Various indigenous tribes have inhabited the 49th state of the United States for over 12,000 years. However, it was not part of the United States until Russia sold the territory in 1867. Alaska may be far away from the continental US, but it is by far the most important state in the country. For one, the vast Alaskan lands have vast reserves of oil and gas, gold, and minerals such as coal, copper, lead, and zinc. Even the threat of global warming could be a blessing in disguise to the US as Alaska could provide vast irrigable land for wheat and other agricultural produce.

Archaeologists believe people had inhabited Alaska since 10,000 BCE when a land bridge connected Siberia to eastern Alaska. It is believed that migrant groups followed their herds of animals crossing the bridge. Of these migrant groups, only a few remain today: the Athabaskans, Aleuts, Inuit, Yupik, and Haida. However, it was in the 1700s that Russian explorers claimed the territory and established a settlement in Kodiak. They continued to hunt animals for fur until the 19th century, when Russia decided to sell the territory to America.

Ironically, when the Russians evaluated Alaska, they valued its resources at $10 million. Today, the territory is worth over $500 billion and contributes around $50 million annually to the GDP.

Alaska is truly a nature lover’s paradise with 8 national parks, 16 national wildlife refuges, and 3 million lakes. Besides the wildlife and spectacular flora and fauna, Alaska is a popular destination for adventure enthusiasts. If you are planning a dream vacation and looking for Alaska tour packages, read on to learn more about the territory.

• Alaska is huge, it is about seven times bigger than the UK.
• It has the highest concentration of bears in the world, 1 bear to 21 humans.
• Alaska has some strange laws, you cannot whisper in someone’s ear while moose hunting or wake up a sleeping bear to take photos. More strangely, you cannot steal ice from someone.
• You can view the Northern Lights from Fairbanks over 243 days a year.
• Alaska has over 3,000 rivers and 3 million lakes.
• Due to its long days during summer, Alaska often sets records for the world’s largest vegetables.
• The state capital, Juneau, has the highest concentration of bald eagles in North America.
• You can only reach Juneau by boat or plane.
• Alaska has the highest number of pilots in the United States.
• Alaska has the lowest population density in the world, one person per square mile.
• Alaska is only 55 miles from Russia. If there were a bridge, it could take an hour’s drive.
• Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers, 3% of Alaska is glaciers.
• If you write to Santa Claus of North Pole, your letter will arrive in Fairbanks.
• The actual check the USA paid to Russia to purchase Alaska is still well-preserved ($7.2 million).

Cruising is the best way to see Alaska and its jaw-dropping sights every single day. As the ship cruises along vast forests, fjords, and rugged coastlines, you’ll encounter Alaska’s magnificent animals, including bald eagles, humpback whales, salmon, harbour seals, puffins, black and brown bears, caribous, wolves, and more.

Another fascinating sight you’ll see from the sea is the breathtaking glaciers. Who wouldn’t want to admire glaciers from their veranda or watch them shed massive chunks of ice?

The cruise also includes shore tours to exotic places like Denali, Ketchikan, and Sitka. Some popular shore excursion activities involve taking a float-plane to view bears, helicopter flightseeing, snorkelling in Ketchikan, and paddleboarding on Bear Glacier in the Kenai Fjord National Park.

Typical Alaskan tour packages include flightseeing, helicopter tours to a dogsled camp, a train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway to the Canadian border, biking, hiking, kayaking, whale watching, and ATV tours.

You can also explore the Alaskan wilderness through helicopter tours that take you to a dog sledge camp. The camping includes riding the snow on a sledge pulled by huskies, trekking through the icy wonderlands, and hopping onto a floatplane to experience the fantastic Juneau wilderness.

If you love fishing, sign up for an overnight or multi-day trip. If time is a problem, sign up for a half-day or full-day trip. From saltwater fishing to flyfishing and freshwater fishing, there are so many options for amateur and professional anglers. And if you are adventurous, try some ice fishing as well.

Alaska is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. You can watch wild animals through your regular itinerary or sign up for exclusive bear-viewing tours, whale-watching tours, birding tours, or wildlife excursions. There are also plenty of zoos, aquariums, and conservation centres, giving you an up-close view of the state’s diverse land and marine life.

The uninterrupted swaths of wilderness are home to exotic animals like black and brown bears, bald eagles, caribous, humpback whales, orcas, grey whales, Dall sheep, wolves, and the ubiquitous moose. During your wildlife explorations, you’ll see mama bears tugging their cubs to safety, bald eagles swooping down to pull salmons out of the water, or a herd of caribous crossing a highway.

