Outdoor Activities in Alaska

Experience memorable landscapes on a drive along the Turnagain Arm and up-close views of elk and caribou, musk ox, moose, and more at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. This small-group 4-hour day trip from Anchorage takes you to a privately owned nonprofit organization that rescues orphaned and injured animals. Learn about the excellent care that the animals receive, and snap a photo with a musk ox with the Chugach Range and Turnagain Arm as your backdrop. Hotel transport from select locations included.

Hike with an experienced, naturalist guide and small group through the wilderness trails of Denali National Park. The 5-hour experience showcases the tundra, taiga and boreal forest that has made Denali a mecca for wilderness adventurers the world over. Listen to narration to understand the parks botany, geology and history as you focus on the nature all around you - not the logistics or your map.

Meet the animals of Alaska on a 4-hour tour from Anchorage. Travel down the gorgeous Seward Parkway along the Turnagain Arm waterway to viewpoints including the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, Bird Point and Beluga Point. Take in the breathtaking scenery and look for wildlife, then continue to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, situated at the edge of Portage Valley. Go inside the sprawling nature preserve for injured animals to view large land animals up close. You can see critters such as fox, lynx, grizzly bear, caribou, wood bison and more.

Spend the day on the Upper Kenai River fishing for local species in the company of a guide. Learn how to fly fish or spin fish from your guide; the small group size will ensure you get plenty of personalized attention from your guide. You'll get the best possible chance to catch salmon, dolly varden char, or rainbow trout as your guide takes you to hidden spots on the river.

Imagine yourself on the TV show 'Ice Road Truckers' on this tour that takes you along the Dalton Highway (aka Alaska Route 11) from Fairbanks to the edge of the Arctic Circle. During your 14-hour journey into the Alaskan wilderness, cross the Yukon River and set eyes on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, one of the world's largest pipeline systems. On the return drive, watch for the northern lights (aurora borealis). Food, warm drinks and hotel transport are included in this small-group experience limited to just eight people.

You don't have to vacay in the lower 48 to find your moxie - this Alaskan rappelling adventure allows you to bring your A game as you explore Girdwood and its woodsy canyon areas. Get geared up, and descend 50 feet (15 meters) into the canyon, and then rappel to a 40-foot (12-meter) waterfall. You can also upgrade to add a gold-panning experience to test your hand at finding gold yourself.

If you're a fan of the Discovery Channel's hit TV show Deadliest Catch, you saw the Aleutian Ballad, a commercial fishing boat, escape a rogue wave in the Bering Sea. On this 3-hour fisherman's tour from Ketchikan, hop aboard the Aleutian Ballad and navigate through the tranquil, protected waterways of the Inside Passage with a seasoned fishing crew, and marvel at the variety of marine creatures caught in barrel pots and hauled up on deck. Touch some of the catch, take photos and listen to entertaining sea lore.

Explore Alaska's rainforest with a guide who leads you on a 3-hour hiking tour that includes a 15-minute sightseeing drive through Ketchikan. In Tongass National Forest, learn about rainforest plants such as Sitka spruce trees and cedars, and look for salmon, eagles, and bears. You'll hike over gently rolling terrain for a total of about three miles with a group that is limited to 12 people. Includes refreshments, guide, and round-trip transportation from Ketchikan.

Experience sunset in Grand Teton National Park on a 5-hour, small-group sightseeing tour that includes round-trip hotel transfer, and an à la carte dinner with views of Jackson Lake. Explore Antelope Flats, see the 'Shane' cabins, learn about local history from the guide, and use spotting scopes to watch for moose, bison, and antelope.

Looking for an amazing wilderness experience with wild Alaskan brown bears? Get one on this small-group 6-hour tour from Homer that takes you by plane deep into Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park, in the middle of one of the world's largest population concentration of brown bears. Enjoy an easy-to-moderate 3-mile hike with a guide, and watch bears in their natural habitat, with no barriers, fences or platforms separating you from the wildlife on this truly wild tour.

