Denali Express
Four day basecamp hiking in Denali National Park
Denali is America’s quintessential National Park. While most visitors experience the park via its main northern corridor, the Denali Park Road, the south side of the park sees little annual visitation and remains completely road-less and virtually unexplored. Accessing the park by bush plane from Talkeetna, Alaska, you’ll then spend three days and three nights camping and hiking Denali’s wild side from the comfort of a wilderness basecamp situated on the edge of the mighty Ruth Glacier, and only 17 miles from the summit of North America's highest peak.
Key information
| Destinations | Anchorage, Denali National Park, Great Kobuk Sand Dunes |
|---|---|
| Activity | Adventure, Backpacking, Hiking & Trekking, Active, Nature & Wildlife |
| Physical Level | Moderate |
 Season |
June - September |
Suggested itinerary
Arrival to Anchorage
Day 1 in Anchorage
Make your way to Anchorage. Most organised tours will have you spend a night here before heading out into the wilderness so take some time to explore the town and the Anchorage Museum. For those with more time to spend here, you could rent a bike and cycle down the Coastal Trail, or go whale watching at Turnagain Arm.
Anchorage-Denali National Park
Day 2 in Denali National Park
Denali National Park and Preserve is a sprawling, 6-million-acre land of snow-clad peaks, tundra-carpeted hills and rushing glacier-fed creeks.
Easy access from the road system and being home to Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) which, at 20,310' / 6,200m, is the tallest mountain in North America, make this one of the most-visited parks in Alaska, with an enormous variety of wilderness excursions—from flightseeing to whitewater rafting and ATV tours—to choose from.
Hiking Backside Glacier
Day 3 in Denali National Park
Spend a day hiking the Backside Glacier. While not at all technical, a trek on the ice gives you the chance to learn firsthand the glacial features of this frozen river of ice, the valley that bears the scars of thousands of years of glacial activity, and the more recent visual indications of climate change on the Alaska landscape.
Denali—Talkeetna—Anchorage
Day 4 in Anchorage
After breaking camp one final time, you'll take a flight back to civilisation, returning to Talkeetna by early afternoon before boarding the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train bound for Anchorage, a three-hour through the beautiful Matanuska-Susitna Valley, through southcentral Alaska's forests and small farms & homesteads, and finally to Anchorage by evening.
Book this itinerary
This route booked with one of our specialist tour operators would cost from $2,199pp. Pricing varies by accommodation class, and can be tailored to suit your budget.
Pricing is typically inclusive of hotels, transfers, meals, and all guided excursions and activities.
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Your adventure awaits
Speak to Alaska Alpine Adventures for expert advice
This tour is operated by
Alaska Alpine Adventures
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