True wilderness at Denali National Park, Alaska: Part 2

On any summer day in Denali, Alaska's most well known national park, hundreds of people see sights that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Perhaps a moose will peep out of the brush, a Dahl sheep will rest on a green shoulder of Taiga, or a grizzly will ramble over the Tundras. Maybe a caribou will pause on a ridgetop, silhouetted by the warm light of day's end, or clouds will part to reveal the great snow-covered Mount McKinley, 20,320 feet high, the highest point of North America. Native Alaskans call it Denali, "the high one". 

The drama is always there. To see it, all you need to do is travel the 92-mile park road. The farther you go, the more wildlife and nature you'll see.

The Tundras

Dog Sledge

The most popular way to see the park is by Denali buses. There are two different types of buses, one is the shuttle bus with no narration and food and the other is the tour bus with narration and lunch packs. It really depends on you how far you want to travel. The longest stretch being the Wonder Lake which is 92 miles one way. It takes 11 hrs. That sounds boring isn't it? That doesn't mean you will be stuck in the bus for 11 hrs, you can of course get off anywhere and trek if you'd like.

We took the Wonder lake shuttle bus as we wanted to have a longer sight-seeing experience. We saw Caribou and Moose resting under a tree, Grisly bears grazing in the Tundras, Dall sheep, Goats, Porcupine and Fox running out of the brush. Denali has some great wildlife but you need to be actively looking for a sightings with your binoculars.

There is a reflection pond near Wonder lake where you can see the reflection of Denali. It is really beautiful and picturesque. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to look at Mt McKinley because of the cloud cover. Weather in Denali is unpredictable, it can rain anytime, so be prepared with your rain gear.

The shuttle buses run throughout the day to Tolkat, Eilson and Wonder Lake. Denali is true wilderness, there aren't many trails, you can go and hike anywhere you want. Keep in mind you are in the Alaska wildness and need to be vocal and keep a sharp eye out for animals at all times. Some trekkers carry a bear bell, some talk loudly and some play loud music in their phones to avoid bear.

Many people hike up to the Stampede trail to see the bus after watching the movie "Into the Wild". Park rangers don't recommend hiking up there, as it is still dangerous without the proper hiking gear. 

Along with the bus tours there are many other activities you can do, such a River Rafting on the Nenana River, flight seeing tours with the option of a helicopter or plane, dog kennel tours and ATV tours. Because these tours have several timings per day, it is easy to add one in your itenary.

We did the dog sledge tour in Denali. There are free shuttle buses which run from the visitor center at 10am and 2pm daily. The dog sledge show is free, you can even see the dogs in their kennels. I liked the show as I got a closer look at the huskies there.

All I would say it that Denali is still true wilderness and will be. So, plan a trip to Denali if you are a nature lover, or love wilderness or are just inspired by the movie "Into the Wild".

Some Recommendations
Accommodation-There are many good lodges in Denali like the Denali Princess, Grande Denali and many more. You need to book in advance to get a good place.
Food- No food is available inside the park. You need to carry your own food and water. 
Things to take- Binoculars, rain gear, camera, food, water