Denali Survival Workshop: Off-Trail Skills with Expert Guide
Build a shelter, start a fire, eat what the land offers: all in one morning outside Denali
A five-hour survival workshop in the Denali backcountry teaches real skills used by indigenous Athabaskans and modern survivalists: identifying edible plants, choosing shelter sites, building a fire with a shoelace, and constructing a warm shelter from natural materials. Your expert survivalist guide picks you up from your hotel and leads you off-trail into the forest, where instruction happens on the ground. Rain jackets, trekking poles and binoculars are provided. Children from age one are welcome, and the class suits all fitness levels.
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The experience
This is the only survival-focused class offered in the Denali area, and it's one of the few fully off-trail activities in the park. Your guide is an expert survivalist who has lived off the land for weeks at a time. The five-hour workshop starts with hotel pickup and a drive to the forest just outside Denali National Park, where you'll walk into the backcountry and learn by doing rather than watching a demonstration.
Once the guide finds the right spot, instruction begins. You'll learn which plants and berries are safe to eat (the same ones Chris McCandless foraged in the Denali wilderness), and which ones to avoid. The guide teaches shelter selection and what to do in the first five days of a survival situation. You'll practice starting a fire using only a shoelace, then work together to build a shelter insulated enough to sleep in without a pad or sleeping bag. These are techniques passed down through generations by Athabaskan peoples and tested by pioneers who came to survive in this landscape.
Rain jackets, trekking poles and binoculars are included. The guide carries snacks but won't provide a full meal, so bring food if you want more than that. Service animals are welcome, and infants sit on an adult's lap during the hike.
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off.
- expert survivalist guide leading instruction.
- rain jackets, trekking poles and binoculars.
- hands-on practice building shelter and starting fire.
- snacks provided by the guide.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 8 days ago
Operated by Northern Epics
Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and leads the class in person, so you'll follow instruction directly from an expert survivalist rather than through translation or video. If you're comfortable hiking a mile or two and want to learn survival skills by doing them rather than reading about them, this off-trail workshop is the only one of its kind in the Denali area.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What plants will I learn to identify and eat on this survival workshop?
Your guide teaches you to recognize edible plants and berries that grow in the Denali backcountry, including the species Chris McCandless foraged. You'll also learn which plants are dangerous so you can avoid the mistakes that led to his death. The guide points out examples as you walk and explains how to use them.
Do I need hiking experience or special fitness to join this class?
The workshop suits all fitness levels and involves hiking a mile or two through the forest. If you're not capable of that distance on foot, this class may not be the right fit, but otherwise no prior experience is required.
What survival skills will I actually practice, not just hear about?
You'll start a fire using only a shoelace, choose a shelter site, and build a shelter from natural materials that's warm enough to sleep in without gear. These are hands-on skills you practice with your guide, not demonstrations you watch.
How does the five-hour day break down? How much time is hiking versus instruction?
The guide picks you up from your hotel, drives to the forest, then leads you into the backcountry on foot. Once you reach the right location, you stop walking and spend the rest of the time learning and practicing survival skills on the ground.
What's included in the price, and what do I need to bring?
Rain jackets, trekking poles and binoculars are provided. The guide carries snacks but not a full meal, so bring food if you want more substantial sustenance during the five hours. Wear clothes suitable for hiking and weather that can change quickly in the Denali backcountry.
Denali Survival Workshop: Off-Trail Skills with Expert Guide
5h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 259 per person
5.0026 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider