Alaska was made for multisport. Hike on an ice field for the experience of a lifetime. Bike on one of the region's few roads. Kayak along the coast amid volcanoes and glaciers. Move through the landscape quietly and locals may show their faces: eagles, moose, sea otters, bears. Even if they don't, you know they're there, and somehow that's enough.
Days 1-2 Bike from Anchorage onto the rolling Tony Knowles Coastal Trail—be on the lookout for moose! | Travel along Turnagain Arm, the site of extreme high and low tides, on the way to the lively town of Girdwood | Hike through a lush coastal forest or choose the exhilarating tram ride to the top of Mount Alyeska for unparalleled views of peaks and hanging glaciers.
Day 3 Journey south to the Kenai Peninsula, a wonderland of rugged mountains, glaciers, fjords and lakes | Views of the Chugach Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop | Hike along the Harding Icefield Trail to witness up close how glaciers reshape the land | Have your camera ready? Unrivaled vistas of Harding Icefield, Exit Glacier and the Resurrection River Valley await | Keep an eye out for mountain goats, moose and marmots!
Day 4 Bike to Homer, taking in views of Cook Inlet, the Alaska Range, Grewingk Glacier and Homer Spit, a narrow finger of land in picturesque Kachemak Bay | Harbor seals and sea lions make frequent appearances outside our waterfront hotel.
Days 5-6 Circumnavigate Yukon Island by kayak, watching for bald eagles, porpoises and sea otters | After our naturalist-led hike through fields of wildflowers, enjoy a picnic on the bluff above Homer.
If you and your family are looking for a true wilderness experience, there's really no better destination than Alaska. Immense mountains, salmon-filled streams, waterfalls, temperate rain forest, flower-carpeted meadows... the array of stunning scenery is practically endless! Highlights of this trip include Kenai Fjords National Park and the opportunity to hike Harding Icefield Trail, a spectacular route alongside the Exit Glacier. There's also sea kayaking in Kachemak Bay with views of the mountains and glacier surrounding the bay, and an incredible array of marine life!- Alaska
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception. Read the Straight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
Stay up to date on the latest Backroads news. You're free to opt out at any time.
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the Dates & Prices tab.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
This stylish hotel with an aerial tram to the top of Mount Alyeska has earned accolades from Travel + Leisure. (pool, spa)
Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 1 review)
Ratings Distribution
Reviewed by 1 customer
Displaying review 1
Comments about Alaska Family Multi-Adventure Tour � Older Teens & 20s:
If you and your family are looking for a true wilderness experience, there's really no better destination than Alaska. Immense mountains, salmon-filled streams, waterfalls, temperate rain forest, flower-carpeted meadows... the array of stunning scenery is practically endless! Highlights of this trip include Kenai Fjords National Park and the opportunity to hike Harding Icefield Trail, a spectacular route alongside the Exit Glacier. There's also sea kayaking in Kachemak Bay with views of the mountains and glacier surrounding the bay, and an incredible array of marine life!
Displaying review 1
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Biking | 10 | 200 | ||||||||
| Biking | 16 | 400 | |||||||||
| Walking/Hiking | 2 | 200 | |||||||||
| Walking/Hiking | 5 | 5000 | |||||||||
| 2 | Walking/Hiking | 5 | 200 | 9 | 700 | ||||||
| 3 | Walking/Hiking | 2 | 100 | 3 | 1500 | 4 | 2000 | 8 | 3000 | ||
| 4 | Biking | 10* | 300 | 23* | 500 | 33 | 1900 | ||||
| Biking | 40 | 2300 | |||||||||
| 5 | Kayaking | On Kachemak Bay (All Day) | |||||||||
| 6 | Walking/Hiking | 2 | 50 | ||||||||
| Walking/Hiking | 5 | 100 | |||||||||
Note: The terrain on this trip ranges from level to rolling with a few steep longer climbs. The hike to Harding Icefield is very rigorous due to its steep rocky terrain and the possibility of encountering snow. Operating under Special Use Permit in the Chugach National Forest. Backroads is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Coordinating multiple activities throughout a single day can be tricky, but with Backroads you'll never know it. When you explore Alaska with us, you switch activities seamlessly without missing a beat. We invented the multi-adventure concept, and we're constantly adding new dimensions and fine-tuning the experience to make it even more enjoyable.
We design and support our Alaska trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
On our Alaska trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road and trail—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
It may seem obvious to say the great hotels we tell you about are the ones you'll actually stay in. But the fact is many companies haven't even booked the places they promise and are later forced to settle for inferior alternatives. We book our hotels and exact rooms long in advance—often over two years—so you stay where you expect to stay.
A great bike is obviously critical for a great multi-adventure trip; you don't want to gamble on one that's been sourced locally to trim costs. This trip features our acclaimed Backroads Custom Titanium bikes, expertly tuned and fitted, and included in your trip price. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders.
In addition to the ideal balance of comfort and hospitality in our choice of lodgings, this trip featuring Casual Hotels includes nearly all of your meals, plus everything from cocktail receptions to the best snacks along the road. So there's rarely a need to reach for your wallet – we've got you covered.
For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Alaska, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
After more than 30 years of creating Backroads Multi-Adventures, our trip designers know how to blend the perfect balance of biking and hiking with other activities to showcase the best of a region. And then they arrange the seamless transitions that would be so hard to orchestrate on your own—adding dimensions to your trip that are exciting, inspiring and just plain fun.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from a large selection of dates for your group of 8 or more. Call us for date availability. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or if your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
