Denali Shuttle vs TWT - help!

[kpd21880]

We are traveling June 2017, first time to Alaska, and are spending 2 nights in Denali pre-cruise. I'm having trouble deciding between the Denali Shuttle and the 7 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour. Considerations - we are 2 adults, 1 child, and the price difference is huge (@ $80 vs $320). BUT this is also one of the things we are most looking forward to on the trip, and so if it makes sense to spend the extra money for the experience we are hoping for, then we will do so. I have read many reviews that say the Shuttles are often narrated and stop for wild life, and therefore are the smart choice. But, I am assuming the opposite is also true - depending on the driver, they may be un-narrated and completely stick to schedule? Tough decision - I'd appreciate any advice/ experience you may have. Thanks in advance.

[src8556]

We did a land tour and Alaskan cruise two years go. By far the best vacation we have ever had. Absolutely, do the tundra wilderness tour. We actually saw a mother bear and her triplet cubs come down the mountain and cross right in front of our bus. Our guide stayed a long time for us to enjoy this wonderful sight. Elk in their actual habitat is another wonderful sight.

 

 

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[mapleleaves]

First, do you have a car? Otherwise making your way to the park takes a little planning.

Second, you're comparing the Full Tundra Wilderness Tour to the Eielson Visitor Center Shuttle, right?

 

The Reservation site provides a detailed description of the Full TWT to Stony Hill:

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/the-denali-tour-experience/tundra-wilderness-tour/

 

And the shuttle bus to Eielson Visitor Center.

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/shuttles/eielson-visitor-center/

 

Personally I can't see paying 4 times the price for the TWT, just for the luxury of having a drop down video screen onboard, a prepared narrative, a boxed snack with bottled water, and getting picked up at the Lodge.

It's the same road, the drivers stop at the same rest areas/bathrooms every 90 minutes, and they both stop for wildlife sightings.

 

Besides being a bargain, the reasons I like the EVC shuttle are:

- shuttles leave every 30 minutes, so I can choose when I want to travel. I'm not an early riser, so I make a reservation for 8 or 8:30am. I roll out of my sleeping bag, have a quick b'fast, grab my sack lunch and walk to the WAC where the buses load. With the TWT you might have a 5am start ... you won't know until 2 days prior. If you're staying at the lodge that means getting up at 4am so you can have b'fast and catch the bus to the park. No thx. I'd be miserable.

- the EVC is a wonderful destination in itself with exhibits, rangers, an awesome view of the mtn if it's out, trails, ranger led walks, plus running water and flush toilets. AND a bus dispatcher if you choose to stay for a few hours and take a different bus back. The TWT pulls over at Stony Hill Overlook then turns around.

- I've always had wonderful drivers who had been driving for years and love their job. They were excited to see wildlife and patiently waited while everyone got their photos. They provided lots of information about history, geology, and wildlife. ( it's in their best interest to provide a great experience ... tips!).

- if you want to get out at any point and walk along the road or hike, you ask the driver to let you off. When you're ready to get back on, you flag down another bus. (AND if you did end up with a driver who is a dud and doesn't provide narration .... this is your opportunity to hop off and get a different bus and different driver.)

 

$130 vs $34. It's a no brainer.

Edited October 2, 2016 by mapleleaves

[mapleleaves]

First of all, do you have a car? Otherwise making your way to the park takes a little planning.

Second, you're comparing the Full Tundra Wilderness Tour to the Eielson Visitor Center Shuttle, correct?

 

The Reservation site provides a detailed description of the Full TWT to Stony Hill:

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/the-denali-tour-experience/tundra-wilderness-tour/

 

And the shuttle bus to Eielson Visitor Center.

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/shuttles/eielson-visitor-center/

 

Personally I can't see paying 4 times the price for the TWT, just for the luxury of having a drop down video screen onboard, a prepared narrative, a boxed snack with bottled water, and getting picked up at the Lodge.

It's the same road, the drivers stop at the same rest areas/bathrooms every 90 minutes, and they both stop for wildlife sightings.

 

Besides being a bargain, the reasons I like the EVC shuttle are:

- the shuttles leave every 30 minutes so I can choose when I want to travel. I'm not an early riser, so I make a reservation for 8 or 8:30am. I roll out of my sleeping bag, have a quick b'fast, grab my sack lunch/drink and walk to the bus depot. With the TWT you might have a 5am start, yikes! You won't know until 2 days prior. If you're staying at the lodge that means getting up at 4am so you can have b'fast and catch the bus to the park.

