Guided Camping & Backcountry Adventure Tours in Alaska
Alaska’s backcountry – in the mountains, on the tundra, near a glacier, or along wild rivers or coastline – allows for a rare immersion into breathtaking surroundings, away from cities, roads, and crowds. You don’t even have to go far away from “civilization” to be surrounded by awe-inspiring views and nature’s sounds. Guided backcountry trips range from bare bones camping to upscale lodge retreats, and they all offer more of quintessential Alaska: more views, more quiet, and more opportunities to see wildlife.
Why Choose a Backcountry Experience?
A sense of place. On a backcountry adventure, no matter where you look, there’s no doubt that you’re in Alaska. You’re constantly connecting with your surroundings, whether you’re floating down a river and then sleeping in a tent along the banks, or retiring to a private room at an upscale lodge surrounded by miles of wilderness.
Make lasting connections. All of these guided adventures have small group sizes. And, you’re generally with the same group for the duration of your trip. You’ll form connections, friendships, and will bond over mealtime, shared challenges and new vistas.
Get out of your comfort zone. Backcountry adventuring is an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and learn something new. Have you ever tried ice climbing before spending the night on a glacier? How about finding your way over wide-open tundra on a backpacking expedition? Even cooking riverside on a float trip teaches you how delicious a meal can be after a day on the water. Alaska offers challenges and discoveries for even the most experienced hikers/rafters/campers.
Leave the planning to the experts. No need to spend hours on logistics trying to match up transportation, accommodations and meals. These trips are planned out for you, and are typically all-inclusive.
What Types of Trips are There?
Backcountry trips range from rugged to luxurious, with a variety of activity levels so you can choose the experience that suits you best. They’re also available at a variety of price points. If you are surprised at first by a total cost, keep in mind that it likely includes transportation from a hub city to your destination, along with meals and activities throughout the trip.
This table gives typical cost tiers according to the type of trip:
Cost (per person) | Accommodations | Bathroom | Activity Level | Meals | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outfitted Trip (no guide) | Varies based on gear rented and chartered airfare | Tent | Outdoors | High | Backcountry fare, often freeze-dried |
Guided Camping | $1940 - $3950, 9-20 days | Tent | Varies; vault toilets or campground facilities with flush toilets & showers | Low - Mid | Campground fare! |
Guided Backpacking | $900 - $2750, 2-5 days | Tent | Outdoors | Mid - High | Backcountry fare, often freeze-dried (prepared by guide) |
Guided Float Trip | $575 - $3150, 2-7 days | Tent | Outdoors / port-a-john | Mid - High | Backcountry gourmet (prepared by guide) |
Glamping | $999+, overnight | Tent with prepared sleeping space | Vault / port-a-john | Low - Mid | Prepared or catered, gourmet |
Backcountry Skiing & Winter Adventures | $895+ | Lodge or tent | Varies | Low - High | Backountry fare to prepared |
Is Backcountry Exploring safe?
Absolutely! Exploring these wilderness areas safely takes common sense and knowledge of how to manage the risks - which can include everything from hypothermia to surprise encounters with wildlife. Guides will help you have an amazing time while showing you how to navigate Alaska’s land, ice and water safely. And even if you are already well versed in the mechanics of backcountry adventuring, a guide can help elevate your experience with insights into the specific geology, natural history, and flora and fauna around you.
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Guided Backcountry Adventures
Outfitted Trips
Experience the thrill of flightseeing in areas that most tours can’t reach. Go with Golden Eagle Outfitters and enjoy fully customized flightseeing tours from Kotzebue or Delta Junction — or take advantage of their air-taxi drop-off and pickup service to access some of the most beautiful and remote parts of Alaska.
Family-owned and operated, Destination Alaska Adventure Company, has a passion for showing people Alaska. Whether your must-see list includes national parks, glaciers, volcanoes, great fishing, bear viewing, or more, Homer is not only a great base for flightseeing but also a great home base for your trip. Browse available tours, dream up an adventure of your own, or let the pros at Destination Alaska help you create one!
