Alaska Awaits
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Alaska Paddle Expeditions’ expert guides curate unique river kayak experiences for the adventurer who wishes to be enveloped in the wilds of the Last Frontier.
Grand Opening! May 2026!
Paddle the legendary rivers that run through Denali, Alaska on adventures built for your level of experience. Follow a certified, experienced guide and pilot an inflatable kayak (or “IK”) through prominent summits, remote canyons, and untouched beaches on a highway of glacial waters.
Trips
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The Panoramic
Intermediate, Class II, 2 hours on the water
Experience the freedom of glacial currents and paddle along the skirts of one of the most prominent peaks to rise from the banks of the Nenana River.
Trips Daily at 8am, Class II, 12pm, & 4pm
$160/person $120/person (when you book before January 2026)
The Boreal
Advanced, Class III, 2 hours on the water
Enjoy the largest land biome on Earth and play in the power of the free-flowing Nenana while you build and test your paddling skills through faster water. Your guides will expect some paddle experience on Class II or higher water.
Trips Daily at 8am, 12pm, & 4pm
$185/person $138/person (when you book before January 2026)
The Jack
Half Day Jack:
Beginner, Class I, 2 hours on the water
Explore the pristine Jack River tributary, then join the mighty and free Nenana River on its journey “North to the Future”. Alaska Paddle Expeditions offers the only commercial river trip in Denali during which you will kayak two different Alaskan rivers on one flexible journey.
Trips Daily at 8am, 12pm, & 4pm
$160/person $120/person (when you book before January 2026)
Full Day Jack:
Beginner-Intermediate, Class I-II, 6 hours in the wild
Begin on the creek-style Jack River, merge with the mighty Nenana, enjoy a luxurious lunch mid-way, and extend your opportunities for photos, light hiking, and for wildlife sightings.
Trips Daily at 10am
$360/person $270/person (when you book before January 2026)
The Denali Divide
Intermediate, Class I-II, 8 hours in the wild
Let us help you expand your journey as we bring you for a scenic drive on the Old Denali Highway, a breath-taking entrance to a day on the wild, free-flowing Nenana River. We’ll prepare a lunch picnic while you add to your opportunities for wildlife sightings and for perfect photos.
Trips Daily at 10am
$380/person $285/person (when you book before January 2026)
The Alpenglow
Beginner, Class I, 2 hours on the water
We invite you to escape the average into the endless Alaskan sunset. This premium float includes APEx’s first-class amenities, a post-river meal to leave you warm and satisfied (vegan and GF options available), and is available exclusively with Alaska Paddle Expeditions.
Trips Daily at 7pm
$210/person $157/person (when you book before January 2026)
Custom & Private Trips
Our expert guides love to accommodate private and multi-day experiences for the explorer who truly seeks to be enveloped in the stunning, remote, and otherworldly Northern wilderness. We can’t wait to bring you to into the vast Alaskan bush while ensuring that your dreams come to life.
*Booking depends upon our availability. Please contact us for options & quotes.
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Why Does Alaska Paddle Expeditions use Inflatable Kayaks?
An IK can offer more stability and comfort than a classic hard-shell kayak or packraft. It’s also better suited to bringing small drybags and keeping them accessible. Lastly, it is notorious for being easier to recover into the craft, should a paddler have an “out-of-boat experience”.
Because our goal is to share with you particularly remote and unforgiving landscapes, APEx only uses the most durable, high quality IKs on the market.
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Participation Requirements
At Alaska Paddle Expeditions, your safety is our top priority, and we strive to help you to create unforgettable moments of joy, exhilaration, and freedom. Individuals that do not meet these requirements are highly encouraged to inquire about custom trip options or disability assistance options. Please, Contact Us!
Age:
Tandem (2 person, accompanied by parent or guardian) IK: minimum 10 years old
Single IK (Class I): minimum 12 years old
Single IK (Class II & Above): minimum 14 years old
*Height:
4’6″-6’6″ or 137cm-198cm
*Weight:
50-275lbs or 22-124kg
Physicality:
- Guests must have the ability to grip a paddle with two points of contact.
- Guests must be able to sit upright unassisted.
- And guests must be able to travel over variable (rocky, sandy, or otherwise uneven) terrain.
*We recommend pre-trip motion sickness treatment for individuals that experience strong symptoms.
*Height and weight parameters are based upon those recommended by the manufacturers of our Personal Floatation Devices (“life jackets”), and of our Inflatable Kayaks.
For the full policies list, please visit our Policies page
