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To experience the heart of Denali National Park, you'll have to travel by bus, van or plane -- private cars aren't allowed past the first 15 miles. The options all vary with respect to time, distance, price and flexibility. It's worth doing one of them: You'll get closer to Denali (Mt. McKinley), see more wildlife, and get a better sense of what makes the park so renowned. Find out which one works best for you:
Jump to Section: Private Tours (New for 2020!) | Bus Tours | Denali National Park Shuttle Bus | Flights
Private Tours (New for 2020!)//Max 8 people within your group or family
Traverse Alaska
Year Round
Traverse Alaska can craft fully-guided custom adventures, or set you up on a trip into the Alaska wilderness arming you with some know-how—and providing you with the independence to freely explore. Traverse Alaska’s owner, Joe and his local team can help facilitate stays in lodges, cabins, tents or yurts, and provide the necessary gear and instructions for anything from hiking to packrafting, sea kayaking to glacier trekking, on an independent or fully-guided trip.
Bus Tours//Narrated large group tours on the Denali Park Road, 4 - 12 hours
Denali Backcountry Adventure
Most people who visit the six-million-acre Denali National Park only see roughly the first dozen—or maybe 50—miles of the legendary park Road. But this tour takes you all the way to the depths of Kantishna—the heart of the Park where you have the chance to experience postcard-perfect views of Mt. McKinley. This tour makes for a full day—from about 6 in the morning until 7 or 8 in the evening—but it’s an adventure of a lifetime.
Kantishna Wilderness Trails
Explore all 92 miles of the Denali Park Road and have the entire trip narrated by an experienced driver. Not only will you see legendary landmarks such as Polychrome Pass, Wonder Lake and Reflection Pond, you will have opportunities to see the abundance of wildlife in the park. Enjoy a hot lunch, explore the grounds, pan for gold, or take a short walk along the creek, or relax in a rocker at the lodge and soak up the scenery.
Narrated Tour Buses in Denali National Park
Denali is an absolutely stunning park—full of amazing wildlife and unforgettable scenery. And the best way to get an overview is aboard one of the park buses, which feature a trained naturalist who both drives and provides narration.
Denali National Park Shuttle Bus//Not always narrated, serves as transportation for campers and hikers in the park. Or, you can ride it as an alternative to a tour.
Denali Park Transit Bus
This flexible alternative to the standard bus tour is a great option for independent travelers. Get off anywhere, spend a few hours hiking, then catch another bus back to the park entrance (as long as a seat is available). You can take a short ride before starting your adventure, or travel out to Kantishna, at the end of the park road.
Flights//Take a bus tour one-way, and fly back the other
Kantishna Air Taxi
May - September
This is the only flightseeing company with an airstrip in Kantishna, inside Denali National Park. Because you depart so much closer to the mountain than other tours, in a one-hour flight, you’ll get 40 minutes circling the mountain. You may also combine a one-way park road bus tour with a Denali flightseeing tour for an incredible overview of the park.