- the EVC is a wonderful destination in itself with exhibits, rangers, an awesome view of the mtn if it's out, trails, ranger led walks, plus running water and flush toilets. AND a bus dispatcher... if you choose to stay for a few hours he will find you a different bus back to the entrance.

- I've always had wonderful drivers who had been driving for years and love their job. They were excited to see wildlife and patiently waited while everyone got their photos. They provided lots of information about history, geology, and wildlife. ( it's in their best interest to provide a great experience ... tips! ).

- if you want to get out at any point and walk, you ask the driver to let you off. When you're ready to get back on, you flag down another bus. ( if you did end up with a driver who was a dud, this is your opportunity to hop off and get a different bus and different driver).

 

$130 vs $34. It's a no brainer.

Edited October 2, 2016 by mapleleaves

[Sea Hag]

I love the park shuttle, but there is a downside to it. The second time we did this, there had been a lot of rain. This resulted in a lot of mud puddles, and that resulted in mud-coated windows that were next to impossible to see out of. At each stop, there were buckets with water and squeegies to clean the windows, and that helped a lot for a very short amount of time. Very quickly the windows were back to hopeless. The shuttle that we were on had no mudflaps behind the front wheels, so the muddy water simply sprayed back all over the windows. I can't say if none of the shuttles have mudflaps, but I can say for sure that ours didn't.

 

Our first trip on the shuttle was spectacular, the second not so much.

[kpd21880]

First of all, do you have a car? Otherwise making your way to the park takes a little planning.

Second, you're comparing the Full Tundra Wilderness Tour to the Eielson Visitor Center Shuttle, correct?

 

The Reservation site provides a detailed description of the Full TWT to Stony Hill:

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/the-denali-tour-experience/tundra-wilderness-tour/

 

And the shuttle bus to Eielson Visitor Center.

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/shuttles/eielson-visitor-center/

 

Personally I can't see paying 4 times the price for the TWT, just for the luxury of having a drop down video screen onboard, a prepared narrative, a boxed snack with bottled water, and getting picked up at the Lodge.

It's the same road, the drivers stop at the same rest areas/bathrooms every 90 minutes, and they both stop for wildlife sightings.

 

Besides being a bargain, the reasons I like the EVC shuttle are:

- the shuttles leave every 30 minutes so I can choose when I want to travel. I'm not an early riser, so I make a reservation for 8 or 8:30am. I roll out of my sleeping bag, have a quick b'fast, grab my sack lunch/drink and walk to the bus depot. With the TWT you might have a 5am start, yikes! You won't know until 2 days prior. If you're staying at the lodge that means getting up at 4am so you can have b'fast and catch the bus to the park.

- the EVC is a wonderful destination in itself with exhibits, rangers, an awesome view of the mtn if it's out, trails, ranger led walks, plus running water and flush toilets. AND a bus dispatcher... if you choose to stay for a few hours he will find you a different bus back to the entrance.

- I've always had wonderful drivers who had been driving for years and love their job. They were excited to see wildlife and patiently waited while everyone got their photos. They provided lots of information about history, geology, and wildlife. ( it's in their best interest to provide a great experience ... tips! ).

- if you want to get out at any point and walk, you ask the driver to let you off. When you're ready to get back on, you flag down another bus. ( if you did end up with a driver who was a dud, this is your opportunity to hop off and get a different bus and different driver).

 

$130 vs $34. It's a no brainer.

 

 

 

Thanks, MapleLeaves. This is very helpful. Let's say our driver is a dud, and we do just as you say: hop off, hike a bit, and flag down a new bus... Are the busses routinely full in late June? Would we have any trouble getting 3 people onto another bus?

 

We will have a car (RT Anchorage for 3 days, 2 nights), so grabbing our own snacks/ lunch and such is no problem at all and we can easily drive to the depot.

 

 

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[kpd21880]

I love the park shuttle, but there is a downside to it. The second time we did this, there had been a lot of rain. This resulted in a lot of mud puddles, and that resulted in mud-coated windows that were next to impossible to see out of. At each stop, there were buckets with water and squeegies to clean the windows, and that helped a lot for a very short amount of time. Very quickly the windows were back to hopeless. The shuttle that we were on had no mudflaps behind the front wheels, so the muddy water simply sprayed back all over the windows. I can't say if none of the shuttles have mudflaps, but I can say for sure that ours didn't.

