This is a must do when you are in or near Talkeetna! We stayed at the Princess lodge about 45…read moreminutes north and drove down to Talkeetna for the day. This was a great trip and well worth every penny. We had a very large group and they did a great job and keeping everyone organized and safe. We started with a brief history tour which was neat and then headed off to check out an old cabin and lastly we were off to Dennis' place. This was where we had lunch, hung out and checked out the amazing sites. We then had a chance to fire off a couple of rounds, pan for gold and then head back. This never felt rushed and we all had a great time. This gives you the true Alaskan experience and never felt cheesy or super touristy. I highly recommended you check them out.

I'm a little surprised by all the glowing reviews. This was an okay tour but we were a little…read moredisappointed. It felt like we were playing follow the leader for 5 mi up and 5 mi back on a largely straight trail. The endpoint is a lovely home with a picturesque stream but we were expecting that once we got there we'd actually be able to freestyle on the ATVs a bit. This was simply our expectations, there's nothing in their advertising that says this will happen. Even so, if you're hoping to have an exciting ride, this was kind of tame. We never really got above 15 mph on the trail. The guides were great, nothing against them. Just really missed our expectations. Based on the other reviews, most people seem to love it.

The service and experience with Talkeetna Air Taxi was great! There was a mixup and they were late…read moreto pick us up, but once we called they were there within minutes and made it right. The flight was amazing and the views were incredible. Our pilot was super friendly and overall it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend and use them again.

A Breathtaking Experience Ruined by the Owner's Appalling Behaviour…read more Denali and the glacier landing were absolutely magnificent. The scenery was breathtaking, and the flight itself should have been one of the highlights of my visit to Alaska. Unfortunately, our guide and pilot, Paul -- who, as I understand it, is also the owner of the business -- turned it into an extremely unpleasant experience. Throughout the trip, Paul was consistently rude, dismissive and thoroughly unprofessional. While the other six passengers were boarding the aircraft one by one, I politely asked whether I could use those couple of minutes to take a photograph. Each passenger needed roughly 30 seconds to board, so my request would not have delayed the group at all. Nevertheless, Paul abruptly refused, without offering any reasonable explanation or showing even basic courtesy. His hostile attitude continued throughout the experience. When we returned, I calmly asked him why he had been so rude to me. His response was that it was "my problem". Even more shockingly, while I was standing by reception and had neither threatened nor insulted him, he physically pushed me. I found this behaviour completely unacceptable. I have travelled to 52 countries and 27 American states, and I have rarely encountered such disrespectful treatment in the tourism industry. A paying guest should never be spoken to or treated in this manner -- particularly by the owner of the company. The natural experience itself is extraordinary: Denali is spectacular, the mountains are unforgettable, and landing on the glacier is genuinely special. However, I strongly recommend requesting any pilot or guide other than Paul. Alaska deserves to be experienced with wonder and excitement, not spoiled by hostility and humiliation. Beautiful destination. Unforgettable scenery. Absolutely appalling customer service from Paul.

David hosts a great tour. My wife and I flew with him and the trip could not have been better. You…read morehave not really seen the Alaska range or Mt McKinley until you see it from the air. The word we kept using was "Wow!" The mountains, glaciers, crevasses, canyons, everything is Wow!" I also am a pilot and flight instructor; David's skill is very evident. I would fly with him antime. Thank you David, yout trip is a highlight of our vacation!

Alaska is a beautiful place and David, our pilot, has the most developed knowledge of his home for…read moremany years. You'll learn so much from the many different mountain ranges, to the glacial flour that makes the lakes a milky color, to flying over animal tracks with the hopes to find its owner. He has deep knowledge of the Alaskan things, and all the different ways to hike a mountain and how to get there. He's knowledgeable on all the lakes and rivers, where to fish, where to stay, and how he can safely get you there. He's a phenomenal pilot who's very aware of his surroundings and his airplane is absolutely well managed and cared for. I can't wait to come back and fly with David again!

I don't think that I can say enough good things about Ute and Billy FitzGerald, the good folks who…read moreown and operate Denali Trekking Company. The New Wife and I are active hikers and adventurers. When it came time to decide on a honeymoon location Alaska was top of the list. As a matter of fact, it was the ONLY locale on the list! A little research sent us north of Anchorage to the great little hamlet of Talkeetna. We booked a 3 day base camp hiking adventure with Denali Trekking Company. Several months in advance we had contacted Billy via email. He responded promptly asking for a good time to call us. The New Wife spoke with Billy for about 45 minutes. She then turned to me and said "We have found our guy!" Just read the "about us" section of their website to learn about the FitzGeralds. They are not just active in Talkeetna, they are the people who make up the heart and soul of the place. The Trip: After a couple of days in Talkeetna we contacted Billy to let him know we had arrived. He invited us to his cabin to meet and discuss our trip. We spent an hour talking about our lives, local politics and Alaska. We were pumped for the adventure! The trip was delayed one day due to rain, rain, rain and low ceilings. Great call on Billy's part. It would not have been safe or enjoyable. Day One: Rain and low ceilings still. Billy called and said to come out to his place. We met our guide Wade. Homemade Blueberry brownies passed the time. We went to a little cafe for a some lunch and then checked with the local float plane dock regarding the weather. Cleared to go a 4 seater loaded us up and off we went to the campsite. We made it out sans any issues, set up camp and the rain and wind started again. Time to hunker down in the Honeymoon Suite with amazing moose spaghetti made for us by Wade. I woke up at 3 am and looked out of the tent. The payoff was there! Crystal clear skies with more stars than you can imagine! Days Two and Three: More clear skies! Wade had coffee and breakfast for us. Off we went for nice hikes. The views were fantastic. Wade made it very enjoyable by pointing out everything from birds to wildlife to plant life. Bald Eagles, Osprey, a Golden Eagle!, Loons and caribou were checked off of the "seen it" list. After a great day 3 hike Wade called in the transportation. Billy landed on the lake next to the campsite in his beauty of a Piper Super Cub. The Super Cub is one of the finest little 2 seaters ever to grace the sky. The New Wife went in first. About 40 minutes later I was loaded up and had an enjoyable ride back to the dock where our car was waiting. We are still smiling. Tips: This is not a trail hiking adventure. It's "path of least resistance" hiking. The tundra is mossy and soft. Come ready. Get In Shape!! It will make all the difference. Bring quality gear. Hiking sucks if your feet are wet and hurting. LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE! They know more than you and will keep you safe. I'd trust Wade to lead me into any back country Alaskan adventure. He was professional, friendly and never condescending. Thanks to Denali Trekking Company, to Billy and to Wade for a great honeymoon adventure!

