Denali National Park Tours & Fairbanks Adventures for Wildlife & Scenic Views

Denali National Park and Preserve is Alaska as it truly is: raw, wild, and powerful. And Fairbanks, just beyond, is a city nestled in its wilderness. Let us welcome you to Alaska's Interior Region as it should be seen.

Denali National Park tours are more than a single 4-hour bus tour. A small-plane flight over the summit, a helicopter landing on a glacier, a GoldStar rail journey, or a week-long stay in a backcountry lodge might suit you better.

The best tours give you time to experience the real sense of place, whatever that means to you, and the chance to see beyond the most trafficked spots. So, before booking your tour, consider the way you want to experience Alaska, and how it connects to the rest of your trip.

Or, better yet, let us take care of it for you.

In Short

• You should visit Interior Alaska to see Denali National Park and Fairbanks
• The best way to get there is by a rail trip or a road trip from Anchorage
• On your trip, we include wildlife-watching, flightseeing, glacier landings, and GoldStar rail travel to connect it all

Credit: NPS Photo

Why Visit Interior Alaska: Denali National Park Tours & Fairbanks Northern Lights

Alaska is known for its vast wilderness and grand scale. But Alaska's Interior Region is often overlooked in favor of cruises on the Inside Passage or the glaciers lining the Southcentral Region.

But one thing can't be denied: Denali National Park and Preserve is one of the most iconic national parks in the world.

The Park covers over 6 million acres, itself covered in a range of rugged mountains, boreal forest, and open tundra. And in amongst it all is North America’s tallest peak: Mount Denali.

And by road and by rail, we can bring you here in comfort and style.

Credit: Credit: NPS Graphic / ANCH

Where is Interior Alaska

Interior Alaska is the central region of the state, from the Alaska Range in the south to the Brooks Range in the north. The Interior is far from the coast. Denali National Park and Preserve is over 200 miles away, and Fairbanks is over 350 miles away.

While this means many miss its beauty, it is a quieter destination than the busy port towns along the coast as a result. At Alaska By Design, we help these visitors looking to explore Fairbanks and Denali, designing their way there.

Where to Visit in Interior Alaska: Fairbanks and Denali National Park and Preserve

The two main attractions in the Interior Region of Alaska are Fairbanks and Denali National Park and Preserve.

Credit: Northern Alaska Tour Company

Fairbanks

Fairbanks is the biggest city in Alaska's Interior Region and is nicknamed the "Golden Heart City" due to its central role in the gold rush.

Beyond its gold rush history, Fairbanks is a hotspot for Northern Lights viewing in winter due to its position directly under the Auroral Oval. In summer, we use it as a home base for our guests looking to head further north to the Arctic Circle.

Credit: NPS Photo / Tim Rains

Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali National Park and Preserve comprises over six million acres of wild land. Most people visit to see Alaska's wildlife and its landscapes, most of which are entirely untouched by humans.

How to get to Denali National Park and Fairbanks

There are two ways for international visitors to get to Denali and Fairbanks.

The quickest way is to fly directly into Fairbanks, and is best for travellers who are short on time and focused on a few key experiences.

But the most scenic way to get to both Denali and Fairbanks is to travel north from Anchorage by either car or train. This route is ideal for travelers looking to turn their trip into an entire experience. We design our itineraries this way, introducing our guests to all of Alaska along the way.

Credit: Tourism Anchorage / Juno Kim

Alaska Railroad

The Alaska Railroad trip onboard the Denali Star train is more than just transportation. Relaxing under domed-glass windows or alongside an onboard meal in the dining car is just a small part of this trip — the views of the Knik Arm, Susitna River, and backcountry mountains take center stage as you roll by with ease. On your journey, we give you time in Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks.

Our Favorite Alaska Train Trip: Prince William Sound & Denali Explorer

Credit: Travel Alaska / Michael DeYoung

Road Trip

Denali National Park is over 200 miles from Anchorage, and Fairbanks is another 100 miles from there. This leaves hundreds of opportunities for stunning views and scenic road-tripping potential. By car, you can also explore the Kenai Fjords at your own pace before heading north to the Interior Region, stopping along the way at any viewpoints, towns, or roadside diners that catch your attention.

