Frequently Asked Questions

Above & Beyond Alaska (ABAK) was founded by individuals deeply rooted in Southeast Alaska, where they have spent a lifetime exploring and protecting its wilderness. We have been organizing small group adventures in the Juneau area for over two decades. Our commitment is unwavering — we strive to exceed expectations across the board. This includes a steadfast focus on safety, a dedication to providing exceptional service, a commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards, and a proactive stance in fulfilling our role as stewards of the environment.

In 2022, we partnered with the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund (ACRF) to help meet our sustainability goals and became the first tourism company to participate and raise funds for heat pumps to be installed in low-income family homes in Juneau.

Our overarching goal at ABAK is threefold: to explore, educate, and promote environmental conservation right here in our own backyard. We firmly believe that the combination of exploration and education naturally leads to conservation. This belief is at the core of our mission. We take immense pride in engaging in what we love, and equally, in sharing with others the wonders of this beautiful world full of adventure.

A helpful guideline is that if your tour pickup is set for 30 minutes after your ship docks, that should provide ample time to reach our meeting point.

Additionally, you must return to your ship at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure at the conclusion of your tour.

If your ship is delayed, we’ll make every effort to adjust your trip departure time or reschedule it accordingly. In the event that your ship is significantly delayed, preventing you from participating in the trip, we will provide a full refund. Similarly, if your ship is unable to make its scheduled stop in Juneau, you will receive a full refund.

The majority of our trips are scheduled around cruise ship arrival and departure times. We allocate ample time before and after the tour to ensure you can comfortably make it back onboard your ship. Ensuring the punctual return of our guests to their ship is our top priority as a company.

“Plan for rain, pray for sun!” is our motto in Southeast Alaska. We are surrounded by the Tongass National Rainforest, part of the largest temperate rainforest in the world.  Juneau receives approximately 60-100 inches annually.  Average temperatures in the summer are in the 50s and 60s.  April, May, and June are Juneau’s driest months.  July and  August are the warmest.  In September it becomes cooler and wetter.  Please see the following links for current weather forecasts.

• Weather Underground
• National Oceanic Atmospheric Association

On our day trips we recommend you use the restroom before the trip starts. Our warehouse facility has two restrooms for your use. Once you are out in the field, there are no restrooms besides the great outdoors. ABAK follows Leave No Trace Principles and if you need to use the bathroom during this time we request that you pack out any trash – this includes toilet paper.

Cancellations made at least 72 hours prior to a scheduled tour will be refunded in full.

Cancellations made under 72 hours of a scheduled tour are non-refundable.

Above & Beyond Alaska (ABAK) may cancel a trip due to low enrollment, unsafe weather or route conditions, clients not meeting physical requirements, or other safety issues. A full refund will be issued if the trip has not started. However, ABAK is not responsible for additional expenses (e.g., non-refundable airfare, meals, lodging). ABAK will fully refund any tour cancellations due to changes in the cruise ship sailings that result in the tour not being rescheduled.

Medical Cancellations:

Valid documentation from either a care provider or the cruise ship’s doctor is required to be eligible for a refund for medical cancellations.
If a family or party member is ill on the day of the tour, medical documentation must be provided for a refund. Any passengers who stay behind with the ill person will not be eligible for a refund.
To receive a full refund, documentation must be provided within 2 weeks of the tour cancellation; otherwise, the tour becomes ineligible for a refund.

Other Cancellations:

Failure to comply with any cruise ship regulations or provide required documentation, resulting in you being denied boarding and not being able to cruise or take your tour, will not be refunded.

If you are traveling through Canada or any other country and are denied entry due to missing or delayed travel documents or visas, causing you to miss your tour, you will not be refunded.

If you are traveling by air and miss your flight, you will not be refunded unless it was the fault of the airline and you can provide documentation from them.

Additional Information:

All cancellations must be submitted in writing within two weeks of the tour date to ABAK.

Partial refunds will not include booking fees.

The Fortress of the Bears Pack Creek Bear Tour includes a non-refundable $100 administrative fee

ABAK highly recommends travel insurance for all clients to protect against unexpected travel changes.

We operate our tours rain or shine. Juneau is situated in the world’s largest temperate rainforest, the Tongass National Forest. Rain is a common occurrence in Juneau, and we embrace it as part of the experience. To ensure your comfort, we provide each guest with a rain jacket, rain pants, and rain boots.

Should ABAK determine that weather conditions present a safety concern, we will regretfully cancel the tour. In such instances, a full refund will be issued to our guests. Safety remains our top priority, and we appreciate your understanding in this regard.

We provide all the gear on our trips except for personal clothing and hiking boots.  Regarding the weather, we recommend you prepare for rain and hope for sunshine. Due to the cool, damp climate, it is best NOT to wear cotton or denim and instead, wear clothing made of polyester, wool, fleece, nylon, polypropylene, and/or capilene. You are more than welcome to bring personal items on any of our tours (Camera, reusable water bottle, food, layers, etc.).