Explore the dramatic wilderness of the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary on this 2.5-hour small-group walking tour. Learn about the local ecosystem and the wildlife it supports from a knowledgeable and friendly guide. Walk through a beautiful mountain forest, home to bears, bald eagles and deer. Learn about the dynamic nature and abundant wildlife of a scenic marine estuary. You'll have plenty of great photo opportunities and to learn about totem pole carving at a historic sawmill.

Enjoy a half-day of active wilderness fun in Alaska on a rock climbing and ziplining tour from Skagway. Head up the Klondike Highway to a majestic rock cliff where your guide instructs you on the basics of rock climbing and rappelling. Choose from a number of routes that range from easy to challenging, and take in sweeping views of the Skagway River, White Pass, and the Yukon Route Railway. Next, soar along a zipline course that threads through the lush forest canopy. Includes guide, transportation, and use of equipment.

Experience Alaska from the only zipline course in the Denali National Park region. Soar over the trees during a 3-hour ziplining experience just outside Denali National Park, with expert guides who lead you along a course with six suspension bridges and eight ziplines. Fly through the boreal forest and over the tundra on this memorable tour that promises exhilarating thrills, incredible scenery and a fun challenge.

Treat your inner angler to a half-day inshore flats fishing expedition in Miami's gorgeous Biscayne Bay! With tips from your professional guide, beginning anglers will have the chance to hook sea trout, snapper, mackerel, grouper, jacks, ladyfish and bluefish. More experienced anglers may choose to chase the seasonal tarpon, shallow-water sharks or bonefish. Improve your technique and spend a glorious morning or afternoon on the turquoise sea!

Glacier treks make for great outdoor adventures but can feel rushed if they are only a few hours long. This trekking experience at Matanuska Glacier - a local favorite, and one of the few vehicle-accessible glaciers near Anchorage - takes a full day, which leaves plenty of time to explore blue meltwater pools, ice formations, and crevasses.

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park is an ideal location to experience Alaska's natural beauty and gold rush history. This tour saves you the hassle of (horse) navigation and gives the riding knowhow to travel the park's trails on a horse, visiting Dyea ghost town and the Chilkoot and White Pass trails. Plus, your tour includes round-trip transportation from Skagway and local snacks.

On this guided Haleakala Crater hike, experience the silent, almost lunar beauty of this 10,000 ft (3,048m), dormant volcano. During your 4-mile (6.4km) Haleakala Crater hike, your informative guide will discuss the history of Maui's tallest peak - from its sacred place in Hawaiian mythology to its geological wonders. Gaze around at colorful cinder cones that spring from the crater floor, and look for endangered plants and wildlife like nene geese or silverswords. Lunch and snacks are conveniently provided

On this small group Grand Teton wildlife safari, join a local naturalist and guide for a ride in an open-air safari vehicle on dirt roads and on paved highways within Grand Teton National Park, where you'll scour the landscape at dawn or dusk for wolves, moose, and elk. Look for eagles soaring overhead or deer walking through the woods, and there's even the chance you could spot a bear roaming near the road. In addition to helping find wildlife, your guide will discuss the area's ecology, history, geology, and culture, and will also stop so you can take photos of the landscape, wildlife, or terrain.

Discover Alaska's natural hot springs and amazing ice sculptures on a full-day tour to Chena Hot Springs from Fairbanks. Enjoy a scenic 60-mile (95-km) drive from your Fairbanks hotel to Chena Hot Springs, where you can soak in the large outdoor pool of this legendary resort. You can also take a tour that showcases how Chena Hot Springs makes use of geothermal energy to power the resort, and check out the sculptures in the Aurora Ice Museum.

Few places on Earth rival the grandeur of Denali National Park. This 3-hour hike, led by a naturalist guide, is limited to just seven people for a more personalized experience. Perfect for the first-time visitor, the experience is offered in the morning, afternoon or under the midnight sun (twilight), allowing you to explore the boreal Alaska Range forest at a time that suits you best.