Denali Bus Tour Evaluation
 

Trying to decide between Tundra Wilderness Tour and Kantishna Experience Bus Tours for next Aug. in Denali. Can those with experience please advise if the additional 40 miles and 4 hours on a bus are worth it? TIA.

We took the Tundra Wilderness Tour, which was great, but I would have loved to do another 4 hours in the park.

Don't remember the name, but we took the one that lasts 10-12 hours. Pros - it was Denali and I will likely never return. Saw a moderate number of wildlife, some close up (Mom and baby grizzlies at side of road, baby moose about 20 feet away, bald eagles). Pleasant people on the bus. Driver was excellent driver (more on that later). Stop at end of road for lunch - OK lunch and more pleasant people. Opportunity for short hike where there was more wildlife and more bears close up.

Cons - it was over 10 hours, so wildlife per hour was low. Good thing the driver was excellent, since the road into Denali is about an inch wider than a bus - and then you have to pass buses going in opposite direction - along unguarded road where fall down the cliff would be hundreds of feet. If you don't like heights, this is not for you. Ten hours on a school bus is a bit much.

I would not take either of these---definitely do not go all the way to Kantishna. You should just take the shuttle--not one of the tour busses. It is cheaper and you go on the same road and have good bus drivers. You don't get lunch--just pack a lunch and some drinks.

It is nice if you can book the shuttle 2 days. We booked the shuttle both days to Wonder Lake. You only want to go to Wonder Lake if it is a clear day. We were told that the bus to Wonder Lake fills on clear days and it is not always available at the last minute.

You can get off the shuttle and return from any of the stopping points. You do not have to stay on your assigned shuttle the whole day. IF you decide to hike or stay at a stop for a longer time, you can board another shuttle.

Our first day was clear and sunny and we took the shuttle all the way to Wonder Lake. We were on the 9:15 shuttle--many people recommend an earlier shuttle so that you see more animals. We got back at 8:30PM. Deanli was out in all her glory and we had a wonderful day.

The second day was very cloudy--wildlife sightings actually were better but we stopped at Eielson, hiked around, had lunch and then got on a different shuttle back. There is a ranger at Eielson that keeps a list of guests who need a ride back.

We had a bear slow our exit from Denali for about 20 minutes on the ride out of the park. He decided to walk and dawdle along the park road. He put on quite a show for our bus and would not get out of the middle of the road.

Totally agree with taking the shuttle. They all use old school buses and they all go down the same road. Shuttles are much cheaper. I think the others serve lunch but from what I hear it isn't much to brag about.

We've done it twice to Eilson Visitor Center and seen tons of wildlife both times. Even had clear views of Denali on one trip. Bus drivers were always great. Plenty of restroom stops.

Your windows will probably be down and the road is usually dusty. Take a backpack or sack to protect your things. Take water, snacks/lunch, wet wash cloth/wet wipes to clean up, and for sure, binoculars.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisi...ing-denali.htm

This says the shuttle bus drivers aren't narrators but both years our drivers did an excellent job narrating. They were always more than happy to stop for wildlife. They encouraged us to be on the look out and give a shout if we saw something.

All:
Many thanks for very useful info.
JCBD

We went to the end of the road - Kantishna - and we did see numerous animals and saw glimpses of the mountain. This trip was through Denali Backcountry Adventures and used a school bus sized vehicle but the seats were contoured and there was overhead storage. We were picked up around 6:30 and returned to our hotel between 7:30 & 8:00. Having done this trip, I would probably not do it again if I were to return.