Included Denali land tour

[Stateroom_Sailor]

11 hours ago, titodewy said:

Thanks everyone! Your replies have given me a lot clearer idea of what it will be like and what my alternatives may be.

 

I took the 7 night Yukon tour in 2018.  While I don't regret doing it, it was a tedious trip with way too much sitting.  I would go back for Denali, perhaps on a different cruise tour with Princess.

 

If I were you, I would consider paying extra for another night in Denali if your airfare will allow the switch.  It was the highlight of our trip, and we wished that we had picked a tour with another day.  The Tundra Wilderness Tour is breathtaking when included.  Lastly, buses and/or trains 3 days in a row is what I disliked about our trip the most.  A day of hiking is an excellent idea!

[titodewy]

2 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

I took the 7 night Yukon tour in 2018.  While I don't regret doing it, it was a tedious trip with way too much sitting.  I would go back for Denali, perhaps on a different cruise tour with Princess.

 

If I were you, I would consider paying extra for another night in Denali if your airfare will allow the switch.  It was the highlight of our trip, and we wished that we had picked a tour with another day.  The Tundra Wilderness Tour is breathtaking when included.  Lastly, buses and/or trains 3 days in a row is what I disliked about our trip the most.  A day of hiking is an excellent idea!

Thanks for your reply! We almost booked a added Yukon tour but decided just to stick with Denali. Our drive up to Denali from Anchorage is broken up into 2 days with a over night stop halfway.

The next day we get to Denali at noon.

Unfortunately, the only tour Holland America offers that day is the Denali National History Tour NOT the TWT tour. I guess the TWT tour leaves in the morning before we there???

We leave the next day by the highly rated McKinley Express Explorer train but it's going to take 9 hours to get back down to Whittier to board the cruise ship! 😞

 

[KruisinKath]

5 hours ago, titodewy said:

Thanks for your reply! We almost booked a added Yukon tour but decided just to stick with Denali. Our drive up to Denali from Anchorage is broken up into 2 days with a over night stop halfway.

The next day we get to Denali at noon.

Unfortunately, the only tour Holland America offers that day is the Denali National History Tour NOT the TWT tour. I guess the TWT tour leaves in the morning before we there???

We leave the next day by the highly rated McKinley Express Explorer train but it's going to take 9 hours to get back down to Whittier to board the cruise ship! 😞

 

Do the green transit bus.  Is not narrated like the Tundra Wilderness Tour, but most of the time the drivers do anyway; same distance (to mile 43), way cheaper, you can book exact times, and you can get off to hike and then flag down another green bus…

[mark46]

We the Alaska cruise out of Seattle.

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We are ready to take the tour to Skagway and are deciding regarding land tours. We probably want one of the shorter one.

 

First, my wife is mobility impaired.  She is able to walk short distances a cane and get on buses.  We certainly would include Denali>  Some questions.

 

1) It seems that if we choose 2 nights at Denali that it is basically sleeping one night, the Lonng tour, dinner and a show.  That fine, but what could we had an additional day at the resort.

 

2) Are the shuttles dependable?  I suspect that we should get lodging near the square.

 

3) What other things might we include? A tour of Whittier? of Ankorage? of Fairfield?

 

 

[SeaMatesNYC]

6 hours ago, mark46 said:

We the Alaska cruise out of Seattle.

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We are ready to take the tour to Skagway and are deciding regarding land tours. We probably want one of the shorter one.

 

First, my wife is mobility impaired.  She is able to walk short distances a cane and get on buses.  We certainly would include Denali>  Some questions.

 

1) It seems that if we choose 2 nights at Denali that it is basically sleeping one night, the Lonng tour, dinner and a show.  That fine, but what could we had an additional day at the resort.

 

2) Are the shuttles dependable?  I suspect that we should get lodging near the square.

 

3) What other things might we include? A tour of Whittier? of Ankorage? of Fairfield?

 

 

To Q1: Generally you will arrive afternoon of the first day. You can choose a tour through HAL that will coordinate time wise with your arrival. One example would be a horse drawn wagon ride with a meal at a back-country camp. The next morning (first full day) you would do the tundra wilderness tour on NPS bus. This is a half day tour. Usually included with Denali stays of at least two nights. That afternoon, again you can choose a HAL tour or something independent. The next morning you generally would leave via train for the port. 
 

2) I have no experience with riding the shuttles but when we were there in June, they seemed to run frequently. I assume you mean the shuttles around the resort. My preference was for the upper level buildings near the main lodge. That said, if you want to visit the Denali Square venues, perhaps below is better, although some of those buildings were far enough from the center to perhaps require the shuttle in your wife’s situation. 
 

3) If you start in Fairbanks and have interest, touring The Museum of the North at the U of A campus is well worth a visit. Or the Morris Thompson Cultural Center. No experience here with Anchorage or Whittier tours. We did choose the optional Kenai Peninsula tour on the day of transfer to port several years ago (bus to boat) from Anchorage (to Seward) and it was amazing. Not sure if this is offered with the Whittier departures. 

[BadgerRedux]

@Stateroom_Sailor, if you decide to try a self guided hike while at Denali, I saw a lot of good suggestions at the Earth Trekkers blog; we had planned to do the Horseshoe Lake Trail but looks like it's still closed due to efforts around the Riley fire.  Now looking at some other easy options that either depart from the visitor center or from one of the transit bus stops.  Here are a few links to their site; just keep in mind that any trail heads beyond Mile 43 on the Denali Park Road are inaccessible for a few years (Pretty Rocks landslide)

 

Top 10 hikes in Denali

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/best-hikes-in-denali-national-park/

 

16 Best Things to do in Denali National Park:

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/best-things-to-do-in-denali-national-park/#3_Go_Hiking_in_Denali_National_Park