Two cubs and their mother as she stands on her hind legs in Lake Clark National Park.

Denali Express to Whittier - Tour 143

Before setting out on a cruise from Whittier, take in the the wild wonder of Denali National Park on a fast and fun four-day land package.

Gorgeous summertime flowers in Anchorage, Alaska.

Denali Express to Whittier - Tour 143

Before setting out on a cruise from Whittier, take in the the wild wonder of Denali National Park on a fast and fun four-day land package.

Enjoy whitewater rafting the Nenana with your experienced guide.

Denali Express to Whittier - Tour 143

Before setting out on a cruise from Whittier, take in the the wild wonder of Denali National Park on a fast and fun four-day land package.

Grande Denali Lodge with fireweed in the foreground.

Denali Express to Whittier - Tour 143

Before setting out on a cruise from Whittier, take in the the wild wonder of Denali National Park on a fast and fun four-day land package.

Caribou run through meadows in Denali National Park.

Denali Express to Whittier - Tour 143

Before setting out on a cruise from Whittier, take in the the wild wonder of Denali National Park on a fast and fun four-day land package.

Overview
What's Included
Itinerary
Map
Rates & Dates
Options & Upgrades
Photos
Add to My Trip

Trip Overview

See Denali National Park before embarking on an Alaska cruise with this quick land package. Modes of travel are optimized for both scenery and efficiency, with visitors traveling by the Alaska Railroad north to Denali National Park, and transferring to Whittier via the Park Connection Motorcoach. Featured activities include a whitewater raft trip and guided wildlife bus tour along the Denali Park Road. Accommodations for one night in Anchorage and two near Denali Park are also included. This four-day, three-night Alaska vacation package begins in Anchorage and ends in Whittier.

Trip Highlights

Board the classic Denali Star railroad route for a scenic train ride from Anchorage to the depot inside Denali National Park.
Splash through Razorback, Iceworm, and more rapids on a whitewater raft trip down the Nenana River.
View fascinating wildlife of Denali on a full-day guided bus tour down the remote Park Road.
Conveniently transfer from Denali to Whittier in a single day aboard the deluxe Park Connection Motorcoach.

Why Pick This Trip

This pre-cruise land package combines efficient travel with favorite Denali National Park activities for a trip that feels rich in experiences despite its short length. It also complements a cruise itinerary by showcasing a side of Alaska totally unique from what you'll see by ship.

What's Included

Here is everything that is included. Remember, we can easily add or remove services so this vacation package is the perfect fit for your party.

Anchorage | 1 Night

Conveniently located just three blocks from the Anchorage train depot, this creek-side hotel offers comfortable double queen rooms, an indoor pool, fully equipped fitness center, and complimentary hot breakfast buffet. Learn More >

Depart 8:15 AM | Arrive Denali Park 3:40 PM

Enjoy a reserved seat on the upper deck of a private railcar on this specialty service along the Denali Star route between Anchorage and Denali National Park. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 6:30 PM | 3 Hours

Splash through wilder rapids in the Nenana River Gorge on this three-hour trip with Denali's longest-running rafting company. Learn More >

Denali Park | 2 Nights

Minutes away from the Denali National Park entrance, this mountaintop property offers standard guest rooms, premium rooms with a view, and private cabins as well as fine dining at the Alpenglow Restaurant and Peak Spirit Lounge. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 6:30 AM | 13 Hours

Take a guided bus tour into the heart of Denali National Park, enjoy a hearty lunch at the Kantishna Roadhouse, and spot iconic wildlife on this full-day excursion. Learn More >

Depart 7:15 AM | Arrive Whittier 5:00 PM

Settle in for a comfortable, easy transfer to cruise ships leaving out of Whittier on this same-day Park Connection motorcoach route out of Denali Park. Learn More >

Itinerary

Read on for a day-by-day breakdown of this tour package. Click on an item to get started, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.

Fly into Ted Stevens International Airport and transfer to your hotel by courtesy shuttle. Explore Anchorage at your leisure. Overnight Anchorage.

Transfer from your nearby hotel to the Anchorage Depot to catch the Denali Star train headed north to Denali National Park. Once you're settled on board, purchase a few breakfast snacks from the bistro and take a turn in the shared dome observation car.

After a brief stop in Talkeetna, the route continues through mountain valleys on its way up and over the Continental Divide. From here the train winds 35 more miles to the Denali Depot. This evening set out on an exhilarating whitewater raft trip down the nearby Nenana River. Overnight Denali.

You'll travel deep within Denali National Park today, journeying by bus down the 92-mile Denali Park Road. The bus is outfitted with large picture windows that slide sideways to give you unimpeded views of wildlife and the park's everchanging landscapes. The guided tour includes lunch at the Kantishna Roadhouse, a historic backcountry lodge built on the site of the area's original mining town.

You'll travel from the Denali Park area to Whittier today aboard the comfortable Park Connection Motorcoach. Your land package concludes in Whittier.

Map

Check out the map below for a visual overview of this specific tour package. You can see a larger version of the map here, or try our an interactive tour map by using the link below.

SHOW INTERACTIVE MAP >

Rates & Dates

The prices below will give you an idea of approximately how much this trip will cost. Keep in mind your actual price will likely vary based on your departure date, availability, and any modifications you make. You can use one of the links below to request an exact quote for your party, or price the trip yourself if you prefer using our My Trip feature. You can often save money by traveling in the value season, typically May and September.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $1,357	Double: $1,039	Triple: $952	Quad: $909	Child: $511
Taxes & Fees	Single: $82	Double: $52	Triple: $44	Quad: $40	Child: $15
Total	Single: $1,439	Double: $1,091	Triple: $996	Quad: $949	Child: $526
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $1,315	Double: $997	Triple: $910	Quad: $867	Child: $490
Taxes & Fees	Single: $82	Double: $52	Triple: $44	Quad: $40	Child: $15
Total	Single: $1,397	Double: $1,049	Triple: $954	Quad: $907	Child: $505
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

Options and Add-Ons

This is one of our most popular pre-cruise tour packages, but you can make it even better! We can add or remove services to make it a perfect match for your party. For example, many of our guests choose to upgrade their rail experience to the Wilderness Express dome. Do you prefer a mellow river to a wild one? Change your whitewater raft trip to a scenic float. The choices are endless, and just a couple of suggestions are listed below.

You can make these changes at check out and your final package price will be updated to reflect just the services you choose. Give us a call or request a quote for more specifics.

Depart 8:15 AM | Arrive Denali Park 3:40 PM

Enjoy a reserved seat on the upper deck of a private railcar on this specialty service along the Denali Star route between Anchorage and Denali National Park. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 7:30 AM | 3 Hours

Float down the Nenana River on scenic mild water excursion with Denali’s longest-running rafting company. Learn More >

Denali Park | Depart 10:00 AM | 1 Hour

Visit a respected Denali Park sled dog kennel, meet some pups, and learn about one of Alaska’s most important traditions on this 2.5-hour tour. Learn More >