April 7, 2003--You say you want to travel to some place far, far away? But you don't want to leave the country? Here's your chance: One of our favorite tour operators, the Great Canadian Travel Company, will take you out to Unalaska, in the Aleutian Island chain, 800 miles west of Anchorage, on a 5-day trip costing $1,225, based on double occupancy.
You'll be traveling within the 49th state to a point farther west than any part of Hawaii, the 50th state, but you'll still be just off the North American continent, or "mainland USA."
You have to get yourself to Anchorage, where you stay at an airport hotel. The following morning, you fly on Alaska Airlines to Unalaska (pop. 4,300) and its port, Dutch Harbor, made famous during World War II, when the Japanese invaded the Aleutians, then a US territory. After a night in the hotel, you take a tour with a local guide, focusing on the flora (wildflowers, orchids, lilies) and fauna (bald eagles, puffins, etc.), and in the afternoon, on the island's cultural diversity (e.g., the Unangan people have been here for more than 8,000 years).
On the next day, you explore on your own, with hotel staff ready to provide information and assistance in arranging for tour programs or for participation in local activities. Options include a boat tour of the island or one of the gigantic fish processing plants that are the cornerstone of the town's economy (salmon and crab, mostly). You can hike or fly to nearby Makushin Volcano (6.680 feet) if you feel up to it. Charter skippers can take you in search of halibut. Or you shop for souvenirs and imports from Russia.
Summing up the amenities of the trip: roundtrip air between Anchorage and Dutch Harbor, lodging for one night in Anchorage and three nights in Dutch Harbor, two local tours and airport transfers. There are daily departures, and economical add-on fares are available from all US cities.
Five times during the summer, you could board the ship M/V Tustumena to or from Unalaska, taking three days and three nights, with spartan accommodations. This costs $1,535 per person (based on double occupancy). There are optional side trips on either itinerary to Alaska's far north, including one- or two-day trips to Nome or Kotzubue.
Reservations, copies of the firm's catalog, and more information can be had from them at 333 North Michigan Avenue (812), Chicago IL 60601, or by phoning 800/661-3830. Their website is www.greatcanadiantravel.com.