Denali Survival Tour
4 Hour Denali Survival Tour
Quick Info and Highlights
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This tour is fairly flat and the pace is slow, but it is off-trail, meaning that the terrain can be different than what some are accustomed to. The squishiness of the peat moss and the act of pushing through blueberry bushes, while fun, can sap your energy more than a trail would.
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One of the things that sets us apart is that none of our hikes have set distances or elevation gains. Every tour is tailored to your tour group. The distance will depend on the pace of the group and capabilities of everyone involved.
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This tour is great for the whole family. The kids will love getting to play in the squishy peat moss that covers the boreal forest floor. Learning survival skills can be an incredibly empowering thing for kids and adults of all ages, and the depth of information and knowledge provided by your guide will keep the adults wanting more!
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Most Denali travelers never get to experience true immersion into the area. You can change that for you and your family by booking this tour.
What will you find? An old trap from the ‘50s? A squirrel colony? An old landslide? Our guides have found all of these on our off-trail tours, and continue to find more unique sights on every excursion.
To add even more, you will be learning the specific skills that have been used for centuries to survive in the harsh climate of Denali. It doesn’t get more immersive than that.
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This tour takes place entirely off-trail. From the moment the van doors open you will be in the authentic world of Denali. If you want to go look at something, just tell your guide and they’ll take you there. All of our guides are experts at backcountry navigation and carry GPS/SOS devices, so you can walk and relax, knowing that they know where you are, even if you don’t!
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We don’t believe in making you rent gear or buy a National Parks pass to have a good time on your hike. That’s why it’s all included on your booking with us. We have rain jackets for you if it’s wet or rainy. We also offer trekking poles to anyone who wants them.
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Water, comfortable hiking shoes or boots, long pants and a long sleeve shirt, and layers! While our guides will have snacks available, bring your own food if you want something more substantial.
Tour Description
What comes to mind when you think of Alaska? Is it gift shops, boardwalks, and buses? Commercialized tours where you’re driven along like cattle? Or is it the rugged mountains, rugged people, and independent survivalists? If you answered yes to the last question, you’re just like me. Sadly, most travelers settle for the first two options.
I want to give you something better. Something more authentic. I want to take you off the beaten path of Denali. And I mean that literally. Our survival tours are entirely off-trail. That means you get the REAL Denali experience. Now it’s time to transport yourself to Denali.
Feel the peat moss squish down under your feet. You’re walking on a lush green cloud. In some places, you sink down nearly a foot with every step. As you stare in wonder at the unfamiliar forest around you, your guide hands you a wild berry. You taste it. It’s good! It tastes exactly like banana cream. Your guide tells you it’s a cloudberry, and teaches you how to identify it. By the end of the tour, you know how to identify dozens of edible plants and berries.
For the rest of your Alaska trip, you have a wilderness buffet everywhere you go. When you’re on hikes, people ask you how you know what’s edible. They’re impressed by your knowledge, and want you to teach them too.
But it doesn’t end there! Your guide walks through the forest with you until they reach a suitable place to stop. This is where your tour gets really special. You sit down in the lush moss. It absorbs you. Your expert guide gives you a passionate lesson on authentic Alaskan survival skills.
You learn how the indigenous Athabaskans refrigerated their food. You learn how to build a shelter that will keep you warm, even in the harsh climate of Denali. Your guide tells you stories of the many survivalists who have come to Denali. You hear about Chris McCandless, who met his unfortunate end just miles away from where you sit.
By the time you’re done with your tour, you’re a different traveler. When you look at the forest, you see more than trees. You see where the permafrost is lower. You recognize moose signs. At a glance, you pick out the best places to build a shelter. You spot game trails, and think about what animal might have made them. You’re no longer observing Denali. You’re experiencing it!
$249 Per Adult
$199 Per Child
Have questions or want to book over the phone? Give us a call!
Attention: We already have over 800 people booked for summer of 2025. Availabilities are first-come-first-serve. Book now to reserve your spot. Cancellations are refunded 100% until 24 hours before your tour, so there’s no risk for you. If you see the availability you wanted to book yesterday fill up, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Disclaimer: Because it’s off-trail, the National Park Service doesn’t allow us to operate this tour in the Denali National Park boundaries. Instead, we operate it just outside. We do this to give you the best and most immersive experience we can.
The Ultimate Confidence Guarantee:
It can be stressful to find the right tour. What if it’s bad? Not what you thought it would be? Most companies would tell you to kick rocks. Not us.
If you don’t like your tour with Northern Epics, just give us a call. Or shoot us an email. Either way, we’ll give you a full refund. AND $100 towards your next tour in Alaska.
Find someone who stands by their tours as well as we do. I’m waiting.