Mooses are so wildly distributed that you’ll find them even in urban settlements like Anchorage and Juneau. They’re year-round Alaskan residents well adapted to city life. If you’re visiting Alaska in the fall, don’t miss the rutting season when bull moose fight with each other, competing for the female’s attention.

With over 100,000 bears living in Alaska, they’re another animal commonly found in the state. Alaska has some of the largest bear populations in the world.

The Alaskan wilderness is to die for. The vast and largely untamed landscape provides the perfect backdrop to the teeming wildlife, including migratory birds, rivers, and glaciers. You could be walking miles and yet not see a single person. This is where irrespective of the weather, the scenery remains stunningly beautiful. You’ll wake up every morning to breathtaking views of gigantic fjords, endless forests, and stunning glaciers, irrespective of whether you choose to explore the territory on a cruise or stay in a wilderness lodge in remote Alaska.

Alaskan native culture is deeply rooted in respect for nature and community spirit. Like other indigenous American tribes, Alaskan natives believe all living beings have spirits and revere their animals. Around 15% of Alaska’s residents are native, with 20 distinct cultures and 300 dialects. With customised Alaska tour packages, you will learn how the Athabascan people use elaborate beadwork and moose hide leather in their tunics, vests, dresses, and gloves. Join the Yupik and Cupik people as they practice mask making and grass baskets. If you visit Alaska during autumn, sign up for wild berry picking with the Inupiat.

Of the 20 highest mountain peaks in the United States, 17 are in Alaska, including Mount Denali – the highest mountain peak in North America. The Denali Mountain Park covers around 6 million acres of wilderness. One of the best ways to tour Denali is from an aircraft window, where you’ll get a panoramic view of the rugged peaks on the Alaska Range, meandering glaciers, and sometimes, even glimpses of mountaineers as they climb the summit.

Other notable mountains include Mounts Deborah, Mount Hunter, Mount Hayes, and Mount Foraker. The Kenai Mountains are an equally popular mountain range along the Kenai Peninsula. If you are signing up for Alaska tour packages from June to September, we suggest signing up for hiking along the mountain’s alluring trails and glaciers.

While America’s Last Frontier is perfect in all four seasons, the best time to visit the state depends on what you’d like to experience. May to September is when Alaska experiences peak tourism. It’s also the most expensive because everyone wants to visit during this time. May to September is also great for cruising. Autumn is another great time to explore Alaska if you’d love to catch fall foliage. It’s also a great time to see the Northern Lights without worrying about the harsh winters.

If you want to enjoy all of Alaska’s fun summer activities like hiking, fishing, rafting, etc., but at a budget, we suggest booking an autumn Alaska tour package.

Spring is a short two months and a great time to visit Alaska. With around 10 hours of daylight, you’ll catch brown bears digging for roots, whales and other marine animals returning to the coast, moose tending to their calves, and other animals such as sheep and goats munching on readily available greens. Nearly everywhere you go, you’ll find nature busy getting ready for the summer feast.

Temperatures range from 1°C to 15°C, which is still very cold for Indians. But it’s a great time to spot grey whales, one of the earliest migratory whale species to return in spring. Around late spring, i.e., by the end of May, cities like Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks experience 18-20 hours of sunlight, leaving you plenty of light to enjoy Alaska.

• Skiing: Alyeska Ski Area, Ski Land, Eaglecrest Ski Area
• Spa time: Girwood, Fairbanks
• Spring birding: Juneau, Wrangell, Fairbanks
• Iditarod sled dog race: Anchorage

Summer starts around the end of May and lasts until September. However, peak season begins in June and ends around the last weeks of August. It’s also the time for the midnight sun when the sun does not set at all. The weather is also great, with very little rain, although some places receive rain for around two weeks, around the last weeks of August and the beginning of September.

Summer is the best time to witness the Alaskan wilderness when bears are seen along the rivers feasting on the salmons, which spawn around this time. You’ll find moose and deer crossing the highways with their young ones. Summer is also the best time to spot seabird colonies migrating from Southeast to Northwest Alaska.

Temperatures range between 15°C and 26°C. Tourists and locals alike are trying to make the most of the warm weather around this time. Summers are perfect for whale watching, bear viewing, and fishing.

• Flightseeing: Denali National Park
• Whale watching: Juneau, Icy Strait
• Hiking: Sitka National Park, Denali National Park

Autumn is shoulder season in Alaska, but the best time to catch the stunning landscape is when trees turn golden yellow, and the entire area becomes a patchwork of red, russet brown, and burnt orange. It’s also a great time to catch the very active animals around this time looking for some pre-hibernation snacking. Cruising is closed during winter, but cruise companies are trying to stretch the season until October. It’s also great to enjoy winter activities without the harsh weather.

