Tundra Wilderness Tour
Tundra Wilderness Tour
4.5
Historical & Heritage ToursNature & Wildlife Tours
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About
Traveling 62 miles into Denali National Park to Stony Hill Overlook, the Tundra Wilderness Tour offers wonderful diversity for visitors. Incredible scenery, a narrated history of the park road, and some of the best opportunities to view the park’s wildlife inhabitants await you on this tour. The Tundra Wilderness Tour will guide you along a spectacular road corridor, promising different experiences every day, as Denali’s wildlife moves at its own pace and according to the seasons. A full view of Denali is a rare treat in Denali National Park & Preserve, your tour will continue beyond the Toklat rest area to Stony Hill Overlook to provide truly awe-inspiring views of North America’s highest peak.
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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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.
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4.5
1,386 reviews
Excellent
878
Very good
287
Average
119
Poor
48
Terrible
54
LJ A
41 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
We were excited to take the Denali Wilderness Tundra tour as a way to see the park, the wildlife and of course the mountain.
Our driver guide was Dallin and we nothing but great things to say about him. He gave wonderful explanations about things we might see and really took his time in trying to seek out various sights. Using his prior experience to slow down the bus to be observant and being genuinely excited when caribou appeared near the bus, Dahl sheep on the side of a mountain, a bear sow with a couple of cubs, a grizzly wandering in the valley below us and on the flip-flop returning that grizzly was near enough to the road that wildlife agents were out stopping traffic to avoid contact.
But Dallin really geeked-out when the clouds opened up and we had a bright shining view of Denali. So, our excitement fed his excitement and we all were just giddy about our viewing. He explained only about 30% of the tours actually get a good view of Denali, something confirmed back at the lodge with the availability of various “30% Club” items.
All-in-all, we definitely recommend the Denali Wilderness Tundra tour as one of the best vacation tours we’ve ever experienced. And if you are lucky, your driver will be Dallin.
Our driver guide was Dallin and we nothing but great things to say about him. He gave wonderful explanations about things we might see and really took his time in trying to seek out various sights. Using his prior experience to slow down the bus to be observant and being genuinely excited when caribou appeared near the bus, Dahl sheep on the side of a mountain, a bear sow with a couple of cubs, a grizzly wandering in the valley below us and on the flip-flop returning that grizzly was near enough to the road that wildlife agents were out stopping traffic to avoid contact.
But Dallin really geeked-out when the clouds opened up and we had a bright shining view of Denali. So, our excitement fed his excitement and we all were just giddy about our viewing. He explained only about 30% of the tours actually get a good view of Denali, something confirmed back at the lodge with the availability of various “30% Club” items.
All-in-all, we definitely recommend the Denali Wilderness Tundra tour as one of the best vacation tours we’ve ever experienced. And if you are lucky, your driver will be Dallin.
Written August 19, 2024
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.
FamilyLuvs2Travel
Fallbrook, CA170 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
My husband and I visited Alaska for my first time in early August. Knowing that reservations book quickly for this tour, we booked the Denali National Park Tundra Wilderness tour at least three months in advance. As far as choosing between am and pm, we opted for am since animals tend to be more active in the morning.
As a further note, you are not given an exact pickup time if you have them pick you up at your hotel. The reservation gives you a link that you can check your assigned pick-up time two days prior to the tour. And you must bring your own lunch. They will provide passengers with a snack box and bottled water.
Two days prior to our tour, we checked and were assigned a 4:30am pick-up time, yikes! Unfortunately for us, we arrived to our hotel later in the evening the night before so we could not arrange for a box lunch. So, we ordered a breakfast sandwich from the 24-hour Subway to bring with us the next day.
Our naturalist/tour guide/driver was Jennifer and arrived promptly on time. She really made our tour complete. Not only was she engaging and interesting, she was superb at wildlife sighting. As we were entering the park, we encountered a very large bull moose and then a smaller one down the road. Jennifer was able to spot the Dall sheep scattered amongst the mountains (a naked eye could not detect). She had the ability to zoom in with her camera and each seat had a viewer in the ceiling you could pull down to view her footage. She spotted a grizzly bear (again, hard to see with a naked eye) and a black bear as well. We also saw plenty of Caribou, Willow Ptarmigans and Ground Squirrels.
