IS IT WORTH IT? Denali Bus Tour // Denali National Park

In this video, we take a bus tour of the most popular Alaska national park and decide for ourselves if it's worth the hefty price tag!
Driving into Denali National Park is very restricted, so unless you plan it out far in advance and get lucky with the lottery, you will have to take a bus into Denali.
There are a few different options and in this video, we take the Tundra Wilderness Tour, and reviewing our experience.
Thanks for watching and be sure to check out our other Alaska Travel Vlogs and Food tour!
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#alaska #denali #alaskavlog

[@michelletownsley3172]

I’m REALLY enjoying your humor and travel descriptions!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thanks Michelle! That means a lot! We appreciate the support!

[@storminator60]

I took the bus tour in the mid 1970's. They gave us a card with all the animals we might see. We saw almost every animal on the list! Fantastic tour.

[@happyhorsman6398]

I've won the road lottery twice. You get one day in September (they pick the day) to drive the road in your own vehicle. I drove all the way to the end my first year, and then only to Eielson the second time. Seen a ton of wildlife and Denali both times. I highly recommend applying in May. Everyone in your family can apply. I've also done the green bus in several times, and brought snacks for my children. It was always a great experience. You are on the same road as the more expensive bus, so you see the same surroundings. You don't have a "tour guide", but in my experience all of the drivers have been amazing. My most rare sighting was the butterscotch lynx.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

That's so cool! I think driving yourself would be such an awesome experience

[@MercedesVirgo]

This video was so informative! I’m planning a trip for mid-May and I will definitely use this information. Thank you!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robyngrieve9665]

Was on this trip a couple of years ago. It was great. We didn't have great cameras so the only close shots we got were all butts. Deer butt, moose butt, bear butt...🤣🤣🤣

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Haha I can totally relate! That's the downfall of wildlife photography. The animals don't know how to pose most of the time!

[@MORES1971]

😎after seeing the beautiful park in Canada Banff😍and Jasper in the province of Alberta, Denali is overrated !👎 There is not much to do there. The park is not much to do except that you will sit in this bus and jump on the holes! there is nothing very interesting there, so I wouldn't even recommend going there, it's a waste of time and money! unless you have nothing to do, you want to go there anyway out of boredom! It's better to spend some money and fly over the Alaska Range and the glacier - it's a beautiful trip, I recommend it! 🥰👍

[@apoorvadube]

Thanks for compiling this and sharing your experience 😄

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

My pleasure 😊

[@TheMarpalm]

Just took the green bus. It was very “narrated”. Our driver Tom did a good job both talking about Denali and spotting and stopping for wildlife. So not sure here is a big difference anymore and therefore not sure the increased cost is worth it.

[@dougmccready5454]

This is the video that started it for me. We had plans in place to see Alaska and was amazed at these videos. We just got back from there. Took a cruise up to Whittier than the train from Anchorage up to Denali. We took this tour. 5am -10:30 Loved it! The tour guide was so good. We got to see Denali! Moose, Caribou and a couple grizzlies. Loved the screens to help see it. I would recommend the tour 10/10 times. So much information.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thats so cool that you went up there. Alaska is really special and Denali is the heart of Alaska. You're so lucky that you got to see the mountain!

[@lostamonglocals5382]

Awesome video you guys! Added it to the list!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thanks so much. It's definitely worth adding to the bucketlist!

[@stud88100]

Great video. I loved the sled dogs, and espically the puppies

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Us too! They were soo cute!

[@backfromsolaris3648]

Love Denali so so much. Went in June last year and the green camper busses were being operated by longtime tour bus drivers because of seniority & schedule cuts due to the pandemic, so before & after backpacking we had super spacious bus rides with really awesome and knowledgeable drivers. Wildlife highlights were a lynx crossing the road, and a freaking WOLVERINE running with prey in its mouth!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Oh wow! A wolverine! That must have been insane! We would have freaked out

[@rahultino]

In June do the hills have snow on them? Does Denali have snow in June?

