Denali Backcountry Guides

Whether you are looking to take a relaxing afternoon stroll with an intreprative guide to learn a little more about the area, or you are looking for a serious trek through the wilderness backcountry with an expert wilderness guide, Denali Backcountry Guides is likely to have something to fit your apetite. These backcountry professionals are experts on the area and the tours offered can be tailor-made to fit your needs.

Denali Backcountry Guides has been helping guests explore the beauty of the Alaska wilderness on backcountry adventures in the Denali area for more than 24 years! Every professional wilderness guide at Denali Backcountry Guides (DBG) is required to have a minimum of 5 years of guiding experience in Alaska prior to coming on board as a DBG guide. These professional guides provide decades of combined experience guiding both locals and travelers throughout the wilderness and scenic backcountry of Alaska.

We offer three unique guided experiences from Denali Backcountry Guides for you to choose from.

Heli-Hiking Experience

Perhaps the most unique of the offerings is the ‘Heli-Hiking Experience’ which allows you to hitch a ride into the remote wilderness of Alaska to a location custom chosen for you by your guide based upon your desires and hiking experience.

If you are looking for a truly unforgettable Alaskan adventure, this is the tour for you! The Heli-Hiking Experience is a tour that is tailor-made to satisfy the goals and unique desires that you have in mind for your Alaska backcountry experience.

Witness for yourself the remarkable peace and solitude that the Alaskan wilderness has to offer. Whatever you are looking to experience… scaling a steep mountain slope for a walk along a mountain ridge... exploring the tundra, seeking out a wildlife encounter... or diving deep into the valleys and forests for some solitude... the Heli-Hiking Experience is the tour that can make it happen for you.

This tour experience can be tailored to your level of experience and endurance, but generally speaking these tours can be a bit more strenuous.

Denali Walking Tour

The 3-hour Denali Walking Tour is a more scaled back tour where you will meet up with your guide in the Denali Village and drive to a scenic local spot for an interpretive walking tour of the area. This tour includes a fascinating narrative on the local flora and fauna. Discover the intricate connection that the plants, animals and people share in this delicate ecosystem.

The Denali Walking Tour is designed to be more of a laid-back and educational experience more than a rugged workout, however, there will still be some physical exertion required. The trail is moderate with some up and down elevation as well as uneven ground and some mud and water puddles during certain times of the year.

The pace you will be traveling is around 1 mile per hour and there are frequent stops for resting, drinking, discussion and taking in the scenery.

You should come prepared with your outdoor gear for this tour, including adequate layers for warmth, sturdy walking shoes, rain gear and your camera! Some basic equipment is available from Denali Backcountry Guides if you need it, including rain gear, overshoes and trekking poles.

The purpose of the Denali Walking Tour is to get you out into the beauty of the wilderness in the Denali area and to help you to connect with nature on a deeper more meaningful level. The views of the north side of the Alaska range are breathtaking and you will learn so much from your guide on this interpretive tour.

Denali Wilderness Hiking Tour

The wilderness hiking tour is a great option for those who are looking to get out and cover more area and experience a little more backcountry adventure than the walking tour provides.

Like the walking tour, the Denali Wilderness Hiking tour is also an interpretive tour, so you still get your expert education on all of the flora and fauna, facts and history of the region, but you will also get a little more exercise and a bit more adventure!

The Wilderness Hiking Tour is a 5-hour tour, and the extra time allotted for this trip gives you more opportunity to explore some beautiful areas like the forests near the Nenana river and the rich sub-alpine tundra areas.

The hiking tour is more strenuous than the walking tour, so be sure you are up to the task before booking this trip.

Hotel pick up locations:

Denali Princess Lodge
McKinley Chalets
Denali Bluffs
Denali Grande
Denali Park Village
Grizzly Bear Resort
Denali Cabins

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Call to book your reservations today!

855-245-1289

Highlights

Experience the wild wilderness of Alaska
Backcountry adventures tailor-made for you
Interpretive tours - get an education while you explore!
Professional guides provide decades of combined experience guiding in Alaska
24 years of providing guided services in the Denali area
Some of the most experienced guides in Alaska

