Denali Tundra Tours - Healy, Alaska

Sue R

Afternoon tour July . Would recommend the morning tour instead to increase the wildlife sighting lottery chances ! Saw several caribou grazing , red fox and wild sheep on bus camera - sadly no bears ! Long afternoon on the bus for limited viewing .

Threedog

Jennifer was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the tour and genuinely cares about the park. She told us she lives locally and spends time in the park, hiking and camping with her kids on her day off. Quite passionate about her job. Great time.

Sam C

We had an amazing driver/guide. His name was Matt!!! He gave us facts almost the entire drive on Denali, geology, animals and everything about the park. He also would zoom in and get us up close and personal with sheep, caribou, bears and moose. We had a wonderful time on this tour. I think our guide made this tour awesome so it might depend on who you get. He also ensured all of the trash was sorted properly and cared about the park. Hopefully you get Matt!!!

Paul Sarapas

While trying to minimize the impact on the park, stuffing 50 people into a glorified school bus that does not allow anyone to get off to take photos doesn’t cut it. They either need to use smaller busses with smaller groups or limit the busses that hold 50 to 35. Our driver was great but imagine what it’s like to have to cram against a school bus window with dozens of others trying to get a glimpse of a moose 300 yards in the bush. They have to keep moving moving moving. It would be better to cover less than the 40 miles in that we went and provide more lookouts where people can get out and look around 360 degrees and maybe wait more than five minutes for an animal to be spotted as opposed to yelling stop I see a tiny dot that might be a sheep at 3 o clock a half mile away. Overall it is something I would never repeat. They need to find a better way. These photos were taken at one of the three brief stops along the way. The scenery is spectacular but hard to appreciate when moving at 30 mph in a cramped and crowded bus.

Update: I just downgraded this review due to the fact that this tour does nothing in keeping people safe from Covid. The bus was stuffed full of fifty people. There was zero screening/asking the normal questions. Very few wore masks. With the exception of breaks and stops, we were on a closed bus for six hours. Seems like a Covid cluster bomb. Not sure if this is where I contracted Covid and we did wear masks, but I would not be surprised if this is wear we caught it.

Diane Luli

I am basing this review on my experience today 7/13/24.
I booked this tour through Alaska Tour and Travel, not directly through Denali Tundra Tours.
We did not stay in any of the 4 major lodges, but outside of the area in Healy, so we were to drive ourselves to the pickup location of the tour. We did not get any information from the tour company in advance letting us know the exact time or other details of our tour. I made a phone call to find out early the morning of our tour and was told to be at the Denali Park bus lot 1/2 hour in advance of our 1:20 tour. We Google the location of the parking lot and realize when we get to the location that it is not correct, it sent us to a rest area. I could not find any information or a phone number for the tour directly, (the number I called in the morning had no answer) so I called Alaska Tour and Travel and they were able to get us to the correct location just in time for the tour. Very helpful.
Because of the mix-up with Google maps, we end up last in line.
We are ok with this, thinking we will be in the back of the bus. Ok, no problem .
When we get on, the only seating left is for my husband and myself to sit way far apart, about 9 rows separating us. I'm really not ok with this as we paid quite a bit for this tour. Some people were trying to help out by switching seats but it all became a disaster when we felt like we were imposing on and inconveniencing everyone by this move. People were complaining and we were humiliated.
My point is this. The tour company needs to leave at LEAST a couple of seats per tour for these types of situations. Nobody wants to pay this much for a tour and not be able to experience it with the only person you're traveling with. Packing these buses to capacity is not ideal.
We were unable to take this tour after paying for it. We honestly just had to get off the bus because we felt like we had done something wrong. I am genuinely sad that we came all the way to Alaska and were unable to see the park in it's entirety. We just needed to get off the bus so people would be happy. So much complaining and I get it...they too were inconvenienced. It just felt unbelievably personal and miserable.
I am asking the tour company to please consider this in the future.
It cost us a lot of money and a once in a lifetime opportunity that we can't get back.

Suganya Gopi

I was disappointed with this 6-hour tour that expected absolute silence from children. As a parent, it's unrealistic to keep babies and toddlers quiet for such a long period. If that’s the expectation, please don’t allow families to book the tour with young kids. The guide/bus driver was inconsiderate and rude, shushing and making judgmental comments like 'Responsible adults wouldn't let their kids cry.' I personally felt it was unfair, especially when kids are confined to a bus with no escape. I wouldn't recommend this tour for families with young children. It was too boring!

s d

Do NOT take this bus if you are over 6’. Unless you like your knees in your chest. Or you like waiting 2 hours before departure at the head of the line hoping for the one seat you might fit in. And trying to get a refund is not happening. Shame on the NPS and the contractor they hired to handle the reservations/money. Ripoff!! And sitting in a can for 5.5 hours would have to suck. Drive it yourself or hike it.

Gary Gascoigne

All we did was drive in an old prison bus. Yes we saw Grizzly bears a mile away and a moose but during the 6 hour uncomfortable, cramped prison bus ride I saw mostly the back of senior citizens heads in front of me!