Alaska has been my husband's dream destination for years. Well, he planned a 2-week trip to Alaska…read moreusing the Princess Cruise Line, but doing this "CruiseTour", with the help of cruise line travel agent. "CruiseTour" is where you combine the Alaskan Cruise, along with train, tour bus, lodge stays, etc.etc., making the trip very comprehensive...though definitely more complicated! Honestly, I would have preferred to go straight to the cruise ship and back...and skip all the hassles. HOWEVER. Here's the deal. I've mentioned in a previous review that I didn't care too much about the train ride TO Talkeetna (heading towards the 2 wilderness lodges) because of its weird dining rules, as well as disappointing views. On the way back from the lodges, we took a tour bus (luckily a big, comfy one!) to Whittier, where our ship awaited us. First of all, this tour bus as incredibly LONG...as in 9 hours, including a lunch stop!! I nearly had a fit the night before when I first realized it was going to be that long (my husband, not exactly the Master of Details) didn't realize this either when he planned out this entire trip. Well...luckily...the tour bus ride turned out to be somewhat of a blessing. The bus from Denali to Whittier took several bathroom breaks along the way (much to the relief of many older passengers, I bet!), and even a long lunch break in Anchorage. Best part? The views were SPECTACULAR!!! It was one picturesque scene after another...mile after mile, especially in the last hour, nearing the Whittier port. Even the long tunnel passageway leading to our cruise ship was magnificent. I would have NEVER thought I'd think this long of a ride would be worth it...but it was. Surprisingly, I liked it better than the much cooler train ride to Talkeetna. Also, the bus was pretty comfy all in all with good A/C. So YES, this may sound like a scary option in terms of the length of the ride...but if you want a good, long look at Alaska at its finest, it's actually a great option.

Awesome cruise and reasonably priced! It's a lovely feeling to witness a tide water glacier so up…read moreclose! The staff were friendly and informative and the amenities on board were good! All in all good experience! :)

I've reached out to the company twice regarding how to book with my NLCB BOGO 50% certificate…read moreonline so I wouldn't have to drive 45 minutes only to find out they were full. Both messages were left on read without any response. If online booking isn't possible with the certificate, a simple clarification would have been appreciated. Instead, the lack of communication has made the process unnecessarily frustrating and reflects poorly on their customer service.

Portage Pass Trail is a fantastic hike in Whittier, Alaska!…read more I didn't even know this trail existed until the Ship Captain on my 26 Glacier Tour Cruise mentioned it was his favorite activity. So...being only about 6pm in the summertime and still looking for more worthwhile areas of Whittier to explore...I thought...why not come over here to Portage Pass to hike for a few hours! From the parking lot where I had left my car for the cruise, the trailhead was only 1-mile away near the tunnel area getting in and out of Whittier. When turning onto the road leading towards the trailhead, be careful of all the potholes along the way. I parked on the side of the road. Portage Pass Trail is a 4-mile roundtrip hike. Well...let me just back up a little... It's a 1-mile hike to Portage Pass which overlooks Portage Lake and Glacier in the background. Then, it is 1 more mile to trek from Portage Pass down to the shores of Portage Lake. Then...obviously, it is a 2-mile hike back to the trailhead. The 1st mile hiking to Portage Pass was virtually all uphill. I gained 800 feet in elevation. This part was moderately strenuous. I believe, since you work hard to make it to Portage Pass, you might as well go all the way to Portage Lake/Glacier. The 2nd half of the hike from Portage Pass was mostly downhill where I winded my way through bushy areas but all on a defined, dirt trail. And it was sort of fun to maneuver on down to the shore. And just to back up one moment, at Portage Pass in late afternoon, the sun was shining brightly onto Portage Glacier and the surrounding landscape offering beautiful views worthy of pausing for photos. Finally, at "The Toe" of Portage Lake and Glacier...the setting was calm and quiet. There weren't many hikers around with me at 7pm. I took some time to admire Portage Glacier but found that my pictures weren't nearly as colorful being at eye-level with a fading sun in comparison to the perspectives looking down on the landscape while hiking lower from Portage Pass. For me being a picky photo person, the dwindling sun started facing me which created shadows rather where I would have preferred the sun positioned at my back. So...to give a suggestion...I believe visiting Portage Lake and Glacier; you'd be better served coming in the morning time. I also noticed that you could hike around the lake to possibly even step on Portage Glacier! That was intriguing to me, but I knew I still had the return hike to complete along with taking the tunnel to depart Whittier. Those factors were on my mind. And...I didn't have any micro spikes or crampons with me so the best I could do was maybe just stand in front of the glacier. But I feel that would maybe lose the photogenic aspect whereas being at the shoreline, I could capture the glacier in its entirety. This just me being particular...lol, that's all. I spent 25 minutes wandering along the shore, even to just breathe in the fresh air. Had I known about Portage Pass Trail ahead of time, I certainly would have afforded myself an extended stay to marvel at how cool untouched glaciers can appear in the distance. The hike back to Portage Pass was uphill, but not nearly as difficult as the initial trek from the trailhead. Then, of course, once back at Portage Pass, it's downhill back to the dirt road where I parked. I'd say the 4 total miles hiked plus time at the lake took me 3.5 hours...just enough time to complete my 26 Glacier Cruise Tour plus this afternoon hiking adventure making for an absolutely wonderful summer day experience here in Whittier, Alaska.

