Opinions on our independent itin

[DD]

What are your dates? Prices must really jump for June, July and August...WE got a Full size car for 5 days in May for $117.00 at Enterprise downtown.

 

Jimbo:)

 

We need the car from Sunday, June 13th until Friday, June 18th. Enterprise's downtown locations are closed on Sundays. They are also sold out for my time period, per both their website and their toll-free number. Picking it up at the airport, which is open on Sundays, lands a rate of $800+ as of today.

 

Like you, we're going with TAT base camp with a glacier landing.

[DD]

So I thought about all of the suggestions so far, and made some changes based on some of them. The thing is, I really NEED to do the AKRR. It's been on my life-list for quite a while. You all have convinced me that I also need a car. The ONLY way that I can see to get both is to do the AKRR from Seward to ANC on June 12th and then drive from ANC to Denali on June 13th. Believe me, I wish the option of taking the train all the way to Denali and then picking a car up there existed, but I haven't found that option yet. So, here's where we're at with the revisions:

 

June 5- 12 Diamond Princess NB

 

June 12 -- transfer from Whittier to Seward with PJs taxi. We'll do something in Seward during the day. I understand that there's a lot to see/do in/around Seward, but this will have to wait for our next trip. We want to take another trip where we focus on Anchorage, Kodiak, Katmai, and PWS. AKRR to ANC at approx 6 pm. No hotel plans yet for ANC

 

June 13 -- pick up rental car and drive to Denali. Hopefully the drive will involve some stops along the way and will be enjoyable. At this point, my short list of possible places to stay is Denali Lakeview Inn, McKinley Creekside Cabins, or Park's Edge. 1st night.

 

June 14th -- Backcountry tour -- either Backcountry Adventure or Donyon's tour. Can't decide between the two of them. I have read the comments about just doing the park shuttle bus, and while that might be the better choice for someone who has been there many times, for us, we want a tour bus for our first experience. I understand that it's a long time on a bus. I want as much time as possible to be able to see wildlife from the ground. Seeing them from 1000 or 1500 feet up is just seeing dots. I did a flight seeing tour in Misty Fjords with Island Wings last month and loved it; however, all the wildlife we saw consisted of black dots and white dots. It was a wonderful flight, and we certainly did not take it for wildlife viewing. That having been said, I want to do Denali with as much on-ground time as possible. We may change our mind on this, but for now, I'm pretty settled on doing a tour on this day. 2nd night at same place

 

June 15th -- Day for Denali. We'll do something with the park shuttle busses, most likely as far in as we can go. I've read online that you can start making reservations December 1st?? 3rd night at same place.

 

June 16th -- Drive to Talkeetna. Other than the drive, we just want to chill and relax on this day. I understand that there's not a lot to do in Talkeetna, but we will have been racing around since late May by this time in our trip (I have a work trip in Vancouver and Whistler prior to the cruise), and I don't think it's terrible to build a down-day into the itinerary. 1st night at Denali Fireside Cabins

 

June 17th -- TAT base camp with glacier landing flight. Hopefully we'll be able to use the tour saver coupon, making this very affordable for what you're getting. We'd also like to do Huskytown on that day. 2nd night at Denali Fireside Cabins

 

June 18th -- drive back to ANC. No hotel plans yet for ANC.

 

June 19th -- flight home.

 

So that's where we're at. I do appreciate all the input, both on this thread and on many others. There is no perfect itinerary; I know that. There may be elements of this itinerary that could be improved--I still have some time to tweak it!

[DD]

I just found a lower price for a car rental. I checked Alamo yesterday and didn't see these rates. I may have missed them because I was looking for a non-airport location. I found $364, inclusive of taxes, for June 13th at 8 am - June 18th at 10:00 pm. for a full-size car. If I extend it to June 19th at 6 pm, it goes to $440. I don't think either is a particularly bad price.

[Jimbo]

So I thought about all of the suggestions so far, and made some changes based on some of them. The thing is, I really NEED to do the AKRR. It's been on my life-list for quite a while. You all have convinced me that I also need a car. The ONLY way that I can see to get both is to do the AKRR from Seward to ANC on June 12th and then drive from ANC to Denali on June 13th. Believe me, I wish the option of taking the train all the way to Denali and then picking a car up there existed, but I haven't found that option yet. So, here's where we're at with the revisions:

 

June 5- 12 Diamond Princess NB

 

June 12 -- transfer from Whittier to Seward with PJs taxi. We'll do something in Seward during the day. I understand that there's a lot to see/do in/around Seward, but this will have to wait for our next trip. We want to take another trip where we focus on Anchorage, Kodiak, Katmai, and PWS. AKRR to ANC at approx 6 pm. No hotel plans yet for ANC

 

June 13 -- pick up rental car and drive to Denali. Hopefully the drive will involve some stops along the way and will be enjoyable. At this point, my short list of possible places to stay is Denali Lakeview Inn, McKinley Creekside Cabins, or Park's Edge. 1st night.

