When you tell someone you’re going to travel to Alaska, people look at you funny, as if you’ve lost your mind, only to add: “and what have you lost there?”. That’s those who don’t know everything there is to see in Alaska.
Well, between early starts, traffic jams, and bills, I had lost the sense of freedom that travel brings. So, I had to go looking for it on the other side of the ocean. And there it was waiting for me, hidden among the spectacular Alaska landscapes, along miles and miles without a trace of human life, among glaciers, mountains, and lakes, beside a bonfire under the midnight sun.
Yes, Alaska gave me back the sense of freedom, so much so that I didn’t want to leave and I don’t rule out returning. It might have been the trip I’ve enjoyed the most so far. Although “the last frontier” might seem like a remote and inaccessible place on your own, however Alaska is a simple and totally recommended destination for traveling freely at your own pace.
Here is the 21-day motorhome route through Alaska and a few facts in case you are also looking for lost freedom:
Route for traveling to Alaska in a motorhome:
Before organizing your route through Alaska, I recommend that you take out good travel insurance. Such an expensive adventure to such a remote place requires you to be well covered and have the peace of mind that someone will look after you. I recommend Heymondo because it is the insurance I travel with, which besides having very good coverage, features a video consultation option with a healthcare professional and a 24-hour medical chat in its app that can help you a lot.
Take advantage of the fact that you now have a 15% discount on travel insurance for being a blog reader plus another extra 15% if you travel as a family. Up to 30% cheaper if you take out the policy by December 2nd at the latest to travel whenever you want.
And now I will tell you which route I took when traveling to Alaska in a motorhome:
Anchorage
Although the capital is Juneau, Anchorage is the largest city in the entire state of Alaska. At the end of the trip, we would have a day to take a look at it, but this first day only served for us to pick up the motorhome and stock up on some basic items.
Seward
It’s essential to spend a few days in the Kenai Peninsula, which has everything. We fell in love with it from the start, so much so that if we return, we would definitely go there to explore it thoroughly
Seward is the starting point for navigating through Kenai Fjords National Park, admiring its s fjords, watching icebergs break off a glacier, spotting whales and sea lions. Two nights in Seward were not enough, although they left the memory of an unforgettable sunrise.
Just 13 kilometers from this charming town is Exit Glacier, you’ll see it so close you can almost touch it with your hand. If you have time and physical strength, there is a trek (Harding Icefield Trail) that climbs to the top of this glacier and allows you to enjoy spectacular views of the immense ice field.
- Choose from the best accommodations in Seward
Russian River
A one-night technical stop on the banks of Russian River, this famous river where, during the salmon season, it’s very easy to see bears very close to the fishermen. But Alaska doesn’t just live on bears, there are also several trekking routes around this beautiful forested area. If you like the fishing atmosphere and continue your way towards Homer, we recommend stopping to take a look at the Kasilof River, near Soldotna.
Homer
The picturesque town of Homer in the south of the Kenai Peninsula certainly deserves more than the single night I stayed. There you could fish for its famous halibut, have a beer in the original Salty Dawg Saloon, walk along its beach and get lost with a kayak in the neighboring Kachemak Bay.
If you have a more flexible budget than ours, perhaps you can afford to take one of the small plane excursions to Katmai to see the bears up close. They say it’s spectacular but very expensive. If you want detailed info I recommend Chavetas’ experience in Katmai.
- Here is the option to take the small plane tour to see grizzly bears in Katmai.
What is free is visiting, before arriving in Homer, the Ninilchik Orthodox Church, which recalls Alaska’s Russian past and offers a beautiful sight.
Crescent Creek Trail
An overnight stay here is essential to do Crescent Creek Trail, a 20 km (round trip) route for hiking or biking and which culminates in a lake like those in the movies, surrounded by trees and with the mountains in the background. And as happens in many other Alaskan treks, watch out because you have to share the path with the bears that roam the area.
The parking lot itself where the trekking begins served as a place for us to spend the night for free, although this might not be possible in July and August. The next day, before leaving the Kenai Peninsula, we stopped at a wildlife conservation center where you can see many animals up close.