There were two specific mile makers on the road into Denali National Park that provide the opportunity to view Mt. Denali if there is no cloud cover. Fortunately for us, we were able to view it at one time of our journey.
There is a bathroom rest stop on the route. Note, there is no bathroom on the bus. You can slide the window open/close at your seat however mine would not open. But the window was clean so I opted to take pictures through the glass.
Overall, this tour was remarkable because of our guide and her keen abilities to guide/teach and spot wildlife. Denali Park is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking and it makes one appreciate the foresight to make this a protected preserve. Plus, it was expanded in 1980, further protecting this remarkable park.
As a further note, you are not given an exact pickup time if you have them pick you up at your hotel. The reservation gives you a link that you can check your assigned pick-up time two days prior to the tour. And you must bring your own lunch. They will provide passengers with a snack box and bottled water.
Two days prior to our tour, we checked and were assigned a 4:30am pick-up time, yikes! Unfortunately for us, we arrived to our hotel later in the evening the night before so we could not arrange for a box lunch. So, we ordered a breakfast sandwich from the 24-hour Subway to bring with us the next day.
Our naturalist/tour guide/driver was Jennifer and arrived promptly on time. She really made our tour complete. Not only was she engaging and interesting, she was superb at wildlife sighting. As we were entering the park, we encountered a very large bull moose and then a smaller one down the road. Jennifer was able to spot the Dall sheep scattered amongst the mountains (a naked eye could not detect). She had the ability to zoom in with her camera and each seat had a viewer in the ceiling you could pull down to view her footage. She spotted a grizzly bear (again, hard to see with a naked eye) and a black bear as well. We also saw plenty of Caribou, Willow Ptarmigans and Ground Squirrels.
There were two specific mile makers on the road into Denali National Park that provide the opportunity to view Mt. Denali if there is no cloud cover. Fortunately for us, we were able to view it at one time of our journey.
There is a bathroom rest stop on the route. Note, there is no bathroom on the bus. You can slide the window open/close at your seat however mine would not open. But the window was clean so I opted to take pictures through the glass.
Overall, this tour was remarkable because of our guide and her keen abilities to guide/teach and spot wildlife. Denali Park is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking and it makes one appreciate the foresight to make this a protected preserve. Plus, it was expanded in 1980, further protecting this remarkable park.
Written August 7, 2024
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.
Eataroundwoburn
Litchfield, NH722 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
Our experience started at our hotel where we were picked up by bus and introduced to Becky our driver/denali guide. Right off the bat we were instructed that while she was talking we should remain silent. Off we went - a few minutes after leaving the hotel, a fellow traveler made a funny comment to me and to which I laughed - we were immediately scolded for such action. A bus of 40 adults were silent for much of the trip as a result of being scolded.
The bus tour itself was OK - nothing spectacular- we saw a few Ptarmigans and a few goats up the hill side. Which we know is no fault of the driver. Our bus stopped a few times and we returned to the hotel 4 1/2 hours later. We were told by our tour director that it was the shortest trip he has witnessed. Usually they are over 5 hours. The Denali tour may have been better if we could have asked questions, or stopped a few more times along the way. For us the experience was tarnished by the driver/denali guide.
The bus tour itself was OK - nothing spectacular- we saw a few Ptarmigans and a few goats up the hill side. Which we know is no fault of the driver. Our bus stopped a few times and we returned to the hotel 4 1/2 hours later. We were told by our tour director that it was the shortest trip he has witnessed. Usually they are over 5 hours. The Denali tour may have been better if we could have asked questions, or stopped a few more times along the way. For us the experience was tarnished by the driver/denali guide.
Written July 29, 2024
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.
Michael M
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Couples
I am giving this review from the perspective of a photography enthusiast. I’m writing this review with the hopes of clarifying expectations for anyone like me ahead of time. First, I did a lot of research for our trip to Denali National Park and after reading many reviews, decided to go with TWT. Before O get to my criticisms, I just wanted to say that our bus driver and tour guide, Lindy did a fantastic job. She was very knowledgeable and well-spoke and talked just the right amount of time. My first frustration was that the customer service reps with TWT insisted that I needed an “itenerary number” to check in. We booked through Alaska Tour and Travel (who I wouldn’t recommend because of their poor customer service) and they said we didn’t need an itinerary number, but TWT insisted we did. As it turned out we didn’t need it, just gave them our names. They also told us the buses had “HDR glass” to take pictures through. As it turns out, the buses are glorified school buses with slide down windows. Our bus was completely full, so it was very difficult to position yourself for pictures, much less view the scenery. Another important thing to know is that the bus does not stop to let you out for pictures of wildlife. There were 3 planned stops on the trip, two at the same restroom area with a lookout and one in the middle of the trip for a Mountain View. The wildlife and scenery was underwhelming on our trip due to conditions outside TWT’s control. We couldn’t see Mount Denali and we saw two caribou, a ground squirrel, and a few birds. If I were to do Denali again, I would use the transit bus system where you can get off and on as you please and view the park on your own time in your own way. If you are looking for an education about the park, don’t care that much about pictures, and would like to just drive the park, then TWT might be a good option for you.