Schedule

Denali Walking Tour
Summary:	A 3-hour interpretive walking tour inside the park or just outside the park boundary. This tour is moderate to easy with minimal elevation gain that covers 3 - 4 miles. Meet your guide in the lobby of the local hotel. Drive times are short and group size is small (2-8 travelers). Walking with an experienced local naturalist is really a great way to see the complicated connections of plants, animals, and people within the splendor of true wilderness in Alaska. The boreal forest in the lower elevations gives way to specialized sub arctic ecosystems like taiga and tundra. The permafrost areas and fantastic mountains are home to plants and animals highly adapted to the harsh elements. Your guide will stop frequently to explain this in depth.
Trip time:	7:40 am - 10:40 am 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm 8:30 pm - 11:15 pm (May, June & July only) Tour Dates: May 12 - September 15 Pick up locations: Denali Princess Lodge // McKinley Chalets // Denali Bluffs // Denali Grande // Denali Park Village // Grizzly Bear Resort // Denali Cabins
Hiking Level:	Moderate - The trail is not flat. Some up and down is required for the entire length of the tour. Expect to walk 3-4 miles with up to 800’ elevation gain.
Distance:	3-4 miles
Duration:	Approx 3 hours
Appropriate Equipment:	Dress in layers // Rain gear // Sunscreen // Hats & sunglasses // Backpack with water & snacks // Camera & binoculars
Price:	Adult (ages 18+) $120.00/person* Youth (ages 5-17) $60/person*
Denali 5-Hour Wilderness Hiking Tour
Summary:	This tour is for those who are looking for some more adventure. The wilderness hiking tour covers more ground and lasts about 5 hours. You still get an interprative narration from your expert guide, but you will be able to spend more time exploring the forests near the Nenana river, and the beauty of the tundra. You will also get more of a workout!
Trip time:	11:30am - 4:30pm daily Tour Dates: May 12 - September 15 Pick up locations: Denali Princess Lodge // McKinley Chalets // Denali Bluffs // Denali Grande // Denali Park Village // Grizzly Bear Resort // Denali Cabins
Hiking Level:	Strenuous, expect to gain 1500' in elevation and walk 5-6+ miles, off-trail at times.
Distance:	5-6 miles depending on participants (Groups size is a maximum of 7 people.)
Duration:	4.5 – 5 hours
Appropriate Equipment:	Dress in layers // Rain gear // Sunscreen // Hats & sunglasses // Backpack with water & snacks // Camera & binoculars // Trekking Poles
Price:	Ages 15+ $170.00/person*
Denali 4-Hour Wilderness Hiking Tour
Summary:	This tour offers the same intensity as the 5-hour tour but on a more concise timeline. You still get an interprative narration from your expert guide, and you'll still experience amazing beauty of the forests and the tundra near the park, but you'll do it a little quicker! This tour often operates in areas just outside the National Park so we may explore the mountains off-trail and utilize locations that are more remote and have a wider variety of terrain to explore.
Trip time:	Offered once daily 7:30am - 11:30am Tour Dates: May 10 - September 15 Pick up locations: Denali Princess Lodge // McKinley Chalets // Denali Bluffs // Denali Grande // Denali Park Village // Grizzly Bear Resort // Denali Cabins
Hiking Level:	Strenuous, expect to gain 1500+' in elevation and walk 4-6+ miles, off-trail at times.
Distance:	Expect to cover 4-6 miles and climb up 1500-1800' in elevation.
Duration:	Approx: 4 hours
Appropriate Equipment:	Dress in layers // Rain gear // Sunscreen // Hats & sunglasses // Backpack with water & snacks // Camera & binoculars // Trekking Poles
Price:	Ages 15+ $150.00/person*
Heli-Hiking Experience
Summary:	It is possible to see Denali on a clear day from this area. Hiking area is located near Mt Fellows and Yanert Valley, not in Denali National Park, but it is remote wilderness. Rain gear and trekking poles provided if needed. Bring water and warm clothes in layers for the tour. Weather cancellations are decided the day of the tour. Hikes do run in rainy weather.
Trip time:	3+ hours of hiking time (4 hours and 30 minutes total) Pick up locations: Denali Princess Lodge // McKinley Chalets // Denali Bluffs // Denali Grande // Denali Park Village // Grizzly Bear Resort // Denali Cabins
Pick up times:	7:35 AM, 10:35 AM Tour Dates: May 12 - September 15
Hiking level:	Moderate to Strenuous
Distance:	Varies based on chosen location and itinerary
Duration:	4.5 hours start to finish // Approx 3 hours of hike time
Appropriate Equipment:	Dress in layers // Rain gear // Sunscreen // Hats & sunglasses // Backpack with water & snacks // Camera & binoculars
Price:	$499.00/person*
*All tours require a two person minimum

Rates

Denali Walking Tour:	Adult (ages 18+): $120.00/person* Youth (ages 5- 15) $60/person*
Denali 5-Hour Wilderness Hiking Tour	(Available to ages 15+) $170.00/person*
Denali 4-Hour Wilderness Hiking Tour	(Available to ages 15+) $150.00/person*
Heli-Hike	$499.00/person*
*All tours require a two person minimum

Terms & Policies

Full refunds are issued up to three days in advance of a booked trip. No refunds will be given if guest cancels within 3 days of a trip.

Trips canceled within 180 days of online payment will be fully refunded. After 180 days of payment, refunds are subject to a 3.5% processing fee. Refunds can take 1 to 2 weeks to process.

In the event that a trip is cancelled due to passenger minimums or weather, a full refund will be issued. DBG Tours operate rain or shine and are seldom canceled for rainy weather.

No food is provided on any of tours. Guest must bring their own water. The physically easiest tour is still considered moderate. Trips run in all kinds of weather.

Call to book your reservations today!

855-245-1289

See All Denali Activities