- If you don’t want to worry about transfers, there is the option to take a combined tour of the wildlife conservation center and see the Portage Glacier from a boat.
Long Lake
Halfway between Anchorage and Valdez, this idyllic lake right next to the Glennallen Highway enchanted us. We spent one night at Long Lake after visiting the abandoned Independence Mine and before Matanuska Glacier. We finally decided to see the latter simply from the viewpoint, although it is possible to reach it and do some of the activities it offers.
Valdez
In the fishing village of Valdez, located between the mountains and the sea, you can also spend a few days sailing on a boat through the fjords of Prince William Sound to the massive Columbia Glacier, photographing the playful sea otters, or spotting birds like the curious puffins.
The three nights in Valdez were almost too short. We spent one of the days kayaking on a lake among the blocks of ice that break off from the glacier that ends there.
McCarthy- Kennicott
After traveling the 60 miles of McCarthy Road, the unpaved road from the small town of Chitina to McCarthy, we can enjoy the impressive mountain landscapes of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park and this picturesque and remote place that takes us back to the “Wild West” and its mining past. If your budget allows, you can reach McCarthy by small plane and avoid the risk of driving on the dreaded McCarthy Road, although you will miss out on a great adventure.
We spent two nights in McCarthy, which also served for the excursion to walk on the Root Glacier, which could have been extended without a problem. The experience of putting on crampons and stepping on ancient ice is unforgettable, and I recommend it 100%.
- If you don’t want to go on your own to such a remote place, you have the option of doing it closer to Anchorage with this glacier trekking in Chugach.
Paxon Lake
Looking for a place to spend the night during the long drive from McCarthy to the entrance of the Denali Highway, we found the charming Paxon Lake campground on the shores of a lake, surrounded by thousands of fir trees and where we especially enjoyed the midnight sun. The adventure of hurriedly cooking a salmon on the barbecue for dinner in bear country is priceless.
Denali Highway
In my view, it is essential to patiently travel the 215 kilometers of the Denali Highway, a gravel road whose landscapes will leave you speechless. Although there are at least two campgrounds, I spent one night parked for free at a viewpoint that gave us impressive views upon waking up.
Denali National Park
You cannot leave Alaska without spending the night in Denali National Park, marveling at the untouched nature surrounding you, quietly spotting bears, doing spectacular treks and, if you are very lucky (as we were) enjoying the views of the highest peak in all of the United States: Denali, at over 6194 meters, formerly called Mount McKinley. We recommend booking well in advance your place on the buses that run through the park as well as a spot in the interior campsites. I spent three nights in Denali but I would have stayed for a month.
Anchorage
On the way back from Denali, we stopped to visit the town of Talkeetna, from where many of the small planes that take scenic flights over Mount Denali take off. We were lucky enough to arrive in Anchorage just during the summer solstice celebration, so we enjoyed the festive atmosphere in the streets for two nights before heading back home.
- If you want to get to know the city thoroughly, a good option is to take a guided tour of Anchorage.
21-day motorhome route: Alaska Map
To help you better visualize the itinerary of this motorhome road trip, here is the map of Alaska with the route of these 21 days
How to get to Alaska:
After much looking and searching, the most direct and cheapest way we found to reach Anchorage was flying with the low-cost airline Condor directly from Frankfurt, with a mini-stop to refuel at the Canadian airport of Whitehorse. Although it also flies from Madrid, we discovered that we saved quite a bit of money by buying the ticket from this German city.
When to travel to Alaska:
Given Alaska’s geographic location, its winter is very extreme, so the “viable” season to visit the state is very short: from mid-May to early September. During these months, temperatures are milder and all national parks remain open to see wildlife, glaciers, and enjoy trekking.
We decided to travel to Alaska in June mainly for budgetary reasons, flights and motorhome rentals were cheaper than in high season: July and August. Another advantage we found was the 22 hours of sunlight that allow you to extend the days until your body gives out, without the rush of a limited solar schedule. However, we warn that it takes quite a while to get used to sleeping with the midnight sun “on” and, sometimes, you even end up missing the moon and the stars.
