Full-Day Matanuska Glacier Hike And Tour
Description
Experience the natural wonder of Alaska's Matanuska Glacier with our full-day guided tour. Beginning with a convenient pickup from downtown Anchorage, you'll embark on a scenic two-hour journey, driving through landscapes of towering mountains. Along the way, we'll stop at local eateries, offering you the chance to purchase lunch. Upon reaching the glacier, a seasoned guide will equip you with crampons, making glacier navigation safe and manageable. Then, an all-terrain vehicle will transport you to the glacier's base. Here, you'll set off on foot to explore the glacier's icy expanse, discovering fascinating ice formations and gaining insight into the glacier's natural history from your knowledgeable guide. After this unforgettable experience, we'll journey back to Anchorage, ensuring a comfortable drop-off in downtown. This tour is a perfect blend of adventure, education, and scenic beauty, offering an in-depth encounter with one of Alaska's most impressive glaciers.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier in the US state of Alaska. At 27 miles long by 4 miles wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. The drive to is approximately 2 hours each direction with 4 hours total along the scenic Glenn Hwy. During the winter season the start time of the tour may vary in order to accommodate the safest driving conditions for our drivers and guests. Your guide will communicate with you prior to the day of departure for the tour.
The Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway follows a path carved by ancient glaciers. Following the braided Matanuska River for over half its length.
During the tour we will stop in Palmer Alaska and allow you time to purchase lunch at a local grocery store. Just 45 minutes from Anchorage, this picturesque little town has agriculture flair. Start your adventure in this ‘country' at the Palmer Visitor Information Center. Don't forget to pick up a downtown walking map while you're there.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(220)
The hike on the Matanuska Glacier was super fun. The two guides (Emory and Dominic) who took us were very knowledgeable and helpful when we had to cross a few truckier spots. The views are amazing but it is an active hike - not for anyone unsteady on their feet. The drive out there was beautiful and we had a fantastic driver - Rexy - who was professional, friendly and offered lots of great information and history of the area. All in all, it was a really great excursion and I would highly recommend making it part of your trip to this area of Alaska
Owner refused to provide a refund after the company canceled a scheduled tour. Told blatant lies about services the company supported to offer and when I asked for proof would not provided. Needed to file a legal complaint with CC company to force them to return the funds. There are many companies that provide similar services, I would recommend that you try another.
We are sorry that you were dissatisfied with your experience. To clarify, you did not communicate with the owner regarding this reservation. Your interactions were with our reservations and sales team, who worked to assist you as quickly as possible. When the scheduled tour could not operate and we were unable to reach you by phone or text, the owner arranged for someone to personally greet you and direct you to an alternate transportation provider for your trip to the Matanuska area. Our goal was to ensure that your travel plans could continue with as little disruption as possible. Regarding the refund, your request was processed as soon as we learned that you had paid the alternate transportation provider directly. In most cases, our backup transportation partners bill us directly, eliminating any out-of-pocket expense for the guest. Because that did not occur in this instance, a refund was promptly issued once we were made aware of the situation. While it is not uncommon for tour operators to have minimum participation requirements for longer excursions, we made every effort to find an alternative solution rather than simply canceling your plans. We believe this demonstrates our commitment to customer service and to helping guests enjoy their Alaska experience. For these reasons, we believe portions of your review are inaccurate. Your refund was issued, and every effort was made to ensure you were able to continue with your planned excursion. We strive to provide reliable service and responsive customer support, and we wish you safe travels in the future.
It’s an amazing experience,once in a lifetime , and our tour guide was incredible,I felt I had known for ever
My wife and I really enjoyed this tour -- one of the highlights of our trip. You feel like you're in another world, unlike anything you've ever experienced. Walking through each crevasse, with huge walls of ice on either side, is exhilarating (and no problem for someone claustrophobic like me, either, somehow). It was also easier and less strenuous for older folks like us (ages 72 and 71) than we expected. We got around quite well actually, and the few times we had to move more slowly and carefully, the guide and the younger people in the group were patient and helpful. Each person is given thick elastic bands that wrap snugly around your boots, with metal spikes attached, and most of the time you're walking on packed snow on top of the ice, hearing and feeling crunch, crunch, crunch, so you feel very secure and have good traction. They've carved steps into the surfaces going up and down hills, making climbs and descents much easier also. We were able to stop and take beautiful photos all along the way, and it was just gorgeous. It's a two-hour ride each way, from Anchorage, but we stopped a few times to pick up food, use the restroom, or take more photos. A great day and we're so glad we did it! You will be too.
The Matanuska Glacier Hike was epic! Ina did a great job pointing out all the interesting facts about Alaska and the sights we saw along the way. It was a great way to gain insights from the locals. The views on rate hike were breathtaking. So happy I did this tour!
We had a very wonderful experience. Everything from pickup , drive there, guided tour was very well planned. Our driver Corey, and guide Jason were very good. We totally enjoyed. Highly recommend.
What a beautiful place to visit, an experience I'll never forget. Planing to return next winter.....
Absolutely amazing in the winter, it was magical! The tour provided incredible views of the landscape on the way in and the guide Petra hiked us all over the glacier and in between crevices in a way more in depth manner than I expected, I was floored by how incredible and immersive it was. Ina our driver and guide until we got to the glacier was fantastic, super knowledgeable and fun, she answered all my numerous curiosities and made sure we saw incredible views along the way. Genuinely the best tour I’ve ever been on and I’ve been on dozens over the years.
We really like the tour and guide is really knowledgeable and friendly!! Highly recommended!!! Will definitely join the tour again next time!
The experience is wonderful and both our van driver a glacier guide were very knowledgeable. Be aware that there are some very uneven surfaces so this is not for someone who is not steady on their feet
