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SDAN01 Peaks Of Denali Road Trip

  • end: Anchorage
  • map/image selection: Map
  • Code: SDAN01

SDAN01 Peaks Of Denali Road Trip

The unspoiled natural environment of Denali National Park and towering  20.320  ft.  Mt.  Denali,  is  almost  the  first  thing  that  comes  to  mind  for  anyone  visiting  Alaska.  “SDAN01  –  Peaks  of  Denali  Road  Trip”  self-drive  tour  is  perfectly  suited  for  travelers  with  a  limited  amount  of  time  to  experience  Denali  National  Park.  This  tour  starts  and  ends  in  Anchorage  with  only  5  day  duration  and is easily combined with a breathtaking Inside Passage cruise. You  get  to  enjoy  Anchorage,  Denali  National  Park  and  the charming town of Talkeetna.  The  experience  on  this  trip  range  from  amazing  sightseeing  on  the  road  as  well  in  the  park and  lots  of  possible  wildlife  spotting. Denali  National  Park  is  the  natural  habitat  for many types of wildlife including caribou, moose, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles, and the mighty grizzly bears. Many exciting activities and excursions are offered at Denali Village - enjoy a scenic float down the Nenana River or an exhilarating jetboat safari. Play a round of golf in the Midnight Sun, or rise above it on a thrilling flightseeing tour. Hike in the backcountry or the many trails around the visitor center. Visit an Iditarod champion's dog kennel ... and hold the puppies! It's all up to you. Please  read  our  itinerary  to  have  more  detailed  day-to-day  experience.  On  request,  this  trip  can  be  customized  and  can  be  organized  in  reverse  order.

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Rental Car

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Arrive in Anchorage during the day. Pick up your rental car at the Anchorage airport or in downtown. Nestled along the Chugach Mountains, the coastal city of Anchorage is not the frozen tundra of Alaska you might imagine. You will find it’s brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. Being the largest city in Alaska, it is rich in indigenous culture; spend your day enjoying the Alaska Native Heritage Center,visiting the Anchorage Museum, or browsing through the Saturday Market. Visit the Lake Hood Floatplane base, go for a walk along the Coastal Train and try out one of Anchorage popular seafood restaurants. With so much of variety, for a first time visitor to Alaska or a seasoned traveller, Anchorage has more to offer and is the perfect starting point for your journey into Alaska.

Anchorage – Denali National Park ( Driving Distance: 230 miles | Overnight: Denali Village )

The grandness of the nature starts right from Anchorage itself and driving every mile on the Parks Highway gets even better. It is a treat to watch the mountain peaks crowned with snow caps in the distance. On the way you travel across the fertile Matanuska Valley. Because of the immense amount of summer sunlight, vegetables grow to incredible sizes. Feel free to stop at the designated photo stops to enjoy more panoramic views. A scenic break is offered at Byers Lake where you can rent a canoe or kayak. Travel across Denali State Park and arrive at Denali Village. Visit Jeff King's Sled Dog Kennel, home of the four-time Iditarod champion, for an engaging tour of his renowned Husky Homestead and its elite sled dogs.

Denali National Park ( Overnight: Denali Village )

Denali National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and spectacular sceneries. Pick up your tickets, board the bus and watch out for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolf and fox moving along the ridges and river beds. Your driver informs about the history of Denali National Park, its diverse wildlife and flora. Once an animal has been spotted the bus will stop that everyone can watch and take pictures. The bus turns around at Eielson Visitor Center - 66 miles one way/8 hours round trip. You can get off the bus anytime to go for a hike. Return to the Denali Park entrance anytime during the day. Optional: We can extend the transit bus tour to Wonder Lake or exchange to the Tundra Wilderness Tour, Kantishna Wilderness Trails or Backcountry Lodge Tour. Included: Denali Transit Bus Ticket

Denali National Park – Talkeetna ( Driving Distance: 150 miles | Overnight: Talkeetna )

Spend the morning at Denali Village and join a whitewater rafting tour, watch a sled dog demonstration presented by the Denali park rangers or go on a short hiking trip around the Denali Visitor Center. Leave for Talkeetna - the base for most climbing expeditions and spectacular glacier flightseeing activities within the Alaska Mountain Range. Take a flightseeing trip within 6-Miles of Denali's 20.320 ft summit and get a picture perfect view of the Kahiltna and Ruth Glacier with its Great Gorge - over 9.000 ft deep - as well as onto magnificent ice-falls. You will also see the Sheldon Amphitheatre - the largest of its kind in the world. Another highlight is the optional glacier landing at the 5600 foot level of the Ruth Glacier, located in the Sheldon Amphitheater. Included: Mt. Denali Flightseeing Tour

Talkeetna - Anchorage, Depart Anchorage ( Driving Distance 115 Miles )