Our Favorite Alaska Road Trip: Alaska’s Mountains, Glaciers & Wildlife | First Time Favorites Drive Tour

Credit: Alaska Railroad

Both Rail and Road

Combining road and rail is perfect if you're unsure of what you want to do most, or want to break up the long journey with a mix of transportation styles. We design these trips to begin by road, to explore the Kenai Peninsula, before inviting you to relax onboard Alaska Railroad's GoldStar class between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Our Favorite Alaska Rail and Road Trip: Alaska Self-Drive & Alaska Railroad Vacation

What to See in Denali National Park and Preserve

The best things to see in Denali are wildlife like bears, moose, and wolves, and Mount Denali, also known as 'the Mountain'.

Credit: NPS Photo

Wildlife

The park is home to all of Alaska's 'Big Five:’ brown bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves. While we can't promise you will see them all (wolves are known to be especially elusive), we put you in the best position to see the animals that brought you here.

Our Detailed Guide: Best Alaskan Wildlife and Where to See It on Your Trip

Credit: NPS Photo

Mount Denali

Mount Denali, also known as Mount McKinley or just 'The Mountain,' is visible across the state. On clear days, this is from as far as Anchorage or Fairbanks. That being said, the Park entrance itself is enclosed by other mountains, so you cannot see the peak from there.

There are a few places to see the peak where private vehicles are permitted, before Mile 15. However, the best spots are beyond this point and only accessible on a bus tour. Along your tour, you will stop at Primrose Ridge at Mile 17 and Sable Pass at Mile 39.

Credit: NPS Photo / Emily Mesner

Best Time to Visit Denali

The single best month to visit Denali is in July, when the park road is open and wildlife is at its most active. You'll also benefit from good weather, green wildflower-covered landscapes, and lower mosquito levels. But, the entirety of the summer months offers the open season and all its benefits.

If you want to see Denali in winter, the best way to get there is on the [Alaska Aurora Train](. This transports you through the snowy landscapes in warm train cars and avoids winter driving conditions.

Denali Highlight: The Midnight Sun

Traveling to Denali National Park in the summer months — from late-May, through June until early July — is best to make the most of long days caused by the Midnight Sun. During the Midnight Sun, the sky never fully darkens and, instead, forms an hours-long sunset and extends the time you can spend exploring.

On the day with the most daylight, the 'sunset' begins at 12:16am and never drops more than 6° below the horizon, creating a bright 'civil twilight' that lasts for over three and a half hours.

Denali Summer Cruise Connector: Talkeetna Denali Alaska Rail Explorer

What to See in Fairbanks

Fairbanks is a great home base to see the surrounding land from. The best things to see from Fairbanks are the Northern Lights and the Arctic Circle.

Credit: Chena Hot Springs Resort

Northern Lights

To see the Northern Lights, we take visitors on expert-led tours to hidden spots away from the city to avoid light pollution. Some of our favorites are the Chena Hot Springs, which stay open late into the night for a bathing-viewing combo, or nearby wilderness lodges.

Credit: Northern Alaska Tour Company

Arctic Circle

The flight from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle is around one hour, making Fairbanks the perfect starting point to see the enigmatic North. It can be taken in summer, under the Midnight Sun, or in winter to see the Aurora Borealis.

Credit: Yuhan Du on Unsplash

Best Time to Visit Fairbanks

Fairbanks can be visited year-round, and the best time to visit depends on what you want to see.

In winter, Fairbanks becomes a hotspot for aurora-viewing due to its unique position under the Auroral Oval.

If you're interested in taking a trip to the Arctic Circle, we recommend visiting in summer when Fairbanks acts as a home base for Arctic tours by both land and air.

