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Whilst on your
Alaskan cruise, you are likely to see spectacular glaciers which
will be unlike anything you have seen before. Alaska
is world-renowned for breathtaking scenery and fascinating wildlife, but few had considered it a holiday destination due to
its somewhat "cool" climate...until now. These days,
Alaska is proving to be an ever-popular tourist destination,
particularly Alaskan cruises, and it's little wonder when you
read what it has to offer.
The most famous
example of Alaskan wildlife are the different types of 
bears
that inhabit the state. There are tours available to take the
intrepid visitor into the bear's natural habitat to view these spectacular
animals as they roam around and fish for salmon. Kodiak Island
is home to the largest Brown
Bears, whilst Denali National Park
looks after their smaller cousins, the blonde grizzly
bears.
There are helicopter tours available over the Denali National
Park for those who don't wish to get too close to the bears!
Visitors can choose between a 50-minute flight over the park or
a 75-minute flight which includes a glacier landing. Black
bears, which are smaller than brown bears, can be found pretty
much all over the state, and are so common in Seward,
Juneau and
in certain parts of Anchorage that they are considered pests.
And finally there are polar
bears, which stick mainly to the
northern, arctic area of Alaska. If seeing polar bears is what
you're after, the best time is during the Autumn and Spring
whaling seasons as whale carcasses sometimes attract the polar
bears. They are often to be found around the towns and villages
of Barrow,
Wainwright and
Point Hope to name a few.
Note:
All bears are unpredictable and dangerous, particularly polar
bears who have no fear of humans. Always go with an
experienced
guide when going to areas where bears are likely to be, and seek
advice before wandering into the remote countryside if you plan
on walking,
hiking etc. Bears have killed humans, and it
is not unusual for them to wander into villages or field camps,
so be vigilant and prepared at all times.
As well as bears,
there is a rich variety of other animals and wildlife to be
found in Alaska, and the Alaska SeaLife Center allows visitors
to see different types of sea life, such as sea
lions, seals and
puffins. Entry is $14 per adult and $11 per child*.
Helicopter and small
plane tours are particularly popular in most areas if Alaska,
and provide unparalleled views of the Alaskan scenery and
wildlife. One excursion to consider going on is a 1 hour flight
tour of Mt. McKinley in the Talkeetna area of South Denali Park.
Water tours are also popular, and can involve you doing nothing,
such as a 5 hour wildlife and natural history cruise of
Resurrection Bay, with a salmon bake lunch on Fox Island, or a
guided kayaking tour (both in the Seward area). And for those
who really want to conquer the arctic, why not embark on an
arctic adventure? There are guided tours to the arctic circle
available (departing from Fairbanks) over land, air or a
combination of the two.
But there is more to
Alaska than just wildlife. While in Fairbanks, why not visit the
El Dorado Gold Mine Tour, where you ride the railroad into the
gold fields, and then have a go at panning for
gold. Anchorage,
Alaska's largest city, contains numerous places of interest,
including the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, as well as
Alaska Native Heritage Center.
*Prices
as at July 5th 2004
Flight Only, Fly Drive, Flight Holiday Packages & Business
Flights
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