Values Based Company
As members of 1% for the Planet, we commit at least 1% of our annual sales to nonprofit organizations working to address pressing environmental issues in Alaska. Alongside our nonprofit partners, we have an opportunity to lead, to be fearless, and to fully embody our belief that when dollars and doers come together, we are unstoppable. We have donated over $90,000 to Alaska based non-profits!
We believe that our business profit is secondary to: the safety and education of our guests; the health of the wilderness environment we enjoy; and the health and safety of the wildlife we visit. Therefore we seek a clientele that desires information and education, rather than just access to wildlife and wilderness areas.
Small Group Tours
The small group philosophy means a lot to us. We maintain a truly small group size – 6 guests per guide – to maximize safety, education, and your experience. We never increase our group size above 6, except for private large groups. Moving in small groups enables us to minimize our impacts on the wildlife and areas that we visit. It also allows our guides to customize tours based on guests’ adventure goals and interests.
We believe a special camaraderie blossoms in our smaller groups, as guests travel and explore with others who also have a desire to connect to the great Alaskan wilderness. Guests also have the opportunity to get to know our amazing guides, and learn as much as they care to about the area.
Guest Experience
In 2022 we were again chosen as part of the top 1% of businesses on TripAdvisor that exemplify great service. Our company culture is focused around taking great care of our guides and guests. You can always find the owners, Trent & Hannah, at the shop checking in tours, driving trips to the beach, or guiding in the fjords.
Listening to previous’ guests feedback is a major way we’ve been able to continue to grow as a company and deliver the best tours possible. Should you ever have feedback for us, we are all ears!
We also try to provide the most flexible and custom booking possible – keeping guest’s interests and desires as top priorities. We are a small, incredibly tight-knit community of passionate outdoor enthusiasts who love sharing this place!
Extensive Guide Training
Our guides have been through the most extensive training (over 3+weeks) in all of Seward. They all hold Wilderness First Responder certifications, have great local knowledge (we bring in experts each year to teach about glaciation, flora & fauna, native history, geology, climate change, etc.) and are well trained and practiced in kayaking skills and safety.
This extensive training makes it possible for our guides to inspire guests to feel connected to this area and educate guests about everything from local history, glaciation, geology, and natural history to native history, wildlife and much more. This training truly sets us apart and allows us to customize tours around topics guests are excited about!
Company Culture
Our company culture is deeply rooted in our personal core values and desire to protect the natural world. We are constantly looking for new avenues in which we can help our guests, our community, and our planet. That’s why we started the Seward Wilderness Collective and the Seward Farmers Market.
The goal of the Seward Farmers Market is to enhance our community’s climate resilience and keep tourism dollars in our community.
The Seward Wilderness Collective aims to promote climate change communication through private guided hiking tours out of Seward.
Leaders in Environmental Stewardship
We’ve been awarded Gold Star recognition through Adventure Green Alaska for sustainable tourism. We’re the only kayaking company in all of Alaska to be certified by WhaleSENSE, a voluntary education program that recognizes whale watching companies committed to responsible practices.
As a staff, we go through annual training in Leave No Trace to minimize our impacts, an integral aspect of all our tours. We’re also members of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), an incredible resource for stewards of a changing planet.
