Tundra Wilderness Tour

[cruisequilter]

Would love to hear from someone who has done the 6-8 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour out of Denali vs. the 3-4 hour Natural History Tour. I believe Budget Queen has addressed this before but I can't find that topic.

 

Is it well worth the extra time to do the longer tour? What about meals for the trip, either tour? We will be leaving Denali for McKinley Wilderness Lodge late that afternoon so the longer tour will take the entire day there.

 

I figure we took the land tour to see wildlife and some of interior Alaska--we ought to go see it. But 6-8 hours on a schoolbus?

 

Any input will be most appreciated.

[JohnQ]

If you search back on this board under denali, you should find thousands of opinions. There is only one road into denali, it is about 95 miles long and mostly gravel. The two tours 3 hr natural history and 6 hr tundra tour are on school buses just like the shuttle buses. The 3 hr tour doesn't go in far enough to maximize your wildlife sightings. The tundra tour only goes to mile 53, Toklat River, includes lunch and drinks, costs $75 or so. The shuttle buses go as further and some would recommend mile 66 Eielson visitor center as a minimum. Both shuttles and tour buses stop for wildlife viewing, both have narration, shuttle costs only $23, bring your own food and water, and you could get off and on another if you wanted. The cruise company should let you upgrade from history tour to tundra tour or you could just buy shuttle tour and get more denali of same cost. We took shuttle tour for two days and had numerous sightings on both days.

[Yukon]

I'll just add to John's excellent summary of the situation that the 3-hour trip is really a waste of time - you don't go far enough to see either wildlife or The Mountain, which are the 2 reasons for getting on a school bus in the first place. The Tundra Wilderness Tour includes a box "lunch" (to use to term loosely!), on the shuttles you're on your own food-wise. Budget Queen in particular thinks that the Eielson Visitor Center is the highlight of the trip into the park, I think that Stoney Ridge where the Tundra Wilderness Tour ends (on a day when Denali is visible) is the highlight.

 

Murray

[lmcd]

Just an additional comment about seeing Mt. McKinley-

If you go into the visitor center at Eielson, there is a telescope pointed at Mt.Mckinley for a much closer view of the mountain. There is additional wildlife sightings possible beyond where the Tundra Wilderness Tour stops.

 

Larry

 

Fantasy 08/99

Ecstacy 05/00

Westerdam 04/01

Legend of the Seas 08/02

Zaandam 04/03

Carnival Spirit 08/03

[BJS]

If a clear day and the MOUNTAIN is in view they take you much further - so close it is hard to get the entire mountain in your photos. Have been in both early July and late August first time did not see the Mountain and second did. We saw a great deal of wildlife each time even with the sun shinning on one trip. Seemed like more prime Grizzly habitat the future you went. Can't imagine going on the short tour and doing the trip justice but we enjoy that type of trip. Friends also have gone twice and did not enjoy either trip because of the school bus ride and long time spent but they are not "into" wildlife and scenery.

 

Future cruises:

May 04 Amsterdam

Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2

Jan. 05 Diamond Princess

July 05 Star Princess

Aug. 05 Star Pincess

 

Past cruises:

04 Dawn Princess x 2

03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,

Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess

01 Ryndam x 2

00 Sky Princess

79 Sitmar's Fairwind

[JohnQ]

Cruisequilter,

We went as far as Toklat River on one day and Eielson the next. We couldn't see the mtn on either day and it was misty and cool at Eielson (first day it was open for season). We were going to stay there for a while and take next bus hoping to get a better tour bus driver, but half the visitor center was closed for repairs and we couldn't see much. You will have a good trip on the 6 hr tour or shuttle bus depending on what you are most comfortable with. The buses are the same. If the history tour is all you can fit in, it is better than nothing. We saw our best bear several moose in the first 15 miles, but we may have been lucky.

