Looking to book this in December. Called for info and it seems the slots before noon are $50 more per person, is this worth it? Any strategy to make the most of our 1 day there while including this excursion? We also have dinner plans for Jiko that night. We’d need to change clothes, are we allows a backpack? Thanks!
If you’ve got only 1 day at AK, and if you’re going in December I would probably most recommend doing the last possible time slot. In summer I would recommend earlier because of the heat, but that is not an issue in December. And since you have only one day there you’ll want to take advantage of rope dropping to do the headliners like FOP, or if you have FPP, then others like EE.
As to needing to change clothes for Tiffins, I don’t think you’ll really find that necessary. If it’s personal preference that is of course different. I suppose the only concern might be being hungry for tiffins after the substantial snack/small meal you have on the Trek, but there may be enough time between the two for you to do okay.
Your backpacks, and for that matter any belongings which cannot be secured to your person, will be stowed in complimentary lockers while you are on the Trek. You can bring your phone for photos if it can be secured to your harness (most can, honestly) but if you can’t or dont’ want to they take a TON of really fabulous photos so you don’t need to worry you’ll miss any good shots.
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Thanks! I think you misread the post, we are doing dinner at Jiko, which has a dress code. You mention that we must stow stuff in a complimentary locker, would I be able to take a larger camera around with me, or not?
Ha! I totally did read it that way! Oops. Multitasking…
You can only take with you what can be secured to your person. If there is a way to secure the camera - I don’t believe a neck strap constitutes secured; it must be actually tethered to you - you can bring it. Otherwise it stays in the locker. Animal safety and all.
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I agree with @OBNurseNH. In December I would do a later WAT (it will be less expensive and hopefully not crazy hot in December). You will have to store your backpack. I was able to take a small camera that they secured to my vest. Someone on our trek in April had a DSLR camera with a large lens that they let her take (but I honestly don’t remember how they secured it). They do take a ton of photos with a good quality camera as part of the trek–and you can ask they take whatever photos you want. The treks we have been on have had at least 150 photos.
And Jiko is an awesome choice for dinner!
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We went first thing in AM and got to experience an empty park- cool pics in front of tree with no other people!
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We did later ones - 11:30 for one trip and 3:00 I believe for the second one (because the AP discounts for this are for those booked after 11am). Both times were amazing. We saw the cheetahs up and around on the first one which I never see and the lions actually very active on the second (which I also never see!).
One other quick note - I brought a camera on the firs tone but because of the incredible pictures they take, I completely left it behind the second time.
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So the tour includes photos in the price? I didn’t realize this.
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We used the “snack” as our lunch and did the 10 am tour, which put the snack around noon. (Both at my girl’s trip and my family trip, we found it to be more than enough food for a meal, but ymmv). This worked best for us in terms of efficiency, but we also went in August, and so the heat was a concern.
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Yes, you will get a card at the end with the website and code to download all the photos. I’ve got well over 100 both times I did it. Plus, you get access to their ‘best of’ photos, which are the best ones taken on all the WAT tours they have done in the past. It was nice to see pictures of both me and my son since I’m usually the photographer!
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That’s cool! thanks for sharing
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I brought my large DSLR on the trek no problem. I have a cross body rapid strap and that satisfied them as to “connected to my body”. A regular neck strap may be ok too, but definitely not a wrist strap
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