Wanting to see a glacier but with our previous honeymoon glacier adventure being canceled due to…read moreinclement weather, we had to get creative. My husband and I found the trail head for Portage Pass and decided to give it a shot! The trail head is located down a gravel road, on your right hand side immediately after you exit the Whittier tunnel. There is no parking lot. The trail was extremely easy to follow and as most reviews state, the 1st mile is all incline until you reach the peak. Once you reach the summit, the wind picks up but then it is all downhill until you reach the glacier. During our adventure, the trail was quite slippery and frozen over with ice but we managed to find a few foot holds. Seeing a glacier up close and personal is absolutely breathtaking and a once in a lifetime experience. We had the entire trail to ourselves since it was the off-season and not too many people wanted to brave the whipping windchill. Definitely worth the short drive from Anchorage if you want to see this glacier before it is gone!

Take the helicopter glacier hike tour! You will not regret it!! My husband and I were second…read moreguessing such a big ticket item for our Alaska trip but we agree it was worth it! Our trip would not have been the same had we skipped this standout experience! Our guides Andy and Matt were amazing! We had a lot of fun with them and learned a lot too. Thank you guys for the memories! Until you see and walk on a glacier, you cannot understand the scale and size of one! There are hidden worlds when you get on the ice! Waterfalls into the abyss, hidden ice caves, lakes of deep aqua blue... and it goes on and on in every direction. Completely insane! Do yourself a favor and book this trip. The views from the helicopter alone are worth it, but exploring a glacier is priceless!

Did the spencer glacier kayak and hike, starting from the Alyeska Resort. $379pp (occasional…read morecoupons on their Facebook). This took about 9 hours, with about 5 hours being kayak + hike. The rest was transportation/waiting for train/etc. Prices are high, but the experience is pretty amazing. It's hard to do activities or get up close to glaciers without assistance/guides. The group to guide ratio is low so you're definitely safe. I love the energy from the guides. They know what they're doing and they are so enthusiastic about it. They definitely take care of you if you're a newb to all this. Amazing views. Amazing pictures. Would recommend!

We took the Portage Glacier cruise on our last day in Alaska (July 2026). We weren't expecting much…read moreas the other glacier tours were recommended, but we didn't have time to fit in a five-hour boat tour and longer car or train ride further south. We were pleasantly surprised. The captain brought us right up to the edge of glacier with plenty of time for photo opportunities including posing with the life rings and touching some glacial ice that the crew retrieved from the lake. Hat tip to the crew and especially to George who presented a very informative briefing throughout the voyage with enough humor to keep everyone's attention.

We drove by the Portage Glacier area while heading to Anchorage. It is located 50 miles south of…read moreAnchorage off Seward Highway. The mountains surrounding it are just stunning. Portage Glacier is one of Alaska's most visited attractions and can easily be accessed by taking 5-mile Portage Glacier Road from Seward Hwy. You can't see it off the main road because it has receded over three miles and is no longer visible. But you can drive to Portage Lake and get up and close to it by boat. The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is near the lake and the sightseeing boat tours are a short drive from it. In the winter, the lake freezes over and can be used to ice skate and cross-country ski on. If you like to hike, a few popular trails near the area are Portage Pass Trail, Byron Glacier Trail and the Trail of Blue Ice.

I booked a winter tour with Salmon Berry that started in Anchorage and traveled to Fairbanks. This…read moretour was amazing. We packed so much in to our week but nothing ever felt rushed and we were able to genuinely enjoy each experience. Our tour guide Laura was so knowledgeable and professional and a joy to spend the week with. I have already recommended this tour to 4 friends and cannot say enough great things about this company, the employees, and the adventures.

Wow! What an amazing experience. My wife and I booked the transfer tour from Anchorage to Whittier…read more Our tour guide, Michelle, was incredible. She was a wealth of knowledge and such a fun person to spend the day with. Everywhere we went, she seemed to know everything. She interspersed personal anecdotes allowing us to get to know her better and to understand more about the area. Everything was included in the price of the tour. Lunch (of your choice - not just preset options), a beer at the brewery, and admission to the nature center were all taken care of. There were also snacks and water available in the van. We got lucky with a small group (4 people including us!), but the van only holds 13 people - much better than the giant coach busses! I cannot recommend Salmon Berry, and Michelle in particular, highly enough

Great experience. We did the Matanuska Glacier hike. Van ride was easy and comfortable. The…read moreexperience at the glacier is top notch. And the lunch is at an actual restaurant where you order off the regular menu--and the food was delicious! Our guide Tim was spectacular. Knowledgeable. Friendly. Prepared. Clear and communicative. Book with this company. I know I will if I come back and I will personally recommend them to any friends headed to Anchorage.

