Denali Hiking Tours
Don’t just see Denali. Experience it.
100%+ Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Full Refund on all cancellations.
Leave the buses & cookie-cutter tours behind.
“It was easily the best guided tour I have ever had. Well worth the cost and enriched the rest of my trip.”
- Alicia G. on the Into the Mountains Tour
Choose Your Adventure!
Northern Epics at a Glance
Who we are:
Northern Epics is an experiment. Normally I would use this section to tell you about how we’re the best-rated company for Denali hiking tours. Or that we donate 5% of our net profits to conservation in the areas we guide. But that’s what we do, not who we are. I want to tell you about our personality.
Companies aren’t people. But they are made of people. And when all those people are aligned, it creates something beautiful.
We’re a new company. We started in 2023 with a dream for greatness. That dream began with a core belief - that if we truly do right by our employees and our customers, profits will follow. Not exactly MBA worthy, I know. If you can’t tell, we’re not businessmen. In fact, none of our original founders had a college degree.
We’re here to see if it’s possible to run a successful company that cares about its employees and customers like family. And not in the marketing mumbo-jumbo way. I mean the kind of family you call if you get a flat tire. Or need someone to talk to. Or need help spreading a loved one’s ashes (yes, that actually happened. I helped them myself.)
So will you join our experiment? I urge you to book a tour with us. See for yourself how we operate, and help us redefine the guiding industry.
- Trinidad Collier, Co-Founder
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At Northern Epics we operate hiking, walking and survival tours in and around Denali National Park & Preserve.
But ours aren’t your average Denali hiking tours.
After guiding thousands of tours, we’ve seen one constant. Those who understand the place they’re visiting appreciate it. Our Denali hiking tours are designed to TEACH you about Denali and utilize all five senses. You will get to listen to your guide explain how the permafrost helps the peat moss grow. Sink your fingers into the thick carpet. Feel the temperature drop to ice-cold just inches below the surface. Smell the earthy aroma of the forest floor. You’ll be shocked by how far the moss squishes down beneath you. It feels like you’re on a two-foot-thick memory foam mattress.
We give you the framework for how everything in Denali works together. Ecology. Geology. Natural history. Cultural heritage. It’s all connected.
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At Northern Epics we have heard too many people say, “Denali was pretty, but it wasn’t worth the trip.”
We don’t want that to be you. We’re guessing you don’t want that either. Fortunately, we have the solution. But first, let’s talk about what Denali hiking tours won’t do.
You aren’t going to get an adrenaline-inducing, action-packed trip with us. If that’s what you’re after, book a tour with Denali Raft Adventures. They’re great. This also isn’t a wildlife tour. We do often see wildlife, but it’s not guaranteed. There are better options out there if that’s all you want.
Why are we telling you all these reasons NOT to book a tour with us? Because our goal isn’t for you to book our tours. Our goal is for you to have the best Denali vacation of all time. We mean that. It’s baked into every level of our operation. It’s why we offer the Ultimate Confidence Guarantee. We dare you to find a company that does more to back up their claims than we do. We take on all the risk so that you don’t have to.
What is it about our Denali hiking tours that makes us so confident? In a word, focus. We don’t add gimmicks, thrills, or frills to our tours. We narrow in on what actually impacts your vacation.
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We believe that our guides ARE our business. They are professionals in every sense of the word.
We handpick all of our guides to ensure they are qualified and well-suited for the role.
Our guides all have their Wilderness First Responder certification and are equipped with safety materials (i.e. bear spray, bug spray, first aid kit)
Our guides also all have their Leave No Trace certification. Protecting the land that we operate tours on is very important for us and is a core part of our operations.
Each year our guides spend weeks training in order to ensure they are equipped with enough knowledge to provide the best immersive Denali hiking tour. They also prepare in the off season by studying and learning about the local ecosystem in Denali National Park & Preserve.
Check out our Meet the Team page to learn how we hire our guides and who they are!
We made a video for you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Location: Denali National Park & Preserve
Max group size: 8-10 people
Average Group size: 6 people
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You are able to cancel for a full refund anytime until your guide arrives! That means that you don’t have to worry about if you get sick, or the weather is bad, or your flight is delayed, or anything else!
What Does Zero-Risk Booking do for me?
Millions of dollars are lost by travelers every day for tours they never went on — just because something came up last minute and they had to cancel. That will never happen with Zero-Risk Booking.
Zero-Risk Booking puts the pressure on us, not you. If we don’t live up to your expectations, it hurts our bottom line.
Getting sick before a tour can cost you upwards of $2,000 with a 24-hour cancellation policy. With Zero-Risk Booking, it doesn’t cost you anything.
You can book early to secure your spot, then cancel or move things around later if you need to — with zero pressure!
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If you don’t like your tour for any reason, just give us a call and we’ll give you a full refund.
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The Denali Hiking Hub compiles all of the trails in Denali into one place for you. Maybe you booked a tour with us, and you also want to do some hiking on your own! Or maybe a hiking tour just isn’t for you, but you still want to go on a hike in Denali. Either way, we’ve got you covered with the Denali Hiking Hub. Browse through, decide which trail suits you best, and view more to get the full picture!
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Locally owned and operated by Denali experts.
Best rated and most reviewed hiking tour operator in Denali (5.0 from over 900 reviews).
All guides are certified Wilderness First Responders (80+ hours of first-aid training) and wildlife experts.
Small group sizes (8-10 people maximum).
Northern Epics guides are paid twice the industry average.
In-depth education about Denali’s ecosystems, culture, wildlife, history, geology, and more.
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Best Denali tours for families: 4-Hour Denali Survival Tour, 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour
Best for an active/fit person: 5-Hour into the Mountains Hike, 4-Hour Wilderness Wonders Tour
Best for slower walkers: 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour
Best for learning: 4-Hour Denali Survival Tour, 4-Hour Wilderness Wonders Tour, 3-Hour Naturalist Walking Tour