Written August 9, 2023
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.
FPSS
Pasadena, MD5 contributions
Jul 2022
We were Real Lucky on the 7/20/22 Weather. The Rainey Season arrived a Month Early this Year. The partly sunny (42 Mile Denali National Park Tundra Bus Tour) was a Grand Slam* We saw Mount Denali about 25 Miles inside Park Boundary. We also saw Daw Sheep, Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Moose, and a distant soaring Golden Eagle.
We recommend the 42 Mile Inside Denali National Park Tundra Bus Excursion Tour over the Denali Hwy Trip being offered as a Substitute for the cancelled 92 Mile Closed Road Park Bus Trip. Bus Driver and Tour Guide (Justin) was Plus+ Very Knowledgeable, Informative & Entertaining* The Video Cam and Monitor Screens Aramark installed inside Buses was a Game Changer to Zoom-In on Distant Wildlife*
We recommend the 42 Mile Inside Denali National Park Tundra Bus Excursion Tour over the Denali Hwy Trip being offered as a Substitute for the cancelled 92 Mile Closed Road Park Bus Trip. Bus Driver and Tour Guide (Justin) was Plus+ Very Knowledgeable, Informative & Entertaining* The Video Cam and Monitor Screens Aramark installed inside Buses was a Game Changer to Zoom-In on Distant Wildlife*
Written August 1, 2022
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.
abadams
Monte Vista, CO67 contributions
Jul 2023
The bus tour is fun, you get to see lots of wildlife, we were fortunate enough to see Denali. Our driver was full of information and they provided water and a snack.
BEWARE when you are scheduling, you choose AM or PM. I wanted AM but didn't want the 5AM bus. Although this was requested the reservations aren't made until the day before and of course, our family got the 4:50AM bus departure. I ate the price of 2 of 4 tickets as this company refused to change the time they had set and I have teenagers who refused to get up at 4:30 in the morning. Made the rest of our day rather hard as 2 of us were really tired from being up so early and the other were ready for the day :/
BEWARE when you are scheduling, you choose AM or PM. I wanted AM but didn't want the 5AM bus. Although this was requested the reservations aren't made until the day before and of course, our family got the 4:50AM bus departure. I ate the price of 2 of 4 tickets as this company refused to change the time they had set and I have teenagers who refused to get up at 4:30 in the morning. Made the rest of our day rather hard as 2 of us were really tired from being up so early and the other were ready for the day :/
Written July 21, 2023
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.
Neelam J
1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Family
I'm extremely disappointed with Holland America's handling of our Land Cruise Tour booking. Our party of 8 was eagerly anticipating the Tundra Wilderness Tour on our first trip to Alaska. However, without any notification or consultation, Holland America changed our booking to the National History Tour. We only discovered this change a day before our departure when our boarding pass indicated the different tour.
I never received any notification from HAL on this change and even boarding pass reflected Tundra tour till few days before the trip.
Despite our objections, we were forced onto the National History Tour without the option for a refund. Instead, we received a $50 Denali gift card, which feels inadequate given the circumstances. When we reached out to Holland America, they shifted blame onto the vendors, failing to take responsibility for their mistake.
This lack of professionalism and accountability is unacceptable. If the Tundra Wilderness Tour was unavailable, we should have been offered a full refund or the opportunity to choose an alternative excursion.
Moving forward, we hope Holland America will rectify this situation and improve their communication and customer service practices. It's important for companies to prioritize the satisfaction of their customers and address issues promptly and effectively.
Very Very disappointed with HAL. Please be-aware if you book Cruise Land Tour with HAL. They want to lure customers by showing Tundra Tour but it is not guaranteed.