- 10 star experience for northern lights tour - Dana is…read morefabulous - she knows! - she is dedicated to her craft - they were on time for pickup - snacks are good (chips, nuts, granola bars, water) - eat a hearty dinner before - the field is your pee break if you have to number 2, sorry for ya - our lights started at 11pm they were predicted to be highest between 1230/1 we waited until after 2, and they were still dim all the other people in the area had left - the lights REALLY started at 230, we stayed until 530 Dana had faith we believed in her it paid off - we got home at 6 - great photos by Dana - heated van all night

This place is legit. I highly recommend this activity as you will have fun and will enjoy being so…read moreclose to nature. You will get into a dry suit for 4 hours so keep that in mind. No bathroom break once you have been zipped. They provide everything, helmets, life jackets , booties and a great guide. You also need to arrive 15 minutes early so you can get ready and leave on time. Once you get on the Jet ski, you are briefed and you start to head over to the Glacier. When you reach the middle of the trajectory, it can get a bit rough as you are close to the ocean but once you passed that, the water gets calmer. (Not by much but a lot better) The closer the you get to the glacier the colder it gets so you need to bring insulation. I used by Under Armour base layer 4.0 and some merino wool socks and I was very comfortable. Once you reach the glacier, you are provided with a surprise and I will not spoil the surprised. Then you reach the glacier and it is breathtaking. It seems like it is not real at all! After you spend a good amount of time there you head back and you have to go thru the rough patch next to the ocean. The total time of the trip was roughly 4:15min and you need to hold your pee and make sure you are not SICK ‍ to your stomach because you have an accident, there is fine to clean it up. If you decide to go, ask for Mango as she was great, very patient and easy going. I am pretty sure everyone is nice therr but I may be a bit bias.

This was by far one of the best experiences I have had. I highly recommend this to other people. We…read morehad Mango as tour guide and she was so knowledgeable and helpful. We had the best time ever

I am an airline pilot and was staying at the Hilton right across the street from Anchorage Downtown…read moreTours. I walked in and asked about a 3 to 4 hour day tour of Anchorage. The owner, Russ, was very accommodating and set me up for a tour starting only two hours later. Eventually the group grew to three people and Russ picked us up at the Hilton promptly at 11. This was exactly what I was looking for. I spent a very enjoyable four hours with Russ, who grew up in Alaska and who knows the state backwards and forwards. Russ has a great deal of civic pride as well! Russ gave us a comprehensive look at the after-effects of the big earthquake during the 60s, where entire homes were moved up to two or three city blocks! The ground shifted so much it made a once perfectly flat neighborhood into a neighborhood with lots of hills! Russ has a sharp eye for wildlife, and besides mountain goats and sheep, we actually got to see a moose! Ross absolutely loves his home state, and you will learn a lot driving around with him. And have a pretty good time doing it, as well!

So TODAY's Alaskan Adventure... Hiking the Matanuska Glacier…read more My First hike in Alaska & WHAT a Breathtaking 3 mile hike it was! Thank You to Anchorage Downtown TourGroup http://downtowntourgroup.com & Paul for getting me to the glacier safe and sound & for the yummy lunch! On today's tour I learned that 99 million gallons of water flow under Matanuska Glacier each day; Glacial water comes out of her at 28 degrees & can freeze at 29 degrees; she is moving 12-16 inches a day(normal is 10 inches)and that a loud Popcorn sound IS never a good sound! Kimberlee at Travel with Kimberlee on FB.

Our recent tour with Davis went above and beyond! From the moment we booked, he kept in touch to…read moreanswer questions and provide all the details we needed, which made planning so easy. Davis was extremely prepared when we met him for our adventure. We had binoculars, ponchos, water, and snacks waiting for us when we got in the truck! As we headed out from Anchorage, he took us to several stunning photo spots and shared fascinating facts and history about all the areas we visited, as well as places we drove past. He was friendly and attentive but also gave us space to explore on our own. Even though it both snowed and then rained during our tour, Davis had many different destinations he was able to swap in place of some of our originally planned outdoor activities. The rain stopped just in time that he was still able to cook for us, and OH MY was it delicious!!

On our 10 day trip to Alaska, our day with Davis was one of the highlights. HIs encyclopedic…read moreknowledge, superb customer service and professionalism were truly exemplary. We were so fortunate to have found him through the Anchorage visitor center. Our day was full of wildlife sightings, gorgeous Alaska scenery and fascinating history and was topped off with a gourmet meal cooked outdoors after our hike. We look forward to another day with Davis on our next Alaska adventure.