Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Alaska in June. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-United States citizens will need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. Consult your nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for details. Canadian citizens should carry proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or birth certificate.
HEALTH: Alaska presents no major health hazards. Perhaps the most serious problems stem from the use of inadequate gear. Warm and waterproof clothing and boots, and sturdy, waterproof walking boots are absolutely essential. Although we do not schedule rigorous activities (except at Nome when we look for Bristle-thighed Curlew, if the road is open), some walking over uneven ground and spongy tundra and gravel is inevitable, as are periods of rain or snow. Comfort in Alaska is first and foremost a matter of keeping warm and dry.
Insects can be a nuisance from mid-June (earlier in Anchorage) to mid-August. An ample supply of repellent and suitable clothing are the best protection.
While large mammals are dangerous, they pose little threat if a few common sense rules are followed.
Participants on trips to St Paul Island should understand that they will be isolated from all but the most rudimentary medical care and that air transport to a hospital can easily be prevented by bad weather. Reasonably good health should be considered a prerequisite for trips here.
CLIMATE: Alaska has a varied climate. Coastal weather is normally cool to cold. Nome and even the Pribilofs experience freezing temperatures into late June, and mid-summer maximums are usually in the low 50s F. Late May and early June temperatures range between 25° and 40° F. Wind, rain and snow occur frequently, often in rapidly changing combinations.
Temperatures at inland localities are milder: 40s to high 50s F. in late May and early June and as high as the 90s F. in mid-summer. Localities at higher elevation, such as parts of Denali National Park, are from 5° to 15° F. degrees cooler. Again, rain is always possible.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We stay at standard motels or hotels throughout the tour. The hotel at Saint Paul has shared bathrooms. Single accommodations may not be available on the Pribilofs extension; bathrooms are also shared on the Pribilofs.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORT: Transportation is on foot, 44 passenger bus (Nome) and 15-passenger window van (elsewhere).
SMOKING: We request that you do not smoke in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any site where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, the stricter policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Alaska will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary.
Updated: October 2011