That being said, we offer tours to the Arctic in both summer and winter. In summer, you will fly above the circle before driving the Dalton Highway to a small community called Coldfoot. In winter, it is best to fly to Bettles — a small village only accessible by air — and stay at Bettles Lodge for remote aurora-viewing opportunities.

Related Post: Why Book an Alaska Northern Lights Tour

Fairbanks Highlight: The Northern Lights

Fairbanks is the best place in Alaska to see the Northern Lights, and one of the best places in the world. This is because of its position directly under the Auroral Oval, where auroras are most active. And being far from the coast, winter in Fairbanks has relatively few overcast days. This means skies are clearer, which is required for aurora-viewing.

Fairbanks Aurora Package: Fairbanks Aurora Winter Wonderland Adventure

Denali Park Tour Types:

There are many different ways of touring Denali National Park. They can be split into: flightseeing tours, land-based tours, and luxury lodges.

Credit: Air Arctic

Small Plane Flightseeing Tour

A small plane flightseeing tour will get you closer to Denali itself than any other tour — within a half-mile of the summit. As you fly, you'll see the backcountry with ease, and go far beyond the more heavily trafficked road, enjoying great views from above all the while.

Credit: TEMSCO Helicopter

Helicopter Flightseeing Tour (and Glacier Landing)

A helicopter flightseeing tour of Denali is another way to get that sense of place, especially when combined with touching down far from human activity on an ancient glacier. From the air, you see the grandeur of the Alaskan landscapes, and a more intimate experience when you land.

Credit: NPS Photo / Emily Mesner

Bus Tour of the Park Road

Bus tours go into the Park itself, and are the most famous way of seeing the Park. A bus is the only way of seeing beyond Mile 15 of the Park Road without hiking or biking the route.

Along the 5-hour trip, you will cover a lot of ground. From the bus, you get the vantage point of being above ground level, and the benefit of a bus full of eyes looking out for wildlife.

You will be able to stop and stretch your legs at the most scenic points along the way. Your knowledgeable guide will provide you with information about the history, landscapes, and wildlife you'll encounter.

Credit: Denali Jeep Tours

4x4 Tour of the Park Road

For more freedom than a bus tour, drive your own 4x4 Jeep Wrangler along the Alaska Range mountains. Rather than traveling the Park Road, you will instead head east along the unpaved and much less visited Denali Highway.

While not inside the Park itself, this route gives you unparalleled access to a road that most rental cars are not permitted to drive, and similar knowledge from expert guides through your car's radio.

Credit: Alaska Railroad

Rail Tour

A rail tour is the perfect way to connect your time in Denali to the rest of Alaska. Rail travel used to be the only way of reaching the park before the Parks Highway was completed in 1971. Alaska Railroad still goes right to the Denali National Park entrance. Shuttle buses run between the train station in Cantwell and hotels and lodges.

Credit: Sheldon Chalet

Luxury Lodge Stay

To see behind the Alaska Range's peaks, stay at Denali Backcountry Lodge. The lodge is located at Mile 92 of the road, nearly 50 miles beyond the current year-round closure. That means it is currently only accessible by helicopter, and a truly remote stay.

But there is one way to see Denali that beats all else — a stay at the ultra-luxurious Sheldon Chalet. Located within Park boundaries, between peaks, and on top of a glacier (by which we mean safely situated on a rocky nunatak high above the Ruth Glacier), this stay is like no other on Earth.

Our Team's Experience at Sheldon Chalet: What it's Like to Visit Sheldon Chalet, Alaska

What to Expect on a Trip to Denali | Denali Itinerary

Following our Signature Alaska Rail Vacation, you can expect 9 days of adventure as you journey north from Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks (or in reverse, starting in Fairbanks and heading south). You will see fjords, mountains, and glaciers, as well as bears, moose, and, if you’re lucky, whales.

The following itinerary is based on our recommendations, but when you book with us, each detail will be designed just for you. You can add or remove any activities as you please, and we'll arrange your journey to match.

Credit: Tourism Anchorage / Ken Graham Photography

Days 1-3: Around Anchorage

You'll begin in Anchorage, where you'll have time to explore the city.