 

June 14th -- Backcountry tour -- either Backcountry Adventure or Donyon's tour. Can't decide between the two of them. I have read the comments about just doing the park shuttle bus, and while that might be the better choice for someone who has been there many times, for us, we want a tour bus for our first experience. I understand that it's a long time on a bus. I want as much time as possible to be able to see wildlife from the ground. Seeing them from 1000 or 1500 feet up is just seeing dots. I did a flight seeing tour in Misty Fjords with Island Wings last month and loved it; however, all the wildlife we saw consisted of black dots and white dots. It was a wonderful flight, and we certainly did not take it for wildlife viewing. That having been said, I want to do Denali with as much on-ground time as possible. We may change our mind on this, but for now, I'm pretty settled on doing a tour on this day. 2nd night at same place

 

June 15th -- Day for Denali. We'll do something with the park shuttle busses, most likely as far in as we can go. I've read online that you can start making reservations December 1st?? 3rd night at same place.

 

June 16th -- Drive to Talkeetna. Other than the drive, we just want to chill and relax on this day. I understand that there's not a lot to do in Talkeetna, but we will have been racing around since late May by this time in our trip (I have a work trip in Vancouver and Whistler prior to the cruise), and I don't think it's terrible to build a down-day into the itinerary. 1st night at Denali Fireside Cabins

 

June 17th -- TAT base camp with glacier landing flight. Hopefully we'll be able to use the tour saver coupon, making this very affordable for what you're getting. We'd also like to do Huskytown on that day. 2nd night at Denali Fireside Cabins

 

June 18th -- drive back to ANC. No hotel plans yet for ANC.

 

June 19th -- flight home.

 

So that's where we're at. I do appreciate all the input, both on this thread and on many others. There is no perfect itinerary; I know that. There may be elements of this itinerary that could be improved--I still have some time to tweak it!

 

Just a suggestion from a rookie from what I have learned on this forum when making out my Itinerary.

 

Try for the Talkeetna over night on June 13th, with your flight that afternoon or first thing the next morning on June 14th incase it gets canceled on the

13th.

 

On the 14th drive to Denali and stay the nights of the 14th, 15th and 16th.

 

Morning of the 17th drive to Anchorage and stay the nights of the 17th and 18th. From your itinerary you aren't seeing anything around the Anchorage area, this will give you that chance. Like we are doing you could also have time the morning of the 18th to drive to Girdwood which is only 38 miles from Anchorage, there you could take the tram at Hotel Alyeska and have lunch at the top.

 

Jimbo:)

[Budget Queen]

 

June 14th -- Backcountry tour -- either Backcountry Adventure or Donyon's tour. Can't decide between the two of them. I have read the comments about just doing the park shuttle bus, and while that might be the better choice for someone who has been there many times, for us, we want a tour bus for our first experience. I understand that it's a long time on a bus. I want as much time as possible to be able to see wildlife from the ground. Seeing them from 1000 or 1500 feet up is just seeing dots. I did a flight seeing tour in Misty Fjords with Island Wings last month and loved it; however, all the wildlife we saw consisted of black dots and white dots. It was a wonderful flight, and we certainly did not take it for wildlife viewing. That having been said, I want to do Denali with as much on-ground time as possible. We may change our mind on this, but for now, I'm pretty settled on doing a tour on this day. 2nd night at same place

 

June 15th -- Day for Denali. We'll do something with the park shuttle busses, most likely as far in as we can go. I've read online that you can start making reservations December 1st?? 3rd night at same place.

 

 

!

 

 

With a wildlife priority, sorry, you are NOT going to get more of that with your "tour" choice. The wildlife areas are the park entrance to Eielson. It drops off significantly past Eielson. You also have the "wrong" idea on this "tour" bus option. It is based on a lunch at one of the lodges. Your ideas of what you are getting is not actual- with your "wildlife" thinking. For clarification- the shuttle buses go on the same road, there is only one. It's all about distance, that is it. The shuttle bus drivers, are extremely knowledgable and many having many many years in Denali. Thinking that your "tour" bus will offer you more Denali, just isn't so. Only general information, nothing more.

 

 

You may be better off, just staying in Whittier and doing a glacier boat tour, of Prince William Sound, a top scenic option, then just take the train from there to Anchorage. Would make better use of your time. Not sure how early you are going to get going with your current plan, Whittier/Seward, BUT again, with your wildlife priority, a Kenai Fjords boat trip is a top choice, loaded with varied wildlife.

[DD]

We're getting picked up in Whittier at 7:45 am, with the plan to make the 11:30 Kenai Fjord tour. 6:00 train to ANC.