Denali Rafting Canyon Wave
Denali National Park, USA
Denali Rafting Canyon Wave
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Denali National Park, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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
Meeting and Pickup
What To Expect
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 754 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Early September on a beautiful day after the rain. We rafted 11 miles. Our dry suits were in good condition and I stayed warm and dry even when I jumped into a calm part of the river for a dip.
Our coxswain Jay Money was very knowledgeable, we went over safety protocols, how to paddle, and he expertly instructed us when to paddle and when to lean so that we could safely go through the appropriate rapids instead around them like the other boat.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review! We’re thrilled you had such a beautiful day on the river. It’s great to hear that the dry suits kept you warm and dry!
Fun! Knowledgable guides who give the full whitewater experience. Use of dry suits help keep you from getting wet and cold.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the great review! We’re so glad you had a fun time and enjoyed the full whitewater experience with our knowledgeable guides.
The raft experts are fantastic — experienced and fun and they make this rafting trip an 11 out of 10 . We will be doing this again and again !!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We’re so happy you had such an awesome time with the crew! An 11/10 is what we like to hear!
We had a great time. Our guides, Mike & Atticus, did a fantastic job. Definitely a highlight of our trip!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the great review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fun time with Mike and Atticus. We’ll be sure to pass along the kind words to both of them!
This is a fun adventure. You get to ride (and paddle ) a raft thru the rapids ! The scenery is beautiful . Our guide , J-money was knowledgeable , safety first and also entertaining ! Its worth every Penny!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the awesome review! We’re so glad you had such a fun adventure and got to enjoy both the rapids and the incredible scenery.
It is very safe and you feel good about your guide. They make it fun and exciting and alleviate all your worries
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks for the review! It's absolutely true that you're in good hands with the guides.
My Denali highlight! The view from the river and the experience is unparalleled. It’s also my first time white water rafting and my raft guide, J-Money, was superb!! Can’t recommend this experience enough :):) if you are thinking of doing it, just book it! You won’t regret it
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks for the enthusiastic recommendation, and we couldn’t agree more with your advice: if you’re thinking about rafting, just book it! We hope to see you back on the river someday. :)
Beautiful experience through the rapids. It's a well-run machine... They definitely know what they are doing! Be aware that you will not get flipped into the water and it's not necessarily for adrenaline seekers; however, due to the beauty of the surroundings, very well worth it!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We really appreciate you pointing out what makes the trip unique, and we’re happy to hear the beautiful surroundings made it well worth the adventure. Thanks for joining us!
We had an amazing time! Our tour guide Jay Money was great! It's a great way to see Alaska with some adventure too!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review! We’re happy to hear you had such a fun day on the river. Jay Money will definitely appreciate the shoutout!
It is in a great location. Perfect for beginners and families. Amazing scenery for the entire experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the scenery and found the experience to be a great fit for beginners and families.
I had an amazing time on the Denali whitewater rafting trip! The entire experience was so much fun from start to finish. Our guides, Sam and Mike B were incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and made everyone feel safe and comfortable while keeping the trip exciting and entertaining.
Their energy and expertise made the whole experience unforgettable. I highly recommend this rafting adventure to anyone visiting Denali, it's an absolute must-do!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a memorable time on the Denali whitewater rafting trip. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Sam and Mike B- they’ll be excited to hear that their knowledge, professionalism, and energy helped make your adventure so enjoyable.
The overall experience was great. We had 3 guides for a group of 5, which I'm sure was unusual. All three were great. Checking in and gearing up was a breeze. The van ride to/from the river was fine. The narration along the river was informative and littered with just the right amount of corny jokes. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience from check-in and gearing up to the river trip and van ride. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to all three guides.
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.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so glad you felt well prepared before the trip and that our team helped you know what to expect. Safety is always our top priority, so it's great to hear our pre-trip instructions were helpful. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Huffy- he'll be thrilled to hear you enjoyed his knowledge, humor, and expert guiding through the rapids. Thanks for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another whitewater adventure!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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! 🌊
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!
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! 🌊
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.
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!
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.
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! 🌊
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!
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!
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