Denali Rafting Canyon Wave
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Denali National Park, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Hit the rapids safely with this Canyon Wave rafting trip along the beautiful and scenic Nenana River along the border of Denali National Park. Your professional guide will lead you along 11 miles of rapids, allowing you to be a paddle rafter or the more laid oar boat rider, so there’s something for everyone in this adventure. Roundtrip transportation from your accommodation is included, as well as necessary gear so you can just focus on having fun.
- Splash along the Nenana River near Denali National Park in this guided river adventure
- An expert guide ensures fun and safety for everyone
- All gear including a drysuit, helmet, and river shoes are provided so there’s no hassle for you
- Roundtrip transportation from your accommodations is included, making the planning even easier
What's Included
- Professional River Guide, Drysuit, PFD, helmet, paddle (if needed), river shoes, transport to & from the river, safe location to store your personal belongings
- Warm Non-cotton base layers- polyester/wool, long johns, to wear underneath drysuit, extra socks
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
What To Expect
1
Denali National Park and Preserve
2
Denali National Park
3
Healy
4
Denali Park
5
Nenana River
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- No infants
- Hight and weight restrictions of max 6'5" and 265 lbs.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kimberly_I
This was so much fun and exciting. We would definitely do this again. Our guide Mike was fantastic. He made sure to prepare us for each rapid and kept our group safely in the raft. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for an exciting experience.
Reviews
5.0
based on 707 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Susan_E, Jul 2026
Tour company helped us be well prepared in terms of what to wear for the excursion. They were very knowledgeable and thorough with safety and gave great pre-trip instructions!. Our rafting guide Huffy was informative,, humorous and skilled in getting us through the Rapids, ensuring we were safe and had a great time. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting an exciting white water experience.
Paul_R, Jul 2026
We really loved this experience with New Wave. Our guide Beau was quite the character and sort of looked like Kurt Russell. He had us laughing most of the time with his jokes and stories as he obviously has honed his schtick over many years of rafting. Funny and knowledgeable as well. Great and memorable excursion. Thanks!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're thrilled you had such a memorable time on the river with Beau. He certainly has a knack for keeping everyone entertained while sharing his rafting knowledge, and we're glad his stories and humor made the trip even more enjoyable. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. Thanks for choosing New Wave- we'd love to welcome you back for another adventure!
Steven_T, Jul 2026
Our family had a great time rafting down the river with our guide Beau. One of my favorite activities during our vacation to Alaska. They were well organized and provided the dry suits we needed.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad your family had such a great time on the river and that it was one of the highlights of your Alaska vacation.
We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Beau—he'll be happy to hear he helped make your adventure so memorable. It's also great to know you appreciated our organized operation and the gear we provide to keep everyone comfortable out on the water.
Thank you for rafting with us and for taking the time to share your experience. We hope to welcome your family back for another adventure the next time you're in Alaska!
Pau_S, Jul 2026
This was money worth spending. Shoutout to our guide Zach/ Huffy. You are amazing at what you
do. Highly recommended. Thank you new waves for the experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you felt your trip was money well spent. Zach (Huffy) will be excited to hear your shoutout. We truly appreciate your recommendation and your kind words. Thank you for choosing New Wave, and we hope to see you back for another adventure soon!
Suzanne_R, Jul 2026
This rafting trip was amazing. We highly recommend the Canyon Wave. Our guide Bo was very experienced and also had a funny personality. Our group worked well together and we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Nenana.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review! We're so glad to hear you had an amazing time on the Canyon Wave. Beau will be thrilled to know his experience and sense of humor helped make your trip so memorable. It's great that your group worked so well together and enjoyed your adventure on the Nenana River. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another rafting trip soon!
Julie_M, Jul 2026
What a great day! Tara was an amazing guide. My family and I had so much fun. Professional company, highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you and your family had such a great day. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Tara—she'll be so happy to hear she helped make your experience memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again on another adventure!
Melissa_S, Jul 2026
Excellent, knowledgeable, great tour today - Thank you Beau and team! Shawn and I had a wonderful time.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear you and Shawn had such a wonderful time. We'll be sure to share your compliments with Beau and the team. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you both back for another adventure soon!
Dana_W, Jul 2026
Highly recommend the Canyon Wave rafting experience. Super fun and exciting rafting! Gorgeous scenery! Stayed safe and dry on the inside of the dry suits despite lots of water on the ouside. Mike B was an excellent guide. We're hooked--can't wait to go rafting on rivers back home that Mike recommended.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for the fantastic review!
We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time on the Canyon Wave and that you enjoyed both the exciting rapids and the incredible scenery of the Nenana River. It's great to know the dry suits kept you warm and dry, allowing you to focus on the adventure!
We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Mike B. He loves sharing his passion for rafting, and we're glad he could help inspire your next river adventures back home. Thank you for choosing New Wave Adventures. We hope to see you back in Alaska for another trip down the Nenana River someday!
dandippel10, Jul 2026
Awesome time even for the little older group. 62/64 was no problem. We loved it!! Just do it! Mike B was very very good…
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review! We're so glad you had an awesome time and proved that adventure has no age limit! We'll be sure to share your kind words with Mike B. Thanks for rafting with us.
