Kantishna Wilderness Trails
Kantishna Wilderness Trails
Kantishna Wilderness Trails
4.5
4WD, ATV & Off-Road ToursEco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursPhotography ToursBus Tours
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Due to a 2021 landslide impacting access to the Denali Park Road, Kantishna Wilderness Trails is not operating Summer of 2022. Visit Denali National Park and travel in comfort through the most scenic road in North America – Alaska's Denali Park Road. We escort you into the heart of Denali on a full-day, round-trip guided adventure through Denali Park and into the Kantishna Historical District.Visitors will be treated to a hot lunch and activities at the Roadhouse. See wildlife, Mt. McKinley and everything that makes Denali National Park a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Kantishna Wilderness Trails
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
263 reviews
Excellent
193
Very good
47
Average
7
Poor
8
Terrible
8
464merlot
Seattle, WA68 contributions
Jul 2021
We had a great trip into the park and were lucky to have good weather. We saw 6 or 7 bears, but only one close enough to get really good pictures. Also saw a moose pretty close, and a few caribou, as well as Dahl Sheep and artic squirrels. Be sure to bring a big lens camera or binoculars or both. You are not allowed to get out of the bus except at designated rest stops so need to take pics from the bus. The bus is not at all comfortable and the "snacks and drinks provided" are bottled water and a box of granola bars that were mentioned before the tour started and not again. We were on the bus before the designated start time and missed that info. Anna, our guide, was excellent and it was amazing how she could drive those roads and talk about everything as she went. Shew as very knowledgeable and stopped fast whenever we asked. Kantishna Roadhouse is not much and the mosquitos were so bad, even with bug spray, that we hid inside and waited for our return trip rather than enjoying the outside. It might be different on a less sunny day in July.
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nathan F
Denver, CO21 contributions
Jul 2021
We took this trip into Denali two years ago, we really enjoyed it and at that time if we had a golden age national parks pass they refunded the $15 park entrance fee part of our ticket. This year we went with friends who had never been to Alaska, they wanted to do the Denali tour and so we went with them again. This time nobody seems to know anything about getting a refund for our park entrance fee. When we got to the Ranger station our guide asked everyone who had a park pass to raise their hand, which we did. She got off and talk to the Rangers for a few minutes and then got on the bus and drove away. We asked several people several times about the refund and no one can tell us where to get it. We are thinking that the tour company is asking who has a park pass so they don’t have to pay that to the park and instead of refunding it they pocket the extra money. It all seemed a little sketchy to us. The tour itself is beautiful and very interesting. It is a very long day and the tour guide really tried hard to give us as much time for pictures and as much information as she could.
The only way you can you can go to the end of the road is on the tour.
The lunch they serve at the lodge in nothing special and the activities were not as interesting as two years ago.
I do not plan on do8ng it again but I would strongly advise everyone to do it at least once.
The only way you can you can go to the end of the road is on the tour.
The lunch they serve at the lodge in nothing special and the activities were not as interesting as two years ago.
I do not plan on do8ng it again but I would strongly advise everyone to do it at least once.
Written July 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhonda A
South Portland, ME1,196 contributions
Aug 2020 • Friends
A long bus tour was intimidating but I decided to sign up and was thrilled when we hit the small window for tours this year. Melanie was our driver and guide and she was in one word Outstanding!! The road is a bit scary at times and not for the weak to drive - especially a bus but she did a fabulous job driving, guiding and providing interesting information. We got the grand slam day as Denali was in full view all day and we saw the big four (grizzly, moose, dall sheep and caribou). The spectacular day was due also to the amazing landscape that is Denali. It is hard to put into words the beauty and I highly suggest this tour company. The bus is very comfortable and has great windows for seeing the gorgeous landscapes and wildlife sighting. This tour goes almost to the end of the highway and I really enjoyed the roadway after the typical park busses stop. The 2 hour stop at the Kantishna Roadhouse is probably the part that was only okay. Lunch was average. The panning for gold was fun enough to while away some time. It is nice to get off the bus for a couple of hours. Having said that I still highly recommend this company. Very professional native Alaskan run company. Enjoy Denali!
