Expeditions Alaska

Was looking for a guided backpack trip to Gates of the Arctic and chose Expeditions Alaska for their great track record, as well as itinerary and pricing options. Carl had a wealth of advice to help assess my readiness and clarify any doubts I had to go ahead with the trip. Rachael Taylor our guide was exceptional. It was clear throughout our trip that group safety was the top priority, and she was always up to making sure we had the best times of our life out in the wilderness. You definitely wouldn’t go wrong with any of the established tour companies in AK, but definitely do give Expeditions Alaska a read and try. They overflow with passion in what they do, and will definitely give you an experience you will remember.

Bears of Summer July 24. Katmai National Park. Where do I start ? The trip I did was out of this world. Expeditions Alaska is awesome ! Communication is brilliant using the Basecamp platform. The whole operation is seamless with precise instructions on gear you need and any questions you have answered promptly. The back country camping experience from the float plane in til the very end was fantastic. Top quality tents (to cope with fickle and often windy weather)and air mats fit for the gods ! Food was great in variety and quality. The bear experience is nothing short of magical. We were fortunate to see a whole range of bear interactions, fishing for salmon and lots of cubs. Photography opportunities were sublime. I felt completely safe with Carl, our super experienced guide and it's an experience I'll never forget. The experience was rounded out with a great bunch of other photographers in the group. There was great conversation and much hilarity. This is a unique opportunity to see Grizzlies in their natural habitat fishing for sockeye Salmon. I would not hesitate to recommend Carl and his team from Expeditions Alaska for an adventure you'll never forget.

My experience with Expeditions Alaska has encompassed 2 trips over the last two summers at Lake Clark National Park and Wrangell St. Elias NP. I am extremely happy to have found this group to help me plan and experience my adventures in Alaska. Carl is excellent at curating your individualized plan to get the most out of your experience. The guides he has working for him are top notch and in our case Trevor was as good as it gets. He is excellent at navigating the terrain and making sure you stay safe, while enjoying the best of backcountry Alaska.

What an awesome trip the Brown Bears of Summer. Carl and Christie were Awesome and Christie can do some cooking! Carl was very knowledgeable of the bears and made sure we did not get eaten for lunch. So Many bears we had 17 bears on the river at one point. And we saw the cutest cubs. Definitely would travel with the company again in the future

This was my first trip the Alaska and lucky me I wondered upon Expedition Alaska’s website. After communications with Carl, he guided me to join the Skolia Pass trip in August of 2024. I can’t say enough about how professional and helpful EA was in planning for the trip. Great content on their website to help prepare for the trip, plus they always responded promptly to questions. Liz Wolfgram guided our groups expedition and was exceptional. Her knowledge, kindness, preparedness, and layed back demeanor made all of us feel safe, comfortable and like one big backpacking family out there. We were blessed with outstanding weather on our trip and Skolia pass was beyond my expectations. From the bush plane flights, mountains veiws in all directions, stunning and challenging hikes to glaciers, creek crossings, blueberry gathering, snow dusting the mountains and even saw the northern lights. This trip was very rewarding and something I dreamt of doing for a very long time. I look forward to my next adventure with Expeditions Alaska. Thank you to the EA team that made this adventure a reality. Rob

I had an unbelievable experience with Expeditions Alaska venturing through the North Traverse in Gates of the Arctic NP. Jared Martin was our guide, and he was fantastic! He set clear guidelines throughout the trip but also encouraged us to make the trip our own. He always seemed to know what to say or do to encourage when things got tough. Not to mention the unbelievable food he prepared for us. This was fine dining in the backcountry! The cinnamon rolls were a particular highlight. The trek was challenging but definitely doable. There was no hand-holding throughout the trip, but if anyone needed any throughout the trip, Jared was there to support. The views were unreal, and you really got the feeling you are alone in nature. Definitely a trip for the ages!

I joined a group of 5 amateur photographers to Brooks Falls on the "Fat Bears in the Fall" trip with Expeditions Alaska and we weren't disappointed. This occurs just after the lodge has closed for the season and the tourists are gone so, limited humans and loads of bears getting fat before hibernation. I looked at quite a few guided trips for this purpose and this one stood out as the best photography trip and I could see the detailed planning that Carl Donohue has put into it. Given my age (70) I was a bit nervous about being able to handle camping for 5 nights but it was a breeze. My tent was a good size (I could stand in the center) and the provided Exped sleeping mat was very comfortable. Rounding out our crew was Christie who cooked 3 great meals a day for us, more than I could eat, great variety and delicious. Carl took us out in the mornings and afternoon/evenings to a variety of places so we got to see a good amount of the park and falls with just the right amount of hiking. A bonus to the whole trip was Carl's personality and intellect. There was plenty of good-natured ribbing and laughter and I don't think I could find a topic that he wasn't knowledgeable about. He was also a great resource for photography advice. The organization of this trip spoke to his 20 or so years of guiding all over Alaska and elsewhere. I've been to many great places all over Earth and this was one of the best!

We just returned from our 2nd trip with Expeditions Alaska! Our guide Jared was so amazing two years ago that we traveled back to AK to go out with him to another part of the park and brought friends! Expeditions Alaska is incredibly well organized from start to finish and makes preparing for a guided trip like this a breeze! Logistics about travel and communication are clear and the team is helpful with answering questions and providing guidance! Each day in the backcountry brought something amazing - from beautiful waterfalls on day hikes, to seeing wildlife, picking blueberries, learning about the park, and watching calving glaciers! Jared has so much knowledge of the area -- history, science, leave no trace practices, and he clearly understands and supports the value of "getting away" from the day-to-day grind to experience the wild of Alaska. His passion for being out in the wild and sharing it with others was obvious and appreciated. He is worth every penny and more ( so don't forget to tip your guide)! The cooking was amazing -- not just your typical rehydrated trail foods but incredible meals (tika masala, cinnamon rolls, and frittata) and plenty of them! He could easily accommodate for all food needs (vegan, vegetarian, etc.). We're already planning our next trip knowing that custom options to fit our personal wants are available and encouraged. Shout out to Kiki the "Gear Goddess" for all her prep with equipment and food and to the administrative team to keep us on top of completing all the necessary forms. We get so much on trips like this that "re-entry" into my day-to-day life is tough. Expeditions Alaska, Carl, and the team of incredible guides are the very best and I highly recommend you book a trip!