Alaska Excursions

[D Ritter]

 

I am planning an Alaska vacation for 8/31-9/14/23.  The first leg of our trip will be aboard Sapphire Princess from Vancouver to Whittier. What are some must-do excursions or places to just check out the ports? After the cruise we are driving to Seward for the Major Marine Tour then to Talkeeta then Anchorage. Next to Denali for the Tundra Wilderness Tour then to Fairbanks for the Gold Dredge 8 & Riverboat cruise. Of course, cost is important.  We are 60 and in good health - not ready for mountain climbing but are good for moderate hikes and adult adventures. We like nature and don't like to shop. Thanks!

[CruiserBruce]

You "must do" what interests you. 

[donaldsc]

1 minute ago, D Ritter said:

 

 

I am planning an Alaska vacation for 8/31-9/14/23.  The first leg of our trip will be aboard Sapphire Princess from Vancouver to Whittier. What are some must-do excursions or places to just check out the ports? After the cruise we are driving to Seward for the Major Marine Tour then to Talkeeta then Anchorage. Next to Denali for the Tundra Wilderness Tour then to Fairbanks for the Gold Dredge 8 & Riverboat cruise. Of course, cost is important.  We are 60 and in good health - not ready for mountain climbing but are good for moderate hikes and adult adventures. We like nature and don't like to shop. Thanks!

 

I hope that you are aware that the Denali road is closed at mile marker 43 which means that you hardly get into the park.  I have been to Denali several times so I look at the place differently but to me it is hardly worth going there now.  Just remember that you do not have to actually go into the park to see the mountain.

 

DON

[SightCRR]

I would say three things to look at are Crab Boat Tour in Ketchikan, helo in Juneau and Matanuska Glacier 1 hour north of ANC on your own. Search youtube and it will have a video on every tour available but skip the ad ones and view the personal ones. sightcrr

[AKStafford]

At Denali National Park, use the transit bus, not the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Same road, same views, much cheaper: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

And I think you have things out of order... You said: "then to Talkeeta then Anchorage. Next to Denali" . You'll drive through Anchorage on your way to Talkeetna from Seward.

And be careful to not underestimate your driving times. Whatever Google Maps is giving you, add 30%.

[D Ritter]

Thanks - I did type that wrong.

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, AKStafford said:

At Denali National Park, use the transit bus, not the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Same road, same views, much cheaper * * * And I think you have things out of order... You said: "then to Talkeeta then Anchorage. Next to Denali" . You'll drive through Anchorage on your way to Talkeetna from Seward.

For a while after the Denali transit system started it was free, making the bargain (compared to the commercial tour) even better. The current transit bus fare, 32.75, while still a better deal, is difficult for me to swallow given my recollection of it previously having been operated without charge.

 

If you are planning to drive yourselves, get a map (either online or on paper) and plan out a reasonable route. Going all the way to Talkeetna, then back-tracking to visit Anchorage, and then triple-tracking for Denali, will be needlessly tiring, expensive, and risky . . . even more so if you then drive back to return the vehicle. Good planning is critical.

 

If you're planning to visit Seward, then you might want to avoid Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. They both terminate in Whittier, while all the other cruise lines terminate in Seward itself. The logistics might work out better for using one of those other lines . . . again, the key is good advance planning work.

[wolfie11]

39 minutes ago, GTJ said:

For a while after the Denali transit system started it was free, making the bargain (compared to the commercial tour) even better. The current transit bus fare, 32.75, while still a better deal, is difficult for me to swallow given my recollection of it previously having been operated without charge.

Just curious as to what years the shuttle buses were free?  I have been going to the park since 1989 and worked there briefly and they have never been free during that period.

[PNW Traveler]

We did the Denali Park bus trip to milepost 43 last summer.  We'd done this trip twice before, traveling far into the park.  My wildlife count on those trips was 300+.  Last summer the abbreviated version yielded only a few sheep far up on a mountain - tiny even with good binoculars.  This was a major disappointment compared with prior years.

There may be moose sightings along the highway outside the park, but do not book the park bus hoping for a memorable day.

[Cali Viajera]

While in Denali, the ATV tour is great fun! In Juneau try the Mendenhall canoe trip.

[wolfie11]

58 minutes ago, PNW Traveler said:

We did the Denali Park bus trip to milepost 43 last summer.  We'd done this trip twice before, traveling far into the park.  My wildlife count on those trips was 300+.  Last summer the abbreviated version yielded only a few sheep far up on a mountain - tiny even with good binoculars.  This was a major disappointment compared with prior years.

There may be moose sightings along the highway outside the park, but do not book the park bus hoping for a memorable day.

