Adventure in Alaska – this means endless wilderness, maximum freedom, and plenty of distance from civilized everyday life. Alaska is one of the last great wilderness areas on Earth. Here, the highest peaks of North America rise, powerful glaciers plunge into the sea, and endless stretches of tundra extend as far as the eye can see. Where else can you find such pristine nature and spectacular wildlife? Brown bears fish for salmon, caribou and wolves roam the tundra, and in the coastal waters, whales, sea otters, and seals frolic. For the most authentic Alaska experience, traveling in an all-terrain camper is by far the best way to explore the 49th state of the USA. However, Alaska can also be easily traversed in a rental car. A region that touches and impresses deeply. Alaska is just as the best adventure novels describe it – only much better!

A pleasant train ride to Frankfurt (e.g., as a Rail & Fly option), and you’re off from Germany's largest airport. As only Condor currently operates direct flights from Germany to Alaska in Central Europe, I choose the German holiday airline Condor. Check-in, baggage drop-off, and passport and carry-on checks go smoothly, and I’m excited to see what awaits me on the entirely renovated Condor fleet. The exterior of the new Airbus 330neo impresses with a blue and white ring pattern. The interior of the Premium Eco Class boasts ample legroom and other amenities, such as complimentary alcoholic beverages; the cabin air smells pleasant. Additionally, the cabin is very quiet. After an excellent lunch, we fly over 78 degrees north, crossing the northern tip of Greenland and Baffin Bay, heading to Alaska. Two hours before landing, the extremely friendly and competent cabin crew serves me a hearty second meal.

If you're flying to Alaska for the first time, start your adventure in Anchorage, the largest metropolis in Alaska with 300,000 inhabitants, ideally located to explore Central Alaska. To experience nature more intensely, I recommend a vehicle with sleeping options. An all-terrain pickup camper is well-equipped, but a conventional RV will also do, as most main routes are now paved.

“The Last Frontier” appears on the license plates of cars in Alaska. Indeed, the 49th state of America represents the last frontier to wilderness – a land that possesses not only untouched nature but also a hint of adventure and freedom. Once you leave the city, you are surrounded by grand nature. Just four hours of driving north of the metropolis lies Denali National Park, home to the highest peak in North America. Towering majestically at 6,190 meters, the snow and ice-covered Denali rises above the surrounding tundra. With an area of about 24,000 km², the national park is the largest protected ecosystem in the world. Be sure to secure a campsite in the heart of the park several months in advance. A shuttle bus will then take you further into the interior of the national park. With a bit of luck, you might spot moose, falcons, wolves, caribou, and perhaps even a grizzly bear along the way.

And if you are very lucky, after a six-hour bus ride, you will stand before the majestic Denali, reflected in Wonder Lake, which unfortunately only rarely shows itself, as it is often covered by a thick layer of clouds. However, when it does reveal itself in all its glory, it leaves you in awe. Impressive in its incredible beauty, the highest mountain in North America humbles those who behold it.

For those with the necessary funds, I recommend spending two or three nights in a lodge deep in the park to experience Denali and its landscape even more intensively. Due to a landslide on the park road (expected to last until July 2026), this is currently only possible by small aircraft, which makes a stay in the heart of Denali National Park even more attractive and exclusive. Camp Denali offers a varied daily program in addition to full board. Each evening, you can choose from one of several guided hikes or a park safari in a minibus, or you can venture out on your own, grab a mountain bike, or take a canoe trip on Wonder Lake. Thanks to its exclusive hillside location and accommodation in separate charming chalets, you will have the mountain almost to yourself. In the evening, you can unwind on your private terrace with a hearty beer or glass of wine to end the day perfectly.

If you're looking for even more adventure, you can rent a canoe in Fairbanks and paddle down the Tenana or Chena River, or pan for gold and visit a nostalgic gold dredge that washed out a total of 7.5 million ounces of gold during its heyday from 1928 to 1959. Alternatively, head to Chena Hot Springs to relax in the geothermal water after a strenuous day of paddling.

