Alaska Glacier Tours

Alaska glacier tours are a great way to see some spectacular glaciers. You'll be happy to know that several can be done as inexpensive day tours from Anchorage or Seward. These cruises can get you up close and personal with many of Alaska's most spectacular glaciers as well as some of the incredible wildlife in the region like whales, porpoises, sea lions, eagles, bears and mountain goats.

Prince William Sound and the Kenai Fjords both have a lot to offer. If you don't have time to do both, here are a few things that may help you decide:

Prince William Sound has some spectacular glaciers that are almost sure to provide some calving action. Packed with the densest concentration of tidewater glaciers, Prince William Sound won't disappoint. You'll see some wildlife, some beautiful waterfalls, and of course, those giant walls of blue ice that enchant us all.

Kenai Fjords also contain some beautiful glaciers… but if you are more interested in wildlife like whales, harbor seals, sea lions and puffins, this is the obvious choice. The glaciers here can offer some spectacular calving sites as well, but not in the same frequency as Prince William Sound.

Prince William Sound offers a glacial history in living color. From peaks rising 2000 to 9000 feet straight up from the water's edge to ancient moraine deposited just below the water line, history is right before your eyes. See these wonders from a luxurious high-speed catamaran that zooms over the calm waters of the Sound only to come face to face with stunning tidewater glaciers. The catamaran gets closer to the glaciers than any other Alaska glacier tour. The crew will fish glacial ice out of the water for visitors to touch, and the boat is turned in a full circle so you can see the glacier from a variety of angles. Wildlife abounds, and you'll be struggling to make room in your camera for enough photo space. This 4.5 hour tour covers 135 miles.

Some of the other cruises are slower paced, and allow you plenty of time to view each glacier individually. Some of these cruises are longer, some are shorter and are better suited to families with younger children with shorter attention spans. The longer cruises offer a nice meal to tourists of fresh local fare.

Kenai Fjords offers tours of Resurrection Bay and other fjord sights. Many of these Alaska glacier tours are in open water, which may cause some distress to those who suffer from seasickness. Ask about which tours stay in calm water. The Kenai Fjords offer unparalleled opportunities to see wildlife of all kinds in their natural habitats. Families may want to choose to take shorter cruises if they have young children. Others may prefer the all day cruises to take full advantage of the sights in this incredible natural wonder. Some tours will also stop at Fox Island, and visitors will get the opportunity to disembark and explore the island or go kayaking.