Best Glacier Tours
It is estimated that Alaska has more than 100,000 glaciers within its boundaries, only 616 of which are named. Creeping forth from centuries-old ice fields, glaciers are formed by the gradual, powerful force of accumulating snow. There are several different types of glaciers, but most visitors view tidewater, hanging, and cirque glaciers during their activities around Alaska.
If you find yourself in Seward, day cruises into beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park are a wonderful way to experience the glaciers and wildlife of this otherwise difficult to access national park. If paddling appeals to you, try a kayak trip that puts you up close to these massive glaciers. A hike around Exit Glacier Nature Center is also a good option for those wanting to stretch their legs.
Across Prince William Sound in the isolated city of Whittier, the 26 Glacier Cruise takes you among icy monoliths aboard the Klondike Express catamaran on a five-hour tour that includes lunch.
Considered a hallmark of coastal Alaska, glacier viewing is a popular day excursion, with several options available in southcentral Alaska. In Valdez, the Columbia Glacier Cruise takes guests into scenic Prince William Sound to one of the largest tidewater glaciers in this part of Alaska. It's also one of the most active. It is highly possible to see huge walls of ice calve from the face of the glacier as you cruise through Columbia Bay.
For more land-locked glacier adventures, try the Matanuska Glacier Walk. It departs from Anchorage and offers an all-day introduction to glacier trekking. Or you can fly to the top of a mountain for a hike along the ridge lines above cirque glaciers. A flightseeing tour combined with a day hike is the perfect way to become acquainted with the majestic ice of Alaska. For another options, visit a summer sled dog training camp atop a glaciers and you've got yourself a quintessential Alaskan adventure.
If you're visiting Talkeetna, take a flight to Denali, North America's highest peak, and land upon an Alaska Range glacier for an unforgettable experience. Alaska Tour & Travel can assist visitors with planning these glacier adventures plus coordinate all transportation and lodging along the way.