Jennifer_R, Jul 2026
We took the canyon tour and it was great. Our river guide, Bootleg, was fantastic and successfully navigated the river while educating us on the river, Alaska, and the Denali area. And no one ended up in the drink! Totally would do this again :)
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the great review! We're so glad you enjoyed the Canyon Wave and that Bootleg made the trip both fun and informative. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words and we're happy everyone stayed in the raft! 😄 We hope to see you back on the river for another adventure soon! 🌊
47ffb2dwyx, Jul 2026
We had such a fun morning white water rafting. As beginners we were intimidated but ended up being a great time. Everyone that worked there were really friendly and our raft guide J Money was especially fantastic and knowledgeable. Felt very safe and we got some great photos of our trip. Would highly recommend if visiting Denali!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so glad your first whitewater rafting experience turned into such a fun adventure. We'll be sure to share your kind words with J Money! Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to see you back on the Nenana River someday!
Bob_H, Jul 2026
Our guide, Aaron, was very friendly and informative, as well as being excellent at oaring and steering the raft. The full staff in general, was very good at getting us all suited up quickly and unsuited again at the end. I really appreciated that they used semi-drysuits for this excursion, which kept us all dry and safe. That's a significant investment on their part, both in the cost of the suits and in suit-up/suit-down time, and it shows that they take our safety seriously. One area where they could improve is to be more upfront on their website about photography. Their website says that you should not bring cameras or other personal items and that professional pictures will be taken. They should go on to explain that the pro photos will cost you $55 if you want them, and that only includes your raft. I was willing to pay that, but I would have preferred to have that knowledge before signing up.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're so glad you enjoyed your trip and that Aaron and our team helped make it a great experience. We also appreciate your recognition of our drysuits—they are a significant investment, but one we believe is well worth it to keep our guests warm, dry, and safe.
Thank you as well for your feedback regarding our photography. That's a great suggestion, and we'll review our website to make sure our photo pricing is communicated more clearly so guests know what to expect before their trip. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to see you back on the river again! 🌊
Annette_M, Jul 2026
This was a fun experience. Our raft master Brice was great. He made sure we were safe and comfortable. The scenery was breathtaking. Come prepared to put on your drysuit. The only place to change clothes is in the port-a-potty. At first it was a little chaotic with 80 rafters getting ready but once we were on the bus it went very smooth. Also, getting from the bus down to the water is a long, steep, downhill road. At age 75, I walked slowly and had no issued. When we finished the rafting, the bus met us down by the river so there was no uphill climb.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're so glad you enjoyed the trip and that Bryce helped make your experience safe, comfortable, and fun. We appreciate your helpful tips for future guests, and we're thrilled you were able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
Jennifer_S, Jul 2026
What a great tour and crew! I have been blessed enough to white water raft in various places across the great USA and internationally. I can tell you this experience is up there with the best!
For this experience, in addition to my husband and brother, we brought my niece for her first ever time to white water raft.
Sam led all of the tourists getting into the drysuits and a safely briefing. He ensured an actual checklist was completed with all the points and signed off by a member of the group.
Huffy was our rafting guide and he was fantastic. He was safe, explained the river to us, and shared personal stories making our experience one that was really, really fun. Upon return, we were easily able to buy professional photos of our group which was worth every penny to capture this experience. Even though we had a Go Pro, there are times in the rapids you are all paddling and would never get the great photos the professional on the shore obtained.
We highly recommend this tour to others. It is conveniently located across the street from Princess Denali Lodge. They picked us up to drive us across the street but we were able to walk back on our while stopping for a bite to eat next door and shop along the street on the way back.
Thanks to Sam, Huffy, and the unnamed photographer for a great experience for both newbies and those experienced looking to add to their memory bank. :-)
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It means a great deal to hear that, with all of your rafting experiences across the U.S. and internationally, your trip with us ranks among the best.
We're especially honored that your niece chose New Wave Adventures for her very first whitewater rafting experience. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Sam, Huffy, and our photography team—they'll be thrilled to know they helped make your adventure so memorable. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome your family back to the Nenana River for another adventure in the future!
dhivya_a, Jul 2026
Well guided, well explained and assisted. No complaints. Well Explained the details through out the raft
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your great review! We're so glad you enjoyed your rafting trip and appreciated the guidance and explanations throughout the adventure.
Heather_W, Jul 2026
First time rafting but it won't be my last! J Money was great! Our group had so much fun but we all felt safe! Would highly recommend doing this tour in Alaska!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thanks so much for the awesome review! We're thrilled your first rafting trip was such a great experience- and even happier to hear it won't be your last! 🌊
Tracy_O, Jul 2026
Dress warm and pay attention to your guides.
The hardest part is getting the dry suit on. But trust me, you want to wear it. Wool socks and a non-cotton pullover will help
The guide Huffy, was great. Kept us safe but still had plenty of challenges
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the great advice and kind words! We're glad you came prepared and had such a fun trip with Huffy. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments- we're happy to hear he kept the adventure exciting while making safety the top priority. Thanks for rafting with us!