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chrissy L
Saint Peters, MO8 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
First I want to say, I was so excited about this tour. I booked it outside my travel agency because it seemed like it would be the best value and would get to see everything.
Three days before our tour, Denali National Park closed a ton of the park due to a landslide. Which is out of anyone’s hands. However, they had to cut the tour short, and our sit down meal became a subway sandwich that sat in the bus from before we got on at 6:30am until it was given to us at 12pm, was not in a cooler, just sitting on the bus all that time. In addition, we received no partial refund for this tour that was less than 1/3 what we paid. Instead, they replaced some time with bringing us to a husky educational tour. So we were rushed through the park, we were okay in Denali for 3.5 hours, because we had to be at the husky exhibit at a certain time. We were back to our hotel at 2pm. We would have been back by 8pm on the original tour.
I did not want to eat my subway sandwhich because it had been out that long, so I went without and so did my husband. I told the driver, Christine that I’m not going to eat it because it has been out too long and just moved on. She then made it a point to say on the bus “you can eat the turkey, it’s not going to get you sick” which really annoyed me because she’s a bus driver, not a food service worker. I let her know that you can’t keep food out longer than 4 hours or you’re supposed to discard. That can be found with a simple search on the Department of Agriculture’s food safety chart online. Her response was “the sandwhich was still cold”, that does not determine food safety.
To top this off, their communication was poor, very hard to get ahold of them. At the end of our trip the driver said “oh I got special permission to take you to the merchantile shop” no one wanted to do that because you can go to a gift drop anywhere in town. That was their last ditch effort to salvage their poorly handled situation with the park.
I didn’t bother complaining to the manager, because several people around me already tried that and were told by the manager that trip insurance should have been purchased and were not refunded, so there was no point.
This was a wasted day on our trip and even if we came back to the park I would not choose this company. The way a company handles a bad situation says everything you need to know. Pay less, and do the park shuttle.
Oh and one more thing, this company does not have special permission to let you off the bus to take pictures. All the park buses do, but you see confined to the bus the whole time unless at a designated rest stop. So you are stuck inside the bus the whole time.
Go somewhere else for your tour.
Three days before our tour, Denali National Park closed a ton of the park due to a landslide. Which is out of anyone’s hands. However, they had to cut the tour short, and our sit down meal became a subway sandwich that sat in the bus from before we got on at 6:30am until it was given to us at 12pm, was not in a cooler, just sitting on the bus all that time. In addition, we received no partial refund for this tour that was less than 1/3 what we paid. Instead, they replaced some time with bringing us to a husky educational tour. So we were rushed through the park, we were okay in Denali for 3.5 hours, because we had to be at the husky exhibit at a certain time. We were back to our hotel at 2pm. We would have been back by 8pm on the original tour.
I did not want to eat my subway sandwhich because it had been out that long, so I went without and so did my husband. I told the driver, Christine that I’m not going to eat it because it has been out too long and just moved on. She then made it a point to say on the bus “you can eat the turkey, it’s not going to get you sick” which really annoyed me because she’s a bus driver, not a food service worker. I let her know that you can’t keep food out longer than 4 hours or you’re supposed to discard. That can be found with a simple search on the Department of Agriculture’s food safety chart online. Her response was “the sandwhich was still cold”, that does not determine food safety.
To top this off, their communication was poor, very hard to get ahold of them. At the end of our trip the driver said “oh I got special permission to take you to the merchantile shop” no one wanted to do that because you can go to a gift drop anywhere in town. That was their last ditch effort to salvage their poorly handled situation with the park.
I didn’t bother complaining to the manager, because several people around me already tried that and were told by the manager that trip insurance should have been purchased and were not refunded, so there was no point.