Temperatures range from -2°C to 15°C, which may be chilly for average Indians but much preferable to the harsh winters. It’s also a great time to look for budget Alaska tour packages.

• Viewing Northern Lights: Fairbanks
• Dog sledding: Fairbanks, Juneau, Skagway
• Fishing: Perseverance National Recreational Trail, Battery Point Trail
• Wildlife viewing: Zoos, aquariums

Mosquitoes are a huge problem in autumn. Ensure you carry a bug spray if you visit Alaska during the fall.

It’s common knowledge that winters are harsh in Alaska. While temperatures range from -7°C to -23°C, it’s not uncommon for temperatures to drop to a bone-chilling -54°C. Alaska is wholly carpeted in snow during winter and typically in the off-season. It’s cold, dark, freezing. And yet, there are a few things you can do during winter. For instance, locals go ice fishing, especially catching blackfish, one of the few fishes that remain active in winter.

• Snowmobiling
• Snowshoeing
• Dog sledding
• Viewing Northern Lights

Whale watching, cruising, hiking, wildlife watching, flightseeing, dog sledging.

Over a dozen species of whales, including humpbacks, grey whales, orcas, beluga whales, and fin whales, can be seen in Alaska’s coastal waters – from the Gulf of Alaska to the Eastern Bering Sea and Northern Beaufort Sea. These marine animals and other species of cetaceans, like dolphins and porpoises, migrate from different places to Alaska at various times of the year. For instance, humpback and grey whales migrate from Hawaii and Mexico to feed in Alaska’s nutrient-rich waters during summer.

Orcas or killer whales aren’t migratory and are commonly found year-round in Southeast Alaska, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Beluga whales can be seen from South Anchorage from mid-July to August before migrating to the warm waters of California, Mexico, and Central America.

While humpbacks and orcas are common, on a lucky day, you’ll also find blue whales, bowhead whales, and narwhals.

Alaska’s vast and varied landscape is so impressive that only a panoramic view from the sky can help one grasp its grandeur. Flightseeing involves boarding small planes or helicopters for an aerial tour of Alaska’s national parks. Some of the best destinations for flightseeing include Denali National Park, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Lake Clark National Park, the Arctic Circle, and the Katmai National Park.

These adventures can range from an hour to a full-day trip involving a helicopter ride and skiing. With flightseeing, you’ll see other inaccessible locations like mountain peaks and alpine landscapes up close. You can even land on one of the glaciers in Denali National Park.

Flightseeing is a great family activity, especially for tourists who cannot trek Alaska’s many mountains. They cost around INR 30,000 to INR 60,000 per person, depending on the duration of the trip. You’ll have a little more for glacial landings. And if it involves bear viewing, you’ll have to pay around $1000 per person.

It’s a known fact that auroras occur along the ring-shaped regions of the north and south geometric poles. Alaska, especially Fairbanks, falls under this region, making it a great place to view the Aurora Borealis or northern lights.

With solar activity intensifying in 2024, you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to view the Northern Lights. The Alaska Travel Industry Association suggests that the Aurora season starts on August 21 and lasts until April 21, 2025. But the winter solstice is a great time to view aurora borealis clearly as there’s less daylight.

The best places to see the Northern Lights include Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Denali National Park, and Coldfoot Camp.

Cruising is big business in Alaska and probably one of the best ways to enjoy Alaska’s wildlife and vast wilderness. Ensure this is included in your itinerary when booking an Alaska tour package. Ships cruise along Alaska’s waters, visiting areas like Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan that can only be accessed by boats and planes.

Shore excursions are equally exciting, covering niche activities like understanding Alaska’s native culture, landing on glaciers, and fishing excursions.

Day cruises are available across Alaska but are especially popular out of Seward (Kenai National Park), Chena River in Fairbanks, and the Susitna River in Talkeetna.

Winter may be off-season, but it’s the best time to book Alaska tour packages if you love winter sports. Besides viewing the northern lights, tourists flock to the State for a guided dog sledge tour. Some other winter activities in Alaska include downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling.

Vaadiyan Luxury Holidays is South India’s leading tour and travel agency, offering customised individual and group tour packages to over 100 destinations worldwide. But that’s not the only reason you should choose us as your travel partner to Alaska. Our strong knowledge of South Indian customers and their unique needs helps us customise your Alaska tour package based on your budget, diet preferences, beliefs and customs, and way of life.

Whether you are a family member, newlyweds, or solo traveller, we’ll chart itineraries that are suited to you. This includes information on tipping culture prevalent in the host country, eating etiquette, details on what not to carry, bargaining tips, etc. Most importantly, with us, language barriers shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying a place.

