Solo traveler to Denali

[emeltee]

It's possible that my brother will be the only one from our party to go to Denali. He is definitely a DIY type of traveler, but would a cruisetour be a better choice for solo traveler?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

If he is a DIY kind of guy he could easily do Denali that way. I do not think a DIY guy would like a cruisetour. They are very set on times and activities.

 

Is he comfortable driving 5+ hours by himself from Anchorage to Denali? That would give him the most flexibility. Or he could take the train or a bus to get there and back.

 

You can not drive into the park [past mile 15] so he would need to take a shuttle or tour bus. He would be with other people on these.

 

I would be careful about hiking by myself into the wilderness. [but, that is me]

[mapleleaves]

Why would a cruisetour be a better option for a solo traveler? What does he want to do? Price the options and compare

The train only has one departure a day so it's quite restrictive; an 8hr trip each way. The Park Connection Bus has 2 departures a day so a little more flexibility;a 6 hr trip. With both options he'll need to stay at a hotel with a shuttle service to/from the train and to/from Denali. A car would provide the opportunity for other sightseeing stops along the way, plus access to cheaper and more interesting accommodations and no schedule restrictions.

Maybe consider a B&B or cabin that provides b'fast:

http://www.alaskaone.com/_dcc/accommodations/

[Budget Queen]

Either option will work very well for a solo traveler. But with the DIY description, I wouldn't think a cruisetour would be the best option, and probably going to be too limiting.

 

It's easy and simple to tour Alaska, if one chooses to do so. :)

[emeltee]

If he is a DIY kind of guy he could easily do Denali that way. I do not think a DIY guy would like a cruisetour. They are very set on times and activities.

 

Is he comfortable driving 5+ hours by himself from Anchorage to Denali? That would give him the most flexibility. Or he could take the train or a bus to get there and back.

 

You can not drive into the park [past mile 15] so he would need to take a shuttle or tour bus. He would be with other people on these.

 

I would be careful about hiking by myself into the wilderness. [but, that is me]

 

I guess it's the driving part. I'm sure he'd be more than fine driving, but from a concerned older sister standpoint, I would think that taking a bus/train would be easier/safer.

 

I just think of myself driving down the 5 from SF - LA - a very boring 5 hours. But my brother does it fairly frequently.

 

Why would a cruisetour be a better option for a solo traveler? What does he want to do? Price the options and compare

The train only has one departure a day so it's quite restrictive; an 8hr trip each way. The Park Connection Bus has 2 departures a day so a little more flexibility;a 6 hr trip. With both options he'll need to stay at a hotel with a shuttle service to/from the train and to/from Denali. A car would provide the opportunity for other sightseeing stops along the way, plus access to cheaper and more interesting accommodations and no schedule restrictions.

Maybe consider a B&B or cabin that provides b'fast:

http://www.alaskaone.com/_dcc/accommodations/

 

I'll pass on the information to him. I'm doing all the research at this point, so I'm trying to figure out all the options for him. He's being a bit slow on researching what he wants.

[frugaltravel]

Personally I think being independent in Denali is far better than a cruisetour. You can have more time there and if he is truly interested in wildlife, scenery and/or hiking, he will enjoy it immensely. No, there is not a bear around every bush waiting to jump out at him! It does take a little getting used to being out in the "wilderness" but there are ways to enjoy it even if he doesn't want to go out hiking on his own. There are several ranger-led hikes each day.

 

The 5-hour drive is much nicer than the one between Sacramento and LA. Lots of places to stop for scenery, photos, etc. especially if Mt. McKinley is visible.

[CTDesign11]

Last August I took a solo visit to Denali prior to a cruise from Seward with my wife. I took the train to Denali from Anchorage, spent one night outside the park prior to four nights at Camp Denali. I took a bus back to Anchorage to meet my wife and then on to the cruise. That's the abriged version. The entire trip was great! I needed six days ahead of my wife to accomplish my travel. Driving would have allowed more flexibility, but the train and bus travel was a welcome time to relax, despite limited scheduling. Guided group hiking at Camp Denali eliminated the concerns of solo hiking and the views were fantastic.