You’ll take off from Anchorage, and Alaska will open up for you as you appreciate its vastness from the air. Where will you go? That’s up to you! Choose from a variety of tours. Take one of the classics, like flightseeing to Denali, or opt to explore one of the state’s hidden gems. You can also fly to see glaciers, go bear viewing in Lake Clark National Park, or work with the pros at Alaska Air Service to create your own custom itinerary.
Guided Camping
Sockeye Cycle offers fabulously in-depth trips that stretch across the state, and even into Canada, and last anywhere from 3 to 12 days. Cycling around Alaska is special in a few ways. The roads can sometimes be quirky, and sometimes a little more rugged than a freshly paved road somewhere else. But on the other hand, you‘ll likely get the road to yourself, so you can relax and spend more time enjoying the scenery. These multi-day trips offer a ...more
Visiting Alaska’s oldest recreation lodge — founded in 1937 and set 125 air miles northwest of Anchorage — is like stepping back in time. Rustic log cabins pepper the landscape, the staff gets around by horse, and everywhere you turn you’ll find shimmering water and towering peaks. It’s truly a place to unplug.
$3390+
Land Package Type: Guided Backcountry Adventures
The unique trips offered by Infinite Adventures begin with transportation in a converted school bus that’s been transformed into a spacious, comfortable chariot for 16 travelers. Accommodations are mostly in tents, and itineraries have been designed for camping lovers (and those who would like to try it). Plus, the owners run most trips themselves — a husband and wife who are passionate about showing off Alaska!
Traverse the majesty of Exit Glacier by ice hiking or ice climbing, or opt for a nature hike in the gorgeous terrain around Seward, Alaska. Never ice climbed or hiked on a glacier? Not a problem. All trips include instruction to get you started.
Guided Backpacking
Fly in and out of remote locations in the gorgeous Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and experience the true wilderness of the Alaskan backcountry. Keeping it minimal and unplugging completely, you’ll sleep in a tent and wake up refreshed and exhilarated by the sights and sounds of these raw wilds. Moderate mini-Backpacking excursions for beginners, or point-to-point hikes for experienced backpackers that match your abilities.
Small group backpacking and basecamp hiking adventures in Denali, Gates of the Arctic, Wrangell St. Elias, Kobuk, and Lake Clark National Parks. Beginners with a high level of fitness are welcome but having completed at least a few backpacking trips is recommended. Your guides are highly trained trip leaders who have global mountaineering experience and wilderness medical training.
Get a unique view of the Alaskan wilderness on a four- or seven-day backpacking trip through the backcountry. You’ll be trekking on Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park, with magnificent views of Mt. McKinley and of course plenty of wildlife to spot along the way. Your experienced naturalist guide will be with you the whole way, cooking up great meals at your campsites. You should be fit enough to carry a pack up moderate hills, though you’ll ...more
Explore Anchorage’s best kept secrets with a local guide. Traverse Alaska’s private, custom adventures are designed to take visitors off the beaten path and away from the crowds. Adventures can incorporate a full day of hiking or a combination of scenic driving and outdoor activities. Each trip is custom designed to meet your interests and desired activity level.
Set off with a small group and an experienced guide for an unforgettable exploration of the Mat-Su Valley area on foot. Nestled between the Chugach Mountains to the south and the Talkeetna Mountains to the north, there are craggy, snow-capped peaks and rushing rivers everywhere you turn: a classic Alaskan setting that comes packed with a rich history. Opt for a half-day or full day hike, or choose a hike & brew or a town tour to learn the ...more
Explore the Alaskan wilderness while carrying your pack and camping out — it’s a way to truly get in touch with nature. Choose a 1‑night or 2‑night trek leaving from the town of Kennicott — your expedition will be led by expert guides, who will take you on hikes that can wind past gorgeous lakes and stunning waterfalls. Work with your guide to personalize your adventure — they know the must-see highlights of this area and can fill you in on the human ...more
Traverse Alaska can craft fully-guided custom adventures, or set you up on a trip into the Alaska wilderness arming you with some know-how — and providing you with the independence to freely explore. Excursions include private day hikes, rafting and packrafting, and multi-day backpacking.