If we had to return, we would probably do it from mid-June to mid-July because it is easier to see bears fishing in the rivers during the salmon run. From July onwards, it is much easier for rain to spoil a day, although this could obviously happen at any time.
How to get around Alaska:
Approximately only 10% of the entire territory of Alaska has roads, the rest is only accessible by small plane. But the few paved miles that exist easily connect most of the main tourist destinations and are also in good condition, so renting a car or a motorhome are two good options for getting around. Traveling to Alaska by car means you have to stay in hotels, which are quite expensive in general and don’t have many rooms available.
So, in our case, after doing some calculations, we decided to travel to Alaska by motorhome to enjoy the freedom of changing the itinerary at our whim and based on the weather and, also, to save some money on meals. There are many companies to compare prices and options. We opted for Great Alaskan Holidays . I recommend reading El Rincón de Sele if you want to have a lot of practical information about traveling to Alaska by motorhome.
Although we did not use other options, there are plenty of ships and mega cruises that travel the Gulf of Alaska from Juneau. There are also the Alaska Marine Highway ferries, very useful if you are traveling by car to save time, for example, between Seward and Valdez, or to reach the remote port of Cordova. In our view, they are not cheap at all, you are limited by their schedules, and you miss part of the charm of the trip.
For those who like the train, the famous Alaska Railroad connects Seward with Fairbanks, stopping obviously in Denali National Park itself.
If you finally decide to drive on your own, we wholeheartedly recommend the Milepost, much more than a simple road guide, as it describes mile by mile all the practical information necessary to prepare your itinerary: distances, gas stations, campsites, recreational areas, viewpoints, animal spotting points, museums, maps… This guide is an essential resource for traveling to Alaska on your own, especially if your idea is to do a road trip.
You can buy the latest edition (updated every year) at practically any supermarket or gas station for about $30. It was very useful for us throughout the trip.
- A trip to Alaska requires being connected to the Internet always from your mobile. A good solution is to get an eSIM card with unlimited data that you can activate as soon as you land. Also, being virtual you don’t need to open your mobile because it configures itself just by reading a QR code. Take advantage of the 5% discount on the Hola Fly eSIM card.
Where to sleep in Alaska:
In general, accommodation in Alaska is quite expensive and, as the tourist season is very short, it is highly recommended to book in advance if you are going to travel to Alaska in the summer months. Since we were traveling to Alaska by motorhome, we only stayed two nights in hostels in Anchorage. The first night we did so at the recommended Arctic Adventure Hostel in a double room with a shared bathroom, access to the kitchen, and pancakes with coffee for breakfast. The second was at the Alaska Backpackers Inn, more central but too noisy for our taste. (update February 2022: this hotel has closed permanently)
Campsites in Alaska
On average, we spent one out of every three nights at campsites with the motorhome. The rest of the time we camped for free with the motorhome since, except in some places with an express prohibition, it is possible to spend the night anywhere. The campsites, as a general rule, are quite modest, they have parking, a picnic area, and a barbecue or, failing that, a place to make a fire. The most equipped ones have electricity and running water hookups, drains to empty the motorhome’s black water, laundries, bathrooms, and even Wi-Fi.
A curiosity of most Alaskan campsites is the payment method, a simple metal box anchored to the ground with a slot to insert an envelope with the money. To prove you have paid, you must place a small receipt in the motorhome’s window. Additionally, many have a host figure, who is usually a veteran vacationer who helps newcomers and is in charge of monitoring.
Sleeping inside Denali National Park
In Denali, if you want to sleep inside the national park itself (which we recommend without hesitation) it is advisable to reserve a spot in one of the campsites in advance, as they fill up quickly. We stayed for three nights (the maximum allowed) at the last one that could be reached by motorhome, the Savage River Campground. It is the only one from which, on clear days, you can see the famous Mount Denali. You must keep in mind that there is no electrical connection or direct water intake there.
How much it costs to travel to Alaska:
We won’t deny it, Alaska is an expensive destination. Giving a budget is complicated because it depends on many factors, but here we give you some figures to give you an idea. All prices correspond to June 2010.
