15 Anchorage Tours, Ranked by What You Get

1.Wilderness, Wildlife, Glacier Experience from Anchorage

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,004 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $199Our pick

Spend about six hours touring Alaska’s coast, forests, glaciers, and wildlife sites from Anchorage. You’ll visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, stop at Beluga Point and Bird Point, learn local history, and receive practical phone photography tips. Guides such as Holly, Hunter, Patrick, Aaron, and Philip lead the route. A Portage Glacier cruise is optional in summer.

“Tour guide, Patrick, professional photographer but super helpful & easy with all on trip. He did a quick photo tips talk & had us practice. He kept everyone on schedule & made sure we all had a good time despite some fairly continuous rain. Patrick had a very informative commentary. He got us into a parks theater presentation which was pretty cool when the glacier viewing boat portion was cancelled due to high winds & rain. The animal conservation center was quite interesting & most Alaskan animals were easy to see & photograph.”

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2.Anchorage Trolley Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,607 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $25Best value

Ride an open-style trolley through Anchorage for about an hour with a local guide such as Cyrus, Jarrett, or Jason. See the Captain Cook Monument, historic railroad depot, Earthquake Park, Lake Hood, Lake Spenard, wildlife, and the world’s largest floatplane base. The tour returns to 546 W 4th Ave and includes a coupon book.

“We were the last on the trolley, so sat in the very back seat, but still had great views out the window. Nothing blocked. Cyrus was a hoot, and the information he shared about Anchorage was fascinating! Highly recommend if coming into town. It’s an enjoyable way to spend an hour.”

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3.Anchorage Trolley’s Deluxe City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,382 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $50

Spend about 90 minutes touring Anchorage by air-conditioned red trolley with guides such as Prince, Ace, Ty, and Jared. You’ll visit Earthquake Park, Lake Hood, Lake Spenard, and Point Woronzof, stop for photos, watch floatplanes, and hear local stories. The tour suits first-time visitors without a car, though some stops are brief.

“Prince was a great Trolley host! We loved hearing about local Anchorage history, getting out and taking pictures of the views, and looking for moose!”

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4.Prince William Sound Glacier Tour – Whittier

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 838 reviews · from $248

Spend about six hours aboard a Phillips Cruises catamaran in Prince William Sound, watching glaciers, whales, otters, sea lions, birds, and mountains. Captain Chris and Forest Ranger Jim have provided lively narration on some departures. Lunch, hot drinks, restrooms, USB charging, and indoor and outdoor viewing are included.

“Incredible experience! Perfection in an excursion! Perfect boat, lunch (the smoked salmon chowder...YUM), staff, narration by the captain and forest ranger, glacier views, wildlife, the warm chocolate chip cookie. Thank you for an extraordinary 5 hours!”

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5.Anchorage City Tour w/ Taste of Wild Smoked Salmon & Reindeer Sausage

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 826 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

See Anchorage by van and on foot with a local guide such as Donna, Melissa, Ina, or Gary. Visit Ship Creek, Earthquake Park, Lake Hood, Point Woronzof, the Ulu Factory, and scenic coastal pullouts. Taste smoked salmon and reindeer sausage, watch a 20-foot chocolate waterfall, and finish downtown after about three and a half hours.

“This “adventure” felt more like a commercial than an informative tour. We saw parts of anchorage but felt more like we were being transported from store to store to purchase their goods. Donna was friendly and interesting, but….”

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6.Alaska Helicopter Tour with Glacier Landing – 60 mins – ANCHORAGE AREA

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 725 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $522

From Alaska Glacier Lodge near Palmer, you’ll take a small-group helicopter flight over the Knik River to a glacier. In summer, land on the ice for a guided 30-minute hike. From October through April, snow may require a landing beside major ice formations instead. Pilots such as Sam, Ashley, and Hayden are praised for clear explanations and helpful photo tips.

“Fantastic! It was very fun! Do not be afraid to ask the pilot questions for more fun ideas and recommendations while on the ice!”

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7.Wildlife and Glaciers with a walk in the Rainforest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 719 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $149

Travel from Anchorage along Turnagain Arm with a guide such as Melissa, Gary, Jim, or Matt. Look for Dall sheep and beluga whales, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, then see Portage Valley glaciers and take a short rainforest walk. The 4.5-hour tour includes transport and admission, with up to 14 people.

“All stops were great Even with crappy weather Guide was knowledgeable and was able to answer questions”

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8.Denali Zipline Tour in Talkeetna, AK

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 514 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $168

Start in Talkeetna with ground school, gear fitting, and safety training from certified guides. Then cross nine ziplines, two suspension bridges, and a spiral staircase through the forest. On clear days, you can see Denali, the Alaska Range, and the Susitna and Chulitna Valleys. Small groups keep the pace personal.

