Have checked the $ 125 Denali Park Bus Tour, 13 hours to Wonder Lake and Kantishna (end of the park road).
Then the shorter morning or afternoon Bus Tundra Wildlife Tours, 6-8 hours.

Does it make sense or, better, is it worth to do both ?

Maybe the shorter one has mor chances to see bears ?? or it is just the same but shorter road ?
First goes further

First off, I never recommend the TOUR buses, far better and way cheaper are the SHUTTLE buses. Expecially the Kantishna day trips offer little more than a high priced lunch. Most times you only after a couple hours there and few if any organized activities depending who you go with. If you want Kantishna, go for the overnights so at least you can enjoy all the great stuff the lodges plan for activities.
The shuttle to Wonder Lake is $42.50, you bring all your own food and drink.

For clairfication- the Park Road is 90 miles, only ONE road in, Wonder Lake is mile 85, Fish Creek, mile 63, and no I never recommend the Tundra Wilderness tour either for independent visitors, the Tolkat SHUTTLE goes to the same mile 53 for $28.50. The "bear" area is usually between Savage River and Fish Creek. You have "more chances" the longer you go in, but bottom line, no guarantees for anything. Binoculars are necessary for each person, at least 10 power in my opinion.

Thank you.

I had considered the shuttle bus to kantishna rather than a bus tour. My only concern, except for the price, is that at every stop we would have to wait for about 1 hour (maybe less maybe more) for the next and in case of bad weather (heavy rain)it might become a problem, if also added to a no guarantee of seats availability on the next bus, while on the bus tour you have always it at your disposal all day long !!
As of your experience do you think late august it is still crowded that we might find no seats on shuttle buses or already sold out tour buses ?

As far as I know Alaska is becoming even more very popular year by year
compared with the past.... !

Fabio
When you sign up for a shuttle bus to Wonder Lake, mile 85, for instance, you will have stops about every 1.5 hrs for restrooms, rest stops plus whenever anyone spots wildlife. At Wonder Lake, you have about 1/2 hr before heading back on the same bus. You don't have to worry about seats as long as you stay on the same bus. It is only when you get off and hike that you have to get on another bus. Last yr in the last week of Aug, we only had about a 50% full early morning shuttle and we had people getting on and off all day. But I would definitely have advance reservations for the shuttle before I went.

Thanks, I am now reconsidering the bus tour in favour of the shuttle bus to Wonder Lake.
Once again, travelling with 2 kids my intention was not to get off the bus in case of really bad weather and to have to wait for the next, if seats available !
Our highlight for the kids on this tour is trying to see bears and, as you say, if driver stops not only for rests but also if someone spot wildlife I would not need to get off the bus and wait for another !!
The 10 years old kid would hike even more than me, but the 4 year definitely not , even with full sunshine !

I think you will be happier on the Wonder Lake Shuttle, and save money too. Just remember to pick up snacks, sandwiches,cooler, and drinks before the trip. Cheaper to pick up groceries in Anc, or Wasilla, Subway in Denali makes good sandwiches. Take bug spray, rain gear and lots of camera stuff and binoculars. The passengers are mainly responsible for spotting the wildlife so it can be tiring work.
We have done 3 trips on shuttle and never been disappointed. We found the stops sufficient to get out and walk around, take photos, even ate our lunch at Eielson ctr one time. There are also places to walk around near entrance to park, plus new visitor ctr. Plus if time permits, you can drive your rental car into the park for the first 13 or 15 miles on paved road. We have done this every time, as there isn't much to do around there in evening. We have seen moose on both times doing this.

If you are taking a 4 year old to Wonder Lake, be very certain you have plenty of "distractions" meaning twice as many games, portable DVD with twice the batteries, extra snacks etc. This really isn't a trip for under 10, kids just are NOT interested in scenery and most wildlife requires binoculars. And no way OUT with a disruptive child. As stated, the rest stops are at most 15 mins. then you reclaim your seat on the SAME bus, you don't even have to get out if you don't want to. At Wonder Lake most times I have gone you have about 45 min. again you can sit on the bus the entire time if you wish. For clairfication, Kantishna is all private, if you want you can take the SHUTTLE bus there, 5 miles further than Wonder Lake, Same deal, reboard and return. WHAT date are you looking at?

In the meantime I got reply from backcountrysafaris. Their Kantishna bus tour is sold out except for 24 25 26th aug, this means right in the middle of our stay in Soutcentral Alaska, while I was planning Denali for the very beginning at around 20th before Kenai or after Kenai around 28th before our flight back to Europe on 30th. Available dates are therefore not much comfortable as we cannot split Kenai in two parts: Anchorage-Homer-Denali-Seward-Anchorage ?? I do not like this. On top they charge kids as adults 125$ each !!! it makes 500 total + taxes !
So back to our shuttle bus to Wonder Lake!! I will try to book the shuttle bus for 28th, then 29th to Talkeetna and 30th back home.
Do you suggest an early morning departure like 06:45 am ? This returns at around 04:30 at savage River.
I read somewhere that Savage River parking lot is a bit limited. But it seems shuttle bus departs from somewhere else before Savage River ??!! Timetable shows as first point Depart WAC (where/what is it ?), then depart Savage Camp etc....