[@juliamillerrethinkrealesta2363]

Can't wait! Going to Denali in May and we WILL go to the kennel! Thank you!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@terrydanks]

Old man here. Flash back to the late 1960s . . . Spent about a week per year in Denali from 1968 to 1974. In those days you were permitted to drive your private vehicle all the way to Wonder Lake after Labour Day. Loved the place. Don't think I'd much enjoy returning with all the restrictions. Unfortunate about the landslide at Polychrome Pass, as the most impressive scenery really just begins there.

[@angelaharmon2543]

Thank you so much!! Very informative!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

You are so welcome!

[@pugong2599]

Thanks a lot for the video! I hadn't decided tour bus or transit bus I will take. After watching this video, I want to try the tour bus. It is a good idea to drive back to the park after the tour.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

We liked that the guide was on the lookout the whole time for wildlife, and the camera feed on the bus was really cool too. So even if you didn't have a good view out the window, you could still see what we stopped for

[@MALL85]

Thank for your video is very nice to see the beautiful of América in others poit of view good blessings

[@enricocurcio1610]

What a nice place, can't wait for the next one, i looved the dogs

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

That was an unexpected highlight for us! Definitely cool

[@dean-ka0trl980]

Great video as always. To bad about the avalanche, those things happen is Alaska. Our one cruise was detoured because of closures, it's just a part of the Alaskan experience. Too bad the buses don't have a drone landing and takeoff on top of the bus :) Love you guys stay safe and enjoy.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thanks! We were dissapointed about the closure as well, but what are you going to do. Drones aren't allowed in National Parks which is ok. I get why they made that against the law

[@chezmanya]

I took the bus tour nearly 30 years ago and it was totally worth it! Really wonderful to see how animals and plants behave in the wild, although with the bus, they are not totally wild. I loved the practice of just leaving carcasses of prey animals to be consumed or eroded by the elements. I also got a wonderful lesson in the composition of the tundra plants . Great experience!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

It really is! We were on the fence as to whether we should take the bus in or just drive the first 15 miles. We are really happy we took the tour

[@randomfacts6691]

great vlog dear, love it

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thank you so much 😊

[@AK-ze5in]

I was there a month ago. Worth the trip. The young man driver is very good - friendly and explained about the scene all the drive. Recommand

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

We think so too, Totally worth it for us

[@wd0enr]

Thanks for the video. We booked the narrated Tundra Wilderness Tour several weeks in advance, choosing a 6 am start time so we would be back in time for our train ride back to Fairbanks. The company charged my credit card so I thought it was a done deal that we would have the 6 am time slot. But much to our surprise a couple days before the ride we were informed 6 am was booked full and were forced to take the 10:30 am time, getting us back too late for our train reservation. I called customer service in Arizona and the woman wasn't too understanding. She refused to give us a refund. We were unable to go on the bus tour. Didn't see much of the park but your video gives us an idea on what we missed out on. We did see moose and other wildlife outside the park. Still waiting on our refund. I bet they resold our seats to someone else.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

That's a real bummer. They shouldn't have done that

[@rahultino]

They should have given you the refund. Their cancellation policy seems weird. I was told that one could cancel 7 days before the trip. But the actual bus time is not revealed before 48 hours. So if the bus time is very late (it can be as late as 6:30 PM) then one may not want to go. I think they should allow cancellation few hours after they reveal the actual bus departure time.

[@MsCmcginn]

We were on this tour in mid August 2022 and we were one of the 20% that saw Denali as we had a clear day

[@theChristianChristian]

I'm going this year! What camera did you record on? It picked up the wildlife really well!

[@ShawnQuish0904]

Hell yes it is worth it. Did it May 2021 and have amazing up close pictures of grizzlies, mountain goats.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Nice! we were lucky with one grizzly too, but it was a quick sighting

[@euy5kyrthu5]

When I was younger, the lottery was limited to Alaskan residents, and my family won a spot several times. Now, there has been a landslide that caused the suspension of the lottery entirely.