Get out there on one or more of these super-accessible trips, which range from easy nature walks to strenuous alpine multi-day treks. You’ll not only get a healthy dose of scenery, you’ll also exercise your body, mind, and soul. In winter, marvel at frozen waterfalls, snowshoe treks and even heli-snowshoeing!
Glamping
In the best way possible. you’re outnumbered by bears during your stay at this private fly-in wilderness camp. Fly by chartered plane from Homer to Alaska Bear Camp on a 5‑night, 6‑day all-inclusive package. This deluxe backcountry camp accommodates just 14 guests in some of the best bear habitat in the world. In contrast to day trips catering to dozens of visitors at a time, Bear Camp offers a rare and exclusive wilderness immersion.
Scenic vistas, glacial lakes, and Gold Rush history come together in the Moose Pass area, just north of Seward, making it an ideal spot to kayak, packraft, and hike. Travel with the experts of Moose Pass Adventures and you’ll experience this magical area on a day tour or overnight getaway to a backcountry yurt with an intimate group with experienced, passionate guides.
Guided Float & Sea Kayaking Trips
Sprawling Wrangell-St. Elias National Park has huge mountains, North America’s largest concentration of glaciers, and thousands of rivers — but just two roads. That’s why taking to the local rivers is such an excellent way to explore the park: this operator out of McCarthy offers multi-day adventures that embrace the rugged wonders of the park, while keeping you comfortable enough so that you relax and enjoy it.
Guided sea kayaking in Alaska’s Southeast opens up the magical world of water-based touring. Glide through a marine environment with gorgeous views in every direction, and many opportunities to spot wildlife – from eagles and salmon to bears, whales and sea lions. Options include day tours for busy schedules and multi-day immersions, all under the expert guidance of naturalists who help you understand the complex workings of a unique and amazing ...more
Raft the gorgeous glacier-fed rivers and iceberg-filled lakes of the Alaskan backcountry out of McCarthy, an historic town in the heart of America’s largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias. Going with St. Elias Alpine Guides — the park’s longest-operating rafting company — is a great way to experience the wilderness on everything from half-day outings to 15-day expeditions. No experience is required, and all food and gear are provided!
Members of 1% For The Planet, Kayak Adventures Worldwide strives to fulfill their mission to inspire an active stewardship of our natural world. Through small group sea kayak tours in Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park, they focus on safety, education, and connecting guests with the unique and fragile ecosystems you’ll visit.
Talkeetna River Guides has offered expertly guided rafting day trips for over 20 years. Float through the remote wilderness of Denali State Park, just a stone’s throw away from Denali National Park’s wild south side. Choose the two-hour Talkeetna River Natural History Float Trip, the four-hour Chultina River Raft Tour, or an overnight or multi-day excursion.
Take a boutique, small-group kayaking trip with experienced guides at Liquid Adventures and get close to glaciers in kayaks or paddleboards while looking for whales and other marine mammals. You can even combine your adventure with a jetboat, helicopter, or wildlife cruise. There’s nothing quite like it in all of Alaska!
Winter Adventures
Take part in the thrill of winter and fall dog sledding out of Fairbanks. You’ll experience the sport with one of Alaska’s longest-running dog tour companies. Go for a ride, attend mushing school, or go on a multi-day adventure to the historic Tolovana Roadhouse.
Traverse Alaska creates custom tours in the Denali National Park area that allow travelers to enjoy the magic of Alaska at their own pace. Winter itineraries include iconic Alaskan cold-weather activities in Southcentral and Interior Alaska. After all, Alaska in winter is a very special time of year — quieter, full of snow-frosted trees, and frozen snow-covered ground creates an outdoor playground in every direction.
Visit the world’s oldest Siberian Husky kennel any time of the year with tour options ranging from a couple of hours in the summer to multi-day winter adventures exploring Fairbanks.
This family-owned, fly-in luxury wilderness lodge is 200 miles north of Fairbanks and 60 miles above the Arctic Circle. Stays are all-inclusive and exclusive — they only accept one group at a time. Go dogsledding, snowshoeing, or scan the skies for the northern lights. The lodge’s huge picture windows make it easy to keep a lookout for the aurora from a warm, comfortable interior.