This was a wasted day on our trip and even if we came back to the park I would not choose this company. The way a company handles a bad situation says everything you need to know. Pay less, and do the park shuttle.
Oh and one more thing, this company does not have special permission to let you off the bus to take pictures. All the park buses do, but you see confined to the bus the whole time unless at a designated rest stop. So you are stuck inside the bus the whole time.
Go somewhere else for your tour.
Written September 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MDuskin
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Couples
Excellent bus driver/tour guide. Loved her. Very informative. The reason our group of four is giving a two-star rating is that we all feel like we we should’ve received a partial refund, due to the fact that we could only go 30 miles into the park. We did not know this until we were ON THE BUS. When we made the reservations two days before the tour, we were told that the bus would only be able to go 43 miles into the park due to landslides When I asked if we still had to pay the full price, I was told that this was the only tour company to offer a meal and the Husky Homestead/Iditarod excursion. The Husky Homestead was interesting, but that is not what we paid $214 per person for. Had we known that the tour bus would only be able to go 30 miles into the park, we would’ve driven the 15 miles into the park on our own and saved a ton of money.
We were also concerned that the Subway sandwiches were not refrigerated, and we have no idea how long they had been sitting out. The meal seemed to be a big selling feature of the tour, so we were surprised when we learned it was a soggy, inexpensive sandwich, a bag of chips, a cookie and bottled water.
One big thing that annoyed us all is that, upon making the reservations, (and in our confirmation email), we were told that the trip would end at 8 pm. Once we got on the bus, we were told that the tour would end by 2:30 pm. Had we known this ahead of time, our overnight plans for that night and our plans for the next day would have been different. Overall, poor communication and, as a consumer, we felt very misled by the company’s description of what we were to expect.
We were also concerned that the Subway sandwiches were not refrigerated, and we have no idea how long they had been sitting out. The meal seemed to be a big selling feature of the tour, so we were surprised when we learned it was a soggy, inexpensive sandwich, a bag of chips, a cookie and bottled water.
One big thing that annoyed us all is that, upon making the reservations, (and in our confirmation email), we were told that the trip would end at 8 pm. Once we got on the bus, we were told that the tour would end by 2:30 pm. Had we known this ahead of time, our overnight plans for that night and our plans for the next day would have been different. Overall, poor communication and, as a consumer, we felt very misled by the company’s description of what we were to expect.
Written September 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cmeg435
Lake Placid, NY7 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Trip was lovely, despite the road closure cutting it short. We saw all the “big guns” for animals and the clouds parted for a look at Denali. Francie did a terrific job guiding.
The presentation by Jeff King was a surprisingly (& pleasantly) entertaining substitution…something we never would have done on our own.
We do feel Kantishna should have offered a partial refunded of the trip fee due to the abbreviated itinerary.
We hope the road repair happens quickly & safely so the full experience may, once again, be offered.
The presentation by Jeff King was a surprisingly (& pleasantly) entertaining substitution…something we never would have done on our own.
We do feel Kantishna should have offered a partial refunded of the trip fee due to the abbreviated itinerary.
We hope the road repair happens quickly & safely so the full experience may, once again, be offered.
Written September 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carolyn J
Oklahoma4 contributions
Aug 2021
It was unfortunate that our bus tour was cut by more than half, but it was even more unfortunate that Kantishna Wilderness Trails didn't automatically refund an equal portion of the tour lost. No refund was even offered until I asked them to do the right thing, and even then it was only $40 out of the $214 price paid. Fellow lodge guests stated that their tour company refunded $100 without asking. Yes, some wildlife was seen, and yes we had one meal, not hot but a rather mushy Subway sandwich, but in no way was it worth the full price. I'm usually the positive outlook person in the group, but this was even beyond my comprehension. When I revisit the area, I will definitely book with anyone else but Kantishna Wilderness Trails.
