Best of Alaska in a Day Tour from Anchorage

Anchorage, United States of America

Come explore on this 7-hour, small-group tour with a local driver/guide. The best of Alaska in a day tour provides a quintessential sampler of Alaska: mountains, glaciers, and animals. This is one of the favorite trips that never gets old, even for the locals. The group size is limited to 14 people.

Depart the last hotel at 9:15am and enjoy the beautiful drive along Turnagain Arm. As you meander along the coast, your guide will offer an introduction to Turnagain Arm, the sea life you may find, and the wildness of the land right next to you. Speaking of wild, keep a watch out for mountain goats on the rocks enjoying the sun. If you are lucky enough, you might even see a few young ones jumping about on the cliffs. At Beluga Point keep your eyes searching for Beluga Whales, and see if you can catch the train passing by. Stops will be made along the way for breathtaking views and picture opportunities.

Plan to arrive at Alyeska Resort around 10:30am where your guide will provide an introduction to skiing, downhill biking, and the mountains surrounding you. You can stop in at the “Bake Shop” for an Alaskan lunch and a leisurely hike to Alyeska, or head for the tram and have lunch at the top of the mountain where you can see glaciers as you eat. Plan to depart at 12:00pm for the Alaska Wildlife Center.

Your guide provides a fully-narrated tour of the Alaska Wildlife Center introducing you to the animals and their stories. All of the animals at the center have a story: how they were found, where they came from, and how they are getting ready to go back to the wild. Brown bears, black bears, elk, wolves, and caribou all in one place; pretty awesome!

Head to the glacier-formed Portage Lake and learn about glaciers at the visitors center. Stroll along the lake and marvel at the blue water and towering mountains. For those who would like, head to the MV Ptarmigan and cruise the lake to the face of a glacier. For those not on the MV Ptarmigan, stay with your guide for a narrated walk along the lake learning about glacial formations, their life, and what is happening with glaciers in Alaska.

Departure time back to Anchorage will be at around 3:30pm. On the way back keep your eyes open for mountain goats, stop along the way for a refreshing drink from a local spring, and watch the birds at Potters Marsh Wildlife Preserve.