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RAAN01 Denali by Rail – Alaska Railroad Trip

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  • Code: RAAN01

RAAN01 Denali by Rail – Alaska Railroad Trip

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Discover the pristine wilderness of Denali National Park & Preserve, where more than six million acres of wild landscapes stretch beneath the towering 20,320-foot peak of Mount Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The “Denali by Rail” tour is an ideal option for travelers with limited time who still want to experience the highlights of Alaska’s interior. This seamless four-day Alaska Railroad journey begins and ends in Anchorage, offering an easy way to explore Denali or combine the trip with an Inside Passage cruise. As you board the Alaska Railroad, the last full-service railroad in North America, you can choose between the comfortable Adventure Class railcar or the panoramic Dome Railcar. Both options provide oversized windows for uninterrupted views of glaciers, river valleys, mountains, and the remote beauty of the Alaska Range. Along the route, you may spot moose, caribou, Dall sheep, or even bears, while glimpses of blue glacier ice and snow-dusted peaks create a truly unforgettable rail journey. Upon arrival at Denali, you’ll find yourself surrounded by unspoiled nature and abundant wildlife. The park is home to grizzlies, wolves, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and bald eagles. A wide range of activities and excursions are available, from narrated park tours and river rafting on the Nenana River to scenic flightseeing, backcountry hiking, jetboat adventures, and visits to an Iditarod champion’s dog kennel. Whether you prefer excitement or relaxation, Denali offers experiences for every traveler. For those seeking an authentic yet time-efficient Alaskan adventure, this rail-based itinerary provides comfortable travel, beautiful scenery, and access to the very best of Denali National Park. Please read our itinerary for a detailed day-by-day overview. On request, this trip can be customized or arranged in reverse order.

  • Itinerary

  • Prices & Dates

  • Attractions & Add-ons

  • Accommodation

  • Map

  • Information

  • Reviews

Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Arrive in Anchorage during the day. Check in to your hotel in downtown Anchorage. Nestled along the Chugach Mountains, the coastal city of Anchorage is not the frozen tundra of Alaska you might imagine. You will find it’s brimming with activities for the outdoorsy and adventurous. Being the largest city in Alaska, it is rich in indigenous culture; spend your day enjoying the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visiting the Anchorage Museum, or browsing through the Saturday Market. Visit the Lake Hood Floatplane base, go for a walk along the Coastal Trail and try out one of Anchorage popular seafood restaurants. With so much of variety of things, for a first time visitor to Alaska or a seasoned traveller, Anchorage has more to offer and is the perfect starting point for your journey into Alaska.

Anchorage – Denali National Park ( Overnight: Denali Village )

Morning transfer to the railroad station where you'll board the train to Denali National Park. Choose between the standard rail car or the glass-dome compartments with large panorama windows ensuring unobstructed views of snowcapped mountain ranges, pristine scenery and abundant wildlife. Enjoy the comfortable ride as the train takes you via the Matanuska Valley towards the Alaska Range and Mt. Denali. Onboard services feature a restaurant, gift shop and snack bar. Arrive at Denali Village late afternoon. Transfer to your hotel and check into your room. Once you’ve settled in, take a stroll through Denali Village, join a flightseeing tour, enjoy a whitewater rafting trip, or visit a sled dog kennel for an up-close experience with Alaskan sled dogs and life on a working mushing homestead.

Denali National Park ( Overnight: Denali Village )

Denali National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and spectacular sceneries. Pick up your tickets, board the bus and watch out for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolf and fox moving along the ridges and river beds. Your driver informs about the history of Denali National Park, its diverse wildlife and flora. Once an animal has been spotted the bus will stop that everyone can watch and take pictures. The bus turns around at Eielson Visitor Center - 66 miles one way/8 hours round trip. You can get off the bus anytime to go for a hike. Return to the Denali Park entrance anytime during the day. Optional: We can extend the transit bus tour to Wonder Lake or exchange to the Tundra Wilderness Tour, Kantishna Wilderness Trails or Backcountry Lodge Tour. Included: Denali Transit Bus to Eielson

Denali National Park – Anchorage

Board the Alaska Railroad and relax in your comfortable reclining seats, have a delicious lunch onboard or listen to the commentaries from an onboard interpreter. Just south of Denali National Park you will be passing the small community of Cantwell and then enter Broad Pass, offering majestic views of the Alaska Range in all directions. Your rail tour continues via Wasilla - home of the Alaska Iditarod Sled Dog Race - and crosses the Knik River with the Chugach Mountains as a backdrop before arriving in Anchorage. The tour ends with the arrival at the Anchorage Train Station. Please contact us for an additional overnight in Anchorage or extending the tour.

