Tag Archives: Denali Lodges

Travel to Alaska in 2010

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Did you skip your 2009 vacation? Have you been dreaming about where to take your 2010 vacation? Alaska Denali Tours is ready with the perfect Alaska vacation package. Did you envision Alaska and do a bit of research already? We are prepared with several options to choose from or you can easily create your detailed vacation with our online reservation service. Call us at 1-800-541-9779, or by email at info@alaskadenalitours.com

Mark your calendar now for your 2010 summer vacation. Reserve prime summer dates and lock in your early-bird special prices now! Reserve your own cedar cabin or stay at an exclusive lodge in the Denali National Park, discover gold, or cruise the icy waters of Kenai Fjords National Park. Book Now!

Alaska Denali Tours is excited to announce the 2009 prices are available for the 2010 summer season. Don’t miss another Alaskan summer worrying about the economy. Alaska Denali Tours has made visiting “The Last Frontier” worth every cent since 1992.

Exclusive Alaska Travel Package

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Our experienced tour consultants can create the perfect Alaska trip for you. They can create Alaska Travel package options that are all-inclusive with a touch of ‘have it your way’. A pre-packaged tour also means your trip can be tailored to the needs of your party. We have been perfecting the art of Alaska vacations since 1992.

Take a leisure adventure starting in Anchorage with a walking tour of downtown. Choose where you want to shop, eat, and visit that evening. After a Continental breakfast, head out on the Alaska Railroads Denali star. Enjoy the scenic ride thru the famed Alaska wilderness. Arrive at the Denali National Park entrance in time to explore at your convenience. Spend the night in your independent cedar cabin at Denali Cabins. In the early morning, board the comfortable Backcountry Adventure bus for the ride of your life-95 miles deep inside Denali, Alaska.

Enjoy a great buffet lunch at exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge, enjoy the stunning landscape, and enjoy the afternoon activities. The return trip offers a different perspective and more opportunities to view wildlife. By the fourth day, your options include adventures such as a jet boat safari, rafting tours or flight seeing tours.

The relaxing and spacious Denali Motorcoach ride brings you back Anchorage before your next adventure on day 5. In the morning, you will find yourself boarding the Coastal Classic Train to Grandview where you will have another full day of activities at Spencer Lake / Placer River Rafting, rain gear and rubber boots provided. A final return to Anchorage will end this particular exclusive tour package, a five-day Leisure Backcountry Adventure.

Denali Backcountry Lodge; Unspoiled Beauty

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The Grand Ascent

The Grand Ascent

It was our last day at this very exclusive lodge, time for the departure instruction. After dinner, the manager asked who all are leaving tomorrow. Several of us raised our hands.

His next question was why? None of us were really prepared for that. He went on to say; is there a better place on the face of this earth? We had no choice but to agree with him. There isn’t.

Denali Backcountry Lodge is located in the valley carved by Moose Creek deep inside the Denali National Park, as far as the road will take you. Beyond the lodge, the park roads widens into a 1600 feet long gravel runway, what the locals lovingly call Kantishna International Airport. And beyond that there is nothing but unspoiled beauty for hundreds of miles.

Flightseeing is one of the popular activities, if the weather smiles upon you. You are so close to Mount McKinley, when you take off you feel like you are there already. The mountain is still about 30 miles away but its vastness makes it look a lot closer.

We had just spent two nights (the third one, tonight being our last one) in this heavenly place. We are of age and therefore not so much into hiking and such but we had the greatest of times nevertheless. The management is very considerate and accommodates everyone. Each and every staff member is friendly, ready to help with anything a guest may like.

I happened to strike a conversation with the head housekeeper, Tess. I did not expect a housekeeper to know much about the natural history but Tess like many other staff members is, an old timer. This was her fifth season. Unaware of that experience, I was so surprised when Tess told me about all the wildlife, the Northern lights and the whole gamut.

With the staff doing a wonderful job, accommodations so clean and comfortable, food excellent, how can one not enjoy this place?

Really, is there a better place on the face of this earth? I will have to say NO.

Sam Mature

Check-in, what check-in?

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When we arrived at the Denali Backcountry Lodge, there were about a dozen staff members (lead by the General Manager and her Assistant) there to greet us. The General Manager jumped on the bus, welcomed us gave us a very brief introduction, adding “Dinner will be in 20 minutes at the Main Lodge (pointing to the Lodge building) and we will give you full introduction when you are having dessert”

...yummy

...yummy

In the mean time the asst Manager organized the baggage. As long as the bags had names they were already in the respective rooms before we got there. The dozen or so staff members really hustled. Compare that to the airlines!!!

As we dis-embarked, GM gave us our assigned room number; most of the bags were already there. We were all set; there wasn’t the usual check-in process. By the way, all the rooms were unlocked. We wondered about the key, which is what you normally get at the check-in. So we asked. The response was, we will be glad to provide you one but generally we don’t lock anything around here. This was very refreshing. The level of trust is amazing. Later during the dessert, along with the full introduction, the manager also explained the lock and key process.

The manager said the main lodge with all various snacks and beverages was always open too. We were welcome to come take a snack any time we felt like having one.

She did say, “There are only two places that are locked here, any one want to guess?” One of us came up with the Bar. That was correct she said, and other is the liquor storage room. She added, those are not locked for any fear of loss but simply because ‘it’s the Law’ and we don’t want to violate any Laws.

This was an experience I will never forget. A great welcome by very friendly and efficient staff and the level of trust!!!

Sam Mature

Denali Backcountry Adventure

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The snow was licking the peaks of the nearby mountains; the valleys were lush and fertile. Our bus traveled the narrow road in between. We rode on a gravel strip of road. We were in nature.

Our cell phones ceased the near constant buzz that plagues us in the cities and we instead listened to the wonderful narration that Barry provided. He told us about the history, about the scenery, and the ample wildlife. And oh was there wildlife—I lost count of the moose off in the distance and one actually came within 20 feet of the bus, full rack glistening in the August sun. We also saw 2 grizzlies munching on blueberries and a few caribou striding across the tundra.

The stop at the Denali Backcountry Lodge made me wish we had stayed there. We had a wonderful lunch and walked along the nearby creek culminating in a gold-panning experience. I found a tiny nugget myself and am saving it for my retirement.

Eureka!

Eureka!

On our ride back to the entrance, the clouds separated and revealed the gorgeous peak of the Mountain herself, a rare sight I am told. I filled my memory card within minutes and created vivid images destined to supply my dreams for years to come.

If anyone is on the fence about such a trip, I cannot stress how exhilarating, fun, and memorable the entire bus ride is. It was easily the highlight of my trip to Alaska.

Gene Merewether