As someone who spends time in the park almost every year, I will say that wildlife sightings have been down for the last few years, probably due to the fact we are in the trough of the snowshoe hare cycle.  Yes, it sucks that the park road is closed at Mile 42, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go if this is likely to be your only chance.  I didn't skip going to the Vatican because the Sistine Chapel was closed.

 

Depending on month, time of day, and weather, you are still likely to see animals.  Moose are frequently seen on the first ten miles of the park road, especially during calving in the spring and the rut in late summer.  Caribou are also frequent around Savage River and the Sable Pass area, as are low-down Dall Sheep, in the spring and late summer.  As the weather warms, caribou move higher to escape the predatory flies that plague them and the Dall Sheep go high as the vegetation greens up. Arctic ground squirrels, ptarmigan, marmot, raptors, and other birds are frequently seen.  Unfortunately, you will not likely see bears.  Their main habitat is further out on the road.  Wolves are seen very infrequently anywhere in the park.

 

The scenery is spectacular.  There are few places on earth like Denali.  If you have your own car, you can drive in the first 12 miles of the road on your own.  There's a great out-and-back trail at Savage River, as well as a few more strenuous hikes.  I go after the busses are done for the day and stay for the sunset.  It's quiet and peaceful, with only the sounds of nature.

 

Wrangell St. Elias is also a great place to visit.  It's a bit more difficult to get into, but also a beautiful trip.

Edited April 20, 2023 by wolfie11

[PNW Traveler]

Wolfie is correct.  The scenery is spectacular.  We were camping in the park last summer and spent three days driving, exploring trails, and just enjoying pull-outs along the road for scenery and views.  The park bus, however, was a disappointment.  There were many busses and therefore fewer opportunities for drivers to pull over and narrate about Denali and its flora and fauna.  At least this was the scenario explained to us by our bus driver.

Yes, we too enjoyed viewing the smaller mammals and birds, but did so on our own, venturing out earlier and later in the day.  Independent travel offers more flexibility, but many Denali visitors will be dependent on tours and tour busses.

[wolfie11]

1 hour ago, PNW Traveler said:

Wolfie is correct.  The scenery is spectacular.  We were camping in the park last summer and spent three days driving, exploring trails, and just enjoying pull-outs along the road for scenery and views.  The park bus, however, was a disappointment.  There were many busses and therefore fewer opportunities for drivers to pull over and narrate about Denali and its flora and fauna.  At least this was the scenario explained to us by our bus driver.

Yes, we too enjoyed viewing the smaller mammals and birds, but did so on our own, venturing out earlier and later in the day.  Independent travel offers more flexibility, but many Denali visitors will be dependent on tours and tour busses.

Were you on a green shuttle bus or one of the tours?  Shuttle drivers don't have to narrate, but they can if they want.  The number of tour busses is capped for both am and pm tours and they stagger the departure times to prevent too many busses.  Sounds like your driver was having a bad day.

[PNW Traveler]

23 minutes ago, wolfie11 said:

Were you on a green shuttle bus or one of the tours?  Shuttle drivers don't have to narrate, but they can if they want.  The number of tour busses is capped for both am and pm tours and they stagger the departure times to prevent too many busses.  Sounds like your driver was having a bad day.

We were on a park green bus.  They are really closer to a school bus than a tour bus 🙂 but we had experienced great narration on previous trips.  Perhaps our driver was having a bad day.

We hope to return  when the park road reopens again, perhaps in 2025.

Thanks for your replies.  Yes, Denali is a special place.

[D Ritter]

19 hours ago, SightCRR said:

I would say three things to look at are Crab Boat Tour in Ketchikan, helo in Juneau and Matanuska Glacier 1 hour north of ANC on your own. Search youtube and it will have a video on every tour available but skip the ad ones and view the personal ones. sightcrr

Thanks!

[D Ritter]

15 hours ago, GTJ said:

For a while after the Denali transit system started it was free, making the bargain (compared to the commercial tour) even better. The current transit bus fare, 32.75, while still a better deal, is difficult for me to swallow given my recollection of it previously having been operated without charge.

 

If you are planning to drive yourselves, get a map (either online or on paper) and plan out a reasonable route. Going all the way to Talkeetna, then back-tracking to visit Anchorage, and then triple-tracking for Denali, will be needlessly tiring, expensive, and risky . . . even more so if you then drive back to return the vehicle. Good planning is critical.

 

If you're planning to visit Seward, then you might want to avoid Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. They both terminate in Whittier, while all the other cruise lines terminate in Seward itself. The logistics might work out better for using one of those other lines . . . again, the key is good advance planning work.

Thanks!

[D Ritter]

We are taking the Princess Cruise so that we can go to Glacier Bay.