Written September 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flyfishingattorney
Grand Haven, MI876 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Melanie was an awesome tour guide and delighted our 7 year old son. He was never bored, which says a lot. Denali is surreally beautiful. Each turn reveals new treasure, be it the jaw dropping views or frequent wildlife spotting. We saw 9 grizzly bear, a majestic bull moose, a huge caribou with massive antlers. The bus was ver comfortable though Doyon Corp. should be careful to not try and have adults spend the day in the couple seats with leg room limited by some sort of bulkhead. Lunch was good. The gold mining is more oriented for kids but was very well run.
Melanie though was the best part. We had a day we’ll treasure forever. Thank you, Melanie. ❤️
Melanie though was the best part. We had a day we’ll treasure forever. Thank you, Melanie. ❤️
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George Rice
Mesquite, TX1 contribution
Mar 2020
FYI... I booked this tour 11/18/19 and paid up front $174.20. Our May 29, 2020 cruise to Alaska was cancelled by RCCL. No fault of ours. This trip has been in the planning stage for one year. We were doing a 7 day cruise and a 10 day land tour and booked all the reservations our selfs. Now I am having to cancel reservations. I called the tour company 3 months prior to our tour date and ask to cancel because our cruise was cancelled. They cancelled the tour and then charged me a $25.00 cancellation fee. I can understand a cancellation fee if you cancel a few day before the tour. I feel tour companies in Alaska are taking advantage of travelers and it's a rip-off to make extra money.
Written March 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Divercritter
Boca Raton, FL9 contributions
Jul 2021
Truly the best and only way to see the most of Denali National Park. You will see a staggering array of scenery that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. We got to see the big 4 (Dall Sheep, Grizzly Bear, tons of Caribou and a bull moose on our way out!). Melanie our driver was truly an expert at both handling that massive bus on those narrow gravel roads and telling fact filled fun stories along the ride. Yes, it's a long tour on an older bus with no creature comforts (no wifi, charging stations, seat back pockets, etc) but frankly we were too busy looking out for wildife, taking in the sublime scenery and enjoying Malanie so much that we hardly noticed! Do the long 13 hour trip, you'll get to see the most of the park. For me the scenery was the best part. Incredible vastness I've never seen anywhere else. 5 out of 5 for sure!
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I want to book the Kantishna Wilderness Trails tour but not staying at the Denali hotels but staying in a cabin - where is the best option to park your rental vehicle for the day?
Written January 2, 2020
Not sure... there are shops near the hotels so maybe in one of those lots
Written January 2, 2020
What "tools" did you use to hike with for any possible bear encounters? I see that bear spray is recommended, but I also see that I cannot buy it before I go because it is a prohibited item for air travel.
Written October 14, 2018
Hello,
Our guides carry bear spray on all of the hikes. If you decide to go off on your own, we can loan you a can, but very reluctantly as we do not promote the use of such an item.
Written October 19, 2018
Fred H
Louisville, Kentucky
What kind of bus and how far between stops i.e. Restroom
Written December 25, 2016
A Tripadvisor member
Aston, Pennsylvania
We were on a tour bus. There was no bathroom but stops were scheduled at various locations along the way. No one on the bus seemed to have any problem with stops being too far apart. There were also Park busses. I'm not sure how they worked but I did see several stops for those also. Seemed like they let you board & get off when you wanted. I'd contact the park service for that information.
Written January 22, 2017
Everyone says the left side of the bus is best, is that left if you're on the bus, for example the driver's side? Thanks!
Written October 16, 2016
Hi!
I was in the right side and saw everything people in the left saw. On the way there the views are off the left side and on the way back visa versa-!
Written November 6, 2016
On the Kantishna Wilderness Trail Excursion do you stop at Wonder Lake for a Photo OP of the Mtn in the Lake, if so, How long?
Thank You.
Written April 13, 2016
No, you don't stop and get out, but the bus does slow and you can take pictures through the window.
Written March 23, 2018
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