 

Our first trip on the shuttle was spectacular, the second not so much.

 

 

 

That does sound very disappointing to miss so much due to spraying mud. My understanding, though, is that the busses are the same for the TWT and the Shuttle - the only difference being whether or not they are "officially" narrated and the screens onboard. Is that true?

 

 

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[AKStafford]

I love the park shuttle, but there is a downside to it. The second time we did this, there had been a lot of rain. This resulted in a lot of mud puddles, and that resulted in mud-coated windows that were next to impossible to see out of. At each stop, there were buckets with water and squeegies to clean the windows, and that helped a lot for a very short amount of time. Very quickly the windows were back to hopeless. The shuttle that we were on had no mudflaps behind the front wheels, so the muddy water simply sprayed back all over the windows. I can't say if none of the shuttles have mudflaps, but I can say for sure that ours didn't.

 

Our first trip on the shuttle was spectacular, the second not so much.

Since the original question was comparing/contrasting the Tundra Wilderness Tour versus the Shuttle, I feel it would only be fair to point out that both types buses would have to deal with muddy windows if it rains.

[Sea Hag]

Since the original question was comparing/contrasting the Tundra Wilderness Tour versus the Shuttle, I feel it would only be fair to point out that both types buses would have to deal with muddy windows if it rains.

 

Not necessarily. A bus with mudflaps wouldn't have that problem. I didn't say that all park shuttles don't have mudflaps, and I didn't say anything about whether or not the TWT buses do or don't. All I said was that, while I love the park shuttle, there is a downside to it.

[mapleleaves]

My experience has been that buses leave the WAC with several empty seats. I assumed that was to pick up hikers and campers along the way. We've always stopped at Teklanika Campground (mile 29) to pick up a few campers who are headed into the park for a day trip. These folks had reservations so there were still empty seats even after they boarded.

There is always the chance that the bus you flag down has already picked up several campers and has no more seats available, in which case you might have to wait for a 2nd bus or a 3rd. I would assume that it's a bigger issue later in the day when more people/hikers wanting to return TO the entrance.

Look on the park web site under Explanation, where paragraph 3 says the wait can be 5 minutes or up to an hour.

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

 

You will know pretty quickly if your driver is a dud or lacks enthusiasm.

Once the safety announcements are made, and the driver has explained that everyone is a 'spotter', there is information the driver could share immediately. ie in the first 15 miles there are trees, so the driver explains how the topography changes as you get further into the park and you see fewer trees, open tundra, permafrost and this section is where moose are often seen. It's not like they talk non-stop, but there is lots of interesting information to share. And if the driver enjoys his/he job, they enjoy sharing that information.

 

So if your driver isn't talking, hop off. If you're nervous about being out in the middle of nowhere, hop off at the Savage River gatehouse at mile 15, or at Teklanika, mile 29 where there are people nearby.

 

In 10 yrs of reading trip reports here and on tripadvisor, I've only heard of 3 bad experiences with drivers.

 

I'm not a hiker so I've never hopped off the bus. I usually ride the same bus in and out, except for twice when I booked to Wonder Lake but the weather was crappy so I got off at EVC. Plus my trips have been in late July thru the end of August, ALWAYS in the rain, so I had no desire to go walking. Besides which, my drivers were great.

Edited October 2, 2016 by mapleleaves

[kpd21880]

 

You will know pretty quickly if your driver is a dud or lacks enthusiasm.

Once the safety announcements are made, and the driver has explained that everyone is a 'spotter', there is information the driver could share immediately. ie in the first 15 miles there are trees, so the driver explains how the topography changes as you get further into the park and you see fewer trees, open tundra, permafrost and this section is where moose are often seen. It's not like they talk non-stop, but there is lots of interesting information to share. And if the driver enjoys his/he job, they enjoy sharing that information.

 

So if your driver isn't talking, hop off. If you're nervous about being out in the middle of nowhere, hop off at the Savage River gatehouse at mile 15, or at Teklanika, mile 29 where there are people nearby.

 

 

Thank you so much for the detailed and valuable information. I really appreciate you sharing your experiences.

 

 

 

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[mapleleaves]

You're welcome! Hope it helped.

You might ask about seat availability on the Alaska forum of tripadvisor. There are quite a few locals on that forum, as well as frequent Denali visitors; and they have LOTS of experience with the shuttles.