On the Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage, one highlight follows another. Just the journey along Turnagain Fjord and over the eponymous pass promises breathtaking scenery and keeps prompting you to stop and capture the landscape in photographs. In Seward, everything revolves around the sea and its wildlife. At the sea aquarium, you get a first impression of what to expect on a trip out to the open ocean. Blue and humpback whales, as well as orcas, swim in the fish-rich waters, while seals sunbathe on the cliffs, and after a day trip, you return to the harbor, where sea otters grab the leftover salmon that fishermen couldn't use from their bountiful catch.

On the Sterling Highway, you will reach Homer after a day of driving. Be sure to stop in Ninilchik and at Anchor Point beforehand. In this village of 800 residents, there is a Russian Orthodox church built in 1901, which recalls the past and the fact that Alaska once belonged to Russia. Further south, it is worth staying overnight at the idyllic campsite directly by the sea in Anchor River State Park. Here, you come surprisingly close to majestic bald eagles and can observe them while fishing. Once in Homer, it’s worthwhile to secure an overnight spot on the peninsula. In addition to a charming harbor and various restaurants, you’ll find some souvenirs, and from here, you can organize various tours – whether to the sleepy town of Seldovia across the bay, where you can spot puffins, adorable sea otters, and even whales on the way – or to see bears in Katmai National Park. A small plane takes you into the bear kingdom. After an hour-long flight past glaciers and mountains, the plane lands on the beach at "Hallo Bay." In the sand, you find the first bear tracks, and soon the first bear appears. These furry predators are accustomed to humans, allowing you to get surprisingly close to the grizzlies on your hike through the delta without feeling afraid. It's a somewhat costly but unique and unforgettable excursion that is definitely worth it. Back in Homer, make sure to stop by the “Salty Dawg Saloon,” whose walls are covered with banknotes from all currencies, to try the local beer and share your adventure with the locals.

Even more exclusive is securing a spot a year in advance via lottery at the Brooks Lodge in the eponymous national park. Each year, with the arrival of the salmon migrations, the largest grizzly bear population in the world gathers at the Brook Falls. A water plane takes you from King Salmon in 25 minutes to the starting point of this spectacle, the Brooks Lodge, which features a limited number of cozy cabins and an adjoining campsite. After a briefing on how to behave around bears, you are free to roam and, after a short hike along a wooden walkway, arrive at a site that leaves you utterly speechless: at the waterfall, up to 30 bears gather, some with cubs, trying to position themselves to catch jumping salmon in mid-air. Others employ unconventional techniques and dive after the deep red fish. Still others snorkel through the shallow water to get at the tasty fish. By the way, you can also enjoy it in the lodge in the evening – it's delicious!

Also worth a detour is Alaska's capital, Juneau, in the southeast, which is only accessible by boat or plane. Isolated from the rest of Alaska and completely surrounded by Canada, countless small and larger adventures can be realized in the so-called "panhandle" of Alaska. A must-see is the visit to the Mendenhall Glacier, located just 20 km from downtown Juneau. It is one of the outlets of the almost 4,000 square kilometer Juneau Icefield, a glacial blue world framed by jagged three-thousanders. For those wanting to explore all of Southeast Alaska, state ferries on the Marine Alaska Highway can take you to various places like Sitka, Prince Rupert, or all the way down to Vancouver, Canada. Alternatively, Princess Cruises offers several weekly departures – either starting in Vancouver or vice versa from Anchorage/Whittier.

On the return flight, I always treat myself – since it’s a night flight – to the excellent business class of Condor. A completely horizontal bed with an extra mattress, as well as a very delicious dinner consisting of four courses, make the nine hours literally fly by. Traveling thus becomes a little happening, and I even get a few hours of sleep, dreaming of salmon-fishing bears, adorable sea otters, and my favorite mountain, Denali, which I finally got to enjoy in all its majesty on my third trip to Alaska after 25 years.