Denali area information
Businesses cannot drive on the Denali Park Road beyond the main Denali Visitor Center in the entrance area of the Park. The most popular way to go deeper into the National Park for a day trip is on the Denali Park Road is with the bus system.
We recommend booking an activity with us on your first full day in the Denali area, then exploring Denali National Park independently on another day during your visit.
We have Commercial Use Authorization permits to be able to guide on the designated hiking trails within the entrance area to Denali National Park. There is no commercial guiding within the Wilderness Boundary of Denali National Park, which includes areas west of the Denali Visitor Center.
For our private, full day trip we prefer to explore areas that are an off-the-beaten-path experience. Many of these areas have spectacular views of the mountains of the Alaska Range and Denali, weather permitting.
Helpful Alaska information
While we would love to guarantee you will see wildlife during the trip, it is difficult to predict when and where wildlife will be in any particular area. That’s a good thing! We aim to minimize our impact during all activities so the wilderness stays wild.
We recommend bringing a good pair of binoculars if you’re particularly interested in trying to spot wildlife.
Common summer insects you may encounter during your Alaska trip include mosquitoes, black flies and midges (no-see-ums). While these small critters can be cumbersome, we are fortunate Alaska does not have any ticks, chiggers or snakes.
Required gear varies slightly depending on the trip booked. We send a required gear list with your confirmation email after booking. In general, expect to bring the following items.
- Worn-in hiking boots/shoes
- Synthetic or wool hiking clothes, NO COTTON
- Warm base layers
- Gloves/hat
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- Reusable water bottle (ex. Nalgene)
Policies and helpful trip information
Day trips:
Full payment, which includes a 15% non-refundable deposit, is required in order to secure your reservation.
Multi-day trips:
For multi-day trips, a 25% non-refundable deposit is due to secure your reservation. For trips booked within 60 days of trip departure, full payment is required to complete the reservation.
Final payment is due on or before 60 days prior to the trip start date, in ACH/check form. For trips of $5,000 or more, payment must be made in ACH/check form (or can be made with a credit card, with 3% fee adjusted accordingly).
Please contact us if you have questions regarding trip payment.
Payment via Visa, Mastercard, check or ACH is accepted. ACH is an electronic funds transfer, it is essentially a digital check entered in a completely secure online portal. The only information that is necessary for payment is to enter your account information in the online payment.
For trips of $5,000 or more, payment must be made in ACH/check form (or can be made with a credit card, with 3% fee adjusted accordingly).
See previous payment FAQ for day or multi-day trip payment details. Please contact us if you have questions regarding trip payment.
We are a small, flexible organization; however, we want visitors to understand many of our expenses are incurred prior to trip departure dates. In the event you need to cancel your booking, we offer the following:
Day Trips:
Cancellations made more than 7 days before the trip start date will receive a full refund, less 15% deposit. Cancellations made within 7 days prior to the trip start date will receive no refund.
Multi-Day Trips:
Cancellations made more than 14 days before the trip start date will receive a full refund, less 25% deposit. Cancellations made within 14 days prior to the trip start date will receive no refund.
Funds held may be used as a credit toward a future booking with Traverse Alaska. Credit valid for 2 years. A trip qualifies as a Multi-Day Trip anytime more than a single day trip is booked.
We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your entire Alaska adventure. We partner with Travel Safe to offer trip protection. Request a quote here or contact us with questions. Policies must be purchased within 21 days of trip deposit payment in order to receive full benefits.
Current industry standard is 10-20% of the total cost of your trip or activity. For example, if your trip costs $1,000, consider tipping your guide at least $100.
As we do a variety of adventures, another guideline is tipping approximately $100-$200 per guide, per day.
Our operations remain open year round.
Safety is our top priority and our team continues to monitor and evaluate best practices associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. For operations we will adhere to the most current CDC, state and local guidelines.
We will continue to (as we always have) scrub our vehicles inside and out between every trip, have hand sanitizer and bleach wipes available, and evolve as the situation progresses.
Stay in touch for more information, and if you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to us.
We recommend all visitors review Alaska state travel mandates prior to booking a trip to Alaska.