Destinations
Adding Denali After Your Alaska Cruise
Denali is 240 miles inland from the nearest cruise port, so adding it means a land segment. You can buy that as a cruisetour or arrange it yourself for 20 to 35 percent less. Either way, two nights in the park area is the practical minimum.
The short answer
To add Denali after an Alaska cruise, take a one way northbound sailing ending at Whittier or Seward, then travel to the park by rail or coach. A cruisetour handles this for 1,400 to 3,000 dollars per person. Booking independently costs 20 to 35 percent less. Allow at least two nights in the Denali area.
Key points
- Denali requires a one way northbound cruise ending at Whittier or Seward.
- Two nights in the park area is the practical minimum.
- Access beyond a certain point on the park road is by bus only.
- The mountain is visible on roughly a third of summer days.
- Booking independently saves 20 to 35 percent over a cruisetour.
Denali National Park is 240 miles inland from Anchorage and roughly 400 from the nearest Southeast Alaska cruise port. Adding it to a cruise means a land segment, and there are two ways to arrange one.
The itinerary shape
Denali works with a one way northbound cruise, sailing Vancouver to Whittier or Seward. You disembark near Anchorage with the interior ahead of you.
A southbound sailing reverses it: fly to Anchorage, do the land segment first, then join the ship. Some travellers prefer this because the land portion is more strenuous and doing it first means the cruise becomes the rest at the end.
A round trip from Seattle or Vancouver does not work for Denali without a separate flight to Anchorage.
Getting there
| Leg | Options | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Whittier to Anchorage | Coach or rail | 1.5 to 2.5 hours |
| Seward to Anchorage | Coach or Alaska Railroad | 3 to 4.5 hours |
| Anchorage to Denali | Alaska Railroad or coach | 4 to 7.5 hours |
| Denali to Fairbanks | Rail or coach | 2.5 to 4 hours |
The Alaska Railroad is slower than the road and considerably better. The Denali Star route runs through country the highway does not reach, with glass domed cars available. Treat it as part of the trip rather than as transport.
What Denali actually delivers
The park covers six million acres with a single road running 92 miles into it. Private vehicles are restricted beyond a certain point, so access is by park bus or an organised tundra tour.
Wildlife is the main draw and it is genuinely good: grizzly bear, caribou, moose, Dall sheep and occasionally wolf. Sightings are from the bus at distance, so binoculars are essential.
The landscape is open tundra and braided river valleys, entirely unlike the rainforest and fjords of the coast.
The mountain is visible on roughly a third of summer days. It generates its own weather and is frequently in cloud even when the surrounding area is clear. Set expectations accordingly, and note that the best road accessible views are actually from Talkeetna and the Mt. McKinley area rather than from inside the park.
How many days
| Nights in the area | What you get |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival and departure. Not enough |
| 2 | One full day, one tundra tour. The practical minimum |
| 3 | Tundra tour plus a second activity such as flightseeing or a hike |
| 4 plus | Genuine depth, and better odds on seeing the mountain |
Cruisetour or independent
| Item | Cruisetour | Independent |
|---|---|---|
| Rail from Whittier or Seward | Included | $400 to $700 for two |
| Denali accommodation, two nights | Included | $500 to $900 |
| Tundra tour | Usually included | $300 to $400 |
| Anchorage or Fairbanks night | Included | $250 to $450 |
| Transfers and baggage | Included | $150 to $300 |
| Total for two | $3,200 to $6,000 | $1,850 to $3,150 |
Princess runs the most integrated cruisetour, owning five wilderness lodges and its own glass domed rail cars, so baggage moves from ship to rail to lodge without you touching it. Holland America is the alternative and offers Yukon routes no one else does.
Independent booking saves real money and costs you the seamlessness. Denali area accommodation is limited and books out months ahead, as do peak date Alaska Railroad seats, so this is not something to arrange late.
What to know before you go
- The park road is gravel beyond the paved section and tours are long, five to eight hours on a bus.
- Weather is different from the coast. Warmer in July, colder at night, and drier.
- Mosquitoes are a genuine factor in the interior in a way they are not on the coast. Bring repellent.
- Accommodation is outside the park, mostly in a strip near the entrance.
- There is no lodge with a view of the mountain inside the park. The famous views are from Talkeetna and the Parks Highway corridor.
More on the cruisetour product in Alaska cruise packages.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Denali from an Alaska cruise?
How many days do I need at Denali?
Will I see Denali the mountain?
Is a cruisetour worth it for Denali?
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