[cruisequilter]

Thank you to all who have given their input. We are on a landtour with Princess and today I found out the only Tundra Wilderness Tour we can take leaves the Lodge at 6 a.m. and returns about 2 p.m. Later that afternoon we depart for Mt McKinley Wilderness Lodge. So, it will be a very long day if we take this tour. I remember folks recommending taking sandwiches with them on the long tour--is that possible leaving so early in the morning? Would you still take this tour leaving so early?

 

Thanks again to all who respond--I love the planning but my husband would be happy to just show up and see what happens--I'm always glad to find there are others who are trying to research a little before they go!

[schoolmarm]

cruisequilter

We are doing the opposite of what you are doing. We are arriving at noon from Princess McKinley lodge and then taking the Tundra Wilderness tour from 2pm to 10 pm. This will be a really long day but I think it will be worth it! I've been told to take some of your own snacks along as the box lunches are not too great. Have fun!

[Budget Queen]

Yukon- the highlight for me is not Eielson- it is the entire journey in. Also for clairficaiton- park admission is added to the Eielson shuttle cost- $5 I believe. I have been flamed with my description of the Natural History tour as useless- but my opinion only, it is. Another kick- the park service runs a free shuttle to the same area and offer some good free activities. You can also drive this distance yourself. Bottom line- I can NEVER rationalize anyone taking all the time getting to Denali Park from Anchorage either via bus - 6 hours or rail 8 hours and just going on a 3 hour tour. The min. should be at least Polychrome Pass. The hotel may be able to arrange a box lunch for you?? Taking extra snacks is an excellent idea no matter how you go. It is also about a 2- 2 1/2 hour bus ride to McKinley Princess.

[birders]

Cruisequilter - you've just GOT to get up before dawn and go on that early departure! Agree with others: Why go all the way to AK and not do it?

The chance to see Mt. McKinley is reason enough - and as someone above said, if it's a good day and the "Mountain is out" they will drive further - that's what happened to us. Spectacular.

PLUS - the early AM departure is also so you can see the wildlife when they are most active.

[Go9ersjrh]

We have purchased the Tundra Tour and now I'm wondering if I should try and cancel that and take a shuttle into the park.

 

Can you pre-book the shuttle or do you need to stand in line?

 

Is there any advantage of the Tundra Tour?

[hooked-on-travel]

The shuttle is most available if booked ahead. They mail you tickets. If you go to the park website http://www.nps.gov/dena/home/visitorinfo/bus/home.html you can go through the process of booking a shuttle bus. When you do, you will see which buses are still available. At this point, some are already full. There is a $4 charge for changes or cancellations, but buses do sell out of seats, so I'd hate to get all the way there and not get one. We booked ours and got our tickets in the mail within two weeks.

[JohnQ]

you definitely need to book shuttle in advance, they sometimes add shuttles earlier than shown on the official shuttle schedule as we learned when we went. We were on the first scheduled shuttle and when we got there, some had aleady left or were getting ready to go.

Shuttle or tundra, it will be an early day, you can get box lunch right there in town in the early morning or get it the night before. It will be cold enough outside to be ok, although I think our bread got soggy as I think back on it!!!! Take snacks and water and you will be fine on either one. With the shuttle, you can go further into park for not much more money than you have already paid. No refunds on your tundra tour?

[mpk]

My first choices for shuttle buses in the a.m. filled up. So I got a late morning bus.

 

A week later, they apparently added buses or maybe a lot of people canceled. All the times became available then!

 

So, yes, they do fill up.

[Budget Queen]

for the price, I wouldn't take the tundra tour independently booked. The Shuttle is 1/3 the price and YES you do need reservations. I book about 30 days ahead myself.

[Palomino]

We have 6:30 am shuttle tickets. Is there an advantage to going even earlier? We have a few teenagers traveling with us, so I wanted to let them sleep in a bit .

