Tour in Denali

[augies]

The Denali Natural History Tour is included in our cruise/tour to Alaska in August 2012. Should we upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness Tour? It's about $50.00 per person to upgrade. The Tundra Wilderness is a couple of hours longer and goes deeper into the park. Is it worth it?

Thanks for your help. :)

[beauty1492]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! most definitely yes! We saw the sheep/goats, 2 groups of grizzlies, black bears, Moose and so many caribou, birds a plenty.. We were told to take a log book but we saw so much it was hard to keep track. Our fellow travelers on the NHT saw next to nothing same day. Also if you can go to the dog sled demo. be at the bus stop about 30 minutes b4 so you get the bus over it is also well worth the time.

[katisdale]

Absolutely worth it! We are so happy we traded for the longer tour. Go as far into the park as possible!

[doublemm16]

Don't give it a second thought...upgrade!!! We took the TWT last June and had an exceptionally clear day. We say Mt. McKinley, along with bears, fox, caribou, dall sheep, and others. It was one of the highlights of our trip!!

 

Mindi:D

[Cruise time]

I definitely would! Took the standard tour in Denali with another cruise line and wished I had more time to spend there when it was all over! Enjoy!

[quelah]

I agree you should go as far into the park as possible and spend as much time there as you can. Years ago, I stayed in Denali for a week and loved every minute of it. The weather changes constantly; the landscape and the wildlife are amazing.

[Times Prince]

Don't give it a second thought...upgrade!!! We took the TWT last June and had an exceptionally clear day. We say Mt. McKinley, along with bears, fox, caribou, dall sheep, and others. It was one of the highlights of our trip!!

 

Mindi:D

We saw all that on the normal tour in August - however the guide said this was extremely rare - the previous day's tour saw almost nothing.

[Loonbeam]

Add another vote for yes...

 

Time to link the alaska pics again I think. Denali starts on the bottom of page 3 if the link doesn't take you there:

 

http://loonbeam.smugmug.com/Travel/2009/Alaska-2009/13372271_jsGXjS#972440912_Q8NEH

[recyclelady]

As everyone else has said.....YES!

[Hroswitha]

I second what everyone else is telling you about the desirability of upgrading. Do it--absolutely!

 

But if anyone in your group is very elderly, has back problems, or is generally fragile, be aware that this can be a long, rough ride with a lot of bouncing around and bumps. Our tour was in a school bus that seemed to have no springs or effective suspension system at all.

 

We considered the Wilderness Tour a highlight of our whole trip and well worth every last jolt and bump. We'd go again in a heartbeat. But be prepared! As wonderful an experience as it is, some might not find it their proverbial cup of tea.

[2little time]

The Denali Natural History Tour is included in our cruise/tour to Alaska in August 2012. Should we upgrade to the Tundra Wilderness Tour? It's about $50.00 per person to upgrade. The Tundra Wilderness is a couple of hours longer and goes deeper into the park. Is it worth it?

Thanks for your help. :)

Yes, Yes, Yes!!! The Princess busses for that 8 hour trip are better than the park's as they are bucket type. Bring your own lunch unless you can make do with a piece of reindeer meat and cheese . We got subway's and enjoyed them. There are plenty of bottles of water on the bus. We saw every animal possible. No comparison.

[harleysmama]

UPGRADE!!!! It is so worth it.

[DrJohn999]

Upgrade, definitely. We did the Tundra Wilderness last August and were treated to exquisite views of Denali at the end of the road. Wouldn't have missed it for anything!

[soccergang]

Is this an option for every trip to Denali? Does the couple extra hours effect any tour?

[Donder1]

Yup! Upgrade or you will only go to mile 15. The brown bears, sheep, eagles, wolves, etc. are further inland and away from the crowded first 15 miles.We saw 16 brown bears, two bears with their cubs rolling around. Also, by all means,get tickets at Princess Desk in Denali for Jeff King's Homestead right outside the park. He won the Iditarod twice and you get to meet and hold the puppies and hear his stories. Great fun!

[texasgirl29]

We did not opt for the upgraded tour because we were touring with an 11 and a 14 year old, and five hours on a bus was quite enough for them.

