Safari Tours to Alaska : <i> Hughes is a 30-year veteran travel writer living in Sherman Oaks.</i>

Kirk Hoessle’s tour company, Alaska Wildland Adventures Inc., is offering a new Senior Safari, an eight-day adventure tour for the retired traveler.

“Most retired travelers going to Alaska either go on a large cruise ship or motor-coach tour,” said Hoessle, “and end up with anywhere from 40 to 1,200 other persons.

“Such trips just hit the surface of Alaska, are too fast-paced and leave many portions of a tour day to the discretion of the participants. That includes meals and evening activities. We wanted to give mature travelers looking for a more in-depth Alaskan experience a wider choice.”

Personable Group

Hoessle’s Senior Safaris have been specially designed for retired travelers seeking a personable small tour group, one where all activities and meals are included.

“We did make one possible mistake--the word ‘safari,’ ” he said. “ ‘Senior Safari’ sounds good, but it’s not at all rugged or demanding, which some might assume from the word safari.”

Hoessle said that his company does offer more challenging Alaska trips, true safaris that include tent camping or rustic cabin accommodations with shared bathrooms and showers. “These also have a higher level of exertion, such as hiking.”

The Senior Safari/Tours only take 18 people per trip. Travel is by large, comfortable, airport-style vans.

All accommodations are in hotels or lodges with in-room bathroom facilities. And except for a few picnics (weather permitting), meals are served in comfortable dining areas.

Accommodations with private facilities, plus all meals and sightseeing, help boost the eight-day tour price to $1,895 per person, double occupancy, not counting transportation to and from Anchorage.

Treasured Wild Land

“Alaska should be experienced firsthand in a style befitting a treasured wild land,” said Hoessle. “And seniors need not sacrifice comfort, safety and sheer enjoyment to experience the firsthand contact with Alaska’s wild country.”

Among the areas covered on the tours are Kenai Fjords National Park, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Denali National Park.

At Denali, for example, the Senior Safari goes into the heart of the Kantishan region for a two-night stay, with three days to enjoy the abundant wildlife and scenery.

Included in the itinerary, which also features a stop at Chugash National Forest, are such activities as a full-day yacht tour of Kenai Fjords National Park, a raft tour on a “wild” Alaska river that offers mild white-water rapids and a ride back to Anchorage on the famous Alaska Railroad.

Tour departure dates are June 19-26, July 3-10, July 17-24, July 31 to Aug. 7, Aug. 14-21 and Aug. 18 to Sept. 4.

Rusticity, If You Wish

For the more active mature traveler who prefers more rustic accommodations and camping, the company also has other six- to 12-day Alaska tours in addition to both salmon and rainbow trout fishing camps.

The fishing camps run from two to six days and can be combined with the Senior Safari. Alaska Wildland Adventures will also be glad to work out other optional tie-in tours to such sites as Glacier Bay National Park, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow and the Pribilof Islands.

For more information, check with your travel agent for a free brochure that details the Senior Safari and other tours and options. Or contact Alaska Wildland Adventures, Box 259, Trout Lake, Wash. 98650, phone toll-free (800) 334-8730.