Booking with Explore
“Why should I book with Explore Tours?”
The list goes on, so we'll start with three of the major reasons we find most important. Please call or email to inquire more about working with Explore Tours.
Because we sell only Alaska, we do it well!
As a local tour operator, we specialize in creating unique itineraries customized according to YOUR needs. We carry contracts with hundreds of different Alaskan vendors, offering a variety of products at all different levels. From exciting excursions and unique lodging to boat charters or exclusive behind the scenes tours... We can put together virtually any travel package while factoring in your personal style, budget and preferences. Email your itinerary request to our local team of travel experts and we will get back to you with a no obligation quote.
Our local advice is invaluable!
You'll have peace of mind that we won't recommend just "any" package to every customer. We take pride in our extensive client consultation and fully qualify your needs upfront. If you want to steer off the beaten path, we'll arrange a trip to backcountry destinations away from mainstream visitor traffic. Depending on your interests, we'll tell you about the "must see" activities, items that sell out quickly or others that you can hold off on and add when you're here. We'll also share when and where to visit for seasonal activities. For example, we know when you can find the greatest concentration of Grizzlies for the best photo ops, where the elusive "Monster" Rainbow Trout hit hardest on the Kenai River in the fall, or you how to connect with an Iditarod racer to learn to mush your own team of dogs!
Our team of dedicated and experienced Alaska travel experts!
Our staff is proud to live in Alaska year round and are eager to show you our GIANT backyard!.. which can be a bit of a logistically challenging area to navigate around. So we provide you with all of the planning tools you need from a local perspective. Explore's team of experts know the roads, schedules, accessibility, and traffic patterns, eliminating the guesswork for you. We'll tell you what to bring, what to expect, how to get there, when to check in and more! You can simply be on vacation and leave all the details to us.
Your prices are very competitive! How does Explore Tours make money?
Like many other travel companies, Explore Tours receives commissions from the tour suppliers we work with. As the commissions are off of the published brochure rates, this ensures that you are typically not paying more than you would buy purchasing the components on your own.
You receive the convenience of having knowledgeable reservation specialists assemble your itinerary with one phone call!
Do you require deposits upfront?
Explore Tours will only ask for a 50% deposit once all items within your tour package are fully confirmed to your exact specifications. Some vendor exceptions may apply depending on product selected and will be communicated at the time of request. This often applies with the purchase of flight tickets in order to guarantee your airfare at the quoted rate.
Do your rates include taxes and fees?
Many tour companies will provide rates "before" taxes. Your total Explore Tours price will include upfront all local state and bed taxes, port charges, park access permits and other mandatory fees associated with the products you have purchased. Exceptions are gratuity, incidentals, fishing licenses and items of personal nature. Most hotels will ask for a credit card upon check in as security for potential phone calls, room service and other optional add-on charges.
What do you need from me to make reservations?
It's very simple! We just need a credit card as acceptance and guarantee along with a few other mandatory items below. As soon as you give us the go, we'll get to work on securing your reservations.
Names:
Full names of all passengers in your party are required as they read on your government issued, photo ID.
Contacts:
Please be sure to also provide detailed contact information, along with mailing address, so that we can communicate with you in advance of your trip and send you any necessary documentation. It's great to also have your mobile phone if you're carrying a cell while traveling to Alaska. This way, we can reach you if there are any questions or schedule changes during your vacation.
Airfare:
And if we're booking your air to/from Alaska or in-state flights with TSA regulated carrier service, in addition to your full name (as it reads on your government issued ID), we'll also need your middle name, birth date and gender. This is mandatory TSA Secure Flight policy and reservations cannot be booked or held without this Secure Flight Information. Note: if you're traveling from overseas and will be using your passport as ID, we will also require your passport number.
Flight Seeing:
If you'll be taking a small plane, filght seeing or helicopter tour, we'll also need individual weights for all passengers in your party.
Special preferences:
Make sure your agent is aware of your needs, such as bedding configuration, smoking/non-smoking rooms or dietary restrictions. Also, if you have any accessibility issues, please let us know so we can request boarding assistance, special seating or certain room locations or types.
Alaska Marine Highway (AMH):
We'll also need dates of birth, citizenship and official government issued ID or passport number if traveling by ferry.
Activities:
Shoe sizes are required for many of the trips where you'll be outfitted with special gear. For example, waders with fishing excursions or waterproof boots with rafting tours.
