Question 1

Am I the right fit for this caravan?

Accepted Answer

There’s a two-part answer to this question.

Are you competent at driving and operating your recreational vehicle, whether it’s a camper van, trailer, or motorhome? If you have experience traveling (a significant distance from home) and overnighting (for multiple days) in your “rig”, you’re a candidate for this trip. Participants must be capable of operating and sleeping in their vehicle and/or RV independently of other participants and caravan leadership.

Do you enjoy the company of others around your campfire? Equally important - do they enjoy yours? Participants must at least “lean” social, as this is a communal event. This translates into characteristics such as courteous, kind, communicative, and willing to bend occasionally if it means meeting the needs of the group overall. If you “play well with others”, you’re a candidate for this trip.

Question 2

What’s included?

Accepted Answer

2 online meetings for traveler intros, trip packing & preparation, and general Q&A

Night-before-crossing campground meet-up in a Washington state campground

Lead vehicle traveling with a ZOLEO for critical communication via satellite
 
Two-way radios to communicate among each vehicle

Route planning and pacing for an enjoyable 10-day drive through British Columbia, the Yukon, and into southcentral Alaska

A 9-night itinerary (site fees are paid by participants) featuring 6 nights at full-amenity RV parks (with features such as hookups, laundry, hot showers, rig washes, local taverns, food trucks, etc.) and 3 nights in primitive FCFS sites in British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska

Overnight stop selection in places vetted for comfort, beauty, and safety, as well as strategically located for re-stocking in far-flung cities.

A nightly circle-up or morning "mug up" to review the daily itinerary and chat about all things Alaska

“Kim’s Picks in Alaska”, a document of this Former Resident’s favorite towns to visit, things to do, stuff to see, and places to eat

Question 3

What's not included?

Accepted Answer

All expenses associated with your travel to, in, and from Alaska. Participants are given the 9-night itinerary once signed up (through Let's Go Together). They will then make their own reservations at each of the caravan's overnight stops.

Medical evacuation and road assistance insurance (recommended)

Caravan leadership in Alaska

Question 4

How many people are coming? In what kind of vehicles?

Accepted Answer

Space is allocated to 10 rigs with driver plus one person per rig. All rigs are welcome, including vans, truck toppers, trailers, and motorhomes.

Question 5

What should I bring?

Accepted Answer

This will be covered in detail in our online planning meetings. We’ll talk about funds, food, water, clothes, gear, and other supplies. In general, all the things you would normally pack to enjoy an extended camping trip and travel across a country.

Question 6

How much will a trip to Alaska and back cost?

Accepted Answer

It really depends on you: what you like to do and how long you want to stay in Alaska (plus your vehicle’s fuel efficiency).

For the trips up and down, you’ll need money for gas and food. As with any trip, having an emergency fund for contingencies is wise. This would include situations such as vehicle repairs or having to unexpectedly terminate your participation due to illness or accident.

While in Alaska, it's like visiting any other place. Lodging, activities, tours, meals; people approach these things differently so costs will vary widely among travelers.

Question 7

What route are we taking?

Accepted Answer

Northbound: we'll cross the border at Sumas, WA, take Highway 1/97 to Prince George, BC, cut over to Kitwanga, BC on Highway 16 to catch the Cassiar (Hwy 37). We'll then drive the Cassiar north into the Yukon and head west on the Alcan Highway until arriving in Alaska. We'll continue on to Tok, AK, then head south to join the Glenn Highway (Hwy 1) all the way to our destination of Palmer, Alaska. The trip is scheduled for 9-nights/10-days with an average of 4 hours driving each day.

Question 8

Can I bring my pet?

Accepted Answer

Well-mannered pets are welcome on the caravan! I've been traveling with my little dog for 13 years now and he's crossed the international border as many times as I have.

We've had both dogs and cats come with us on the caravan. There are regulations in place at both international borders that must be followed. But the rules are simple and compliance is easy.

We'll go over everything you need to know about traveling to Alaska with animals when we meet online in February.

Question 9

What about once we all land in Alaska?

Accepted Answer

Once we arrive in Palmer, Alaska, our merry band of travelers will disperse. Friends made along the way may choose to continue traveling together in the Last Frontier. Some might be looking forward to solitude and a chance to choose their own roads and itineraries.

Phone numbers exchanged, people may meet up again later in the summer to begin the return trip back home together.

Question 10

How much does it cost to register for the Caravan to Alaska?

Accepted Answer

New as of 2027: Caravan to Alaska will be offered exclusively to members in good standing of Let's Go Together, a private social network for van lifers and RVers. There will be no charge for the organization and coordinating of this caravan, but you must join Let's Go Together and RSVP under the club's calendar listing. The Caravan will be limited to 10 rigs total (as it always has been). Membership to Let's Go Together is subscription-based, and can be purchased by the month or through 6-month and annual memberships. All members joining Let's Go Together must agree to and abide by a code of conduct outlined in the club's application process.

Question 11

What if I can't go and have to cancel?

Accepted Answer

You will (once you've registered for Caravan to Alaska through Let's Go Together) be making your campground reservations (nine total) on your own. In the event you cannot join the caravan, you'll need to contact each campground reserved and request a refund (which will be subject to each property's cancellation policy).

Question 12

What is the benefit of traveling with you to Alaska?

Accepted Answer

Have you ever heard other RVers say, "I'm going to drive to Alaska one summer; I've been planning my trip for a year"? Joining our club and just following me will save you many - many - hours of research for both the drive to and time spent in Alaska, as well as the journey home. Over the course of the last decade, I've sampled most of the campgrounds from here to there. I've created an itinerary which features my favorites along the way...places at which Canadian hospitality can't be beat and the amenities and/or views are the best. The club caravan also provides a safe and fun community with which to travel and the opportunity to experience both routes to and from Alaska, enjoying these hand-picked places together to park along the way. As a former resident and now owner/operator of a summer tourism business in Alaska, I’ve traveled extensively in Alaska and western Canada. My passport and I have towed an RV past border officers more times than I can count. Along the way and over the road, I’ve gathered a lot of great intel which informs my itinerary each and every time. Some of my experience is very practical:What I do and don’t put in my coolerHow I engage with officers at the borderWhich Canadian town enroute (and there’s only one) I won’t camp in or nearI’ve made a handy, mechanically inclined friend midway up the continent, who has a shop, gas pump, showers, and campground, right near the border of BC and YTAnother Canadian friend in the remote Yukon keeps me updated regularly on real-time road conditionsSome of my knowledge is more whimsical:The best barbecue in the YukonA lakeside campground with Caribbean-colored waters and loaner canoesWhich RV park has its own halibut and chips food truckThe film site for a Nat Geo Discovery Channel reality show The best small butchery to re-stock my charcuterie basketTravel with a full-time RVer from Alaska who has made this exact trip - often solo - many, many times. You’ll have an experience that took me a decade to cultivate and new friends to enjoy it with along the way.

Question 13

How do I sign up?

Accepted Answer

Visit Let's Go Together and sign up for a membership. Once you've been admitted to the club, you'll have access to its annual calendar and you can RSVP for this event (and many more).

Question 14

When do we depart?

Accepted Answer

The 2027 trip north is currently scheduled to depart Washington State on June 1st, 2027. This date may shift by a day or two, depending upon the desires of the participants who RSVP through our new club, Let's Go Together.

Question 15

How do I keep up with news from Caravan to Alaska?

Accepted Answer

Please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages (both now named Let's Go Together) to follow our adventures and check out our camp outs. Wagons ho! :)