[kpd21880]

You're welcome! Hope it helped.

 

You might ask about seat availability on the Alaska forum of tripadvisor. There are quite a few locals on that forum, as well as frequent Denali visitors; and they have LOTS of experience with the shuttles.

 

 

 

Thanks! I will do that :)

 

 

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[ericosmith]

I can speak from experience, the TWT bus windows get covered with mud just as fast as the shuttles. The good news is that at least the windows open so you can see when the bus stops. Of course if the window is down when the bus is moving, you can guess where that mud ends up.

[Budget Queen]

Denali is about what you see outside your windows, NOT some commentary. IF you really want information on Denali- then it is best to spend the time, and read up on all you want to know- in advance. pages available http://www.nps.gov/dena

 

I never recommend the TWT for independent visitors.

 

ALWAYS, when you leave your reserved bus- you HAVE to be accepting of waiting for available bus seats. No way to predict who's alone side the road ahead of you getting picked up, and very likely seats are NOT going to be together. (don't expect other's to accommodate you by moving, I for on, am picky about my seat, so are others. )

 

I'd suggest a look at the park/ranger activities and if of interest, the Junior Ranger Program.

[4774Papa]

We are traveling June 2017, first time to Alaska, and are spending 2 nights in Denali pre-cruise. I'm having trouble deciding between the Denali Shuttle and the 7 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour. Considerations - we are 2 adults, 1 child, and the price difference is huge (@ $80 vs $320). BUT this is also one of the things we are most looking forward to on the trip, and so if it makes sense to spend the extra money for the experience we are hoping for, then we will do so. I have read many reviews that say the Shuttles are often narrated and stop for wild life, and therefore are the smart choice. But, I am assuming the opposite is also true - depending on the driver, they may be un-narrated and completely stick to schedule? Tough decision - I'd appreciate any advice/ experience you may have. Thanks in advance.

 

We faced the same decision and decided to do the TWT instead of the cheaper Shuttle.

 

After taking the TWT, we noticed far more TWT buses than shuttles. In fact, we saw few shuttles. We were told (mid-Sept) that there were 80 TWT tours taking place that day.

 

Shuttles are designed for hikers and limited in number. You have to book the shuttle. I was not keen on that booking process and it concerned me that we might not be able to reserve our spots.

 

Also, the TWT had a guide with the great zoom camera linked to TVs in your bus. That is worth something.

 

Further, just to make it to Denali, two nights in a hotel along with the TWT for two, we spent almost $1500. Sure, it is a bit cheaper using the shuttle, but what if you don't make the list? That is a lot of money spent just to get to Denali.

 

Also, with the TWT you have the bus that picks you up at the hotel, etc.

With the shuttle, I think linking up is a bit more.

[Alaskanb]

We did the Eielson shuttle this past June and it was fabulous. If you are staying at the Princess Denali lodge they have a free shuttle that just goes to the park--it's first stop is the WAC where the Eielson shuttle departs from. This is my cruisetour review with an overview of our day in Denali http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=50382531

Edited October 3, 2016 by Alaskanb

[Budget Queen]

We faced the same decision and decided to do the TWT instead of the cheaper Shuttle.

 

After taking the TWT, we noticed far more TWT buses than shuttles. In fact, we saw few shuttles. We were told (mid-Sept) that there were 80 TWT tours taking place that day.

 

Shuttles are designed for hikers and limited in number. You have to book the shuttle. I was not keen on that booking process and it concerned me that we might not be able to reserve our spots.

 

Also, the TWT had a guide with the great zoom camera linked to TVs in your bus. That is worth something.

 

Further, just to make it to Denali, two nights in a hotel along with the TWT for two, we spent almost $1500. Sure, it is a bit cheaper using the shuttle, but what if you don't make the list? That is a lot of money spent just to get to Denali.

 

Also, with the TWT you have the bus that picks you up at the hotel, etc.

With the shuttle, I think linking up is a bit more.

 

There is some misinformation- that is being "enhanced" as a negative, that is simply not true.

 

It's a simple matter, of using http://www.reservedenali.com and booking a shuttle bus, for your number of people at an exact time. Have NO clue what the "list" mention is??? Shuttle buses also hold back seats, which are released at 7am 2 days prior, which I have used several times, and every time, got the bus time I wanted, with a simple call.

