Frequently Asked Questions

Handpicked Alaska designs personalized self-drive (self-guided) travel itineraries that cater to each traveler’s needs, budget, and travel expectations. We create beautiful trips emphasizing sustainability and working with local businesses. We are your local Alaska travel agents who are here to ensure your trip is seamless and exciting! To learn more about our specific services, continue to the question below.

Design your trip here.

The first step in working with Handpicked Alaska to design your personalized trip to Alaska is to fill out the Design Your Trip form. After you complete this form, we will follow up with you via email. At this stage, we will discuss your trip in detail and learn more about your interests while visiting Alaska, including activities, hotels, etc. We will answer any additional questions you have about visiting Alaska.

Next, we will work on drawing up the first draft of your itinerary. You can review this draft and let us know what changes you would like made. The initial itinerary will also include the estimated cost of the trip. We will update the itinerary or keep it as is based on your review. We will send you the updated version if we have made any changes.

Upon your approval, we will book the itinerary, including the hotel, rental car, and activities. We will then send you a contract listing all the services we have arranged for you. At this time, we also require a 20-50% deposit (dependent on chosen activities and accommodation) for the total cost of your trip. The remainder of your payment is due 45 days before arrival.

Once everything is arranged, we will begin working on the finalized version of your itinerary, including a beautifully designed itinerary available in PDF format for printing or use on mobile devices. In addition to the detailed day-to-day itinerary, you will receive our Alaska Travel Guide, which contains essential Alaska travel information and tips, and our Alaska Restaurant Guide.

We will also create a personalized Google Map marked with all the places you can visit on your trip.

During your travel, you will have access to our 24-hour line. If you have any problems or questions during your trip, you can contact us by phone, text message, or email.

Handpicked Alaska is a local, family-run travel business. It is our mission is to design memorable, once in a lifetime trips for travelers visiting Alaska.

In the times of instant bookings and quick reservations, we want to slow things down. We pride ourselves on working with small groups that allow us to design unique trips. We promote a sustainable, responsible, and respectful form of travel, which means you can access high-quality services such as authentic cuisine, attractions, activities, and guides.

As locally based travel agents, we can assist you with any issues you may encounter during your travels. With us, each client and traveler is unique, and we want to make sure that you have the trip of a lifetime.

As your Alaska travel agents, Handpicked Alaska partners with experienced local vendors to ensure that all reservations are made accurately and allow everything to run smoothly during your travels.

You will be provided vouchers and confirmation information for picking up your car, checking into your accommodation, and other activities of your choice.

Unfortunately, we cannot make airline reservations for your trip to Alaska. However, we can advise you on the best routes, airlines, and other pertinent travel information.

No! All of our trips are custom designed to meet the individual needs of your group. After filling out the Design Your Trip questionnaire and discussing your trip in detail, we can put together an itinerary that is completely unique for you.

Alaska is a family-friendly travel destination! There are plenty of sights and activities that a family of all ages will enjoy. We frequently work with family groups, including grandparents and grandchildren, and are positive we can design something special the whole family will enjoy!

We work closely with our travelers to learn about each individual’s needs. If you require something specific for the trip, we ask that you share this information with us in the early planning stages. Once we know your needs, we do everything possible to ensure that we can make your travel as seamless as possible.

Not at all. Alaska is for everyone! Whether you want to hike, bike, ski, drive, take in the scenery, or relax, we can design something specifically for you.

Absolutely! We want to make sure that you have a seamless and worry-free trip. While you are in Alaska, you will have access to our 24-hour line. If you have any problems or questions during your trip, you can contact us by phone, text message, or email.

Alaska is a large state with unpredictable weather. You never know if it might snow in May or be 50 degrees in December! Because of this, we recommend you be prepared for everything. All of our clients will receive an Alaska Packing List. To read more specifics on what to pack for your trip to Alaska, read our Alaska packing blog post here.

There are currently no travel restrictions for visiting Alaska for those residing in the United States.

For those arriving in Alaska from outside the US, please check with the US Department of State for up-to-date travel requirements. This information can be viewed here.

For Alaska-specific COVID-19 restrictions, please visit the State of Alaska COVID-19 information page here.

Though there are not currently official COVID restrictions within the state of Alaska, businesses and vendors that we work with may have some of their own requirements, including masking, social distancing, and vaccination.

Please note that the COVID-19 situation can change quickly; please check with local governments for the most up-to-date information.

In today’s world, things can change so quickly. This could mean sickness, canceled flights, extreme weather, or other unpredictable situations.

Because we cannot make exceptions to our cancellation policy for any reason, including natural disasters and family or medical emergencies, we encourage all our customers to purchase travel insurance.

Once your booking with us is confirmed, we ask for a deposit of 30-50% of the total price, which is dependent on the activities you have chosen.

The final payment for your trip is due 45 days prior to arrival. We will contact you two weeks before the final payment is due.

We highly recommend paying by check or bank wire transfer. While we accept credit card payments, there will be an additional 4% surcharge that the credit card companies impose.

The following is our general cancellation fee schedule. It is based on a percentage of the total invoice for your trip.

If you cancel any time after our written confirmation/invoice has been sent, we retain 15%

If you cancel 59 - 46 days prior to your scheduled arrival, we retain 50%

If you cancel less than 45 days prior to your scheduled arrival, we retain 100%

Our standard cancellation terms apply to the majority of services we offer. Certain vendors (such as remote lodges, cruise ships, the Alaska Railroad, and other exclusive operators) may have stricter policies.

We are so delighted you want to work with us! Head over to our Design Your Trip page to fill out a basic questionnaire with information about your travels. We’ll be in touch!