River Trips

Packraft, folding kayak or whitewater kayak – any boat works on Alaska's many rivers. For trips that combine hiking and paddling, a packraft weighing just seven kilograms (15 lbs) is a great choice. For trips far from civilization, a folding kayak is the way to go, since you can then fly in by bush plane.

Waterways were, and still are, the best way to travel in northern North America. 90% of Alaska can't be reached by car. By boat, though, you can get almost anywhere. It's also a wonderful way to travel. Depending on your motivation, plans and the current, you can simply drift along or paddle hard. Either way, you'll cover much greater distances than on foot, and the views and wildlife-watching opportunities are many times better. For one thing, on foot you're often in dense forest where the view is limited, and wild animals hear you coming long before you see them. For another, traveling by river has the advantage that all the animals come down to the water in the evening to wash and drink.

We also highly recommend sea kayaking trips, where you paddle into bays where several glaciers calve right into the ocean . Exploring the deep blue walls of ice from a kayak is a fantastic experience. And of course you can combine it with a glacier hike or other activities.