After that, a fly-in bear viewing excursion, helicopter tour, and glacier-top dog sledding fill days two and three. We've designed the beginning of your journey to be filled with exciting adventures and give you the warmest welcome to Alaska's best.

End each of your days here in downtown Anchorage, enjoying a drink and a bite to eat at Glacier Brewhouse or 49th State Brewing (then head just next door to Wild Scoops ice cream for a scoop served 'baked Alaska' style).

Credit: Kenai Fjords Tours

Days 4-5: Kenai Fjords National Park

On day four, you'll transfer south along the Turnigan Arm towards the Kenai Fjords, stopping in Girdwood for lunch and at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for guaranteed up-close wildlife viewing on your way. Once there, explore the charming Seward perched on the inner edge of Resurrection Bay. We recommend The Cookery for dinner to enjoy the best fresh seafood in town.

The next morning, meet bright and early for an eight-hour fjord cruise, including breakfast and lunch onboard. You'll voyage from the port in Seward through Resurrection Bay and Harris Bay on your way to the remote Northwestern Fjord. Along the way, see marine wildlife, sea birds, fjords, and glaciers.

Credit: Travel Alaska / Traveling Newlyweds

Days 6-7: North to Denali

Today is the beginning of your journey from Seward to Denali by road and rail.

Drive north through a mountain pass, the Turnigan Arm, and along a braided river to Talkeetna on the southern edge of the Interior Region. There, you'll find a quaint railroad town, with under 1,000 year-round residents and just two blocks of wooden 'downtown.' While there, enjoy the best things to do: wandering the small town, visiting pubs, food stalls, art galleries, and Nagley's General Store, which has been in operation for over 100 years.

After a night spent in comfort and a morning spent in town, board Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train in our preferred GoldStar class, and begin your rail journey.

The Denali Star leaves Talkeetna at 11:20am, and arrives in Denali around 3:40pm. This means you have approximately four and a half hours to enjoy the scenery and onboard comfort. The train features glass-domed viewing cars and a dining car, all included in your GoldStar ticket.

Credit: NPS Photo / Claire Abendroth

Day 8: Into Denali National Park

Seeing the miles of untouched landscape is the goal of any Denali National Park tour. Though walking and hiking in the park are popular, most of Denali is trail-free, making it difficult to explore on foot. So we offer four different tours to choose from, allowing you to spend your time here in the way that matters most to you.

The first two options are by vehicle — a 4x4 Jeep Wrangler along an unpaved highway, or the famed Tundra Wilderness Tour letting you venture much further along the Park Road than any other tour.

Our two other choices let you take to the air, either on a small-plane flightseeing past the summit or a helicopter tour landing on Yanert Glacier.

Each tour will give you a once-in-a-lifetime view of the mountains. You can choose as you please.

Credit: Joseph Corl on Unsplash

Day 9: Denali to Fairbanks

Today is your last day in Alaska. After a morning to yourself, re-board the Denali Star train for another four hours of sightseeing. You'll be welcomed back into GoldStar comfort on your way to Fairbanks, the Golden Heart City. As before, enjoy domed-glass viewing cars, onboard dining-car meals, and the beautiful boreal forest passing your window as you follow the Nenana River north.

Combine Denali with Other Alaska Destinations

A Denali tour is a highlight of any Alaska vacation, but it doesn’t have to stand alone. At Alaska By Design, we will work with you to add experiences with intention, letting you find just what you were looking for in Alaska.

To help you begin, we recommend:

Credit: Ultima Thule Lodge

Flying through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in America at an incredible 13.2 million acres. This is difficult to see from the ground, understandably, so small-plane flightseeing is the way to go.

If your goal of seeing Alaska is truly vast landscapes and truly astonishing mountains, we recommend connecting your main trip to a stay at Ultima Thule Lodge, where backcountry flightseeing is just another day.

Credit: NPS Photo / Jim Pfeiffenberger

Cruising the Kenai Fjords

Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world. But, to see beyond the busier ports lining the Inside Passage like Juneau or Skagway, day cruises of the Kenai Fjords give you the chance to board a much smaller vessel and voyage along tight inlets and close to towering glaciers.