“Service was friendly. Experience was fun. I would do this again without hesitation. Staff was very helpful.”

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9.Alaska Helicopter and Glacier Dogsled Tour – ANCHORAGE AREA

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 491 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $761

From Alaska Glacier Lodge in Palmer, fly over the Church Range and Knik Glacier to a high glacier camp. Spend about an hour with champion sled dogs, taking turns mushing or riding the sled, then fly back over blue melt pools and crevasses. Guides and pilots vary, with names including Ryan, Shad, Josh, and Isaac.

“Family of four. Excellent tour. Everyone was professional, business went over safety procedures, provided boots for walking on the glacier, a comfortable waiting area, timely in service, nice surroundings, and more. Helicopter flyer was epic, courteous, professional, safe, belted us into helicopter, helped us with headphones, adjusted seats for weight limits prior to flying, beautiful views, offered to snap photos of us, and where to step too in many areas. Dog sledding tour had champion dogs, dogs in training, and cute puppies. Dog sled person told us about championships won, records held, and more. Beautiful camp. Dogs were cute, playful, and looked well taken care of—wish we could take th...”

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10.Glacier Hike on Matanuska Glacier – Best Vacation Value

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 463 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $325

Travel from Anchorage to Matanuska Glacier with a local guide, then walk across blue ice in provided spikes and safety gear. Guides such as Holly, Hunter, Patrick, and Grace add Alaska stories, glacier facts, photo help, and steady encouragement. The trip lasts about 7.5 hours, with scenic stops and a grocery stop for lunch.

“Grace was informative, charismatic and filled with recommendations. The hike was relatively easy and we had a local guide. The views are stunning. Not to be missed.”

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11.Dog Sledding Adventure in Willow, Alaska

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 398 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $175

Meet an Iditarod dog team at Alaskan Husky Adventures near Wasilla, help harness the dogs, and ride private snowy trails with a musher such as Dane. You will hear about the Iditarod, see Mount McKinley views, meet the friendly huskies, and warm up afterward with hot drinks and snacks.

“This is a wonderful experience that everyone should do who visits Alaska! The dogs are super sweet and really fun to meet”

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12.Matanuska Glacier Hike Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 396 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $329

Leave Anchorage in a Mercedes Sprinter for the Matanuska Valley, then spend about two hours on the glacier with ice spikes, helmets, and a professional glacier guide. Guides such as Lori, Tony, Alyssa, Sophie, and Jason add local stories and practical help. Lunch at a lodge overlooking the ice is available afterward, but costs extra.

“It was a wonderful experience, the trip was well managed, and the tour operators were very thoughtful and pleasing and helpful”

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13.Portage Glacier Cruise and Wildlife Explorer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 378 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $239

Leave Anchorage at 1 p.m. for a small-group ride along Turnagain Arm, a one-hour cruise on the mv Ptarmigan toward Portage Glacier, and an hour at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Guides such as Matt, Gary, and Jack add local stories and photo stops. Round-trip transport and admissions are included.

“This was a great tour with a lot of local information. The scenery was great and our guide Matt made it interesting and fun. Loved our visit to the Conservation Center and the Glacier tour was awesome. Would definitely recommend.”

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14.Grand Knik Helicopter Tour – 2 hours 3 landings – ANCHORAGE AREA

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 374 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $761

Fly from Alaska Glacier Lodge over the Knik River Valley to Knik Glacier, with three landings during a roughly two-hour trip. You can walk on the ice with a guide, visit sites such as Cascade Glacier when conditions allow, and watch for mountain goats, bears, and moose. Pilots including Sam, Wyatt, Cody, and Brian are praised for safe flying and helpful commentary.

“The absolute BEST part of our vacation was this helicopter tour! We chose the one with 3 different landings, all of which were great, but to be able to get out and walk on a glacier was just awesome. If you are able to, this is the one to do!!!”

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15.Alaska Railroad Anchorage to Seward Round-Trip Same Day Return

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 371 reviews · 14 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $226

Ride the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Seward and back in one long, scenic day. Reserved seats, onboard narration, large windows, and open vestibules make the four-hour journey easy to enjoy. You get about six hours in Seward for walking, the SeaLife Center, or a separately booked cruise, then return to Anchorage by 10:15 pm.

“I am unsure if I would rebook thorough Viator because I don't believe the tour booking was necessary. You could have booked the train ride at the station or online. We didn't get an improved seat by booking through the website. The train trip was great though.”

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