Flight tickets
In total, adding the Madrid-Frankfurt flight and the Condor flight from Frankfurt-Anchorage, we spent €850 per person.
Motorhome rental
Although there were only two of us, we had no choice but to rent a six-person motorhome (25 feet), though it was the latest model and practically new. With Great Alaskan Holidays it cost us $182 per day with various extras, including: -unlimited mileage/ kitchenware / bedding and towels / chairs and table for eating / a prepaid tank of diesel (it was cheaper than filling at gas stations) / another of propane gas (which we didn’t even use up so it wasn’t worth it) / basic insurance plus CDW (which we were glad to take because the day before arriving a stone cracked the window and some vandal scratched the bodywork) / power converter very useful for charging batteries while driving.
You can search for rental car deals and compare prices to decide what pays off more for you.
Gasoline
A good part of the budget goes to fuel because the motorhome consumes quite a lot. The price was around $4 per gallon (1 gallon = 4.5 liters) and fluctuated a lot from some gas stations to others. In total, we covered 2,618 kilometers and spent $555.
Campsites
The price of the campsites depends on whether you stay on a simple plot or one with a full hook-up, which means water, electricity, and drainage. Based on this, prices range from the $10 we paid for the cheapest (Allison Point Campsite in Valdez) to the most expensive which cost $35 with Wi-Fi included (Bear Paw Campsite curiously also in Valdez). By carefully rationalizing water and electricity consumption, we were able to spend the night for up to three nights without needing to pay for a campsite and, as a rule, in very beautiful places.
Food
Supermarkets turned out to be very expensive, from milk to a simple bag of rice, everything had exorbitant prices. Even so, it is cheaper to buy groceries at the supermarket than to eat at a restaurant. The best-known stores are the Carrs, Safeway, and Fred Meyer chains. In total, we spent $300 on food for about three weeks at the supermarket without great luxuries. Except for meat for the barbecue (ribs and sausages), we usually bought rice, pasta, cans of beans, soups, sandwiches, energy bars, fruit, water, beers…
Various prices
Dónde comer en Alaska:
Sobre los restaurantes no podemos opinar mucho puesto que apenas los utilizamos, tan sólo tres veces (sin contar el McDonald’s). Cenamos un día en Valdez, en el Alaska’s Bistro, propiedad de un español, y aunque la comida estaba buena, nos pareció demasiado caro (95$) para lo que ofrecía.
El último día en Anchorage, a modo de despedida, decidimos tirar la casa por al ventana y fuimos a cenar al famoso Simon’s and Seafort. Nos gastamos 108$ pero nos gustaron mucho sus vistas y su pescado fresco. Después puedes tomarte un coctel en su animado bar.
Gracias a las indicaciones de nuestro amigo Bill (leer “Un águila para desayunar“), paramos a comer en el Suzie’s Cafe en la Sterling Highway, en la península de Kenai. No deja de ser un bar de carretera pero sí que os lo recomendamos, por su autenticidad, su ambiente, por la sonrisa con la que te atienden y por su sandwich de cangrejo. La comida nos costó 32$ y salimos muy satisfechos.
Qué hacer en Alaska:
Si te gusta el turismo activo, te gustará viajar a Alaska. Aquí os dejamos algunas de las principales actividades que puedes hacer por estas lejanas tierras. Hay muchas más pero, lamentablemente, nos faltó tiempo y dinero.
Senderismo
Para los que les gusta andar, llenarse los pulmones de aire limpio y disfrutar en soledad de unos paisajes de vértigo, Alaska no les defraudará. Aquí tienes una actividad gratuita que podrás realizar en prácticamente cualquier lugar del estado. Alaska goza de una red de senderos muy amplia, bien indicada, en perfecto estado y con aparcamientos. Puedes elegir entre paseos cortos o trekkings de varios días de duración pernoctando en cabañas.
Incluso es posible caminar sobre un glaciar con crampones, aunque en ese caso sí te hace falta guía y no es gratis. .
