As you travel the remote roads of Alaska, when you encounter one or two cars in a half-hour drive, you’ll understand why drivers greet each other with a wave of the hand or a nod of the head. Add to the sparsely populated terrain impassable stretches of forests and swamps, thousands of glaciers, and the highest mountains in the United States, and you have a unique hiking experience. This is where you can return to a comfortable hotel after a strenuous hike through no-man’s land, have a delicious dinner of quality American steak, drink local craft beer, and continue on your way in the morning.
Is it hard to get to Alaska?
Not if you’re willing to plan a trip to the American North in advance, namely six months or earlier. Alaska is not a good route chosen at the last minute.
Buying tickets in advance will help you avoid bitter disappointment from a financial point of view, as well as protect you from unnecessary risks related to health and safety.
For summer travel, the high season begins in mid-June and ends in August, when the rainfall decreases and the air warms up.
The main starting point for popular routes is Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska; it is home to about 300,000 people. That’s nearly 42% of the state’s population. The remaining 400,000 scattered over a vast area: 1,717,854 square miles, which is almost three times the size, for example, of Ukraine.
The closest major American city to Anchorage is Seattle, and the nearest Canadian city is Vancouver. From there you can get to Anchorage by plane or by ferry. It is not rational to travel by car – two days through the Canadian forests.
Rent a car
If you’re planning to travel through Alaska by motor vehicle, check with your car dealer beforehand to find out everything about driver’s licenses and rental conditions. Summer is the hot season in Alaska, a delay in communication could deprive you of renting a suitable vehicle. Of course, you can also travel in a small, simple sedan, but comfort will be lacking, especially if you have children, the elderly, or a demanding soulmate traveling with you. It is not superfluous to pay the additional insurance. Compared to the total cost, the difference will be small, but if necessary, it will pay off more than once. Do not forget that you have to return the car exactly before the closing of the service center and with a full tank.
Choice of a car for a trip
The weather conditions here even in the summer months can be almost winter. At an altitude of 1,000 meters and above there is snow in July. The important part of a successful trip to Alaska is the right vehicle in which you will spend 300-500 kilometers a day. So when choosing a rental car keep in mind that the road can present some unpleasant surprises, and feel free to take a vehicle with cross-country ability and a large gas tank. Alaska is not known for good road conditions.