Traditional Alaskan food is primarily seafood-based. Alaskan natives also live on game meat, marine mammals, berries, wild birds, bird eggs, and spring greens like nettles and devil’s club buds. Despite living off the land, native tribes have the utmost respect for their land and its animals. Each tribe follows different rules when handling slaughtered animals. For instance, the Athabascans immediately wipe off any blood that gets to the floor when slaughtering animals. Similarly, they do not walk over the blood. When eating bear meat, you mustn’t feed the bones to dogs or throw them in a river as it would change their personality. The bear’s bones must always be burnt. To learn more about native food culture, consider signing up for a culinary tour on an Alaska tour package.

Besides feasting on wild salmon, rainbow trout, king crabs, and fresh oysters, make sure you sample other Alaskan delicacies like:

Reindeer were first introduced in Alaska in the late 19th century. They are commonly served as sausages for breakfast at hotels and lodges. Reindeer meat is also popular when seasoned, smoked, and combined with other cuts. The meat is believed to be very healthy, with plenty of nutrients and very little fat compared to pork or beef.

Gathering wild berries is a traditional spring activity in Alaska when the entire landscape transforms into a bed of reds and pinks. Some common berries in the state include blueberries, bearberries, salmonberries, currants, strawberries, crowberries, and cranberries. While some can be eaten raw, others are often used to make jams and sauces. If you plan to go berry picking in Alaska, make sure you have a local guide with you, as some berries can be poisonous, or you could end up competing with grizzly bears who are also busy berry picking during the season.

This is a native speciality that’s now rarely sold but is worth the effort. Also called Akutaq or Alaskan ice cream, it is made using tallow from the meat of elk, moose, or whale, seal oil, cooked fish, and berries. Today, tallow and seal oil have been replaced by vegetable oil, sugar, and Crisco. Some recipes also call for using fish, but it is now generally skipped.

Traditional Alaskan food includes high-fat food like whale blubber and seal oil. Muktuk is a traditional bite-sized Alaskan treat that includes whale skin and blubber. It is common among Inuit and Chukchis as it is a rich source of vitamin C. The Inuit also eat beluga blubber as it is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The skin is eaten raw or aged and dried. Animal fat, however, has a gamey, nutty, and fishy taste and is an acquired taste.

• Dress in layers, including t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, thermal tops and bottoms, wool sweaters, gloves, fleece jackets, and proper winter boots.
• If you are travelling in autumn, bring bug spray. And if you are travelling in spring, carry sunscreen lotion.
• While moose are commonly found in cities, they do not get close to them, especially a bull moose during rutting season or a cow moose with her young ones.
• Don’t go jogging or running on the road or in the wilderness. You never know when an animal will chase you.
• Alaska is an ecologically sensitive place. Do not litter or use plastic mindlessly.

There’s much to buy in Alaska, from ulu knives and gold nuggets to handcrafted wooden bowls and gemstones. If you want something quirky and have the budget, Alaska also sells woolly mammoth tusks. If you’d like to bring a piece of Alaska back home, here are a few affordable souvenirs you can buy.

Jade is Alaska’s state gem and is available across gift shops in the state. The natives highly value it and often gift it to them to wish for good health. You can buy jade rings, bookends, plaques, tabletops, clockfaces, and figurines.

The syrup is extracted from the sap of birch trees and tastes delicious when drizzled over pancakes, ice creams, and other desserts. You can buy them from all supermarkets in Alaska.

From beadwork to scrimshawed ivory, masks, and paintings, Alaskan native art is famous not only for its uniqueness but also for its usefulness and resourcefulness. You’ll find paintings, pottery, and carvings in the state’s many gift shops and local stores.

Alaskan art reflects its natural beauty, namely its mountains, rivers, and wildlife. When buying native arts and crafts, make sure they are made by a certified Indian artisan – a federally recognised tribe must have made items that are marketed with terms like Native American or Indian.

The natives also express their respect for nature through sculptures and carvings. Marine mammal ivory is popular but expensive and may only be carved by Alaska natives. However, even non-natives can sell fossilised mammoth ivory.

Mammal bones from marine animals like whales are also used to craft masks and carvings. Alaska natives fashion baskets, scrimshaw etchings, and miniature ships from baleen, a flexible material from baleen whales.

As with Alaskan arts and crafts, the natives pay homage to nature through dance. For instance, the Yupik tribe performs seasonal dances that can last several hours and even days and involve the entire village. Some are shaman dances performed as a prayer when someone is sick or before a hunt. The chief elements of such dances are the masks worn by the dancers. These masks have immense spiritual significance and can only work by specific people.