 

I hope that above cost, includes transportation there, meals etc. In my cases, it is way more than a "bit" cheaper. That would include my car rental, Eielson tickets and lodging for probably 6 nights. :)

[lolavix]

For my family of 5, it's an extra $373 at 2016 prices if we opted for TWT versus the shuttle. I'm guessing the differential will be even greater next year. That's just about a rafting trip in Denali's worth of difference for my family.

 

A few months back, I did ask on Trip Advisor about the concern with getting seats on the shuttle if we got off and was told that it was usually not an issue, but there are no guarantees. Someone who had traveled with a group of 8 or so replied with this information. I figure, we might not even depart from our original shuttle, and even if we think about doing it, we will probably do it early enough in the day that it won't be an issue. Worse case scenario, we split up into a pair and a triple. I'm willing to chance it to save almost $400.

[Alaskanb]

For my family of 5, it's an extra $373 at 2016 prices if we opted for TWT versus the shuttle. I'm guessing the differential will be even greater next year. That's just about a rafting trip in Denali's worth of difference for my family.

 

A few months back, I did ask on Trip Advisor about the concern with getting seats on the shuttle if we got off and was told that it was usually not an issue, but there are no guarantees. Someone who had traveled with a group of 8 or so replied with this information. I figure, we might not even depart from our original shuttle, and even if we think about doing it, we will probably do it early enough in the day that it won't be an issue. Worse case scenario, we split up into a pair and a triple. I'm willing to chance it to save almost $400.

There are only specific places that you can get off -- The shuttle also has specific places that it stops for bathroom breaks. We found that the time flew by.

[mapleleaves]

There are only specific places that you can get off -- The shuttle also has specific places that it stops for bathroom breaks. We found that the time flew by.

 

Incorrect ..... you can get off the bus anywhere. You just tell the driver you want off and they let you off.

There are a few places where the driver WON'T let you off due to safety concerns. ie if you just past a bear on the road the driver won't let you off until you're a safe distance away, or if there's a kill nearby, or if you're close to a known wolf den.

 

As for restrooms, there are few, which is why they are visited by the tour buses AND shuttle buses. They are clearly marked on the Park road map.

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/visiting-denali.htm

Edited October 3, 2016 by mapleleaves

[Alaskanb]

Incorrect ..... you can get off the bus anywhere. You just tell the driver you want off and they let you off.

There are a few places where the driver WON'T let you off due to safety concerns. ie if you just past a bear on the road the driver won't let you off until you're a safe distance away, or if there's a kill nearby, or if you're close to a known wolf den.

This was not the impression I got from the shuttle we were on -apologies. Folks who wanted to get off gave the driver a specific location. In one case a bear was known to be in that area and she suggested another place.

[kpd21880]

We did the Eielson shuttle this past June and it was fabulous. If you are staying at the Princess Denali lodge they have a free shuttle that just goes to the park--it's first stop is the WAC where the Eielson shuttle departs from. This is my cruisetour review with an overview of our day in Denali http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=50382531

 

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing, I enjoyed your review! Trying to read as many as possible - such good information.

 

 

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[kpd21880]

For my family of 5, it's an extra $373 at 2016 prices if we opted for TWT versus the shuttle. I'm guessing the differential will be even greater next year. That's just about a rafting trip in Denali's worth of difference for my family.

 

 

 

A few months back, I did ask on Trip Advisor about the concern with getting seats on the shuttle if we got off and was told that it was usually not an issue, but there are no guarantees. Someone who had traveled with a group of 8 or so replied with this information. I figure, we might not even depart from our original shuttle, and even if we think about doing it, we will probably do it early enough in the day that it won't be an issue. Worse case scenario, we split up into a pair and a triple. I'm willing to chance it to save almost $400.

 

 

I checked TA today, and I think I found your thread! I agree. I'd like to take the cost savings and apply it elsewhere on our 2 week trip. It all adds up quickly!

 

 

 

 

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[kpd21880]

 

I hope that above cost, includes transportation there, meals etc. In my cases, it is way more than a "bit" cheaper. That would include my car rental, Eielson tickets and lodging for probably 6 nights. :)

 

 

Hi Budget Queen! I have found MANY of your posts very helpful in our planning. (And your response here too!) Thank you for such extensive information. A bit off topic from this thread, but I was wondering if you have a list of top tips for Alaska...things/places you consistently recommend that provide both a good experience, as well as a good value for the money? If you do, but would rather email me, I can send you my email address instead.

 

 

 

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