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There's only one way to get to this luxury lodge in Alaska that charges upwards of $8,000 per stay — and it's not by road

  • To get to the luxurious Ultima Thule Lodge in Alaska, you have to drive for seven to eight hours to the nearest town and get picked up by a small plane.

  • The lodge serves gourmet Alaskan cuisine and offers a sauna, wood-fired hot tub, and self-spa.

  • At the resort, guests can go sledding, river rafting, hiking, fishing, and even go out on air safaris and glacier exploration trips.

  • The cost of staying at Ultima Thule ranges from $US7,975 per person for four nights to up to $US25,000 per night to rent out the entire resort.


There's only one way to get to the Ultima Thule Lodge nestled deep in the wilderness of Alaska - and it's not by road.

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The closest you can get is McCarthy, a town of approximately 28 people, where a plane chartered by Ultima Thule will pick up guests and transport them to the secluded lodge.

Here's a look inside the isolated luxury hotel that can cost up to $US25,000 per night.


Ultima Thule Lodge is located deep in the Alaska wilderness, 100 miles from any road.

Source: Google Maps, Ultima Thule Lodge


And the lodge is appropriately named: "Ultima Thule" means "a distant or unknown region."

Source: Dictionary.com


It sits in the heart of the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


At 13.2 million acres, Wrangell–St. Elias is the same size as Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined, making it the largest national park in the US.

Source: National Park Service


You can only reach Ultima Thule Lodge by small bush plane from the town of McCarthy, a representative from Ultima Thule told Business Insider, noting, "There are no roads here."

Source: Google Maps


To get to McCarthy, a town of 28 people, guests must drive seven hours from Anchorage or eight hours from Fairbanks. The final two hours are on a rugged gravel road.

Source: Alaska.org, US Census Bureau


From there, guests board a plane provided by Ultima Thule that takes them to the lodge.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


The views of the Alaskan wilderness from the sky are otherworldly.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


Flying in, guests get a clear aerial view of the lodge and cabins, which are set in a clearing surrounded by forest and facing the Chitina River.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


The plane drops off guests right next to the resort.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


The main lodge sits on top of a hill with five smaller cabins down below.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


The lodge and cabins, which are hand-crafted of local timber, accommodate a maximum of 14 guests at a time.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


Each cabin is set up differently, some with two bedrooms.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


At least one room in each cabin offers a king-sized feather bed with a full bathroom. There's also a sitting room in each cabin.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


The lodge offers three packages, with costs ranging from $US7,975 per person for four nights to $US25,000 per night for a group of up to 12 people to rent out the entire resort.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


Guests can get out into the wilderness on hiking trips for sweeping views of mountains, glaciers, and the Chitina River.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


They might catch a glimpse of some local Alaska wildlife, such as this thirsty moose...

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


...or these mountain goats.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


But if taking on the rugged mountains on foot seems too daunting, a pilot can take guests out on flight safaris and land the small plane gently in wild places. "The Wrangell Mountains are notoriously dangerous and difficult to navigate on foot, even in summer," reads Ultima Thule's website.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


Some other adventures guests can choose from include river rafting, salmon and trout fishing, beach combing, and downhill sledding on glaciers — any time of the year.

Source: Ultima Thule Lodge


A representative for Ultima Thule lodge told Business Insider that they get visitors from all over the US and the world.


"Alaska is definitely a bucket-list destination for travellers from all over the world and we offer a really personalised and immersive experience for people who want to be off the beaten path while not sacrificing creature comforts," she said. "We get father-and-son groups, couples celebrating milestone anniversaries and birthdays, destination engagements, retirees, seasoned travellers, leisure and adventure travellers."