If I had known about the cancellation earlier I would have booked Tundra tour on my own.
I never received any notification from HAL on this change and even boarding pass reflected Tundra tour till few days before the trip.
Despite our objections, we were forced onto the National History Tour without the option for a refund. Instead, we received a $50 Denali gift card, which feels inadequate given the circumstances. When we reached out to Holland America, they shifted blame onto the vendors, failing to take responsibility for their mistake.
This lack of professionalism and accountability is unacceptable. If the Tundra Wilderness Tour was unavailable, we should have been offered a full refund or the opportunity to choose an alternative excursion.
Moving forward, we hope Holland America will rectify this situation and improve their communication and customer service practices. It's important for companies to prioritize the satisfaction of their customers and address issues promptly and effectively.
Very Very disappointed with HAL. Please be-aware if you book Cruise Land Tour with HAL. They want to lure customers by showing Tundra Tour but it is not guaranteed.
If I had known about the cancellation earlier I would have booked Tundra tour on my own.
Written June 12, 2024
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.
Thank you for your review. We appreciate your feedback, and understand your very valid frustrations with the overbooking process. We would also like to emphasize that we are the Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture, the operation that provides the Tundra Wilderness Tour and Denali Natural History Tour. We are the vendor to which you are referring, and not Holland America. Those reading this negative review and response should be aware that this is not a reflection of the quality of the services we provide as the concessions contract providing tours and other transportation service in Denali National Park and Preserve. Though many of our passengers are booked through Holland America and they are one of our largest clients, we are not the same company.
Written June 15, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ben G
6 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
I had an amazing experience with this tour! Dallin was our driver and guide, and he did a truly incredible job keeping everyone safe, informed, and entertained. It was really clear how passionate he is about Denali and its wildlife, and he did his best to keep the entire 5+ hour trip exciting for all. He is very high in my list of best tour guides I've ever had anywhere.
We did an afternoon tour, and though Denali itself was obscured by clouds the whole day, we still had breathtaking views of the rest of the park, starting from the boreal forest and eventually out into the tundra. Dallin explained what we were seeing along with the history of the park throughout our tour, while also keeping a sharp eye out for wildlife and stopping each time to ensure that everyone on the bus had the chance for a good view.
In total, we were lucky enough to see four grizzlies (one alone, plus another with her two cubs), two moose, a pair of fox kits, a golden eagle, and many caribou, dall sheep, and willow ptarmigans. The animals were often quite far away, so bringing binoculars or a telephoto lens is very handy, but Dallin also had a video camera that he used to zoom in and display the animals on screens within the bus.
Overall, it was a truly unforgettable experience!
We did an afternoon tour, and though Denali itself was obscured by clouds the whole day, we still had breathtaking views of the rest of the park, starting from the boreal forest and eventually out into the tundra. Dallin explained what we were seeing along with the history of the park throughout our tour, while also keeping a sharp eye out for wildlife and stopping each time to ensure that everyone on the bus had the chance for a good view.
In total, we were lucky enough to see four grizzlies (one alone, plus another with her two cubs), two moose, a pair of fox kits, a golden eagle, and many caribou, dall sheep, and willow ptarmigans. The animals were often quite far away, so bringing binoculars or a telephoto lens is very handy, but Dallin also had a video camera that he used to zoom in and display the animals on screens within the bus.
Overall, it was a truly unforgettable experience!
Written August 27, 2024
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.
VillagerRick
The Villages, FL1,021 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Since these trips typically book up well in advance, you don’t have an opportunity to choose a nice weather day. The uncomfortable busses are full for every trip, and they travel the same road with many other busses and vehicles. The day of our “Tundra Wilderness” trip was unremarkable for weather, and sightings (not their fault). There is more traffic on this road than on most we have used to get here - so we saw more wildlife beforehand. The included “snack” is uninspired - they offer an array of junk that most would not choose on any given day. My recommendation is forget this (not inexpensive) trip, and instead go with any of the many free shuttles offered by the park - from the park, some travel the same route.
Written August 8, 2023
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.