[D Ritter]

21 hours ago, D Ritter said:

 

 

I am planning an Alaska vacation for 8/31-9/14/24.  The first leg of our trip will be aboard Sapphire Princess from Vancouver to Whittier. What are some must-do excursions or places to just check out the ports? After the cruise we are driving to Seward for the Major Marine Tour then to Anchorage. Next to Denali for the Tundra Wilderness Tour then to Fairbanks for the Gold Dredge 8 & Riverboat cruise. Of course, cost is important.  We are 60 and in good health - not ready for mountain climbing but are good for moderate hikes and adult adventures. We like nature and don't like to shop. Thanks!

 

[wolfie11]

These photos are all taken on the first 15 miles of the park road.  They are:  mountain view from Savage River, Denali from Mile 8 overlook, Dall sheep on Savage River trail (my friend was sitting there, the sheep came to him), fall colors, and foggy September morning at park entrance.

[D Ritter]

11 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

As someone who spends time in the park almost every year, I will say that wildlife sightings have been down for the last few years, probably due to the fact we are in the trough of the snowshoe hare cycle.  Yes, it sucks that the park road is closed at Mile 42, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go if this is likely to be your only chance.  I didn't skip going to the Vatican because the Sistine Chapel was closed.

 

Depending on month, time of day, and weather, you are still likely to see animals.  Moose are frequently seen on the first ten miles of the park road, especially during calving in the spring and the rut in late summer.  Caribou are also frequent around Savage River and the Sable Pass area, as are low-down Dall Sheep, in the spring and late summer.  As the weather warms, caribou move higher to escape the predatory flies that plague them and the Dall Sheep go high as the vegetation greens up. Arctic ground squirrels, ptarmigan, marmot, raptors, and other birds are frequently seen.  Unfortunately, you will not likely see bears.  Their main habitat is further out on the road.  Wolves are seen very infrequently anywhere in the park.

 

The scenery is spectacular.  There are few places on earth like Denali.  If you have your own car, you can drive in the first 12 miles of the road on your own.  There's a great out-and-back trail at Savage River, as well as a few more strenuous hikes.  I go after the busses are done for the day and stay for the sunset.  It's quiet and peaceful, with only the sounds of nature.

 

Wrangell St. Elias is also a great place to visit.  It's a bit more difficult to get into, but also a beautiful trip.

 

[D Ritter]

Thank you - that was quite helpful. I typed in 2023 instead of 2024. Maybe more will be open by then.

[GTJ]

18 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Just curious as to what years the shuttle buses were free? I have been going to the park since 1989 and worked there briefly and they have never been free during that period.

It would have been a few years earlier. I was there around 1986 or 1987. It had previously been that the road was open to private vehicle travel, and so when the road was closed the replacement buses were free to ride, so as to avoid objections to this becoming a money-making scheme. Now that most everyone has forgotten, the NPS can now charge quite steep fares.

[SightCRR]

Here is my first trip in Aug 1963 from our campsite at Wonder Lake. sightcrr

[Coral]

11 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

These photos are all taken on the first 15 miles of the park road.  They are:  mountain view from Savage River, Denali from Mile 8 overlook, Dall sheep on Savage River trail (my friend was sitting there, the sheep came to him), fall colors, and foggy September morning at park entrance.

Stunning!

[SueMo]

We did our own land tour by car in 2023.  We did the Major Marine tour, the Riverboat cruise in Fairbanks, and the green shuttle bus in Denali (much cheaper than the Tundra Wilderness tour, and had a great driver!)  Below are some of the other activities we really enjoyed.

 

On the way to/from Seward:

1.  Hike to Exit Glacier.  Turn on to Herman Leirer Road, commonly called Exit Glacier Road, at mile 3 of the Seward highway (AK9).  Drive 8.4 miles where the road will end at the parking lot for the nature center.  There is limited parking, so get there before 10:30 am. Turn left at the nature center and follow Glacier View Loop Trail (1 mile) through the cottonwood forest to the Glacier View.  Continue on and turn left at the trail side kiosk for .6 miles to the Exit Glacier Overlook.  The trail to the overlook is moderately strenuous.

2.  Do the Seavey's Ididaride dog sled tour.  https://ididaride.com/tours/

3.  Stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.  https://alaskawildlife.org/visit/

In Anchorage:

1.  Take a Flora and Fauna walk.  https://www.gohikealaska.com/summerhiking

2.  Take a Coastal Cruise Bike tour.  https://alaskatrailguides.com/tour/coastal-cruise-bike-tour/

In Talkeetna:

1.  Do the Denali Flyer with glacier landing.  Expensive, but by far the best thing we did on our trip!  https://www.flyk2.com/tours/denali-flyer/

 

You may be able to save money by downloading the Alaska Tour Saver app.  The app is free, but you then need to peruse the discounts and purchase the coupon package that might save you $.