Cruceros de un día
No puedes viajar a Alaska sin tomar un barco que te lleve a recorrer su costa salpicada de glaciares, a avistar ballenas, leones marinos… Encontrarás una oferta muy amplia de compañías y rutas que te hará sentirte perdido. En Seward, montamos en el barco de Kenai Fjords Tours y en Valdez lo hicimos en el de Major Marine Tours .
En ambos casos, hay un ranger que te va dando expliaciones acerca de la zona, la fauna, curiosidades… eso sí, solo en inglés. Puedes llevarte tu propia comida o pagar un extra para comer con el buffet que ponen a bordo, que suele ser bastante básico. Son barcos muy grandes y muy turísticos; si volviéramos, quizás lo haríamos con barcos más pequeños como el Lulu Belle en Valdez. Ah, no te olvides los prismáticos y las pastillas para el mareo (por experiencia).
- Otra opción es hacer el tour para avistar ballenas en Juneau.
Kayaking
Hay multitud de lugares donde iniciarte o practicar con el kayak, ya sea durante un rato o durante varios días de expedición, en mar abierto, en ríos o en lagos. Nosotros éramos novatos y nos estrenamos paladeando en un lago, entre témpanos de hielo que se iban soltando de un glaciar. Elegimos la empresa Anadyr Adventures en Valdez, bastante profesionales. Es una actividad muy tranquila que se puede hacer incluso con niños. LLevamos nuestra propia comida (sandwich, fruta y barrita energética, “el pan nuestro de cada día”) pero el guía nos invitó a un chocolate caliente y compartimos viandas con el resto del grupo.
Vuelos escénicos
Nuestra asignatura pendiente. El más popular es el vuelo sobre el Monte Denali, con aterrizaje en el campo base, que puedes contratar tanto en Denali como en Talkeetna. Te recomendamos que no lo lleves reservado con antelación porque es una actividad que depende totalmente de la climatología, muy caprichosa por cierto. Hay multitud de compañías para elegir y no es difícil encontrar plaza una vez allí. Nosotros lo intentamos en Talkeetna pero las nubes nos lo negaron. ¡¡Dinero que nos ahorramos!!
Ya habíamos probado suerte en McCarthy para sobrevolar el Parque Nacional de Wrangell St. Elias, pero amaneció lloviendo a mares.
Pesca
Si volvemos alguna vez a Alaska, tenemos claro que nos iniciaremos en el paciente arte de la pesca, para poder hacernos por nosotros mismos con un salmón rojo salvaje. El que parece ser deporte nacional arrasta hasta allí a numerosos aficionados a la pesca llegados de todo el mundo. Puedes probar suerte en ríos tan famosos como el Russian River y el Kasilof, o tomar una barca desde Homer con alguno de los tours que salen en busca del halibut en el mar.
Más cosas que hacer en Alaska
21 días de ruta en autocaravana por Alaska no son suficientes para verlo todo. Muchos destinos y actividades se tuvieron que quedar fuera del itinerario, y es que hay muci que ver en Alaska. Aquí tienes algunas de las cosas que me hubiera gustado hacer y que quizás tú si puedas experimentar:
–Volar a la reserva de Katmai para ver osos muy cerca pescando salmón.
-Visitar el puerto pesquero de Cordova y su impresionante Child’s Glacier.
– Explorar con calma la bahía de Kachemak a bordo de un kayak pernoctando en el bosque.
-Subir hasta la remota ciudad de Fairbanks donde hay mucho que hacer.
–Sobrevolar en avioneta las nevadas cumbre del Monte Denali, antiguo McKinley.
– Asistir al remonte en los ríos de cientos de salmones.
–Escalar las paredes de hielo del glaciar Root en el Parque Wrangell St Elias.
–Contemplar auroras boreales entre septiembre y abril.
– Recorrer durante 4 días las 39 millas de uno de los trekkings más conocidos y espectaculares: Resurrection Pass Trail.
Cómo ahorrar dinero al viajar a Alaska: Tour Saver
Si tienes pensado hacer varias de estas cosas, te recomendamos que compres el Tour Saver, un libro de cupones de descuento con el que, en muchos casos, tendrás hasta un 2×1 en actividades especialmente caras como son los cruceros o los vuelos escénicos. También te podrás beneficiar de ofertas en algunos hoteles, campings, o museos.
