Denali Tour

Hi:

We are on Celebrity Millennium June 8, 2018 and going up to Denali at the end of the trip. We are thinking of using Alaskatours out of Anchorage which includes transportation both ways (bus going, train coming back,) two nights accommodation and the 8 hour park tour.

Any feedback on Alaskatours would be greatly appreciated.

Also, we are considering the "upgrade" package which includes the gold train trip and the Grande Denali Lodge. Thoughts on whether the upgrade is worth it? If we stay at Grande Denali Lodge and pay for a view room, do those rooms include a balcony?

Thanks for the input.

I m not familiar with that company but the Alaska Railroad offers packages to Denali on their Web site. You might also check the Princess Lodge Web site for pkg trips. And the Park Connection Bus has pkg tours on their Web site for bus and train....http://www.alaskatravel.com.

I would encourage you to look at the Eielson shuttle bus over the Tundra Wilderness Tour . Goes a little further into the park for 1/3 the cost.

There is nothing special about a "tour", like the ones you are booking. They are simple to book each separately. Have you compared prices? You need to contact the hotel directly about rooms. (closed now) I don't recall any of the rooms having a balcony?? Nowhere I'd stay without a car.

I'd instead suggest, saving some money and extend your stay, if able, booking less costly lodging perhaps.

We used Alaska Railroad to get us to and from Denali this August. When we made our reservation, we were asked whether we wanted the railroad to book our hotels. We did, so they did. We stayed at the Grande Denali Lodge and loved it. We did not have a balcony, and I do not recall seeing any. The Lodge has excellent transportation into the Park, so do not worry about being without a car.

We took one of the green shuttle buses into the Park to Wonder Lake.

Given what I know now, I would not have changed a thing about our trip.

So, here's a question. What exactly will you/could you see on the tundra wilderness tour? Stupid question maybe, but I just don't know what I will be seeing - waterfalls, glaciers, ..... What?

So, here's a question. What exactly will you/could you see on the tundra wilderness tour? Stupid question maybe, but I just don't know what I will be seeing - waterfalls, glaciers, ..... What?

Not a stupid question, but in this day and age, everything you need to know is easily available on the internet. Look at the National Park web site, the Denali newsletter, past trip reports, Alaska travel books. My primary reason for repeat visits is to see wildlife in their real environment, bear grazing on grass, cubs playing on a hill, caribou, dall sheep, moose, etc. The tundra surrounded by vast mtn ranges is also an incredible sight.

Another great resource when you want to see something is youtube. Do a search on denali national park or even tundra wilderness tour and you'll find video such as this:

So, here's a question. What exactly will you/could you see on the tundra wilderness tour? Stupid question maybe, but I just don't know what I will be seeing - waterfalls, glaciers, ..... What?

http://www.nps.gov/dena It is nothing like, what you think it may be.

So, here's a question. What exactly will you/could you see on the tundra wilderness tour? Stupid question maybe, but I just don't know what I will be seeing - waterfalls, glaciers, ..... What?

Based on my reading and my one trip, I would say the answer is "it depends." What you will see depends on what time of year it is, whether it is cloudy, rainy or clear, how long a trip you take (how far into the park you go) and, most of all, how lucky you are. The more often you go, the longer you spend and the deeper into the park you go the luckier you will likely be. Nice scenery, beautiful mountains, plentiful wildlife...

I have a small gallery of Alaska images (including Denali) here: http://photos.stanhalpin.com/p145359574

A few of these:

Bear

Caribou

Dall Sheep

And the classic view of the mountain

Resurrecting this helpful thread because I am trying to find out how much of the Tundra Wilderness Tour is sitting in the bus, and how much of it is outside. Perhaps on some short trails? Or just quick on/off photo opps? I understand the time spent to get truly inside the park, but I'm hoping there is also time to get out and walk or hike. Yes? No?

Resurrecting this helpful thread because I am trying to find out how much of the Tundra Wilderness Tour is sitting in the bus, and how much of it is outside. Perhaps on some short trails? Or just quick on/off photo opps? I understand the time spent to get truly inside the park, but I'm hoping there is also time to get out and walk or hike. Yes? No?

The entire tour is on the bus with stops to exit the bus only at restroom stops. You cannot get off the bus to photograph wildlife.

The entire tour is on the bus with stops to exit the bus only at restroom stops. You cannot get off the bus to photograph wildlife.

Thanks, Crew News. I guess hiking is totally out, then.

Sounds like our better plan will be to DIY with the un-narrated shuttle bus.

Unibok: Given what you have described as your interest in walking or hiking the best option really is the park shuttle to Eielson Visitor's Center.

Unibok: Given what you have described as your interest in walking or hiking the best option really is the park shuttle to Eielson Visitor's Center.

Great! Thank you so much for the advice. We're really looking forward to this adventure!

Thanks, Crew News. I guess hiking is totally out, then.

 

Sounds like our better plan will be to DIY with the un-narrated shuttle bus.

Our shuttle bus driver did narrate while he drove. We asked and he obliged. Never hurts to ask. The shuttle did stop periodically (bathroom breaks, photo ops) and you were able to get out and walk around the area for a little bit and get pictures. There were also points you could get off the shuttle and hike if you wanted - the shuttle won't wait for you though. When you finish hiking, you would just catch the next shuttle to wherever you were going (Eielson, Wonder Lake etc) or back to the Access Center.

I would have loved to hike around Eielson a little, but with one kid on crutches, it wasn't in the cards. Next time...