If you want to go to the end of the road in Denali (approximately 92 miles, and the same return), there are two options – the Kantishna Experience Tour at almost $240, and the Denali Shuttle Bus, costing around $64 to go to the end of the road. Sure, the tour includes lunch and a guaranteed guide, but the shuttle is over $175 cheaper – you could buy lunch and a guidebook and still save over $100 per person. I chose to take the shuttle and the following are my best Denali Shuttle Bus Tips.
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Update for 2020: There were bad mudslides in 2019 and there is a possibility that part of the road into Denali may be closed for maintenance in 2020. Please check nps.gov for latest updates.
Why You Should Take the Shuttle Bus Rather than the Denali Tour
I’ve already mentioned the huge savings – around $175 per person. You could take the full shuttle ride almost 4 times for the same price as a one day Kantishna Experience Tour.
Although the Shuttle Bus is advertised as a “Non-Narrated Transit Bus” ride, most of the bus drivers provide some light narration and they stop for extended periods so you can get great shots of wildlife. As I traveled around Alaska, I talked to many other travelers who raved how great their driver was on the Denali Shuttle Bus.
Denali Shuttle Bus Tips
Tip #1 -The entry fee into Denali National Park is $15 but it is included if you have or buy the $80 Annual America The Beautiful Pass which gives you entry into all US National Parks for a year. Insider Tip: the pass is good until the end of the month of purchase plus 12 full months, so if you purchase the pass at the beginning of the month, the pass is good for 13 months.
Tip #2 – It’s worth reserving the bus, especially if you are traveling in the busy months of July-August. They release some of the tickets for reserving well before departure, and the remainder within 48 hours of departure. You’ll also want to make reservations for the shuttle bus if you’re planning to do any back country Denali backpacking.
Tip #3 – Find the bus! Both the tours and shuttles leave from the bus depot, not far from the entrance to the park from Parks Highway. There’s ample parking, but it’s worth arriving a bit early just in case.
Tip #4 – Stay comfortable. Both the tours and shuttle buses use glorified school busses. The seats were more comfortable than I remember from my school bus rides in the 1980’s but consider bringing a pillow or seat cushion.
Tip #5 – Heed the bladder. Neither the tours now shuttle buses have toilets, so plan on only having access to bathrooms every 90 or so minutes. Don’t drink too much coffee!
Tip #6 – Bring plenty to eat and drink. I like to bring some fruit or veggies and protein bars or hard-boiled eggs. For water, I try to avoid
Tip #7 – The most important thing is to remember your camera. Make sure you fully charge your batteries, bring extra batteries if you have them, and consider bringing a portable charger if you’re afraid your batteries might die. You will take lots of photos! I used my zoom a lot!
Tip #8 – Be flexible – the weather in Alaska is wild and you might see early snow, or pouring rain, or a great sunny day. According to a park ranger, only 30% of park visitors actually see the mountain. And now my story: I arrived on a beautiful morning. The sun was shining bright and the air was clean of the Summer 2019 smoke after a few days of rain. I happily skipped along to check-in for my day-long shuttle bus only to be told there were mudslides the previous day, and the road was only open for 30 miles of the total 93 miles. Poor roads and multiple mudslides had closed the road. They would give me a proportional refund, but they would not refund in total. I was so bummed but decided to go anyways. In the end, I’m super happy I went, as I saw the mountain, several caribou, and a silly grizzly bear roaming down the mountain and scratching his back on a little tree. And I spent the rest of the day exploring the incredibly scenic Denali Highway.
Tip #9 – Consider booking more than one day. If you’re not a hiker (or if you are a hiker), riding the bus on multiple days will ensure you see the maximum. As mentioned above, the weather isn’t super predictable so maybe one day you can see the mountain and the other you won’t. You will definitely see different animals if you ride the bus more than once. The shuttle is not super expensive, so for the same price of the tour, you can ride the bus two or three times.
Tip #10: there is one weekend per year in September where private cars can go all the way to the end of the road with a permit. There is a nominal fee to enter the lotto to get a permit and the odds are not in your favor to win, but if you’d love to drive yourself into Denali, you get to join the lotto in May and then plan your Alaska vacation around your Denali drive.
Where to Stay When Visiting Denali National Park
Going all 93 miles into the park, either by tour or shuttle bus, means a long day – 12 or 13 hours. The nearest larger city is Fairbanks, a 2 hour and 15 minute drive from Denali Park, so consider staying in the village at the entrance of the park or in Healy before and/or after your tour or shuttle bus (Check Rates and Availability). There are several restaurants and souvenir shops available.
Exploring Further
Before or after traveling in Denali National Park, make sure you explore Fairbanks, Alaska and drive the Denali Highway for amazing views.
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