Kayaking is a workout that surrounds you with nature, like chopping down a tree or escaping from a coffin. Look alive with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $125 for a full-day rafting-and-kayaking excursion for one (a $249 value)
- $249 for a full-day rafting-and-kayaking excursion for two (a $498 value)
The eight- to nine-hour adventure starts with pickup in Talkeetna, with guests chauffeured to Denali State Park, where tour groups of at least four people board single or tandem sit-on-top kayaks. After paddling across Byers Lake and seeing wildlife such as trumpeter swans, beavers, and running salmon, kayakers stop for a warm lunch at Mary's McKinley View Lodge. Tour groups then board river rafts and navigate through canyon walls back to Talkeetna. Tours fill up quickly, so it's recommended to book well in advance.
Denali Southside River Guides
Byers Lake looks as smooth as glass to a group of kayakers, who gaze at an inverted reflection of Mount McKinley on the undisturbed surface. The moment doesn't last—maybe a loon call cuts the air, or maybe a wedge of trumpeter swans throws waves through the mountain's mirror image—but the kayakers carry the morning's still, quiet image with them throughout the day.
Craig and Shelis Jorgensen, owners of the Talkeetna-based Denali Southside River Guides, unveil the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness through low-impact adventures in and around the waters of Denali State Park. Claiming a team of experienced guides that possesses an extensive knowledge of the area, the Jorgensens coordinate excursions such as rafting down rivers ranging from calm glacial feeds to Class II and III whitewater rapids.