Tour Bus waiting at a rest stop with Mt. Denali in the background.

Denali Essentials to Whittier - Tour 144

Journey by land to the highest mountain in North America before journeying by boat on an Alaska cruise.

Guests on the Denali Star can travel between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Denali Essentials to Whittier - Tour 144

Journey by land to the highest mountain in North America before journeying by boat on an Alaska cruise.

Caribou amid a colorful fall meadow in Denali National Park.

Denali Essentials to Whittier - Tour 144

Journey by land to the highest mountain in North America before journeying by boat on an Alaska cruise.

Denali Essentials to Whittier - Tour 144

Journey by land to the highest mountain in North America before journeying by boat on an Alaska cruise.

Flightseeing over Denali from Talkeetna Alaska.

Denali Essentials to Whittier - Tour 144

Journey by land to the highest mountain in North America before journeying by boat on an Alaska cruise.

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

Trip Overview

Although Alaska's landscapes are wide ranging, the two views most people envision are Denali and the Inside Passage. This five-day land package gives travelers the chance to explore Denali National Park before embarking on a cruise out of Whittier. Featured activities include a whitewater raft trip along the park border, a guided wildlife bus tour along the Denali Park Road, and a flightseeing trip through the mountains surrounding Denali. All accommodations and transportation, which features the Alaska Railroad and Park Connection Motorcoach, are also included. The trip begins in Anchorage and ends in Whittier.

Trip Highlights

Follow in the footsteps of the earliest Denali National Park visitors on an Alaska Railroad train ride from Anchorage.
Observe Alaskan wildlife on a guided bus tour down the sole Denali National Park road.
Whitewater raft through splashy rapids in the Nenana River Canyon.
Enjoy a convenient same-day transfer from Talkeetna to the Whittier cruise terminal aboard the Park Connection Motorcoach.

Why Pick This Trip

This getaway builds on our popular four-day Denali Express to Whittier land package, adding one night in Talkeetna. The town is known as the Gateway to Denali and it's the home base for epic flightseeing tours into the Alaska Range. If you have another day to spare before your Whittier cruise gets under way, this five-day package provides another wonderful way to experience Denali.

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

Enjoy unparalleled hospitality at this Alaskan-owned property minutes from the Denali National Park entrance. The hotel offers Hillside and premium RiverView rooms as well as a full-service restaurant serving up the area's best barbeque. 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 Talkeetna 10:45 AM

Choose either the Park to Park or Denali Express route headed south for a quick and comfortable 3.5-hour trip to Talkeetna. Learn More >

Talkeetna | Depart 2:30 PM | 1 Hour

Experience the extreme beauty of Denali and the fortress of granite peaks surrounding it on this must-do flightseeing trip out of Talkeetna. Learn More >

Talkeetna | 1 Night

When the mountain is "out" Denali is unmissable from this ridge-top property. The lodge comprises two full-service restaurants, a coffee shop, bar, and comfortable guest rooms with either forest or mountain views. Learn More >

Depart 11:00 AM | Arrive Whittier 5:00 PM

Transfer directly to the Whittier cruise terminal from Talkeetna in a half day aboard a luxury Park Connection Motorcoach. The transfer includes a lunch stop in Anchorage. 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 downtown hotel by courtesy shuttle. The area around your accommodations is bustling, with shops, restaurants, parks, and city paths within walking distance. Overnight Anchorage.

Transfer this morning to the Anchorage Depot to catch the train bound for Denali National Park. With onboard car hosts narrating the route, a full-service dining area, and a shared dome observation car, the train ride is equal parts fun, comfortable, and scenic.

With everlasting daylight, summer activities can go well into the night. This evening you'll head out on a three-hour Nenana River whitewater rafting trip. Overnight Denali.

You'll venture beyond the borders of Denali National Park today, riding 90 miles one way on a guided wildlife and sightseeing bus tour. The landscapes are often indescribably vast, the wildlife sightings such a thrill. You'll have time after lunch, which is included and served at the Kantishna Roadhouse, to savor the backcountry a bit more before making the return trip to the park entrance. Overnight Denali.

Leaving the Denali Park area, you'll travel a few hours south this morning to the eclectic town of Talkeetna. Spend some time strolling through its gift shops and galleries after you arrive. This afternoon, you'll visit Denali National Park again, but this time aboard a small plane. The flightseeing trip lasts about an hour, taking you into the otherworldly landscape of the Alaska Range.

Before you tuck in the for the night, give yourself one more chance to catch a view of Denali: Your hotel offers wake up calls when the mountain is out. Overnight Talkeetna.

Today you'll travel from Talkeetna to Whittier aboard the 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: $1,946	Double: $1,468	Triple: $1,335	Quad: $1,269	Child: $711
Taxes & Fees	Single: $117	Double: $80	Triple: $69	Quad: $64	Child: $30
Total	Single: $2,063	Double: $1,548	Triple: $1,404	Quad: $1,333	Child: $741
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: $1,904	Double: $1,426	Triple: $1,293	Quad: $1,227	Child: $690
Taxes & Fees	Single: $117	Double: $80	Triple: $69	Quad: $64	Child: $30
Total	Single: $2,021	Double: $1,506	Triple: $1,362	Quad: $1,291	Child: $720
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 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, guests often choose to upgrade their train ride between Anchorage and Denali Park to the GoldStar dome. The specialty service includes reserved seating in an upper-level car with dome windows and both breakfast and lunch. Want to make your Denali flightseeing trip even more special? Switch to a flight with glacier landing. Even with a shorter trip your choices are many, and just a few 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.

Talkeetna | Depart 8:30 AM | 1 Hour

Land on a glacier deep within the Alaska Range on this unforgettable flightseeing trip out of Talkeetna. Learn More >

Anchorage

Explore the art, languages, beliefs, and ways of life of five distinct indigenous Alaskan cultures at the state’s premier educational and cultural facility. Learn More >