Anchorage Helicopter Tours: Glacier Landings & Scenic Flights
Alaska’s landscapes are vast, rugged, and often inaccessible by road. To truly grasp the scale of its towering mountains, immense glaciers, and winding river valleys, you need a different perspective – one from above. Anchorage helicopter tours offer an exhilarating way to reach remote wilderness areas quickly, witness breathtaking beauty, and even step foot onto ancient ice.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable splurge activity during your Anchorage visit, a scenic helicopter flight is hard to beat.
Why Take a Helicopter Tour from Anchorage?
- Unbeatable Access: Reach remote glaciers like the massive Knik Glacier or deep valleys within the Chugach Mountains that would take days to hike to (if accessible at all).
- Glacier Landings: Many tours include the incredible experience of landing directly on a glacier, allowing you to walk on ancient ice.
- Spectacular Views: Gain unparalleled perspectives of jagged peaks, blue meltwater pools, deep crevasses, and potentially spot wildlife like moose, Dall sheep, or even bears from the air.
- Efficiency: See a huge amount of dramatic scenery in a relatively short amount of time (typically 60-90 minute tours).
- Photography: Capture truly unique, jaw-dropping photos and videos.
Popular Anchorage Helicopter Tour Experiences
While various routes are offered, most helicopter tours Anchorage Alaska provides focus on these key experiences:
Glacier Landings
This is the highlight for many! Tours often fly towards the impressive Knik Glacier or other glaciers in the Chugach range. The thrill of lifting off is matched only by the smooth descent onto the ice itself. Operators typically provide crampons (ice cleats) for your shoes, allowing you to safely walk with your pilot/guide, explore stunning blue meltwater pools, peer into crevasses (from a safe distance!), and maybe even fill your water bottle with pure glacier melt. It’s an otherworldly experience.
Scenic Flights
Even without a landing, soaring over the Chugach Mountains is incredible. You’ll fly past dramatic peaks, witness the power of glacial erosion, trace braided rivers, and scan alpine meadows and cliffsides for wildlife. Pilots provide narration, pointing out landmarks and geological features.
Heli-Hiking & Other Adventures
Some operators offer specialized trips combining a scenic flight with guided hiking in remote alpine terrain, offering a unique wilderness experience far from any roads or trails.
Booking Your Helicopter Tour
- Advance Booking: These tours are popular and have limited capacity, so booking well in advance is highly recommended, especially during peak summer months.
- Departure Points: Tours often depart from airfields near Anchorage, such as Merrill Field or Lake Hood, or from bases closer to the glaciers like the Knik River Valley (near Palmer, about an hour’s drive from Anchorage). Check the specific departure location when booking. Some operators offer transfers from Anchorage hotels.
- Duration & Cost: Most glacier landing tours last around 60-90 minutes, including roughly 30 minutes of flight time and 30 minutes on the glacier. Prices typically start around $400-$500+ per person, reflecting the unique nature of the experience.
- Weight Information: You will need to provide each passenger’s weight when booking for aircraft weight and balance safety calculations. Passengers over a certain weight (e.g., 250 lbs) may be subject to additional fees.
Ready for liftoff? Explore unforgettable helicopter adventures below:
Prefer Staying on the Ground? Here Are Top Anchorage Cruises
While Anchorage itself isn’t a major cruise port for large ships, it’s the perfect gateway for accessing some of Alaska’s most incredible day cruises focused on glaciers and wildlife. These typically depart from Whittier (for Prince William Sound) or Seward (for Kenai Fjords National Park), both accessible from Anchorage via scenic drives, the Alaska Railroad, or dedicated coach transfers often included in cruise tour packages.
Prince William Sound Cruises (Departing from Whittier)
- Highlights: Known for its calm, protected waters and an incredible concentration of tidewater glaciers (glaciers that flow directly into the ocean). Witnessing glacier calving (huge chunks of ice breaking off) is common. Abundant marine wildlife includes sea otters, harbor seals, kittiwakes, and potentially whales (orcas, humpbacks).
- Getting There: Whittier is accessed via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a unique one-lane tunnel shared with the railroad that operates on a strict schedule (check times before driving!). The drive from Anchorage is about 1.5 hours plus tunnel wait time.
- Popular Tours: Look for the “26 Glacier Cruise” or “Glacier Quest Cruise” options.
Kenai Fjords National Park Cruises (Departing from Seward)
- Highlights: Explore dramatic fjords carved by glaciers, see impressive coastal glaciers, and encounter diverse marine life including humpback whales, orcas, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, puffins, and various seabirds. The scenery is ruggedly beautiful.
- Getting There: Seward is about a 2.5-3 hour scenic drive south of Anchorage via the Seward Highway, or accessible via the Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic route.
- Popular Tours: Various companies offer cruises ranging from half-day wildlife tours in Resurrection Bay to full-day adventures deep into the national park’s fjords.
Tips for Your Air or Sea Adventure
- Dress Warmly: Even on sunny summer days, it can be cold and windy on the water or near glaciers. Dress in layers, including a waterproof/windproof outer jacket, hat, and gloves.
- Wear Sturdy Shoes: Essential for glacier landings (closed-toe required) and helpful for stability on moving boat decks.
- Essentials: Bring sunglasses (glare off ice/water is intense!), camera with extra batteries/memory, and binoculars for spotting wildlife.
- Be Flexible: Alaska weather can change rapidly. Tours may be delayed, rerouted, or cancelled for safety. It’s all part of the adventure!
Whether you choose to soar above the glaciers in a helicopter or cruise alongside them by boat, exploring Alaska’s icy wonders from Anchorage promises memories that will last a lifetime.
