Anchorage Glacier Cruise & Wildlife Tour
Outdoor sanctuary walks and open-deck views aboard the M/V Ptarmigan
Duration
5.5 hours
Includes
Glacier cruise, wildlife center
Highlights
Spend much of your outing outdoors, with time to walk through the wildlife sanctuary and use the M/V Ptarmigan's open-air viewing deck. Food and beverages are available for purchase onboard.
- Walk through the mainly outdoor wildlife sanctuary
- Step onto the M/V Ptarmigan's outdoor viewing deck
- Enjoy food and beverages available for purchase onboard
- Use restrooms at the sanctuary and Portage Glacier Cruises site
Itinerary
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Hotel Pickup – Depart from the Captain Cook Hotel on 5th Avenue; please arrive 10 minutes before the 1:30 PM departure.
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Scenic Drive – Travel along the Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm with stunning views.
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Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center – See rescued bears, moose, bison, wolves, and muskox in natural habitats.
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Portage Glacier Cruise – Board the MV Ptarmigan for a narrated cruise up close to Portage Glacier and cascading waterfalls.
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Return to Anchorage – Scenic drive back with optional photo stops (time permitting).
Important details
- Arrive at least 10 minutes before the 1:30 PM departure
- Bring weather-appropriate clothing and rain gear; much of the experience is outdoors and rain is common in Portage Valley
- Wheelchairs, scooters, strollers, and items that cannot fit in your lap cannot be accommodated due to van storage limits
- Each participant's name is required for U.S. Coast Guard compliance
Cancellation Policy
If unsafe weather cancels the cruise, you'll still visit the Wildlife Conservation Center and receive a partial refund. If a mechanical failure cancels the cruise, you'll receive a refund for the cruise portion of the tour.
FAQs
Arrive 10–15 minutes before the 1:30pm departure. Your driver-guide will pull up in a marked van; confirm your booking when you get in.
Dress for the day’s weather and plan for conditions to differ from Anchorage. Bring rain gear; the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is mainly outside, and the M/V Ptarmigan has an outdoor viewing deck.
No. Food and beverages are sold separately onboard the M/V Ptarmigan.
Related locations
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Admission includedDriving the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, you will spot the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center before you fully expect it, a broad sanctuary tucked between spruce forest and tidewater. Brown bears wade through meadow grass, wood bison graze in open pastures, and bald eagles perch at eye level. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center gives every visitor a rare, unhurried look at animals that define the Alaskan wilderness.
