post on Alaska.

At this time we have two rigs. Ours from Northern California and one from North Carolina.

We are leaving late May / Early June and plan to meet in BC around the 5th of June +/- a bit. Trip will be around 60 days or so.

Have been twice prior. Once in Caravan and once single. Want to go a bit slower this time so just going to have a very few rigs.

Like to sight see, fish, photo and hike. A sip of wine in the evenings make life a bit smoother.

Let me know if interested and I will start to send you some info.

tjwentling@astound.net

We drive a 34 ft rig and two a jeep. Retired and enjoying life at 76.

Advise.

Tom

[HenryPatterson]

Two things are a must....The milepost and hand held 2 way radio's....Make sure every rig has them....Makes life hole lot easier...You can talk to one another bout where to stop for fuel,,eats or a nap!! not necessary in that order!! If you to fish(like I do) take poles and little bit of tackle...Have lots of fun!!!!! BUTCH

[Hawkeye111]

I loved the trip and enjoyed all of this thread. One thing that has not been covered is a side trip to Pt. Barrow. It is absolutey a must, and plan on spending three days there. It is worth every moment!

[jimoc]

Looks like we are joining the conversation late. Our plan is to go to Alaska late May 2012. We are interested in running with someone else and need not go every where together. One reason we did not think much of a Tour is it is more structured than we are planning. One thing i want to do is go up to Dead Horse on the Dalton Highway (The Haul Road). Other than that we are pretty flexible. and could hook up again after that side trip. Any one want to "talk" Contact Jim@PeninsulaEstates.com. We are in Redwood City CA and could adjust our route to and through Canada.

[tjwentling@astound.net]

Jim and others interested:

I sent you an email with a good bit of info.

Yes we are off the 1st of June for a 60 day trip. No schedule that is in cement.

We are two rigs and do plan to spend a good bit ot time together but at the same time both willing and expect to go "do our own thing" if and when it fits.

We have the two rigs but are more than willing to expand to three or four if we all fit together.

If interested please contact me and I will forward the hoped for travel plan.

Only things in cement are dates for June 21st in Fairbanks and the time in Denali where reservations are quite necessary.

Review this and advise.

Anyone elas interested please do same.

tjwentling@astound.net

Tom in Concord California