If you want to experience all of Alaska, we recommend traveling from the Kenai Fjords north to Fairbanks, seeing the landscape shift from deep-cut fjords to immense mountains to boreal forest as you go.

Credit: Denali Backcountry Lodge / Persuit

Unwinding in a Wilderness Lodge

To balance your adventures, remote lodges scattered across the untamed parts of the state offer private places to unwind in the wild. At places like these — Tutka Bay Lodge, Stillpoint Lodge, and Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, being some of our favorites — total immersion never comes at the cost of comfort.

And at Denali Backcountry Lodge, you can find it in the midst of Denali National Park itself.

If you want a more exclusive experience of Alaska, we recommend connecting your trip with time in one of these lodges, giving you space and time to relax with intention — before, during, or after your adventure.

Related Post: Best Alaska Lodges for Your Perfect Wilderness Escape

Finding these combinations is how we design your journey. We find the places that call to you and connect them, by rail or car, to create a start-to-end vacation, ticking every box as we go. These itineraries seamlessly take your Denali trip and turn it into a complete Alaska vacation.

Credit: Alaska By Design

Plan Your Denali National Park Tour with Alaska By Design

Ready to go beyond the surface? Let us design it. After all, a vacation should be about discovery, not planning, research, and more work.

At Alaska By Design, paired with one of our expert Travel Designers, you'll get an itinerary designed around you, arranged in advance, and delivered with care. If that's not enough, you'll have on-the-ground support as you travel, ensuring your journey is never anything but smooth.

Reach out today to meet your Travel Designer and start planning your Alaska tour, and subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive tips, itinerary ideas, and inspiration. We'll be in touch soon.

FAQ

What is the best tour of Denali National Park?

The best single-day tour of Denali National Park is a helicopter flightseeing tour of the region. The benefit here is that you have the opportunity for a remote glacier landing. There, you will have a true sense of what Alaskan wild really means, far, far from people.

The best land tour of Denali is the Tundra Wilderness Tour, as it goes beyond where private vehicles can (you cannot drive your own car beyond Mile 15 of the park road), and sees landscapes unmarked by human intervention.

For this reason, we recommend multi-day tours of the region so that you have time to see it from both land and air without rushing through only the most trafficked areas.

When can I see the Midnight Sun in Alaska?

The exact dates to experience the Midnight Sun are between May 26 and July 19, if you are in Denali in 2026. Each year, the dates shift by a few days.

During this time, the region experiences 24 hours of "usable daylight hours" as the sun never sets more than 6° below the horizon. This means the sky never darkens more than a 'civil twilight,' the brightest form of twilight.

How many days are enough for Denali National Park?

We recommend at least two nights in Denali National Park to allow for arrival and a full day to explore the area. We design our trips this way. But, if you are interested in seeing the park in more than one way — for example, by both ground and air — we suggest adding an extra night, and can easily arrange that as part of your itinerary.

When can I see the Northern Lights in Alaska?

The best time to see the Northern Lights in Alaska is either March or September, according to ongoing geomagnetic activity data collected by the British Geological Survey and historical cloud-coverage records. This is because geomagnetic storms are most common during spring and fall, and these months balance high geomagnetic activity (required to produce auroras) with fewer overcast days and adequate nighttime darkness. You will need to be awake from 11pm until 3am, or stay in a lodge that provides wake-up calls.

However, the aurora is potentially visible anytime during the Auroral Season, between late-August and mid-April, when skies are clear and dark.

What is the famous train ride in Alaska?

The most famous train ride in Alaska is the Denali Star Train, which runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks, passing by Denali National Park as it goes.

Can you sleep on the train in Alaska?

No, you do not sleep on the Alaska Railroad train. Instead, we design our trips with stops in towns and cities along the rail route, letting you rest in comfortable hotels, cabins, and lodges between rides. This is the best way to experience a train trip in Alaska.