Is a WhaleCoast Tour Right for Me?

WhaleCoast Alaska is a unique and authentic Alaskan travel experience. While WhaleCoast Alaska tours are fundraising tours for the Unitarian Universalist congregations in Alaska, our tours do not require you to be a Unitarian Universalist yourself. We respect and accept all religions (or no religion at all) and invite you to participate in our tours no matter what your religion (or lack thereof) is. That being said, we do participate in Sunday services at Unitarian Universalist fellowships during each tour. You should be willing to participate and interact with local UUs in the Alaskan communities we visit.

WhaleCoast Alaska tours are different than other group tours in that we stay with host families and use many different modes of transportation, including school buses and walking. Guests should be able to walk up stairs, as there are stairs to get onto buses, on the train, and in some of our lodging. If you are unable to walk up stairs, we can limit the amount of stairs you will have to navigate during the tour, but we cannot elimate them entirely. Guests should also be able to walk 2-3 miles in length in a day, since we rely on walking as our mode of transportation in small towns like Seward and Sitka. Guests can sometimes utilize taxis, at their own expense, to reduce the amount of walking that is needed, however taxis are not always available in the small towns we visit.

All guests must have their own medical insurance or have a comprehensive travel insurance plan. If you are at serious risk for a health problem, you must have a doctor’s written approval. In addition, guests must be willing to be vaccinated against Covid-19, including booster shots that are recommended by the CDC, and be willing to take a Covid test during the tour if requested by the Tour Director.

There are no age restrictions for WhaleCoast Alaska tours. Children and youth are welcome! They will be accepted on the same basis as adults, provided that a responsible adult accompanies them. If you wish to bring a child or youth, please contact us to discuss your particular situation. We can give you suggestions about how your children can get the most out of their tour experience. We will also inform you of any other children or youth who might be participating. Though we recommend a minimum age of 10, we realize that parents are the best judge of how appropriate the tour would be for their children.

WhaleCoast Alaska guests should be comfortable navigating using a basic paper map. Being familiar and comfortable with using Google Maps on your phone is also recommended. Familiarity with Google Drive is also helpful and recommended, since we use this platform for storing tour documents and photos.