Why You Should Hire a Guide
by
Trent Lafleur – Owner, Kayak Adventures :: April, 2020
Several years ago, I was sitting on a brightly coloured hotel bed in Aguas Calientes, Peru, planning how I’d spend my time at Machu Picchu the following day. I had read online about hiring a local guide, but thought to myself, “I’m not falling for that tourist trap, I don’t need a guide.” After all, “I’m outdoorsy.” I’d been guiding internationally for almost twenty years, had read lots of books about the area, and felt that I didn’t need a guide showing me around. I was good to go on my own. I went to bed that night thinking just how smart I was and stoked that I had saved a bit of money.
The next morning I woke up early to hike Machu Picchu Mountain. With limited permits and a very steep climb, I knew it would be the perfect way to explore the area and escape the crowds. The hike was gruelling, but once on top I watched puffy white clouds dance through the bright green valleys below. From atop the mountain, I looked down on Machu Picchu and watched as herds of people started to fill the deserted town. I felt affirmed with my decision to do it on my own.
I descended to the ruins of the magical city and started exploring. Quickly, I noticed small guided tours weaving purposefully through the maze of perfectly placed granite walls. I watched as locals, with unwavering passion in their eyes and a tremor in their voice, shared inspiring stories of the people who built this impossible place. I found myself stopping nearby the groups, leaning in closer, hoping to overhear what the guides were sharing. Walking without purpose or direction, it hit me:
I was completely missing the magic of this special place.
The ruins had stories and secrets to tell and I would never find them on my own. I needed a guide, because guides help guests discover the magic and wonder of special places.
On this page
- Gain a new understanding of our home
- Support the local economy
- Let us handle the details
- Dear Alaska, discounts won’t save us
1. Gain a new understanding and appreciation for our home
Many Alaskans have seen the bluish green water of Resurrection Bay. Some have been lucky enough to watch an otter munching a sea star, or a lazy harbour seal catching some sun, or even a humpback whale breaching. Thousands of people flock to Seward every summer to catch a glimpse of these invaluable creatures.
Alaskans all over the state enjoy the bounty that our ocean and rivers provide, but can you tell me why Southcentral Alaska is the most productive marine ecosystem in the world during the summer?
What if I gave you a hint and told you that glaciers were partially responsible? The humpback and killer whales that inspire wonder, the salmon and halibut that feed our families, every living creature in our ocean is here because of the glaciers. Even you and me. That’s a pretty important concept to understand as an Alaskan, because it changes the way we look at glaciers. With that seemingly small bit of new information, glaciers transform from a chunk of ice into the foundation of life in our oceans.
Our guides’ knowledge doesn’t end at the waterfront. Guides are going to impart other very important things about Seward as well. Like who has the best IPA on draft, what time Resurrection Art and Coffee Shop puts out their fresh baked goods, tips on how to get into the Cookery, and what the best hikes are for young adventurers
(Exit Glacier Half Day Exploration with
Seward Wilderness Collective).
2. Support the local economy
Most of our vendors are small, Alaskan-owned companies, from our T-shirt printer
(Eight Arms Printing Co.) to our water taxis
(Seward Coastal Safari and Seward Charters) as well as our sandwich maker
(The Lunch Box). When you go on a guided tour with us, your money gets reinvested in Alaska.
We also donate 1% of our sales to local Alaska non-profits working to fight pressing environmental issues through
1% for the Planet. That might not sound like a lot, but it’s amounted to over $50,000 in the past five years. Join us and get involved with our partners:
Alaska Conservation Foundation,
Renewable Energy Alaska Project,
North Gulf Oceanic Society.
Did you know? 81% of Alaskans participate in outdoor recreation. Annual spending is about $3.4 billion and supports over 38,000 jobs. If only half of participating Alaskans spent one additional day on a recreation trip, it would generate over $34 million annually and create 600+ jobs.
3. Let us take care of the details
We will get up early to check the weather and tides, and make the best paddling plan for the day while you’re still dreaming. Let us pack the gear and ready the boats, pour the kids a cup of hot cocoa, and clean up when the day is done.
Allow us to take care of the safety, gear, and other trip details, which enables you to sit back and take in all that your incredible home state has to offer. Relax, enjoy, and be present as you paddle along and learn more about our incredible home.
Feel confident on the water that your guide has gone through the most extensive training in the area. They can share inspiring stories of the area, make weather calls, and keep an eye out for curious harbour seals and soaring bald eagles.
4. Dear Alaska, discounts won’t save us
As a small business owner, I’ve watched competitors and other tour operators slash prices, offering trips below 50% of the normal price tag. I’ve read countless news articles that focus only on these deals, fuelling the discount craze. We aren’t doing that. Our company values haven’t changed because of this pandemic, and the same goes for the value of our trips.
We pay our guides a living wage. We offset the carbon emissions from our guides’ water taxi rides as we work towards becoming a carbon-neutral business. We donate to local non-profits. These are our values and we won’t sacrifice them just to sell a few extra tours. Our prices aren’t inflated for out-of-state tourists and the value of our tours hasn’t changed because Alaskans are now our primary guests. Facilitating meaningful experiences in the outdoors holds more value than ever.
Our tours are also more expensive to run than ever. From PPE supplies to extra time setting up and cleaning up after tours, running trips isn’t cheaper, it’s more expensive. We are constantly challenged with changing logistics, regulations, and cancellations. Let’s shift the mindset from hunting the deepest deal to supporting value-based, Alaskan-owned businesses.
When this pandemic started taking hold, we thought about not even opening. However, we were put on this earth to facilitate meaningful experiences in the outdoors. We realise that connecting people with the outdoors is more important now than ever before and that’s why we are running trips, despite the extra challenges.
In the past few days, we’ve taken a number of Alaskans kayaking. We showed a 60-year-old teacher from Wasilla that learning a new sport is within reach. We taught a 7-year-old from Fairbanks that while sea stars are cute, they are also the apex predator of the inter-tidal zone. We connected Alaskans to a piece of themselves they had lost. We glided silently in Resurrection Bay, grateful for this inspiring place we are lucky to call home.
“We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will arrive to where we started and know the place for the first time.”
— T. S. Eliot
