A Denali flightseeing and glacier landing tour is hands-down one of the best things to do in Alaska. Seeing North America’s tallest peak from above is an unforgettable experience. You’ll witness arctic alpine tundra, endless glaciers, and majestic snow-capped mountains.
There are plenty of flight-seeing experiences from Talkeetna and I highly suggest adding a glacier landing to your tour. You won’t be disappointed!
A visit to Denali National Park & Preserve is a bucket-list adventure and I’m going to share everything you need to know to experience an unforgettable Denali flightseeing and glacier landing tour from Talkeetna.
Best Denali Flightseeing and Glacier Landing Tour From Talkeetna
Why choose a Denali flightseeing tour from Talkeetna?
A great reason to take a Denali flight tour from Talkeetna is that Talkeetna is the closest takeoff point to Denali, which means you will be flying above Denali National Park in no time. Weather in the area is also very unpredictable, but if you’re in Talkeetna you will have better chances of catching the good weather windows in Denali.
How to get to Talkeetna From Anchorage
Talkeetna is 114 miles north of Anchorage, which is a 2.5-hour drive. From Anchorage, you will drive north on the Glenn Highway. You will follow the main highway for about 98 miles until you reach the Talkeetna Spur Road exit. From there it’s another 14 miles to reach downtown Talkeetna. Also, Talkeetna is a super fun town to explore!
Denali Flightseeing Tour
It was an early summer morning as we left Anchorage before sunrise to drive to Talkeetna for our Denali Flightseeing and Glacier Landing Tour with K2 Aviation. I was so excited to be seeing Alaska’s most iconic national park from the sky!
We waited in K2 Aviation’s office and prepped for our 2-hour flight tour. We lucked out with absolutely perfect weather with bluebird skies in all directions.
We hopped in a 7-passenger Beaver with our pilot and took off from the Talkeetna Airport. We flew over the Susitna River and Valley, and the tundra was beautiful. It didn’t take long before we were above Denali National Park.
Our route on the Denali Grand Tour would take us around to view Mount Denali’s West Buttress and North Face, Kahiltna Base Camp, Mount Foraker, Mount Hunter, Mount Huntington, Wickersham Wall, Pioneer Ridge, Mount Tatum, Carpe, and Karstens, Mooses Tooth, Peters, Muldrow, and Traleika Glaciers, and a glacier landing on Ruth Glacier.
View of Denali Summit
The moment we flew up close to Denali was special. As someone who grew up in Anchorage, we see Denali all of the time but it’s absolutely tiny in comparison. The mountain is just beautiful and it’s crazy to think that many people choose to climb this 20,310 foot peak.
See more of my experience in my short video.
Denali Glacier Landing Tour
Glacier Landing on Ruth Glacier
Besides the up-close view of Denali, the glacier landing on Ruth Glacier is the highlight! If you plan to add the glacier landing to your tour, you do need to purchase a Denali National Park pass, which costs $15 USD.
We landed near the Don Sheldon Amphitheater and saw the Sheldon Chalet perched on a nunatak. At this point, we were only 10 miles from Denali’s summit.
We were able to get out and walk around on the glacier for about 10 minutes. Don’t worry if you don’t have the proper boots, overboots will be provided. Just remember to wear your layers!
The view here is stunning with peaks in the Alaska Range towering over you. The mountains casted a shadow on the glacier as it was still early in the morning.
As we were loaded back into the plane for our departure off of Ruth Glacier, I got to sit in the co-pilot seat! I think i’m a wonderful co-pilot (if i do say so myself :D). It was really fun to sit in the front for take off and take photos from the front window perspective.
We finished off our tour with a quick flight back over the Susitna Valley before landing at the Talkeetna Airport.
Top Flightseeing Tours in Denali National Park
Talkeetna Air Taxi offers plenty of flight-seeing experiences and I highly suggest adding a glacier landing to your tour. You won’t be disappointed! Glacier landing tours start at $330 USD per person.
Another tour operator in the area is Talkeetna Air Taxi. You can also opt to fly in a helicopter if that is your preference.
Answering Your Questions
Can you fly over Denali?
Most flightseeing tours will take you around the summit or base of Mount Denali.
Is Denali glacier landing worth it?
Yes! A Denali flightseeing tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the glacier landing makes it so much more worth it! Do it while you’re already there.
Can you fly to top of Denali?
K2 Aviation offers a Denali Summit tour but it’s not being offered in 2022.
What Glacier does Talkeetna air land on?
Most glacier landings in Denali National Park will be on Ruth Glacier.
Is Denali flightseeing safe?
Denali flightseeing is safe as pilots have years of experience flying in these climates. However, accidents do happen as the weather conditions change quickly.
Is Talkeetna in Denali National Park?
Talkeetna is not in Denali National Park. It is located 152 driving miles south of the Denali National Park entrance.
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Do you have questions on the best Denali flightseeing and glacier landing tours? Ask your questions below!
Thanks Andrea for this article. Do you remember the complete name of the tour you booked pls?
We did the Grand Denali Tour with Glacier Landing!
We are staying at the McKinley Chalet resort as part of cruise package. Should we flightsee from Denali or is it worth renting a car to Talkeetna? Willing to do whatever is best tour…waited 40 years to take this trip…have triple Denali so have a free day to make anything happen.
For convenience, I would try to do it from Denali, check out Denali Air!