WE PROVIDE

• Rain Jacket
• Rain Pants
• Trip Specific Gear (see below)
• Glacier Trips:  backpack or dry bag backpack, trekking poles, micro spikes for Norris Glacier
• Kayak Trips:  kayaks, PFD (life jacket), spray skirt, paddle, rubber boots, paddling mitts, and safety gear.
• Bear Viewing:  binoculars and spotting scope, rubber boots, rain gear

Water: While we do provide a souvenir water bottle on our trips, we strongly encourage all guests to bring their own reusable water bottle to help minimize waste.

Food (The food provided is subject to change and varies day to day – below is the typical offering)

• Glacier Trips:  granola bars, assorted cheeses, assorted nut packs, fruit snacks, Goldfish crackers, and a souvenir water bottle
• Paddle with Whales! includes a similar, hearty snack pack and bento lunch.
• Fortress of the Bears Pack Creek:  a bento lunch with a variety of snacks, and water (varies by client allergies, dietary restrictions, and/or requests)
• Fortress of the Bears Waterfall Creek: assorted snack packs carried by the guide

For all tours we provide rain gear to protect from the changing elements. This gear can be used or stowed in your backpack or dry bag.

• Rain Gear is waterproof and will go over your personal gear. It is sized more like a poncho than a standard jacket. So if you wear Women’s Medium mostly, a Women’s Medium Jacket and Pants will easily fit over your clothes.
• Rain Gear Sizes: Men and Women’s XS – XXL, Youth S-L

For the tours involving paddling, we provide neoprene rubber boots made by Bogs or Grundens. These boots will be in place of your shoes and you are welcome to store your personal shoes at our warehouse facility.

• Rubber boots sizes: Men’s 6 – 14, Women’s 6-11, Youth 2-5

Our tour group sizes range from 2 – 12 people with 1 guide for every 8 people on group departures. So if you book a tour that has the maximum number of 12 people, then you will have 2 professional guides with you all day.

For Glacier Trips:

• 250 lbs is our weight max on the Canoe Paddle & Trek due to canoe weight restrictions
• Smallest shoe size we can accommodate is Youth-Size 2 and Largest shoe size is Men’s size 14
• Due to the inherent risks involved in this type of tour, pregnant guests are not permitted to participate.

For Kayak Trips:

• 250 lbs is our weight max on the Fortress of the Bears Pack Creek and Waterfall Creek tours due to aircraft and kayak restrictions
• Smallest shoe size we can accommodate is Youth-Size 2 and Largest shoe size is Men’s size 14
• Our kayaks can accommodate a maximum torso (waist-chest) diameter of 55 inches (140cm). Maximum weight limit is 600lbs (272kg) for double kayaks. People taller than 6’2″ (188cm) may find operating the rudder challenging, as the pedals only adjust to a certain maximum distance.
• Due to the inherent risks involved in this type of tour, pregnant guests are not permitted to participate.

Solo travelers are welcome to join on any trip.  However, most of our trips require a minimum of four people, so if there is not a scheduled departure with other clients available then you would either have to find a different trip or pay for the minimum.

Above & Beyond Alaska offers guided adventures to both the Mendenhall Glacier and Norris Glacier. These include hiking, canoeing, and packrafting experiences, each providing unique perspectives of Alaska’s glacial landscapes.

Mendenhall Glacier is approximately 12 miles from downtown Juneau, accessible by road and a 3-4 mile hike. Norris Glacier is situated within the Tongass National Forest and is accessed via a scenic floatplane flight, offering a more remote wilderness experience.

Depending on the chosen tour, activities may include:

• Hiking: Guided treks through the Tongass National Rainforest to the glacier’s panoramic viewpoint.
• Canoeing: Paddling across glacial lake to approach the glacier.
• Packrafting: Inflatable raft adventures on glacial waters.
• Flightseeing: Scenic floatplane flights over the Juneau Icefield.

The prime season for glacier tours is from May to September. Each month offers unique experiences:

• May-June: Drier months with blooming flora.
• July-August: Warmer temperatures and peak wildlife activity.
• September: Cooler, wetter conditions with fewer visitors.

Tour durations vary based on the activity:

• Mendenhall Glacier Guided Hike: Approximately 6 hours.
• Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle & Hike: Around 5.5 hours.
• Norris Glacier Fly-In Hike & Packraft: Full-day adventure lasting about 5 hours.

Yes, Above & Beyond Alaska works closely with cruise passengers to ensure timely returns to their ship. Departure and return times are carefully scheduled to accommodate cruise itineraries.

Yes, all glacier tours operate rain or shine. Guides provide appropriate gear to keep you comfortable in wet weather. However, in cases of extreme weather that may impact safety, tours may be rescheduled or canceled.

Norris Glacier: Yes, this tour absolutely gets on the glacier! If you’re eager to experience walking on glacier ice, then this tour is perfect for you.

Mendenhall Glacier: This tour does not get on the glacier. This excursion focuses on a close exploration of the glacier’s edges, allowing for safe hiking experiences on the surrounding bedrock. Distance from the glacier changes each season, expect to get within 300 yards of the glacier face.