[@edholohan]

Worth it. Done it.

[@johnspitta6725]

Great info. 5 hours sounds like plenty.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

It went by pretty fast actually

[@jameswa635]

Wow, you are lucky. When I had that bus ride, I only saw a fox with a rabbit in its mouth and lots of German tourists (on the bus) and tons of mosquitoes. But the bus driver was really humorous and experienced so I did enjoy the ride. Did I see other animals? Yes or no. You need to have high mag binoculars or even better real high mag camera like those German had. They came prepared.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Yeah, we definitely got lucky. You never know what you will see... Beautiful Landscape either way though

[@Analyticalinadream]

This is a very helpful video. Going in June. I think we will pay for the tour bus if we can get tix.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thanks, We were glad we spent the extra money for the tour bus. It was worth it in our opinion

[@paulgerrard9227]

Is it worth it? Sure is if you take the longer trips. The best is deep in the park. But be prepared...we encountered freezing conditions and high heat in the space of 2 hours. Byo food and drink too. Bring tropic strength mosquito spray!!!!

[@Honkytonk1425]

Unfortunately, the tour stops at mile 43 The spectacular views are beyond that point I’m guessing it will be four years before they build the bridge

[@ashleyhockenberry2187]

A+

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thanks!

[@iowa_don]

Of course it is worth it! Are you going to walk all the way down that road? I don't think so. I've been on it twice.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

We thought so too. At one point we were thinking of skipping it. I'm glad that we didn't

[@JustinBrehm]

The video is so great, I'm going to keep sharing your viewers because u both do alot of work to create these. Stupid youtube algorithm lol

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Thank you! That is much appreciated!

[@JustinBrehm]

@@TheAwkwardTourists of course & thank you

[@lostamonglocals5382]

Love sweet comments like this. Way to go dude!

[@busterschannel4794]

I went about I month ago and they opened it up to 30 miles for personal vehicles. Didn't see any bears.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

I heard they do that at the end of the season. Did you have snow?

[@busterschannel4794]

@@TheAwkwardTourists no snow at Denali. It snowed at hillside in Anchorage.

[@ragnarokgalaxy9510]

I miss home

[@josephsener420]

NEVER sit in the back seats of these buses! The pivot arm of the suspension means this seats bounce several feet more than the front seats.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Good tip!

[@vicki8042]

It is boring as heck. Got a great picture of 5 people sleeping on the bus. Thrilling, let me tell you.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

It's definitely long, but we enjoyed the scenery and we got lucky with some animals. I don't know that it was worth the hefty price tag though

[@suiwan1402]

Are there any other national park nearby Anchorage to visit without having to go thru the road lottery ? If I take the green bus, how soon can I buy the ticket be admitted into the bus if I leave the nearby motel say 3pm? I don't have car only by foot. I guess the option for me is limited.

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

I think your best bet if you don't have a car is to book a tour that includes transportation. Denali is the most accessible Nat Park from Anchorage, Unless you take a bush plane down to Katmai National Park

[@myytchannel6632]

I read somewhere that if you take the transit bus, do not get off. Ride all the way to the end of the park. Then enjoy the views. On your way back, get off where you want. You have a better chance of always getting back on the transit bus any time after that. Also, it is best to go as early as possible.

[@paulgerrard9227]

The website for the park will guide ticket sale dates. Usually may onwards and dates vary with weather

[@paulgerrard9227]

​@@myytchannel6632 its a long walk...yes dont get off.

[@timothyhephner8176]

Ditch the masks!

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Ditch the attitude

[@j240z]

won't watch the rest of this because you're still wearing masks

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Oh no, we're so sad 😭

[@mikelopez5865]

Poor doggies 😢😢

[@TheAwkwardTourists]

Trust me, those dogs are treated like royalty and they absolutely love to run