Rates in US $ / per Person
Comfort Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $1982 $1256 $1041 $934 $244
June 1 - August 31 $1982 $1256 $1041 $934 $279
September 1 - September 13 $1982 $1256 $1041 $934 $244
First Class Hotel Category Single Double Triple Quad Child
May 18 - May 31 $2500 $1703 $1469 $1352 $426
June 1 - August 31 $2581 $1743 $1491 $1365 $466
September 1 - September 13 $2500 $1703 $1469 $1352 $426

What’s included

3 Nights Comfort OR First-Class Accommodation

Hotel and State Taxes

Denali Transit Bus Ticket to Eielson Visitor Center

Denali Railroad Station Transfers

Tour Documentation

Sightseeing Information

Railroad Transportation Anchorage – Denali National Park

Railroad Transportation Denali National Park – Anchorage

Comfort Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Standard Adventure Class Train
( upgrade to Dome Car Train is available for $340.00 per person )

First Class Hotel Category includes Reserved Seats in Upper Level Panorama Dome Car Train,
Priority Check-in & Boarding, Use of Private Outdoor Viewing Platform,
Priority Dining Room Seating, Enhanced Reclining Seats

Tour Departures

Daily  from  May  18th  –  September  13th

Denali: Extend Denali Transit Bus Tour to Wonder Lake

The Denali Transit Bus is the official shuttle bus service into Denali National Park. The shuttle is best suited for those visitors who are seeking flexibility in their day trip into the Park and would like to have the option of getting off the bus to hike or explore on your own. Excellent hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities all along the Park Road. Created by retreating glaciers, Wonder Lake offers visitors stunning views of Mt. Denali and the Alaska Range, as weather permits. Along the Park Road, alder and willow carpeted hills are dotted with kettle ponds often frequented by waterfowl and other wildlife. Reflection Pond, an amazing photo stop on a clear day, requires you utilize the Kantishna Transit Bus or hike 2.5 miles from the Wonder Lake turnaround stop.

More Details & Pricing

Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour

The fully narrated 62-mile Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park is led by a certified naturalist driver/guide who will also provide historical and geographical background of the area. The tour will last approximately eight to nine hours and includes ample photo and rest stops. When your tour driver is able, he/she will take video footage of animals along Park Road and project these images onto drop-down video screens, featured only our specially designed tour buses. This way you can get a close-up look at the roadside action. At the end of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase a “Tundra Wilderness Tour” DVD, which will feature some of the video footage shot from your tour! Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour

The Kantishna Wilderness Trails tour is the premier Denali Park wilderness bus excursion. Spend the entire day in Denali National Park and discover a piece of Alaska's gold rush history and warm hospitality at the historic Kantishna Roadhouse, located just past Wonder Lake on the banks of Moose Creek. Your 12 to 13-hour fully-narrated excursion to Kantishna travels via a custom motorcoach through 95 miles of Denali National Park's prime wildlife habitat. The last 30 miles allow for full viewing of Mt. Denali, weather permitting. The wilderness backcountry of Denali Park provides diverse habitats which support big-game species such as black bear, grizzly, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolf, and wolverine. Hot beverages and refreshments are included en route to the Kantishna Roadhouse. After a hearty deli style lunch in the dining room at the Roadhouse, relax and visit the Historical Recorder's Cabin and enjoy a dog sled demonstration or gold panning. Guests cannot switch buses throughout the day (only the Denali Transit Bus allows this).

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Denali: Exchange Transit Bus Tour to Denali Backcountry Adventure Bus Tour

The Denali Backcountry Adventure Tour is another premier Denali Park Wildlife bus excursion. This full-day, 13-hour tour travels 95 miles in each direction to the Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. You'll travel by private bus with a trained naturalist driver/guide giving interpretation along the way helping you search for bear, moose, caribou and other wildlife while pointing out the biology and geology of the region. Several photo and rest stops will be made. Snacks, drinks and lunch are provided. Lunch is served at the exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna. Lunch consists of a sandwich bar, soups, fruits, snacks, fresh baked goods and non-alcoholic drinks. After lunch try your luck at gold panning near the lodge or take a guided nature walk before returning to the Park entrance.

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Anchorage: Bear Viewing Tour Day Trip to Brooks Falls / Katmai National Park

Take off from Anchorage to an all day bear viewing expedition past glaciers and volcanoes - within the land of the giant animals: the brown bear country of southwest Alaska. You'll fly to Katmai's - worlds famous Brooks River Falls where brown bears feed on salmon. Each year millions of sockeye salmons burst from the Bering Sea into lakes and streams of the Katmai National Park. These fish provide the primary food source for the worlds largest population of brown bears. As many as 50 bears may be viewed up-close-and-personal from elevated boardwalks and viewing platforms fishing along the 1 1/2 mile Brooks River during peak season (July). Local National Park Rangers are answering all of your questions about this incredible park during the self guided full day tour. Lunch is included at Brooks Lodge.

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Carney, Michigan: Loved the train ride on the Alaska Railroad ! The views from the train are spectacular and the staff are very willing to share their local knowledge along the way. Our Kantishna Roadhouse trip was overcast and we did not see the mountain, but we saw lots of animals (Moose, Bears, Sheep, and Caribou). The guide was great and gave a lot of information. The trip was about 13 hours, but it went fast.