ALASKA

Alaska, a place that usually gets equated with frigid weathers and gigantic moose to many
who have only seen it through a television or read about it. The name comes from the Aleut
word “Alyeska”, which means ‘The Great Land’.

And true to its connotation, Alaska is widely known for its magnificent landscapes, alluring
nature and much more. a land home to almost one hundred volcanoes, albeit they have been
fairly dormant since the 1900- but they appear mighty none-the-less. Besides, Alaska has
much to offer in the form of eye-popping sceneries, pure and uncontaminated nature, tall
peaks, glaciers, shimmering water bodies and the famous national parks. One will run out of
words to describe the absolutely breath-taking surroundings and settings of each location
within this little state.

The best thing about Alaska is that you could visit it any time of the
year and still be pleasantly surprised by all that it has to offers to you. It’s an “outdoor
paradise” for all those nature-lovers looking for new and exciting thrills from the earth.
Road trips would be an ideal way to get around this state. Getting a nice view, some crisp air
and picture-perfect drive through some beautiful spots like, the Seward Highway or Deanli
Park Road. Trains are also advised to be a great way to travel through this place, they offer a
decently memorable and fun adventure ride through fascinating landscapes, like the Denali
Star or Coastal Classic route, Skagway or the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.

Alaska is also well known for its history that includes the Native Indians, Russians and gold
miners. The people of this state honor and represent their ancestors through the many
museums, cultural festivals and heritage centers that can be found in many locations. Visiting
these unique museums should definitely be on one’s list when visiting Alaska as there is
much to learn through the interesting paintings, displays and artifacts.
Some reasons to definitely visit this Great Land would be:

1. The Northern Lights- a magical atmospheric phenomenon which occurs occasionally,
   lighting up the night sky with bright and iridescent colors. A real treat for the eye!
   Except during the summertime (around June and July) and rarely during the months
   of August and late May, the northern lights are a rare sighting as they experience a
   phenomenon called “the endless sun” around these times.
2. Icy Glaciers: The state of Alaska is littered with around 100,000 glaciers. The most
   common ones are the roadside glaciers that can be easily spotted. The most notable
   ones are the Bryon Glacier, Matanuska Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier and Exit Glacier.
3. Towering Mountains: This is a personal call to all mountain and hiking enthusiasts
   who cannot miss getting a taste of this great land’s range of mountains, that stand at
   an impressive and almost intimidating height. The best thing about this state’s
   mountain plains is that there are rocky structures for all kinds of hiking and physical
   levels of different people. You can pick from the Alaska Range housing the biggest
   mountains, the north Brooks Range or Chugach State Park. There are many more in
   between and best discovered by adventuring through them yourself.