Puede parecer caro, ya que el Tour Saver supone un desembolso de 99$, pero en el momento que hagas, por ejemplo, dos cruceros que cuestan alrededor de 120$ ya te compensa y, seguramente, lo usarás en más ocasiones. En su página web, puedes ver el listado completo de todos los descuentos que ofrece. Puedes comprarlo on-line o directamente cuando llegues a Anchorage. Apúntate las direcciones de dónde lo venden para ir directo, puesto que no se encuentra en cualquier sitio.
Te recomendamos que reserves por adelantado actividades como, por ejemplo, los cruceros que suelen estar muy demandados y solo guardan un cupo determinado de plazas con descuento. Al reservar, puedes hacerlo por email, has de indicar que usarás un cupón de Tour Saver y ellos te pedirán un número de referencia. Si todavía no lo has comprado, no te preocupes que la reserva te la admiten igual y les puedes dar el número cuando llegues.
Porqué es importante llevar seguro de viaje
Estados Unidos no cuenta con un sistema de salud pública como el español en el que la asistencia sanitaria es gratuita. Esto significa que si tienes la mala suerte de sufrir algún incidente o problema de salud puedes tener que verte obligado a realizar un gran desembolso en una factura meteórica. Y es que los costes de ser atendido en un hospital o centros de salud privado son muy, muy elevados.
Por ese motivo (y por muchos otros como la tranquilidad que da saber que vas con las espaldas cubiertas) viajar a Alaska con un buen seguro es imprescindible. Desde aquí te recomiendo Heymondo por su relación calidad/precio y, sobre todo, por su app con un chat médico 24 horas y la opción de videconsulta.
La aplicación de Heymondo es una de sus principales ventajar. Saber que en cualquier momento tienes a un médico a tu disposición para consultarle cualquier cosa o pedirle asesoramiento da una gran tranquilidad. Además desde la app puedes gestionar cualquier incidencia o hacer una llamada de asistencia gratuita.
Por ser lector de este blog, tienes un 5% de descuento a la hora de contratar cualquiera de las pólizas de viaje de Mondo más otro 15% extra si vas a viajar a Alaska en familia. Te recomiendo hacerlo para viajar a Alaska con total tanquilidad.
Osos en Alaska
Sí, este bonito animal salvaje merece sin duda un pequeño apartado para él solo. Alaska es territorio de osos, lo que no quiere decir que te los encuentres en cada esquina, pero sí que has de tenerlo en cuenta en los campings y, especialmente, durante los trekkings. Cada vez que estés en una zona donde suele haber osos, encontrarás paneles que te advierten del peligro y, a veces, que te indican algunos consejos. Por ejemplo, si estás acampando, no dejes fuera nada de comida, ni basura, ni productos de aseo como champú o pasta de dientes, que parece ser que les atrae bastante.
Durante los trekkings, es recomendable ir hablando en voz alta y llevar un pequeño cascabel (lo venden en muchos sitios) que va haciendo ruido y evita que se acerquen (sí, hay que confiar en la teoría). Si no te parece suficiente, puedes comprar un spray especial para osos que es muy caro y que solo es efectivo si estás muy cerca del animal (llegamos a la conclusión de que si estuviéramos tan cerca no seríamos ni capaces de sacarlo).
Preparación para viajar a Alaska
Además de los links que te he ido dando, rastrea internet para encontrar información. A nosotros, nos fueron de mucha ayuda los foros de viaje para encontrar datos actualizados y consejos prácticos de quiénes han vuelto de allí. Especialmente últil es el hilo Alaska en verano del Foro Los Viajeros.
En cuanto a guías, nosotros utilizamos dos: una en español, la de El País Aguilar, y otra en inglés, la Rough Guide. Ésta última nos resultó más práctica porque incluye direcciones, precios, pequeños mapas… Ahora por suerte, Lonely Planet ya tiene una guía de viaje de Alaska en español.
¿Sabes que puedo ayudarte a organizar tu viaje a Alaska por libre sin que tengas que ocuparte casi de nada? Echa un vistazo a mi