[JohnQ]

Palomino,

I think you are plenty early. If you wanted to get out and hike and still see more animals on way back, BQ recommends even earlier. We went at 8 and 8:30 as earliest buses in late May, first of June, and we saw animals going in and back out on both trips. Saw moose right by the railroad track as soon as we pulled out. It could be that in late season when its much hotter, that there could be less animals on trip back out.

[Budget Queen]

Anything 0630 or before is fine. For clairfication the shuttle to Eielson doesn't start until June 1.

[jdl2]

We don't get in until the 12:15pm train. The only shuttle I can book is the 2:00pm. Will this give us time to check into the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and get settled and eat before the suttle leaves? Is there a preference to which side of the shuttle to sit? We will be fine if we can eat lunch before we leave, but what about during the trip, if we go to Eielson are there places to eat on the return? (is there a place you can get a sandwhich or something during a stop? what do you recommend) A 2pm departure would return at 10pm ??.....is this still a good idea? Any suggestions ? THANKS, JOE in Colorado

 

9/1 Adventure of the Seas

 

[hooked-on-travel]

There is absolutely no food available once you leave the front of the park. There is water at Eielson and that's it. If you absolutely can't bring provisions from your stop prior to Denali then I think Riley Campground has a kind of convenience store/deli. It's somewhat near the train depot and front visitor's center.

 

I think the best views are left side of bus on the way in and right side on the way out.

 

I would still go even if it had to be 2-10. The long daylight can trick you into thinking it's not so late. We found we ate very late dinners b/c we just weren't hungry "so early in the evening." (sun time)

[Budget Queen]

As mentioned- you must bring in all your own food and drink- NONE available. You will have to not waste any time to make the 2pm shuttle, but doable. See if a take out can be ordered from Princess?? AND be certain of your transportation options- you can't afford to have to wait a 1/2 an hour for a shuttle.

[Genessa]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jdl2:

We don't get in until the 12:15pm train. The only shuttle I can book is the 2:00pm. Will this give us time to check into the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and get settled and eat before the suttle leaves? Is there a preference to which side of the shuttle to sit? We will be fine if we can eat lunch before we leave, but what about during the trip, if we go to Eielson are there places to eat on the return? (is there a place you can get a sandwhich or something during a stop? what do you recommend) A 2pm departure would return at 10pm ??.....is this still a good idea? Any suggestions ? THANKS, JOE in Colorado

 

http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0000&cdt=2002;9;1;22;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500

9/1 Adventure of the Seas

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

we didn't do the shuttle, but did do the tundra Tour with Princess, within about the same time frames. If you are on a Princess tour, you will be all checked into your hotel on the train, you don't have to do anything but go to your room to drop off any carry on bags you brought on the train.

 

We had time to grab sandwiches, good thing because the box "meal" provided was more of a snack and inedible at that.

We got back to the Denali Princess around 10 PM and the pizza place was still open and surprisingly crowded.

[jdl2]

Thanks all, How far is the Denali Princess Lodge from the train and back to the shuttle stop? I assume Princess has a shuttle, does anyone know how it works? Does anyone know how late places will be open to eat. (the pizza place is fine, is it always open that late)? By the way, our shuttle turns out to be on the 4th of July, so maybe there will be other activities. We tried to book the Tundra Tour originally, but they would not let us. We are scheduled for the Nature Tour at 4:30, although we are blowing that off after all the comments on here. THANKS ....Sorry for being a worry wart, but I am traveling with an older couple who cannot get around well and am trying to cover my bases. Joe

 

6/26 Island Princess

 

[Budget Queen]

The Denali Princess is only a mile or 2 from the visitor center and train station. I would call Princess directly and inquire of food options?? Perhaps as a back up - have cracker packages etc in your luggage?? They have saved me a few times.

[Pete Wells]

All the descriptions post time brackets for departures, 0500-0900 in the morning and 1330-1530 in the afternoon. Are there multiple departure times or do they just pick a time within the specified bracket and let you know what it is?

Pete Wells