Arctic Wild - Fairbanks, Alaska

Cynthia Perley

We did the caribou migration trip, which was awesome! It’s not cheap but we totally felt like we got our moneys worth. Robyn, our guide, was incredible. I had talked to Michael in detail about my dietary restrictions and they not only meet them they surpassed my expectations about food. We had gourmet level camping food. We saw thousands of caribou. At several points they were completely surrounding our first camp. Was able to take some amazing shots. Also saw a variety of flora and birds. Totally recommend! Very well run tour group

NatyCrops

Arctic Wild was a great company to canoe with through the Gates of the Arctic Nat'l Park in AK. Hubster and I are in our mid-60's, both healthy and fit and were glad we went on the trip while we are able. It was an epic adventure and a trip we'll always remember with fond memories. If you're on the fence about this trip, take the plunge and go for it. The Noatak River and surrounding landscape are beautiful and peaceful, especially during calm waters.

Arctic Wild emailed a checklist of things to bring, which was pretty spot on, and provided rain gear and equipment if needed. Our Pre-Tour meeting was very informative; don't miss it! After the meeting, the staff inspected our dry bag contents to ensure we were not bringing too much or too little. Everything including tent, sleeping bag & sleeping pad had to fit in a 110 liter dry bag and weighed to ensure the load on the bush plane wasn't too heavy to carry. We were allowed the big dry bag & a day bag (optional) for hikes; my day bag was also a dry bag backpack.

Our two guides were experienced wilderness guides & were constantly working (scouting for optimum passage thru the river, setting up & taking down the kitchen/common area at each campsite, cooking meals & cleaning up, leading us on hikes at our stopovers, etc). They acted appropriately and gave us the confidence to deal with an adolescent bear that visited one of our campsites; safety always came first!

It helps to separate your clothes into ziplock bags and put the bags into a small dry bag. This makes preparing for the next day much easier; you don't have to unpack the whole big dry bag. Waterproof pants and/or bib and knee high rubber boots are a must. Arctic Wild also suggested packing the tent & sleeping stuff last, so they're at the top of the big dry bag when setting up camp.

It rained 8 of the 10 days we were on the river... most of the time, just a light to moderate sprinkle with heavy rain overnight. Although I had the heavier rain jacket and a waterproof bib, my heavy water resistant jacket and waterproof pants were enough for light rain. I wore light gloves most of the time and only used my rubber fishing gloves with knit lining twice. But the fishing gloves kept my fingers warm when the other gloves got wet or the weather was exceptionally cold and rainy. The river got swifter as we moved downstream because of the rains. Toward the end of our tour, we were flying down the river, which was fun.

If you want to take photos, bring a camera with extra batteries. Hubster & I relied on our cellphones (in airplane mode) and a solar charger for photos. But the sun wasn't out very much. We ran out of battery after Day4 and milked the times that the sun was out in the morning, during our stops and at the campsites. It helped that the others in the group were willing to share their photos.

Matthew Putnam

Trip of a lifetime with 3 friends from Marsh fork over pass to Canning River. Every weather type possible encountered as well as a majority of available wildlife - fortunately the closest Grizzly was not interested in us. Tom - our guide - was beyond outstanding. Can’t say more than planning to go again. Great Team and thank you Michael and Sally.

Ellie Hogenson

Floated the Canning River to Arctic Ocean in ANWR. Beautiful scenery and experienced guides. Highly recommend.

Lynneth Lohse

Took a trip with Arctic Wild in summer 2018. The competence and overall quality of the guides was insanely high. These people know what they are doing, have a ton of wilderness experience, and it shows. One of the best trips of my lifetime and worth every penny, worth every second. Very highly recommended.

David Houghton

Can't do better than Michael Wald and his amazing guides at Arctic Wild. Alaska is one of the world's iconic destinations - it is true wilderness with unrevealed wildlife - Arctic Wild is the company to show you the last frontiers wonders! Sign up for a 2019 tour now!

Daniel Kirkwood

Michael and his team are outstanding. Super helpful and total experts. They know this vast wild country and I trust them for expert guidance and awesome trips.

Al Gianini

extremely professional guide service.