Turnagain Arm, Wildlife Center & Glaciers: Small-Group Tour
Six hours, one unforgettable road. This small-group tour (14 guests max) trades the big motorcoach for a Mercedes Sprinter and a born-and-raised Alaskan guide who's driven Turnagain Arm his whole life. Heading south from Anchorage, the Seward Highway squeezes between the Chugach Mountains and the sea. At Beluga Point we glass the water for belugas and the cliffs for Dall sheep and eagles. At the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, rescued bears, moose, bison, caribou, and muskox roam big natural enclosures — your best shot at photographing Alaska's icons in one visit. Then Portage Valley: Explorer and Byron Glaciers and a short walk through mossy rainforest. Lunch happens like a local on the way home: Girdwood Brewing Company, in a mountain ski town, with rotating Alaska food trucks (lunch is at your expense). A lifelong local behind the wheel, 14 seats instead of 50, and no rush when the wildlife shows up. See Alaska between the postcards.
What you'll see & do
- ✓Your guide, Tim, meets you at your hotel in a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter van, and we head south out of the city toward Turnagain Arm.
- ✓The Seward Highway is a designated National Scenic Byway and one of America's most beautiful drives — a ribbon of road pinched between the Chugach Mountains and the waters of Turnagain Arm. Along the way, watch for Dall sheep on the cliffs, bald eagles overhead, and beluga whales in the Arm, with your guide sharing local history and stories the whole way. We make flexible stops when wildlife appears.
- ✓A rocky outcrop over Turnagain Arm and one of Alaska's classic viewpoints. We stop to glass the water for beluga whales, scan the cliffs for Dall sheep, and take in the Chugach Mountains rising straight from the sea.
- ✓A sanctuary for rescued and orphaned Alaskan wildlife on a spectacular stretch of Portage Valley flats. See brown and black bears, moose, bison, caribou, muskox, and more up close in spacious natural enclosures — the reliable way to photograph all of Alaska's big animals in one afternoon.
- ✓A glacier-carved valley at the end of Turnagain Arm. Take in views of Explorer and Byron Glaciers and stretch your legs on a short walk through mossy northern rainforest — a completely different Alaska from the coastline you just drove.
- ✓Lunch like a local in the ski town of Girdwood. This neighborhood brewery hosts rotating Alaska food trucks, mountain views, and a laid-back local crowd. Grab lunch, try a local beer if you like, and relax before the valley's glaciers.
- ✓We retrace one of America's most scenic drives back north. Drop-off at your hotel or wherever in the city you'd rather end your day.
What's included
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Snacks
- ✓Entry to the AWCC is provided as part of your tour.
What's not included
- ✓Lunch and drinks at Girdwood Brewing Company (typically $15–25 per person), gratuities
Good to know
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
I've found that getting around an unfamiliar city can be an annoyance. My goal is to remove all annoyances from your day. To this end, let us pick you up at your hotel. This could entail us being there by as much as 30 minutes early to do this. I will let you know before your tour exactly what time I'll be at your hotel.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Turnagain Arm, Wildlife Center & Glaciers: Small-Group Tour
Six hours, one unforgettable road. This small-group tour (14 guests max) trades the big motorcoach for a Mercedes Sprinter and a born-and-raised Alaskan guide who's driven Turnagain Arm his whole life. Heading south from Anchorage, the Seward Highway squeezes between the Chugach Mountains and the sea. At Beluga Point we glass the water for belugas and the cliffs for Dall sheep and eagles. At the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, rescued bears, moose, bison, caribou, and muskox roam big natural enclosures — your best shot at photographing Alaska's icons in one visit. Then Portage Valley: Explorer and Byron Glaciers and a short walk through mossy rainforest. Lunch happens like a local on the way home: Girdwood Brewing Company, in a mountain ski town, with rotating Alaska food trucks (lunch is at your expense). A lifelong local behind the wheel, 14 seats instead of 50, and no rush when the wildlife shows up. See Alaska between the postcards.
What you'll see & do
- ✓Your guide, Tim, meets you at your hotel in a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter van, and we head south out of the city toward Turnagain Arm.
- ✓The Seward Highway is a designated National Scenic Byway and one of America's most beautiful drives — a ribbon of road pinched between the Chugach Mountains and the waters of Turnagain Arm. Along the way, watch for Dall sheep on the cliffs, bald eagles overhead, and beluga whales in the Arm, with your guide sharing local history and stories the whole way. We make flexible stops when wildlife appears.
- ✓A rocky outcrop over Turnagain Arm and one of Alaska's classic viewpoints. We stop to glass the water for beluga whales, scan the cliffs for Dall sheep, and take in the Chugach Mountains rising straight from the sea.
- ✓A sanctuary for rescued and orphaned Alaskan wildlife on a spectacular stretch of Portage Valley flats. See brown and black bears, moose, bison, caribou, muskox, and more up close in spacious natural enclosures — the reliable way to photograph all of Alaska's big animals in one afternoon.
- ✓A glacier-carved valley at the end of Turnagain Arm. Take in views of Explorer and Byron Glaciers and stretch your legs on a short walk through mossy northern rainforest — a completely different Alaska from the coastline you just drove.
- ✓Lunch like a local in the ski town of Girdwood. This neighborhood brewery hosts rotating Alaska food trucks, mountain views, and a laid-back local crowd. Grab lunch, try a local beer if you like, and relax before the valley's glaciers.
- ✓We retrace one of America's most scenic drives back north. Drop-off at your hotel or wherever in the city you'd rather end your day.
What's included
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Snacks
- ✓Entry to the AWCC is provided as part of your tour.
What's not included
- ✓Lunch and drinks at Girdwood Brewing Company (typically $15–25 per person), gratuities
Good to know
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
I've found that getting around an unfamiliar city can be an annoyance. My goal is to remove all annoyances from your day. To this end, let us pick you up at your hotel. This could entail us being there by as much as 30 minutes early to do this. I will let you know before your tour exactly what time I'll be at your hotel.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.