 

Still, we enjoyed the bus ride, the driver's comments, and the stops with the rangers.

[frugaltravel]

I say NO!!!! Do not upgrade to the TWT for $50 but book the shuttle bus to Wonder Lake independently for less than that. If the Mountain is visible, stay on to Wonder Lake. If not, get off at Eielson and catch another bus back. The shuttle buses almost always give great commentary, go further into the park (in prime bear habitat that the TWT usually misses) and you can also get off the shuttle bus to hike or take more photos, then catch another shuttle bus.

[Glaciers]

The TWT is much better than the NHT although, as Frugal mentioned, the shuttle is really the way to go. Follows the same route, commentary is usually good. The TWT is not worth the extra cost for me.

[augies]

Thanks to all of you for the information. We upgraded to the Tundra tour today. We just can't wait to go. We were on the Alaska cruise in 1996 but not the cruise/tour. This is going to be great!!

:)

[mcsBigI]

I say NO!!!! Do not upgrade to the TWT for $50 but book the shuttle bus to Wonder Lake independently for less than that. If the Mountain is visible, stay on to Wonder Lake. If not, get off at Eielson and catch another bus back. The shuttle buses almost always give great commentary, go further into the park (in prime bear habitat that the TWT usually misses) and you can also get off the shuttle bus to hike or take more photos, then catch another shuttle bus.

 

 

Thanks for the great tip. CC needs need more generous posters like you who provide useful tips based upon on-the ground experience. Much appreciation.

[Budget Queen]

Some addiitional information to consider. With Princess, they have been refunding the Natural History tour, IF you take the refund, there is no further cash involved if you take a shuttle bus to Eielson, which is farther than the Tundra Wilderness tour.

 

I strongly recommend taking the time and finding out about Denali Park. It is ALL about getting in to it. I find it a very poor itinerary choice, to spend multiple hours in a bus or train to not get into the park, of which you do not on the Natural History tour, and the Discover Denali tour. In my opinion you would be FAR better off traveling elsewhere.

 

For those with the interest to really get into the park and my ONLY recommendation from mid August and later is to be on the Wonder Lake shuttle bus. This is a comparable cost to the Natural History tour. My min, in is Eielson, nothing less.

 

However with the shuttle buses and without your own transportation you do have to co ordinate you shuttle bus to the Access Center to get on the park shuttle bus into the park. Booking a 9am shuttle bus is very doable. No matter how you go, bring your own food and drink.

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena find out about the differences in access

[frugaltravel]

For those with the interest to really get into the park and my ONLY recommendation from mid August and later is to be on the Wonder Lake shuttle bus.

 

This is only due to the mosquito issue at Wonder Lake, which I contend is a minor issue for well-prepared visitors who are on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Denali. If the Mountain is out, Wonder Lake is unsurpassed, regardless if it is June or September.

[snowbird1]

This is only due to the mosquito issue at Wonder Lake, which I contend is a minor issue for well-prepared visitors who are on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Denali. If the Mountain is out, Wonder Lake is unsurpassed, regardless if it is June or September.

 

I went to Wonder Lake in early July once and had no issues of course it could vary from year to year.

[frugaltravel]

I went to Wonder Lake in early July once and had no issues of course it could vary from year to year.

 

It does vary from year to year as you said, but I have always experienced quite a few mosquitoes in July when I have been at Wonder Lake (usually for days at a time). Still, I contend that the Mountain viewing from Wonder Lake area more than compensates for any mosquito problem for 99% of the visitors.

[Budget Queen]

This is only due to the mosquito issue at Wonder Lake, which I contend is a minor issue for well-prepared visitors who are on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Denali. If the Mountain is out, Wonder Lake is unsurpassed, regardless if it is June or September.

 

My post is being read wrong. From mid August and beyond- Wonder Lake is my only recommendation and I always go there, due to the change of colors and ripe berrys with the bear power feeding.

 

I actually was at Wonder Lake this year in June- it was real bad with mosquitoes, but I got eaten up far worse in Fairbanks begining of June since I wasn't doped up. :(