In our ten days in Alaska we did ice climbing, sea kayaking, mountain biking, ATV touring, and…read morehiking in various locations. But undoubtedly, the most meaningful experience was with Denali Trekking Company. The three days we spent in the Talkeetna highlands were truly a wilderness experience. No roads, telephone polls, trails, garbage; just beautiful tundra, animals, and us. The flight in with Billy was a great experience by itself. We landed on a small lake that just recently thawed. Our guide Galen flew in first, and had already set up the camp. Galen was a pleasure to be with for the next three days. Smart, knowledgeable, kind, and knows the area amazingly well. We mostly hiked during the day. There are no trails, so you look around, see something interesting (a peak, a beaver dam, a small lake with swans) and you try to find a way to get there. We did a quarter mile slide down a snow field on our butts (more fun than walking in the snow). Saw lots of wildlife, and even though it was raining a lot, just enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend Denali Trekking. Billy will make sure you will have a great experience.

This experience blew past my expectations! It was an unforgettable, fun, mesmerizing time. The…read moreguides are so nice, knowledgeable and kind. The dogs are so cute and you can truly tell they love going out in the snow. If you have the opportunity do not miss this.

We did a dog sled tour in Alaska and it was hands-down one of the highlights of our trip. Cooper…read morewas our musher and he was dope. Jessica, our kennel guide, was just as amazing. She walked us through everything, answered all our questions, and made sure we felt comfortable the entire time. Her passion for the dogs really showed. If you're in Alaska and even thinking about doing a dog sled tour--do it. And if you get Cooper and Jessica, you're in excellent hands. Highly recommend!

I really can't say enough about this ATV adventure with Alaska off-road adventures. The trip…read morestarted out where we got all of our instruction and gear including helmets that fit each family member and then we got a short explanation about how to drive each of the Honda four wheelers for my two daughters they got a automatic transmission version as well as a two seat version which was helpful. We started up with Ken and he made sure to watch us so that we didn't fall too far behind or miss a turn. He also took every opportunity to shoot photos where there were good scenic viewpoints. We also crossed a stream. And he shot a video of us crossing the stream. If you are looking for a good ATV adventure I would say don't go any further and book this excursion. The trails are difficult enough to make it fun for everybody and then not so difficult where it becomes overwhelming.

Alaska Off-Road Adventures…read more What a ride! This was hands-down one of the best experiences we had while visiting Alaska; it's an incredibly unique way to get out and see the amazing mountain views and Alaskan terrain. Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced ATV rider, Alaska Off-Road Adventures has something for everyone. Ken took the time to get us acquainted with the vehicles and then led us on a fun ride over many varying terrain elements. He had a wonderful personality and really made this trip feel special. We had 4 drivers and 1 rider with varying degrees of ATV-familiarity and by the end of the tour every single one of us had grins from ear-to-ear (and just the right amount of mud splattered on us!). Ken's ATV tour is something that my family still talks about months after our trip. If you're choosing between activities while visiting, or passing through, Talkeetna, I can't recommend this tour enough! It blows your run-of-the-mill tour out of the water!

It is a long round trip ride, but you do see wildlife. The highlight for us was a black bear with…read moreher two cubs. The ride is smooth with a few quick stops for photo opportunities. Our tour guide, Mary, is amazing and full of knowledge of the area. She's great and keeps us entertained.

What a fantastic trip! Mary was our amazing guide. This is not just a tourist attraction, my son…read morelives in Talkeetna and does this once a year. Highly recommend!

We had the tour today with Rich and Jason. It was a lot fun! They are funny, knowledgeable, and…read morehelpful. My son had a great time.

If you want a real, authentic gold panning experience, go with Rich at Denaligoldtours.com or…read more(907)733-7660! My son and I enjoyed getting out in a river and actually digging and panning for our own gold! Not like other places where they 'guarantee' you will find some because they have sprinkled the dirt beforehand with gold dust! This was actually driving out in the middle of nowhere, hiking to a secluded spot on the bank of a river, shoveling dirt and gravel from the riverbed, straining the larger rocks out, and then panning for the small specks of gold. While the flour gold is small (not like the nuggets you see on television), this is the reality of gold panning. And Rich is quite a character - he's a straight shooter telling great stories along the way. He was patient with teaching us how to pan and was excited when we found what we were looking for! It was a great experience and I highly recommend it!