Denali National Park Hiking

What comes to mind when you think of Alaska? Is it gift shops, boardwalks, and buses? Maybe commercialized tours where you’re driven along like cattle? Or is it rugged mountains, rugged people, and independent survivalists? If you answered yes to this last question, you’re just like me. Sadly, most travelers settle for the first two. I want to give you something better. Something more authentic. I want to take you off the beaten path of Denali. And I mean that literally. Our survival tour is entirely off-trail. That means you get the REAL Denali experience. Come with me on a mental field trip to Denali. Feel the peat moss sink beneath your feet. You’re walking on a lush green cloud. In some places, you sink nearly a foot with every step. As you stare in wonder at the unfamiliar forest around you, your guide hands you a wild berry. You taste it. It’s good! It tastes exactly like banana cream. Your guide tells you it’s a cloudberry, and teaches you how to identify it. By the end of the tour, you know how to identify dozens of edible plants and berries. But it doesn’t end there! Your guide walks through the forest with you until they reach a suitable place to stop. You sit down in the lush moss. It absorbs you while your guide gives you a passionate lesson on authentic Alaskan survival skills. You learn how the indigenous Athabaskans refrigerated their food. You learn how to build a shelter that will keep you warm, even in the harsh climate of Denali. Your guide tells you stories of the many survivalists who’ve come to Denali. You hear about Chris McCandless, who met his unfortunate end just miles away from where you now sit. By the time you’re done with your tour, you’re a different traveler. When you look at the forest, you see more than the trees. You see where the permafrost is lower. You recognize moose signs. At a glance, you pick out the best places to build a shelter. You spot game trails, and think about what animal might have made them. You’re no longer observing Denali. You’re experiencing it! Does that sound better than the cookie-cutter tours everyone else offers? If it does, don’t wait to book. These tours are limited, and getting booked fast. If you decide to change times or cancel, you can do it for free until 24 hours before your departure. Don't lose your spot. The only risk is waiting too long.×

Relatively new and making a dynamic impact in the recreational world, a combination hiking and PackRafting trip is a phenomenal way to experience the Alaskan wilderness. PackRafts are lightweight, 4 to 5 pound, inflatable boats, invented in Alaska for Alaskan adventurers. However, they have grown to a world-wide audience and used on every continent with flowing water.×

Your Denali zipline adventure tour begins with a three mile trail ride through the scenic Alaskan wilderness. After gearing up, certified guides will lead you along 6 sky bridges and 7 thrilling zip lines, including the dual racer finale!×

An exclusive multi-sport, full day of adventure combining hiking and river rafting in the Denali area.×

Days begin 8-9 am and end 8-9 pm, with a little flexibility. Travel is at a comfortable pace with several stops along the way. In some locations, optional activities can be arranged for a further personalized experience.×

Our Alaska Family Adventure is a quintessential Alaska journey that features the major biotic regions and multi-sport activities that Alaska is world renowned for.×

After an orientation at our home in Talkeetna, we will fly out to one of our destination lakes in the Talkeetna Mountains and set up a base camp with tents and a cooking shelter. Your guide will lead you off to a nearby glassing point where you will survey the surrounding countryside in search for Bears, Wolves, Caribou, and other species that inhabit the alpine zones. You'll witness a long and splendid sunset before heading back to a warm meal and excited discussions of the day's discoveries.×

Set off on your adventure at our private helipad where you will fly with one of our experienced pilots along with a naturalist expert of the area with over twenty years of experience in the Denali National Park area.×

For the active traveler, a Denali Wilderness Hike is the perfect way to discover this amazing place. This hike usually involves substantial elevation gain, getting you up to the big views above tree line. The trail is not steep or difficult, but a long, steady climb makes this trip fairly strenuous.×

This week-long Alaska trip offers an in-depth exploration of two magical and uniquely distinct national parks: Kenai Fjords and Denali.×

Adventure. Authenticity. Exploration. This tour embodies these three ideas. Leave the trails and cookie-cutter tours behind. Venture off-trail through Denali’s magical boreal forest. Leave the navigation to your guide - they’re an expert. Put your present self into your future shoes for a moment. Your feet sink into the deep peat moss that carpets the forest floor. Your guide hands you a fistful of wild blueberries. They’re tastier than the ones you bought from the store. The complex flavors wash over your palette as your guide tells you about the nutritional benefits. Out of the corner of your eye you spot movement! A snowshoe hare. It hasn’t fully lost its ivory-white winter coat yet. Your guide decides to change course and follow the hare. Why not? You’re not on a trail after all. Now drag yourself back to the present. Did that sound like something you would like to experience on your Denali vacation? If so, the Wilderness Wonders Tour was designed for you. The best part? The scene I laid out for you isn’t an outlier. The magic begins when you leave the trail. The worst part? Due to the high skill level required to guide tours like this, most companies don’t offer them. You won’t get many chances to experience something like this. Don’t let the opportunity slip away. Availabilities are first-come-first-serve, so don’t wait for someone else to decide your vacation’s fate.×