Patricia_O, Jul 2026
Great experience and great way to meet new people. You become a team automatically. So much fun and expect to get wet.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We're so glad you had such a fun experience on the river. There's nothing quite like working together as a team and making new friends along the way. Thanks for rafting with us- we hope to see you back for another adventure soon!
Mary_H, Jul 2026
Great experience! Guides Terra and Aaron were excellent—very knowledgeable and fun. It was a beautiful day! Layers are recommended!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We're so glad you had an awesome day on the river. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Terra and Aaron- they'll appreciate the shoutout! Thanks for rafting with us!
Anagha_S, Jun 2026
If you are planning to do a solo trip and are in Denali…i would definitely recommend this adventure!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the recommendation! We're so glad you enjoyed your adventure and appreciate you encouraging other solo travelers to join us. Whether you're exploring Denali on your own or with a group, we're happy to provide a fun, welcoming experience. We hope to see you again on your next Alaska adventure!
Kelly_H, Jun 2026
A must experience for your vacation. Jake our guide was amazing. Highly recommend this excursion. You will be happy you did it!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear Jake made your trip such a memorable experience.
Aric_P, Jun 2026
Great trip! Class 3 and 4 with a great guide! Dry suits keep us all warm even with frigid water. Would do it all again! Our kids loved it as well.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear you and your family had such a great time on the river. Our guides work hard to create a fun, safe, and memorable experience, and we're glad the dry suits kept everyone comfortable despite the frigid water. It means a lot to know your kids loved the adventure too! We appreciate you choosing Canyon Wave, and your choice to raft with New Wave!
Carrie_V, Jun 2026
Amazing! Dry suits keep you nearly perfectly dry and warm, just a bit of water at collar and wrists. Recommend 2 pairs of socks - feet stay dry in suit and shoes, but can get a little chilly. With double socks, nice and toasty.
Fantastic river guide! Took two families each with 13 yr old girls who are moderately adventurous - they had a great time and we felt very safe. HIGHLY recommend
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the amazing review! We're so glad you enjoyed your Canyon Wave adventure and found the dry suits warm and comfortable, even in the chilly water. Your tip about bringing an extra pair of socks is a great one for future rafters!
It's wonderful to hear that both families had such a great time. Our goal is always to provide an exciting adventure while maintaining the highest level of safety, so we're thrilled that you felt both challenged and well cared for on the river. Thank you for choosing Canyon Wave and for your high recommendation.
Jana_B, Jun 2026
We had the best time on our tour! We had Mike as our guide and he did an amazing job. We all felt he gave instructions clearly and was patient with us, he was also very personable and made the whole experience great for us. We had an absolute blast, cannot recommend this place and Mike enough!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time on your tour with Mike. He’ll be really happy to know he made the experience so enjoyable for your group. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Brian_V, Jun 2026
Amazing experience with Huffy (our guide) and the rest of the team! 5-stars! Definitely exceeded our expectations. My 12 year old son had an absolute blast. Would recommend to anyone!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We're thrilled to hear that Huffy and the rest of our team helped make your experience such a memorable one. It's especially great to know your son had a blast! We hope to see you again for another adventure soon!
Venture_K, Jun 2026
Beau was an incredible guide!! We had such a blast on our raft, and enjoyed his friendliness. My only complaint was the ad for this trip advertised as 3.5 hours of rafting, but it’s only a 1.5 hour actual river time. Aside from that, the trip was genuinely incredible.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a blast on the river and that Beau helped make the trip so memorable. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the trip duration. We understand how the advertised trip time versus actual time on the water can be confusing at times, so we appreciate you bringing that to our attention. Feedback like yours helps us evaluate how we communicate trip expectations and ensure guests have a clear understanding of the full experience! Safety, transportation, and proper preparation is essential to provide our guests with an incredible experience, hence the advertised time to river time ratio. Regardless, we're so happy to hear that you still found the trip to be so incredible!
Natalka_M, Jun 2026
It is fully an incredible experience. If you are on the fence about doing something thrilling and once in a life. Go for it! We got soaked and have zero regrets. Truly beautiful.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
So happy to hear you guys had a blast on the river! Thank you for the review.
Aaron_W, Jun 2026
The whitewater tour was great fun! Our guide, Atticus, made sure all enjoyed the rafting. The rapids were exhilarating and he sought out the best waves. We loved his narration along the way.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We're thrilled you had such a fun time on the river. Atticus will be happy to hear that his guiding skills helped make your rafting adventure so memorable!
Donna_W, Jun 2026
Pat , “bootleg” made me feel at ease about the experience and instructions were great ! Would do again
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We're so glad Pat Bootleg helped make you feel at ease and that the instructions were clear and helpful. We appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to hear you'd do it again!
Jay_C, Jun 2026
Tremendous. Awesome. So damn cool. Beau, our guide, happened to graduate from the same high school as our kids in Florida. That was wild. And he was one of the best guides we’ve ever had. Fun. Friendly. Helpful. A great day. Cold, but great. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We will let Beau know you guys enjoyed your trip down the river with him. Happy we could help with such an awesome adventure.
From $147.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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