Norris Glacier: While we can trek on the glacier ice on this tour, it’s important to note that ice caves are an exceptionally rare phenomenon that appears sporadically. They should not be expected during the tour, and if they do happen to form, it will be considered a special occurrence.

Mendenhall Glacier: There are currently no accessible ice caves at the Mendenhall Glacier. Glaciers are incredibly dynamic forces of nature and are constantly changing. The presence of accessible ice caves was a feature of the glacier in the last phase of its life cycle, but it is now in a new phase where we are seeing frequent calving events revealing the deep glacier blue that the Mendenhall Ice Caves became so well renowned for.

Norris Glacier: You will be paddling small single or double packrafts. These packrafts are very maneuverable and durable.

Mendenhall Glacier: You will be paddling either our large 29 ft or 22 ft canoes . The larger canoes can fit up to 12 guests and 2 guides, and the smaller up to 7 guests and 1 guide. These canoes offer the speed and stability that kayaks cannot.

Yes, these are considered active tours. We require guests to be at a maximum of 250lbs and have a full range of mobility. Depending on the tour, guests will have to safely get in and out of packrafts/canoes and be able to hike and paddle for up to 3 hours. Guests may need to drag canoes or packrafts short distances and be physically fit to get in and out of watercraft, along with paddle watercraft continuously.

Brown bears are wild animals, and as such, we cannot guarantee sightings of them. However, our bear-viewing locations boast the highest density of brown bears in the world, offering you an excellent chance to observe them in their natural habitat.

Brown bears are most active during mating season (mid May – June) and annual salmon runs (late July – August). Prime viewing is considered to be during the salmon run (late July-August).

Bears are generally more active during the early morning and late afternoon hours. Specific tour times may align with these active periods to maximize sightings.

The Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, located within the Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary on Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska, is renowned for its high density of brown bears. This pristine environment offers visitors the opportunity to observe brown bears in their natural habitat, engaging in activities such as fishing for salmon, foraging, and interacting with one another. A limited number of visitors are permitted to enter Pack Creek each season, making it one of the most exclusive bear-viewing areas in Alaska.

Waterfall Creek is a unique bear-viewing destination known for its scenic beauty. This remote area offers a close-up, intimate bear-watching experience where guests can observe bears fishing in the stream and roaming the forested landscape. This viewing area gets more visitors compared to Pack Creek.

Both tours provide opportunities to observe coastal brown bears, a subspecies of the grizzly bear. Admiralty Island, where Pack Creek is located, has one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in the world.

Our guides are highly experienced and knowledgeable about brown bears and their behavior. As a precautionary measure, they always carry bear spray during tours. While it’s crucial to acknowledge that these are wild animals, the bears we encounter are accustomed to human presence, and instances of aggression toward humans are exceptionally rare.

Yes, we require all guests to be 250 lbs or less. In addition, we require guests to have a full range of mobility getting in/ out of the floatplane and the ability to walk 2 miles over slippery uneven terrain.

Our Paddle with Whales Kayak Adventure provides a truly unique and immersive experience, setting it apart from traditional whale-watching tours. Rather than observing from a boat, you’ll be right on the water in a kayak, offering a quieter, more intimate connection with marine wildlife.

We keep our group sizes small to ensure a personalized and low-impact experience, enhancing wildlife encounters while allowing our expert guides to provide tailored insights into the local ecosystem.

Additionally, we are honored to be recognized as a Top 10 Kayak Tour Company by USA Today. Our dedication to offering exceptional, eco-friendly adventures has made us a top-rated choice for visitors seeking to explore Alaska’s waters in a truly sustainable and unforgettable way.

Humpback whales are wild animals, and as such, we cannot guarantee sightings of them. However, the Juneau area is renowned as a fertile feeding ground for whales and other marine life, increasing the likelihood of encountering these magnificent creatures during our tours.

Kayaking duration depends on a variety of factors, including marine conditions and the ability level of the group. We aim for 1.5 hours of paddling time.

We have found that the time of day does not influence whale viewing.

Juneau is widely regarded as one of the premier whale watching destinations in Alaska. The humpback whales of the Pacific migrate to these waters after wintering in Hawai’i. They are drawn to the nutrient-rich waters around Juneau, which serve as their feeding grounds. The optimal time for whale viewing is during the peak summer months of June to August. Nevertheless, May and September also offer excellent opportunities for whale watching. In late July, you begin to see Bubble Net Feeding, when 10-12 whales jump out of the water at once.

Yes. We require the ability to get in/out of the kayak, paddle for up to 2 hours, and are fully mobile.

Our kayaks can accommodate a maximum torso (waist-chest) diameter of  52 inches (132cm). Maximum weight limits including gear are 300lbs (660kg) for single kayaks and 600lbs (1320kg) for double kayaks. People taller than 6’2″ (198cm) have a hard time operating the rudder because the pedals only adjust to a certain maximum distance. However, people as tall as 6’6″ have been able to paddle in our kayaks.