Join a jet boat safari on the Susitna, Talkeetna and Chulitna Rivers this morning. Return to Anchorage via the Parks Highway and take a break in Wasilla - Home of the Iditarod Trail Headquarters. The museum features historical displays of the "Last Great Race on Earth", videos and a gift shop with unique souvenirs. Stopover at Eklutna Indian village which is an Athabascan Indian settlement. It houses a unique cemetery, in which each grave is surrounded by a small, decorative burial house. Alternative Routing: From the Parks Highway drive via Hatcher Pass Road to the Independence Mine Historical Park - operated from 1938 - 1941 by one of the largest gold producers in the Willow Creek Mining District. Drop off your rental car at the airport or in downtown. Contact us to extend the tour.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2048 $1218 $964 $836 $281
June 1 - August 31 $2400 $1389 $1074 $917 $281
September 1 - September 13 $2048 $1218 $964 $836 $281
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2561 $1462 $1127 $956 $281
June 1 - August 31 $3094 $1729 $1314 $1104 $281
September 1 - September 13 $2547 $1455 $1131 $963 $281

What’s included

4 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

4 Days Midsize Rental Car (For additional Upgrades and Extras Click Here)

Unlimited Free Mileage

Rental Car Licensing Fees

CFC, State & City Rental Car Sales Taxes

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

1 hr Mt. Denali Flightseeing Tour

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Tour Departures

Daily from May 19th – September 14th

Denali: Extend Denali Transit Bus Tour to Wonder Lake

The Denali Transit Bus is the official shuttle bus service into Denali National Park. The shuttle is best suited for those visitors who are seeking flexibility in their day trip into the Park and would like to have the option of getting off the bus to hike or explore on your own. Excellent hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities all along the Park Road. Created by retreating glaciers, Wonder Lake offers visitors stunning views of Mt. Denali and the Alaska Range, as weather permits. Along the Park Road, alder and willow carpeted hills are dotted with kettle ponds often frequented by waterfowl and other wildlife. Reflection Pond, an amazing photo stop on a clear day, requires you utilize the Kantishna Transit Bus or hike 2.5 miles from the Wonder Lake turnaround stop.

More Details & Pricing

 

Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour

The fully narrated 62-mile Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park is led by a certified naturalist driver/guide who will also provide historical and geographical background of the area. The tour will last approximately eight to nine hours and includes ample photo and rest stops. When your tour driver is able, he/she will take video footage of animals along Park Road and project these images onto drop-down video screens, featured only our specially designed tour buses. This way you can get a close-up look at the roadside action. At the end of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase a “Tundra Wilderness Tour” DVD, which will feature some of the video footage shot from your tour! Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour

The Kantishna Wilderness Trails tour is the premier Denali Park wilderness bus excursion. Spend the entire day in Denali National Park and discover a piece of Alaska's gold rush history and warm hospitality at the historic Kantishna Roadhouse, located just past Wonder Lake on the banks of Moose Creek. Your 12 to 13-hour fully-narrated excursion to Kantishna travels via a custom motorcoach through 95 miles of Denali National Park's prime wildlife habitat. The last 30 miles allow for full viewing of Mt. Denali, weather permitting. The wilderness backcountry of Denali Park provides diverse habitats which support big-game species such as black bear, grizzly, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolf, and wolverine. Hot beverages and refreshments are included en route to the Kantishna Roadhouse. After a hearty deli style lunch in the dining room at the Roadhouse, relax and visit the Historical Recorder's Cabin and enjoy a dog sled demonstration or gold panning. Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Backcountry Adventure Bus Tour

The Denali Backcountry Adventure Tour is another premier Denali Park Wildlife bus excursion. This full-day, 13-hour tour travels 95 miles in each direction to the Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. You'll travel by private bus with a trained naturalist driver/guide giving interpretation along the way helping you search for bear, moose, caribou and other wildlife while pointing out the biology and geology of the region. Several photo and rest stops will be made. Snacks, drinks and lunch are provided. Lunch is served at the exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. Lunch consists of a sandwich bar, soups, fruits, snacks, fresh baked goods and non-alcoholic drinks. After lunch try your luck at gold panning near the lodge or take a guided nature walk before returning to the Park entrance.

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Talkeetna: Denali Flightseeing Tour - Add Glacier Landing

The 1 hr Denali flightseeing tour (included) takes you within six miles of Mt. Denali's summit. As your flight departs Talkeetna, you begin to notice how the last ice age has shaped the land. Moments later you enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier filled valleys. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge (the world's deepest - almost 2 miles from top to bottom). Add a glacier landing to your flightseeing tour for a one-of-a-kind expedition. Passengers land usually at the 5600 foot level of the Ruth Glacier, located in the Sheldon Amphitheater. Other popular landing spots are the Kahiltna, the Pika, or the Eldridge glaciers. A glacier landing takes an additional 30 minutes (15 minutes of time exploring on foot and 15 minutes for landing and takeoff).

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Susan, LA: Denali NP is huge! There is lots of room so it never feels crowded. The majority of the visitors arrive by train/bus so the roads are relatively quiet...at least when I was visiting. You can drive your personal automobile on the first 15 miles of the park road. It is paved with lots of areas to pull over and see the beauty of the park.