Where can I park so early in the morning ?

Yes we will get off the bus during the stops and get on again on same bus

So the reservation is only valid if we never change the bus roundtrip, right ?

This is our first trip to Alaska, that's why too many questions !!

thank you again !!

I got it: WAC means Wilderness Access Center and reservedenali explains: !All shuttle buses other than Camper Buses must be boarded at the Wilderness Access Center "

That sounds right. I would book an early trip, I think we were on the 6:45 am bus at about the same time last yr. We had no mosquito problems at that time. If your 4yr old gets tired, maybe they will sleep on way back.

just checked the DENALI online reservation system which offers the 07:45 am bus as earliest departure. I still have to check where I am supposed to park my car. At WAC ??

Yes, you park at the WAC (well marked when you drive into the park), and there is plenty of parking. As for the reservation, if you want an earlier time, you might want to try calling instead of relying on online reservations. When we reserved I looked online first and then called, and the buses the reservation person showed as available were not quite the same ones as on the web site. I know Budget Queen always says they hold back some seats on each bus and that you can get them a day or two before, but we wanted everything all set well in advance. We took a 6:30 bus because so many people recommended going early, but the majority of our wildlife sightings were late morning and after. Probably just luck. The owner of the lodge where we stayed said anything before 8 is good, so I wouldn't worry too much about 7:45 being late, especially since getting a sleepy child up early enough to catch a 6 something shuttle isn't always fun. Good luck and enjoy.

On your dates, there is a 6:45 and 7:15am bus in addition to later. You park at the well marked WAC lot. Get there at least 30 min. early.

For clarification NO WORRY, if you want "sold out" seats. ALL buses hold back 35% of the seats and they go on sale, 2 days prior. I just call a 7am and have gotten any bus I want.

Again for clairfication, the reason your "wildlife sightings" were "later" is because you have to get to the areas that the wildlife is in. Moose is common the paved area but not much else, you still are best to look at early buses, every trip always has far more views on the way out, then the heat of the day, makes them less open. But you won't see bears early in the trip usually. Some chance before Polychrome pass but most likely after and until Eielson.

thanks a lot !!

so you suggest NOT to book now online the 07:45am and call them once there, or the day before, for an earlier departure without any reservation ??

Any ticket reservation change is charged $ 4 each !!

they charge $ 4 each ticket reservation change !

To clarify further, many of our sightings were way later--in the afternoon on the way back out of the park, not on the way in. And not as far from the paved part as you'd expect. This is perhaps an anomaly, but at least on that day, plenty of later buses were seeing on their way in the same amazing wildlife that we saw on our way out. It was June, however, and pretty cool (also raining), so perhaps the difference between morning and afternoon temperatures was not as significant. Enjoy it whenever you end up going. It's a fabulous experience--the best day of our trip (though the Northwestern Fjords cruise comes close).

I will probably get the 07:45am bus also considering the early wake up of our kids !! They can still sleep a bit until we enter the second part of the road where, most likely, wildlife should be seen !

Where do I pick up tickets ?? At WAC on same morning before boardin the bus or the day before ?? where?

We were on one of the earliest shuttles out, last Jul. and saw all the major categories of wildlife , but the canine families. Our driver was amazed at the luck we had. We had 3 different grizzley viewings. Two of which were up close as the griz walked down the center of the road in front of the bus, the other when mom and cub rolled in flowers next to the bus! It was a very long day and almost everyone on the bus napped on the ride back. It was a great trip! Parking was Easy, lots of room. Very few people ventured off the bus during our trip though, a few with big cameras. Bring a nice big lunch, lots of drinks..you will be covered head to toe afterwards from all the dust on the road. Another good reason for taking the early bus...not as much dust flying around to see thru either...HAVE FUN

If you late purchase your tickets you need to do this TWO DAYS ahead at 7am, not the day before, day of, 3 days ahead. ONLY one fixed timeframe if you want the total selection. For further clairfication, your 4 year old will probably see NO wildlife. It's rare it's near the road and that age just can not follow viewing "directions", binoculars are NECESSARY, at least 10 power I recommend.

The drivers sometimes have the tickets but at this early reservation, will probably be mailed.

Fabio,
Buy the shuttle bus tickets in advance, like right now. Call or go to the website. They only have a small charge if you have to change tickets. That way you don't have to rely on whether there might be some tickets left or not when you get there. Our bus on Aug 28th was only about half full but don't count on that when you have four people to get on.