Glacier & Wildlife Discovery Tour

This is the perfect tour for those with limited time in Alaska. Experience magnificent Portage Glacier on this full-day tour from Anchorage, as well as famous Seward Highway, America's most scenic road. Hugging the edge of Turnagain Arm, stop at lookouts like Beluga Point to try to spot all sheep then, continue on to see even more wildlife at the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge (seasonal). Take a 1-hour cruise on Portage Lake to see Portage Glacier calving, and see where wildlife is rehabilitated at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Later, head high up on the Chugach Mountains for amazing panoramic views of the Anchorage bowl and beyond (weather permitting) This is a 6-hr tour (approx.)

Activity Level: EASY

Guests should be able to walk short distances on uneven ground. Trails surfaces vary from paved to uneven natural terrain. Tour participants must be able to walk a short distance and be able to get in/out of the tour vehicle with minimal assistance.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Beluga Point, Mile 110, Seward Hwy Mile 110 Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99516

Beluga Point is one of the scheduled stops. We will have narration about the area, its geology, unique features and history of the area. Guests will have time to take photos.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Seward Highway, AK

The drive from Anchorage to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center/Portage Glacier Area begins with spectacular views as you pass between the dramatic shorelines of Turnagain Arm and the jutting peaks of the Chugach Mountains. The Seward Highway is considered to be one of the most scenic highways in the US.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Mile 79 Seward Highway, Girdwood, Anchorage, AK 99587

At the 200-acre Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, jaws drop in awe-even those of longtime Alaskans who've studied grizzlies and other animals up close. AWCC's mission is to preserve Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, research, education and quality animal care. The center, which opened to the public in 1993, also educates visitors about Alaska's wildlife. Coyotes peer out from behind the brush while a bald eagle swoops in on the salmon remains left by a grizzly bear. Wood Bison plod through 65 acres of tidal flat terrain, as part of a program that will one day restore the species to the Alaskan wilderness. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center. Come be a part of these exciting programs and watch these animals display their natural, “wild”, behavior.

You will have about 90 minutes here to view these animals. There is coffee and food for purchase from vendors at the Center.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Portage Glacier, Portage Lake Loop, Girdwood, Anchorage, AK

Portage Glacier Cruise is one hour from Anchorage. This cruise will take you right up to the face of a glacier. You’ll board the comfortable MV Ptarmigan, featuring an enclosed, heated cabin and open-air observation deck. The hour-long cruise is narrated by the US Forest Service, and you’ll navigate around bobbing icebergs and motor to within 300 feet of the towering wall of ice called Portage Glacier (one of Alaska’s most popular attractions). You may have an opportunity to hear the unmistakable rumbling of a calving glacier or rolling iceberg.

After the 1 hour cruise, you will have an opportunity to eat lunch at a nearby restaurant. Lunch is not included.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Chugach State Park, Mile 115 Seward Highway, Girdwood, Anchorage, AK 99587

Enjoy wide open panoramic views from a high overlook in the Chugach Mountains

Duration: 30 minutes

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.