Alaska Guide: Nikki Keely

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Blair Peck and Nikki Lindsay - Alaska Guides

Guides Blair Peck
and Nikki Keely

Guide: Nikki Keely
Short Bio: Born and raised in the Alleghany Mountains of Northwest Pennsylvania, it was only natural for Nikki to develop a personal relationship with the wilderness. After transplanting herself in North Carolina, that relationship only grew stronger. While pursuing a degree in Outdoor Recreation Management at East Carolina University, Nikki honed her guiding skills leading kayaking, caving, and backpacking trips for the Adventure Center. As a Graduate student studying Recreation and Parks Administration, she taught semester-long classes in Outdoor Recreation and Outdoor Programming.

Whether it is a 15 day sail to St. Thomas, a weeklong kayak expedition through the Florida Everglades, a weekend of underground exploration in the caves of Virginia, or guiding an Austin-Lehman trip, Nikki lives for adventure. She is passionate about life, people, wilderness, music, and laughing. Nothing makes her happier than sharing those passions with others.

Trips Guided by Nikki:

Nikki's Guide Survey:

What’s your favorite vacation destination?
Out in the deep blue with a full sail

What’s your favorite hike?
The Narrows in Zion National Park

What’s your favorite bike ride?
Old Seward Highway between Girdwood and Bird Point, Alaska

What’s your favorite trip to guide?
Alaska

Why?
It is the most breathtaking scenery I've had the pleasure to take in and I love showing it off to others and watching their reactions

What do you do that makes a guest’s vacation special?
To quote a previous guest, "...what matters is your sense of what each of us needs, what will motivate us to stretch ourselves and give ourselves a chance to enjoy this beautiful place..."

Favorite Movies: The Shawshank Redemption, High Fidelity and Transformers

Favorite Book: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

Favorite Song: Depends on my mood, music is a big part of my life

Favorite Outdoor Activity? Sea Kayaking

Describe the most amazing experience you’ve had while guiding a trip:
Watching how hard it truly is for some of our guests to go home, by the end of the week you feel almost like a family and it's sad to part ways. Knowing I helped facilitate that is a totally amazing experience

When did you first catch the travel bug?
I've always been a little restless by nature, as I've grown older I've just expanded the boundaries of my horizon

What are your hobbies?
Listening to or seeing live music, racquetball, kickball, tap dancing, reading, hanging out on the beach, and watching old episodes of The Simpsons

Nikki Keely

Nikki Keely Kayaking

Nikki setting up bike

Travel + Leisure
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ALA is added to the list of Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth in 2009. Read the Press Release >

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