Portage Glacier Cruise and Wildlife Explorer Tour

Overview

Take a Shuttle down Turnagain Arm and Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Alaska on an outing that showcases the state's striking geographical features and abundant native wildlife. Spot hanging glaciers and Dall sheep as you drive along Turnagain Arm, then take an unforgettable cruise right up to the face of Portage Glacier.
• Shuttle Guided Tour along the Turnagain Arm, one of the worlds greatest scenic drives.
• One hour cruise to the face of Portage Glacier with Park Service Ranger.
• Visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conversation Center to view Alaska's most spectacular animals up close.
• Be prepared to walk through the Wildlife Center and be shuttled from Wildlife Center to Glacier.
• A shuttle will pick you up off the boat at 5:30 p.m. for your ride back to Anchorage with picturesque photo stops.

City: Anchorage

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $229.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $229.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (103) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (113) Entry Tickets (47) Sporting Events (1) Good for Small Groups (6) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (41) Walking Tours (697) Outdoor Activities (20) Limitied Availability Tours (6) LGBT Friendly Tours (4) Family-friendly Activities (7) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (27) Travelers recommend (73) Good for Groups (8) Top Activities (18) Guided Audio Tours (3) Art, Culture & History (135) Attractions to explore (38)

What's Included

Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Please provide hotel information at booking
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended

What To Expect

Portage Glacier

Experience the sheer awesome face of a mighty Alaska glacier on your one-hour cruise aboard the mv Ptarmigan. Standing just 300 yards from a relic of the Ice Age and watching for icebergs to break off the glacier and crash into the water below. You will find out why Portage Glacier is Alaska's second most visited attraction.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

At the 140-acre Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, jaws drop in awe-even those of longtime Alaskans. AWCC’s mission is to provide refuge for orphaned, injured and ill animals-those that can’t survive in the wild. The center also educates visitors about Alaska’s Wildlife. Some animals you will see are brown bears, black bears, wolf pack, wood bison, moose etc...

Chugach National Forest

Take our breathtaking ride down the Seward Highway voted top scenic byways in America where you will view awe-inspiring stops along Turnagain Arm. Alaska's Seward Highway climbs over mountain passes where you're surrounded by jaw-dropping views of jagged peaks, rain forests, crystal lakes and the Pacific Ocean. This highway truly is, a photographer's dream. Potter Marsh marks the end of city views and the beginning of wilderness—it's absolutely a "birder's" paradise! While driving along this road, we stop at many opportunities with ample time to take in the breathtaking views that will make your soul sing.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (174)

Laurie L

Sep 2018

I booked this tour via Groupon. The information on the meeting location was different than what was sent to me afterwards as my confirmation so I contacted them to clarify. The meeting location was supposed to be the Visitor's center and NOT the Sheraton. You're asked to arrive 20 minutes early but some people didn't so we left a little later and had to stop by the Sheraton to pick up those that had been confused by the different locations. This late departure / extra stop felt like it had repercussions for the entire tour (other than the Portage Glacier boat tour) it felt very rushed. The first stop is either the glacier tour or the Wildlife Conservation Center. It appears to vary & I'm guessing it's because of the boat departures for the glacier tour. We went to the conservation center first. On the way, we quickly stopped (about 1/2 hour) at the Potter Marsh just outside of town. There were 2 more people added to the tour at that location & it sounded like their flight had arrived late. It's good to know that the tour company is flexible if issues happened with travel arrangements but it felt like another slight delay added for the day. At the March you get to see some salmon swimming & general marsh wildlife (geese & other birds). I believe at some point you would normally stop at an art gallery on the way but since we were short on time we didn't do that. I was ok with not stopping but others might have felt they missed something. The Wildlife Conservation Center is mostly a drive through place from what I was able to see. Your drive past some large fenced in fields with animals & pull over for a closer look, then can stop at a central visitors center. We didn't stop at the visitors center or gift shop due to time constraints. It kept feeling rushed because we were told we "only had xx minutes and had to go to.." and the stops within the conservation center. It was still worth it to see the different local wildlife and know it's a non-profit to help injured or abandoned animals. After the Wildlife Conversation Center we quickly stopped at the restaurant near the Portage Glacier (we had 9 minutes to get something to eat) and then it was back on the shuttle & off to the glacier. The driver dropped the group off at the glacier tour company. There is only one that operates on the lake & has a specially made boat for the lake/area. Portage Glacier is definitely worth seeing - especially since it's so close to Anchorage. It's amazing to know that it's receded so much in the last few decades too. The tour is really more of a shuttle taking you to the two different places with some local information on the way. Since I didn't have a car, this was the only way I was going to see these places so it was worth it. If you have a car you can easily drive to these attractions on your own.

ChristyTe

Sep 2018

This tour was ok, but I was disappointed in several things. The tour was supposed to start at 1:00pm and the night before I got a text saying it was moved to 11:00am. I was getting my car worked on at the dealership and was unsure it would be finished in time. I ended up taking the shuttle to the meeting point and asked when the tour would finish and was told 5:00pm. The dealership closed at 6:00pm so I thought it would be fine. There was a woman who joined last minute and paid $60 cash. I asked the driver why it was so cheap as I had paid $150. He said she was only doing the wild life tour and not the glacier cruise and they’re trying to fill up seats as it’s the end of the season. There was 6 of us and we picked up someone in Girdwood on the way. We made extra stops to take pictures along the drive so we wouldn’t be too early picking her up. Since we left at 11:00am, we stopped at the Day lodge before the glacier cruise and had 20 minutes to buy and eat some lunch. The glacier cruise was great. Then we headed to the wildlife place and were dropped off to explore on our own. We had about 1-1/2 hours there and were told it’s more than normal because the driver had to pick up other people and come back. Once we were picked up, I told the driver I was concerned because I had to be at the dealership by 6:00pm and it was looking like we’d get back to Anchorage at 6:00pm. He dropped me off at the dealership on the way back because it was 5:45pm. That was nice because otherwise I wouldn’t have made it. Overall, this tour was supposed to be 5-1/2 hours and ended up being 7 hours. The extra 1-1/2 hour wasn’t really extra as we spent a lot of time wasted on drop offs and pick ups. The driver was a nice guy but he’s not a tour guide. He even mentioned that. During the driving, he’ll talk about AK, but there is no microphone and again, he’s not a tour guide so the information is just ok. If you have a car, drive to the portage glacier and pay for the cruise there. It’s a great 1 hour cruise. For the wild life park, it’s close by and is only $15. Since this package is basically covering transportation and the schedule might change, you’re better off doing it on your own if you have a car.

travelmonte2016

Jun 2018

Portage glacier is not a drive up glacier. It requires a boat ride. So worth it. Excellent ranger guided tour provides hands on learning opportunity.