Robert H
65 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
After an early start (4:35am) we headed out with Jennifer, our tour guide, to tour Denali National Park. Our early start turned out to be a good thing as we quickly saw a moose buck followed by a solitary female and then a female with calf. Jennifer conversation was great and her skills at spotting animals impressive, We were lucky enough to see some caribou, several white Dall sheep, foxes, ptarmigan and, luckily for us - although from a distance - two grizzly bears in 2locations,
We were also lucky enough to see sunrise over Mt Denali free of clouds,
A well organised tour presented a passionate advocate JenniderS - well done,
We were also lucky enough to see sunrise over Mt Denali free of clouds,
A well organised tour presented a passionate advocate JenniderS - well done,
Written August 16, 2024
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.
We want to visit Alaska in June 2024, but I’m starting to panic thinking everything is booked far in advance and I’m confused. A lot of the lodging is not available for next June so now I’m wondering if tours are booked up also? When does this tour become available to book for June 2024? Or are the tours already booked the year ahead? Excuse my stupid question appreciate any help
Written September 6, 2023
Booking for 2023 began via the Aramark website on December 1. I booked on that day without any issue (I believe bookings open that date each year). I also continued to check on availability many times during the months prior to our depart in August (just for my information) and there didn't seem to be a problem until a few weeks prior,. However, I would recommend booking as soon as you know your travel dates.
Written September 6, 2023
Due to the rise in breakthrough COVID cases due to the Delta variant, I am curious about three things:
1) How ventilated is the bus. Are there windows at every seat, and are the windows open?
2) Is the bus full? If not about how far apart to people sit?
3) Do they enforce everyone wearing a mask?
Written July 11, 2021
Good questions!
1/ Yes, their were windows at every seat and they could be opened/closed. They were closed when we got in the bus. If you open the window at your seat, the people sitting behind you get the brunt of the wind or rain so keep that in mind. Temperature will likely determine whether or not you'll want to open/close your window after talking with the other passengers.
2/Yes, the bus was completely full. My driver said all tours were sold out through the end of Summer. You should expect all seats on your bus will be taken.
3/The Driver repeatedly asked people to where masks. This is a requirement coming from the Federal government which governs national parks, not the tour operator. However, I didn't observe the driver specifically enforce the mask rule. Many people were eating and drinking on the bus sans mask, which was explicitly allowed.
Written July 12, 2021
Hi, we are going to do this in June. Can you give some insight into the logistics of the tour? Do you stop and get off the bus at all or are you on the bus the entire time? are there any facilities while on the tour? It sounds amazing, but I do not think I can sit for 8 hours without getting outside and moving around. Thanks in advance.
Written January 23, 2020
There are three stops for restroom and stretching, the rest of the tour is on the bus. The Park is very careful not to allow tourists to spoil the natural habitat which makes the tour long but still worth doing. If you have young children they may not sit still.
Written January 26, 2020
How would this tour be for an 8 and 12 year old boy? Our group will have two people in their 70s, two couples in their 40s and 50s, plus the kids I mentioned. We are wondering if we should do the hop on hop off bus or the tour. The kids have difficulty sitting all day...
Written January 22, 2020
We have not done the hop on hop off but it is a long day and the kids would probably struggle. I don’t think you will get as far into the park on the hop off/on if you’re not staying in the park.
Written January 23, 2020
what time is the best time to start this tour to see the animals. As early as 6 am? Less crowded in the park at that time?
Written October 18, 2019
We were on a cruise ship inland Denali tour. We left the hotel at 7.30.
We never saw any animals really early and doesn’t get really crowded in there as most people are on tour buses.
It’s the luck of the draw how many animals you see.
Written October 19, 2019
can you tell us what the price difference to upgrade was at that time?
Written September 19, 2019
I heard it was 70 per person
Written September 20, 2019
Can you take this tour from the Princess Denali Lodge?
Written January 21, 2019
Were you allowed to get down from the bus for few minutes to take photos/enjoy the views?
Written June 19, 2018
Yes the bus stops about every hour to hour and a half for restroom breaks and at overlook parks for pictures of the views. Drivers also stop for photos for wildlife and spectacular views where there is no place to get out for photos from the bus.
Written July 8, 2018
Were you and passengers of the bus allowed to get down for few minutes at the attractions for sightseeing and taking photos?
Written June 19, 2018
Our driver made 3 bathroom breaks to walk around and take pics. The last stop has a tiny gift shop. These are the only times you can get off the bus. It is about an hour between stops. The drivers will slow and stop for wildlife for pics but no getting off the bus. With the stops our tour lasted a food 8 hours. Hope this helps.
Written June 20, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.