Travel to Alaska for an Alaska Vacation! It can be an Adventure of a Lifetime.

Provided by: Jorbins.com

First off when most people travel to Alaska part of their travel plans are to do some wildlife viewing, especially bears. Wildlife viewing is part of the appeal to an Alaska adventure and the is big reason why most of us travel to Alaska.

For those of you who have never been to Alaska let me tell you it is one of the most beautiful places you can travel to. It has three times the coastline of the rest of the U.S. and it has some of the tallest mountains, longest rivers, and largest lakes in the world. There are glaciers, forests, and parks bigger than entire states. The beauty of Alaska makes it my favorite place to travel to.

I want to start out by giving you some tips for any bear or wildlife viewing you may do. You want your trip to be an Alaska adventure but you want to be safe while doing it. Plus you want to know how to go about finding the wildlife that Alaska has to offer. Some of the wildlife you may come into contact with are bald eagles, caribou, grizzly bears, polar bears, walrus, and muskoxen.

1. Plan your trip according to the season. Do a little research on the wildlife you want to see and find out when the best time of year to see them are. Some hibernate, like bears, or migrate and you don't want to travel to Alaska only to find out you should have came a month earlier or later.

2. A lot of the time the early bird and the night owl will see more wildlife. Dawn and dusk tend to be more favorable times to see wildlife.

3. Use binoculars, you will see things much more clearly and remain a safe distance away. It is so much better to see the animals close up to really see the way the move. Research a little on their feeding habits as well. It may help you to find better places to see the animals. Plus it is always better to view a bear with a little distance between you.

4. Move slowly, walk quietly, and try to fade into the background. Wildlife will often disappear when you show up but if you remain quiet and still it may come back after a time. Be sure and ask the locals where to go and what to look for. They will be more familiar with the area and often have the best and most current tips for finding what you are looking for.

5. Hire a guide. When you travel all this way to Alaska you want to make sure you enjoy yourself and make it an adventure of a lifetime. It could very well be money well spent.

6. Stay on the designated trails and if you see a hurt or "abandoned" animal stay away. Mom or dad may be watching and you don't want to see them in this circumstance. Yes that bear cub is awful cute, but what about mama bear and papa bear?

7. Be respectful of your surrounding when you travel to Alaska. Do not litter. You don't want to ruin someone else's Alaska adventure by littering.

8. Leave your pet at home or make sure it is restrained at all time. This is for your safety, your pet's safety, and the safety of the wildlife. Plus you will see much more without your pet along.

9. Don't feed the animals!! It could put you in harm, the next person that comes along in harm, and it could also be detrimental to the animals.

10. Dress appropriately and be sure and have many warm layers. Carry emergency gear and plenty of supplies. You never know when the weather may leave you stranded. Be sure that you are able to recognize and treat hypothermia. Split up your supplies as well. If you loose one backpack you better hope it doesn't have all the blankets, food or matches in it!

11. Make sure you are up for the challenge. Don't get so caught up on your adventure that you bite off more that you can chew. Know your physical limits and don't push them too far. Be sure that someone knows where you are hiking to and when you are expected back.

12. When you travel to Alaska be sure and bring your insect repellent!! Any other protective clothing will be appreciated later.

13. Be sure and purify any water you take from lakes and steams. You don't want to remember your trip to Alaska as being the time you got sick.

14. Be open to schedule changes you may decide to go on a different side venture while you are there. Remember this is a vacation don't run yourself ragged trying to see everything in too little time. Enjoy what you have time to see and plan to travel to Alaska again later to see what you didn't have time for.

15. Take a camera and plenty of film. You will want to capture everything on film to share with your friends and family. They will never be able to see and understand the beauty of Alaska until they see it for themselves but you will be able to relive it every time you get out your photo album.

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