If you’ve been to Alaska and loved it, stay tuned because I promise I’ll be sharing plenty of photos that will bring back wonderful memories.
And if you’re considering the trip of a lifetime, definitely keep reading. I’m always honest about the good, the bad, and the occasionally ugly parts of my travel experiences.
While in Anchorage (In Part 1, I shared our time in Anchorage), we met our dedicated Princess land tour director, Tyrell, at the Hotel Captain Cook.
Tyrell gave us just enough information to get us started without overwhelming us. We received a packet outlining the evening’s agenda along with detailed instructions for the next morning, including a welcome breakfast buffet at the hotel.
Our group included about 50 travelers—a full bus, but still small enough that it felt like we received personal attention throughout the trip.
Tyrell has worked for Princess/Holland America in Alaska for many years and seemed to know every property, restaurant, and little town along the route. He handled first-night dinner reservations and happily answered questions about everything from menus to optional excursions.
We had pretty crummy weather for nearly our entire land tour. On the bright side, though, we never needed sunscreen or bug spray. So…there’s that.
Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge
Our first stop was the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.
The resort has a relaxed atmosphere without feeling crowded, and there are numerous walking trails throughout the property. Since the weather ranged from misty to downright pouring, we practically had the trails to ourselves.
Including a tree house that was built for a reality show that I never watched. It was very impressive!
Pro Tip: Pack your favorite card or board games—and a Bluetooth speaker.
When the rain became too heavy, we pulled out our Rummikub game and our Bose speaker and streamed our favorite game-day playlist. It turned a rainy afternoon into one of our favorite memories.
After two nights at this beautiful lodge, it was time to pack up…again…and board the next bus to Denali National Park and the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
This is the largest hotel in Alaska.
It’s also in a very remote location, which means thousands of guests are concentrated in one place. The lobby could get a little crowded, to say the least.
Thankfully, Tyrell’s organization and attention to detail kept everything moving smoothly.
Our room looked remarkably similar to the one at the previous lodge, so settling in was easy. Behind our building, we enjoyed views of the Alaska Range and the Nenana River. Even under gray skies, it was beautiful.
One thing Princess does exceptionally well is logistics. Employees receive detailed reports showing exactly how many guests are arriving and departing throughout the day so they can staff restaurants, housekeeping, and guest services accordingly.
Even so, restaurant service seemed to struggle during our visit. Many servers spoke limited English (and my Russian isn’t exactly fluent), meals often took a long time to arrive—I waited nearly an hour for a bowl of soup—and drinks lagged way behind – even water.
Fortunately, both lodges had laundry rooms in each guest building. Being able to wash clothes midway through the trip was a huge bonus and meant we could have packed fewer outfits.
Denali National Park Bus Tour
One full day was dedicated to touring Denali National Park aboard a park bus—a refurbished school bus driven by a National Park employee.
Each guest received a cute snack box and bottled water before boarding. Our driver provided a comprehensive narration covering the park’s history, geology, wildlife, and ecosystems during the five-hour journey, with two outhouse stops along the way.
Five hours is a long time to scan the landscape hoping to spot wildlife, but eventually our patience paid off.
Seeing Alaska’s wildlife in its natural habitat was one of the biggest reasons we booked this trip.
We were fortunate enough to see:
- Moose
- Caribou
- Bear
- Ptarmigan (Alaska’s state bird)
After such a long day, we celebrated with a wonderful dinner shared with two delightful sisters from Canada whom we met on the tour.
About All That Packing…
After only two nights at Denali, it was time to pack yet again.
Maybe you’re wondering why I keep mentioning the packing.
Here’s why.
Not only did we have to be packed and ready to leave, but our luggage had to be labeled and sitting outside our room by 6:00 a.m. every departure day.
That meant a lot of very early mornings.
And early mornings usually mean we don’t sleep very well because we’re worried about oversleeping.
Rant over.
The next morning we woke up to the sunniest, brightest, happiest day of the entire trip.
And it was time to board one of the highlights of the journey—our scenic train ride.
I’ll share that adventure in my next post.
Wrap Up – Final Thoughts on the Land Tour
Thanks for joining me on Part 2 of our Alaska land tour.
If you’re considering a Princess Alaska Land & Sea vacation, I hope sharing both the highlights and the little inconveniences helps you know what to expect. Even with rainy weather, early mornings, and plenty of packing, the scenery, wildlife, and overall experience made this an unforgettable adventure.