Matanuska Glacier Adventure: Full Day Hiking & Scenic Tour in Alaska

Embark on a full-day guided tour of Alaska’s Matanuska Glacier. Explore the icy expanse, learn about its natural history, and enjoy breathtaking scenery on this adventure-packed experience.

Duration: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Matanuska Glacier - 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.
What's Included
  • Transportation from Downtown Anchorage
  • Expert Glacier Guides
  • Complimentary Bottled Water
  • Assorted Snacks Included
  • Glacier Walking Gear Provided
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Join us for a daylong expedition to Alaska’s majestic Matanuska Glacier, starting with a stress-free pickup from the heart of Anchorage. Our journey of two scenic hours will take us through stunning mountainous terrains. There will be pit stops at local dining spots where you can grab a meal.
When we get to the glacier, our experienced guide will…

Location
546 W 4th Ave
West 4th Avenue
We meet all travelers at the Visit Anchorage Log Cabin Visitor Center in Downtown Anchorage. Street parking downtown is limited to 2 hours so we suggest parking at 5th & B Street Garage (420 B St Anchorage, AK), within a 10-minute walking distance of our pickup point.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(167 Ratings)
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Desireemp3157rb
Oct 7, 2024
Fabulous tour! - Ina was the guide that drove us out and Chris was the guide at the glacier and they were both above and beyond wonderful! This tour was a bucket list item for me and it did not disappoint.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chunkang_c
Oct 5, 2024
Wonderful trip - The tour trip is wonderful. It is a must go tour. The glacier is huge and beautiful. I want to say thank you to my driver lady. In this trip, there are only two people, my wife and myself. We are not native speakers. The driver lady showed her great passion to the work. Her introduction is very informative. My wife and I had a great time.
Review provided by Viator
Samuel_s
Oct 1, 2024
Incredible experience! - You will love the glacier, guide and of course the view!! Go with shoes confortable so you can be more agile
Review provided by Viator
Denise_g
Sep 28, 2024
You won’t be sorry you booked this! - Our driver was Ina. She was knowledgeable and funny and just such a genuine, kind person. She knows so much about the area from points of interest to restaurant recommendations. 10/10! Our glacier guide was Iwona and she was FANTASTIC. You can tell how much she loves what she does. She was so great at educating all of us on the different aspects of glaciers and made us feel safe and every step. Would highly recommend this activity. I’m old and out of shape and didn’t feel it was too hard at all. Most importantly the SCENERY cannot be beat. Absolutely breathtaking views from every direction.
Review provided by Viator
Howard_h
Sep 19, 2024
Alaska is Beautiful - Both tour guides were great and friendly and helped make a solo trip more fun. Aunty Gary was the driver with all the stories and insights. It was very fun listening to him and asking him a bunch of questions. He even helped me take photos. He also helped me love Alaska.
Review provided by Viator
Stephanie_e
Sep 8, 2024
Early Fall Hike - Ina, our driver was extremely nice and knowledgeable. Our guide on the glacier tailored the hike to the mobility of our group. We were a mobile group and we explored more of the glacier. As a solo traveler, I felt safe and the guides helped me with pictures. It was about 50 degrees on the glacier, we were taking off layers as the walk continued. I never put on my winter coat, I was fine in a sweatshirt and fall jacket. The fall colors on the way to the glacier were amazing! Great tour!
Review provided by Viator
Abhijeet_t
Sep 24, 2024
Need more time on Glacier - The Good - Guide and driver were friendly and gave lots of information about Alaska and the glacier along the way. The Bad - Actual time spent on Glacier was only 2.5 hours. Being the main selling point in this tour, that seemed too rushed. In those 2.5 hours were only a few meters into the glacier, so the exploration seemed brief too. Suggestion to tour operator - Have at least 1 more hour on the glacier, even if it’s to just sit, observe and feel the moment. Since a guided tour is the only way to walk on this glacier, I would recommend it anyway. It’s also more economical than the helicopter tours that land over neighboring Knik glacier for an hour.
Review provided by Viator
Sara_m
Sep 20, 2024
Overpriced and Underwhelming Glacier Hike – Opt for a Helicopter Tour Instead - While our glacier hiking experience in Alaska had its highlights, there were several aspects that could be improved, especially considering the high cost compared to other tours. Logistics: We traveled from Anchorage, and I think it would be more convenient if they offered an option to join the tour in Matanuska. If they had this option, it wasn’t clearly mentioned or easy to find. Duration: The tour was advertised as full-day/8.5 hours, but the actual hiking portion lasted only about 1.5 hours. We didn’t venture into the glaciers as expected, and there were long stops at each spot, making the hiking feel quite short and less immersive. Tipping: Our guide and driver were wonderful—both knowledgeable and friendly. However, someone in the group mentioned tipping and even specified an amount, which felt awkward. While tipping is appreciated, it felt out of place to specify an exact number, especially considering the tour's already high price. Expectations vs. Reality: Based on the pictures and description, I expected a more challenging and adventurous experience. However, some participants showed up in jeans and dress shoes, which indicated that the tour was much less intense than advertised. It felt like we barely touched the glaciers. Recommendation: In hindsight, I’d recommend spending a bit more for the helicopter tour, which seems to offer a more fulfilling experience. For the price of this tour, it didn’t meet expectations, and there are better options available for true glacier exploration. Overall, it was a decent experience, but for those seeking real adventure, I would suggest exploring other options.
Review provided by Viator
Lornap915
Oct 3, 2024
Way to Expensive and Underwhelmed - Way to expensive, if you have a car or don't hire one it'll be cheaper, drive out and book you own ticket.. Only had 1.5hrs on the glacier more than 20mins waiting for someone to pick up one person that at the start told the guide they didn't want to go all the way, there were more stops for long periods making the hiking glacier shorter and extremely underwhelming.. We didn't venture into the glacier as the photos indicated based on the pictures and description, I expected a more challenging and adventurous experience. It felt like we barely touched the glaciers For the price of this tour, it didn't meet expectations, and there are better options available for true glacier exploration. The only good thing was the tour bus driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lorna_p
Oct 3, 2024
Overpriced and Underwhelmed - Way to expensive, if you have a car or don't hire one it'll be cheaper, drive out and book you own ticket... Only had 1.5hrs on the glacier more than 20mins waiting for someone to pick up one person that at the start told the guide they didn't want to go all the way, there were more stops for long periods making the hiking glacier shorter and extremely underwhelming.. We didn't venture into the glacier as the photos indicated based on the pictures and description, I expected a more challenging and adventurous experience. It felt like we barely touched the glaciers. For the price of this tour, it didn't meet expectations, and there are better options available for true glacier exploration. The only good thing was the tour bus driver. With exchange rates for some tourist DON'T BOOK...
Review provided by Viator
From $310
up to 14 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).