FAQ

We were founded by a woman with a passion for sharing the Alaska she knew and loved with others. AAU only tours Alaska, a dedicated focus that’s allowed us to truly design and deliver the best possible experience while showing off our beautiful state. Our tour guides and travel specialists are all local Alaskans, and their depth of knowledge and engaging stories make our tours particularly special. If you want to get to know the real Alaska, join us on one of our tours! We can’t wait to take you around our beautiful state.

Since you will be purchasing your flights independent of our tours, transfers to your first overnight accommodations will be handled by you. Alaska has Uber and local taxi services located right outside of baggage claim. More information will be provided with your final tour paperwork.

Alaska truly offers something incredible every month of the year. The best time depends on what you’d like to see and experience. Alaska Adventure Unlimited only operates tours May to September. Here’s a quick overview of what to expect during those months:

The summer season in Alaska is short but lively. Late May and June highlights include the birth of baby animals and new greenery sprouting up everywhere every day. In June, fishing season also gets into full swing, which brings great opportunities to view the brown bears who feast on salmon. In July, the sun is out for nearly 20 hours a day, providing warmth and giving you more time to enjoy everything Alaska has to offer. In August, the larger animals begin preparing for winter while the landscape undergoes its own transformation. The ubiquitous fireweed Alaska is known for changes from pink to purple and eventually to cotton. We have a saying here in Alaska: “When fireweed turns to cotton, summer will soon be forgotten.” September highlights our very short fall season, which is the ideal time for photographers seeking Alaska’s vibrant autumnal colors. Many of the leaves change from green to a golden yellow, and the reds and oranges of the tundra moss dot the hillsides. You may even get to gather wild blueberries or cranberries.

Although we do not offer tours between October and May, you can stay at our chalets year round. With clear and dark skies, winter is the best time to try to see the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights. It’s hard to predict when the aurora borealis will appear, so we typically recommend planning a trip to see them for around four to seven days. Our cozy chalets give our guests a unique opportunity to sometimes see them from the front porch.

Our fleet has two vehicle styles: an executive mini coach that accommodates 13–14 passengers and a smaller mini coach that accommodates 7–8 passengers. Both feature leather chairs and large bay windows for a comfortable viewing experience, luggage storage, side access doors for ease of mobility, binoculars, and complimentary beverages.

Our touring vehicles offer special advantages over large motor coaches. The size of our vans allows us to travel Alaska’s back roads, dirt roads, and uneven terrain, which large motor coaches cannot traverse. Our intimate-sized tours allow us to make “moment by moment” decisions as to how long we want to stay in one place or when we want to stop to take photos of wildlife or scenery. They also ensure we can easily participate in adventures that are not available to large Alaska coach tours, such as Knik Glacier boat exploration, ATV adventures in Denali, or gold panning at Hatcher Pass.

Please note: Our vehicles are not wheelchair or handicap accessible. Our “soft adventures” require only easy to moderate levels of activity.

We recommend all travelers purchase travel insurance, either through AAU or your travel agent. Alaska is a high adventure destination, featuring remote regions, varied vendors, and vast activities. Many personal medical or insurance policies do not cover these situations. Inclement weather can affect your ability to fly in-state, or cruise, or walk on a glacier. These activities would be refundable through a purchase of travel insurance. Click here to view travel insurance policy options or call your local travel agent.

We make reservations 18 months in advance to the upcoming tour season at multiple properties in each city we visit. Typically, these are smaller, family-owned Alaska run properties with great views that range from creeks, lakes, and mountain views. Accommodations are assigned based on the full group needs once the tour departure date is sold out. Most rooms include one King bed or two hotel Queen beds and a private bathroom. View the different accommodation styles here.

It’s a good idea to plan for four types of weather: warm, cool, cold, and (occasionally) wet. Alaska’s vast size, varied topography, and geographical location can result in a wide range of conditions. During the summer months, high temperatures in the inland area near Denali National Park can occasionally reach 90℉. However, walking among glaciers generally means much cooler temps (with more breezes blowing). Further along the coast in Anchorage, the weather is normally pleasant and sunny but slightly cooler. Average temperatures across the state hover in the high 60s during peak season and the mid 50s in the spring and fall, but you will generally feel warmer due to the long hours of direct sunlight.

Alaska weather can vary from the morning to afternoon, so we always suggest bringing multiple layers. For example, a t-shirt, thin long-sleeve, sweatshirt, and zip-up waterproof jacket. 

Our tours are very active, so you’ll want to wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move around. We suggest comfortable walking shoes and extra socks for times such as the glacier walks, which might be a little muddy.

You’ll also want to make sure you have your camera and phone chargers as Alaska has breathtaking views all around you. We also suggest having a little day bag or backpack with you where you can access your snacks, extra jacket or socks, phone, and wallet. Once you book your tour, we’ll send you a detailed packing list to ensure you’re fully prepared.

It depends on where you eat and what you like. Most breakfasts, 1-3 boxed lunches, 1-2 dinners are included depending on the tour you book. We make reservations for most meals that are not included at some of our favorite spots. Not all meals are provided on our tours, so we recommend bringing around $6-12 for breakfast, $12-20 for lunch, and $25 to $50 for dinner per person a day for meals.

The midnight sun allows for as many as 20 hours of daylight during peak season! Your travel day will usually begin in the morning and end in the early evening. However, you will generally only be in the vehicle for no longer than 1.5 hours driving to each destination. Stops are provided for restrooms, meals, and photo opportunities as well as the daily excursions. Evening hours with sunlight will be available for photos and leisure time.

It’s customary to tip your AAU guide $20 per person per day at the completion of your tour, and to tip your flight seeing pilot, river guide, transfer drivers or Denali Park guide $10 at the completion of each activity.

Not usually, because of the long daylight hours in the summer here. To see the Northern Lights, it needs to be dark and clear out. The best time to see them is in the winter, between November and March. However, our September Denali Fall Colors tours do present some opportunities to see them, when the conditions are right.

We’re four hours behind the U.S. Eastern Time Zone, three hours behind the U.S. Central Time Zone, two hours behind the U.S. Mountain Time Zone, and one hour behind the U.S. Pacific Time Zone.

Yes, we do; Alaska is the 49th state in the U.S. Most local businesses honor two major credit cards: VISA and Mastercard. Limited businesses accept American Express.

A passport is not required for U.S. citizens traveling to Alaska without stopping in Canada. However, a valid passport is required for all air travel between the United States and Canada.

All international guests must have a valid passport or other secure, accepted travel documents to enter or re-enter the U.S.

Jokingly referred to as Alaska’s “state bird,” mosquitoes are present from April to September. In Alaska, they are most often found on coastal flats and in forested valleys. Mosquitoes tend to stay in areas of slow moving or standing water. AAU guests are often surprised by how few mosquitoes we see on tour, but it’s always wise to use good insect repellent (all of our vehicles carry repellent). Most of our activities take place in open areas, minimizing exposure to mosquitoes.

Seward has harbor-side shops that provide freezing, smoking, and shipping services for people who want to send their salmon or halibut home. These services may be provided by your fishing guide/boat captain. Overnight delivery is available through FedEx and other services.

Travelers can also take a cooler home on their return flight home (charges may apply; please check with your airline).