Tundra Wilderness or Kantishna Experience

We are on a land/sea trip with Princess and will be in Denali on Jun 7 and 8. Looking at the excursions listed both the Tundra Wilderness and Kantishna Experience are not listing prices at this time. Once they open up what are your recommendations? Should we go on one thru the park or Princess and which one? We do like walking and taking pictures but not looking at just hiking.

The shuttles are much cheaper and drive the exact same road with the exact same views. Plus you can get off as you like. https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

The shuttles are much cheaper and drive the exact same road with the exact same views. Plus you can get off as you like. https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

I did the Tundra Wilderness Tour (tan bus) back in June. I *THINK* we stopped a total of 7 times over the 8-9 hour tour - we made 3 stops on the way to our final destination stop (the closest to Denali you get) and stopped at those same 3 locations heading out. Basically bathroom stops. Each stop was for only about 15-20 minutes. If you're wanting to hike that's definitely not the one for the OP.

Thank you for the information. I will check this out!!

I have been looking at the tours and done a lot of research and spoke with Alaska Tour and Travel who have been very helpful. The Katishna and also the Denali Back Country Adventure Tour are private tours that go to the end of the road so more likely to see wildlife and they go to old mining town of Katishna. The difference between the Katishna and Denali Back Country is where you have lunch and which lodge operates bus though they seem to be same standard school bus (Katishna Lodge or Back Country Lodge) and take part in after lunch activities - hike or gold pan or dog sled demonstration. Alaska Tour and Travel charge $180 for Katishna and $190 for Back Country Lodge - we chose latter as the lunch is more substantial and lodge looks great. They are both long 13 hour tours but seems from reviews to be worth it - we are going all the way to Alaska so want to see as much as possible. Hope this helps

I have been looking at the tours and done a lot of research and spoke with Alaska Tour and Travel who have been very helpful. The Katishna and also the Denali Back Country Adventure Tour are private tours that go to the end of the road so more likely to see wildlife and they go to old mining town of Katishna. The difference between the Katishna and Denali Back Country is where you have lunch and which lodge operates bus though they seem to be same standard school bus (Katishna Lodge or Back Country Lodge) and take part in after lunch activities - hike or gold pan or dog sled demonstration. Alaska Tour and Travel charge $180 for Katishna and $190 for Back Country Lodge - we chose latter as the lunch is more substantial and lodge looks great. They are both long 13 hour tours but seems from reviews to be worth it - we are going all the way to Alaska so want to see as much as possible. Hope this helps

We chose the Back Country Adventure as recommended by a friend who lives in Wasilla. June can’t come fast enough!!!

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I did the Tundra Wilderness Tour (tan bus) back in June. I *THINK* we stopped a total of 7 times over the 8-9 hour tour - we made 3 stops on the way to our final destination stop (the closest to Denali you get) and stopped at those same 3 locations heading out. Basically bathroom stops. Each stop was for only about 15-20 minutes. If you're wanting to hike that's definitely not the one for the OP.

this information is misleading in my opinion. The "stops" are never fixed and simply are done at interesting animal stops. There are some fixed stops at rest/bathroom areas depending on distance. But I NEVER recommend taking the TWT at triple the cost of the Eielson shuttle bus. On the buses, you simply yell "stop" and the bus does. :) How it works.

Thanks. The shuttle does not go all the way to the Katishna - wonder if there is more to see on the last 30 miles. We have booked but still cancelable the Back Country Wilderness Tour and agreed a lot more $190 pp instead of $40 pp and there are 4 of us

Thanks. The shuttle does not go all the way to the Katishna - wonder if there is more to see on the last 30 miles. We have booked but still cancelable the Back Country Wilderness Tour and agreed a lot more $190 pp instead of $40 pp and there are 4 of us

The Wonder Lake shuttle is my preference, a few miles short of Kantishna on a spur.

My experience is wildlife drops off some past Eielson.

BUT experiences are unique for each trip, never are they duplicated. :) Even with about 40 trips into the park, that is insignificant for thinking anything but general. Sometimes "one time" posts convey the experience is "usual"- in reality, not accurate.

It looks like the Tundra Wilderness is included in our original booking. We can upgrade to the other, but it doesn't look like we get a refund if we don't do the Tundra on Princess.

Now confused about whether or not to do the full tour. We want to experience as much as possible of Denali not just excursions outside the park. Plan id Day 1 ATV and Day 2 the full tour with Back Country Lodge and Day 3 go to Savage River and then Dog Sled Demo. We are doing the dome train for views from Denali to Talkeetna to Anchorage. In Talkeetna we have booked Alaska Edge Tour (Mike Nugent) which sounds amazing - private tour salmon fishing in remote stream followed by off the beaten track ATV then to a remote location for gold panning - he said we will only see natives on our trip - no tourists - a long day 10 hours plus but all his reviews are great and it will be an amazing day to mark the end of our trip before going to Anchorage to fly back.

This photojournal from jmele999 in 2016 includes a very short DIY land trip including the Kantishna Tour. (Their first travel day was a cautionary tale about trying to do too much, but they pushed thru)

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2231881&page=2

And this photojournal is from MVPinBoynton on a princess cruisetour. The got a refund on the included Natural History Tour and purchased the Eielson Visitor Center shuttle bus instead. ( Princess has refunded in the past but you need to call about this yrs rule)

http://www.thepreismans.com/alaska_island_14_page4.htm

If you time the Eielson shuttle right you can do a Ranger Led hike at the Visitor Center. I believe it's at noon. Check the park web site.

This photojournal from jmele999 in 2016 includes a very short DIY land trip including the Kantishna Tour. (Their first travel day was a cautionary tale about trying to do too much, but they pushed thru)

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2231881&page=2

 

And this photojournal is from MVPinBoynton on a princess cruisetour. The got a refund on the included Natural History Tour and purchased the Eielson Visitor Center shuttle bus instead. ( Princess has refunded in the past but you need to call about this yrs rule)

http://www.thepreismans.com/alaska_island_14_page4.htm

 

If you time the Eielson shuttle right you can do a Ranger Led hike at the Visitor Center. I believe it's at noon. Check the park web site.

Thanks for the links - still not sure - we are spending so much on the trip and to save $140 pp would be good but not if we miss something by going all the way to Katishna - we have until april to decide whether to keep with the long trip or book via the park service

The shuttles are much cheaper and drive the exact same road with the exact same views. Plus you can get off as you like. https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

If we use the shuttle which sounds like the best idea, how do we get to where it picks up?