2025 Viator Experience Award Winner - Top 1% Nationwide
907-917-8687
Anchorage Day Tour · 8 Hours · Moderate · Ages 8 and Up
Walk two to three miles out onto the Matanuska Glacier.
Travel two hours up the Glenn Highway with a local Alaskan guide, then hike two to three miles on the glacier with provided cleats and a helmet. Anchorage hotel pickup is included. The tour runs from approximately 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
8 hours
door to door, drive time included
From $297
per person, small group
Anchorage Hotel Pickup
and drop-off included
Year Round Tour
private tour also available
- 850+ reviewsAcross Google, Tripadvisor, and Viator
- Award winnerViator Experience Award, 2025
- Max 11 guestsNever a motorcoach
Walk on the Matanuska Glacier
We pick you up in Anchorage and drive the Glenn Highway to Matanuska Glacier. At the ice, a certified glacier guide fits your cleats and helmet and leads a two-to-three-mile walk across the changing surface. Your Alaskan guide takes care of the road in both directions, so you can take in the views instead of watching the weather and traffic.
It's a moderate walk on uneven ice, not a roadside photo stop. Glacier access, gear, snacks and water are included; bring sturdy closed-toe footwear. The tour runs with at least two guests and welcomes children ages eight and up.
The journey to the ice
- Anchorage hotel pickupLeave the driving to your local Alaskan guide, from pickup to drop-off.
- The scenic Glenn HighwayTake in the valley and mountain views on the drive northeast.
- Knik River OverlookStop near Palmer where the valley opens up against the Chugach range.
- A small groupUp to 11 guests, with a pace your guides can set for the group.
On the glacier & after
- A guided walk on glacier iceWalk two to three miles on the Matanuska Glacier with a certified glacier guide.
- Cleats and helmet providedYour glacier guide fits your gear before you step onto the ice; bring your own sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots.
- Optional lunch with a viewChoose a meal at a glacier-view restaurant after the walk; lunch is paid separately.
Is this tour right for you?
We'd rather tell you now than have you find out at the glacier.
This tour is a good fit if:
- You're comfortable walking 2 to 3 miles on uneven ground
- You can manage roughly 1.5 hours walking on the ice in cleats
- You're 8 or older
- You own sturdy, closed-toe footwear you can walk on ice in - winter boots in winter, tennis shoes or hiking shoes in summer
- You want to stand on a glacier, not look at one from a pullout
Book our Glacier & Wildlife Adventure instead if:
- Walking a few miles on ice sounds like more than you want
- You're traveling with someone who'd struggle with uneven footing
- You'd rather see wildlife up close than hike
- You want an easier day - that tour is rated Easy, most stops are optional, and you can stay with the van at any of them
Both days end with you having seen a glacier. This one ends with you having walked on one.
The day, stop by stop
- 01
Anchorage Pickup
We pick you up at your hotel or lodging anywhere in downtown or midtown Anchorage at 8 a.m. and head north; if you're not sure your hotel is in the pickup area, call 907-917-8687.
No car, no parking, no maps. We come to you, and the tour starts the moment you step in.
- 02
Up the Glenn Highway
The Glenn Highway is a National Scenic Byway, and the two hours to the glacier are part of the tour, not the commute.
The Glenn Highway is a National Scenic Byway, and the drive north is part of the show, not just the way there.
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We stop at the Knik River Overlook in Palmer on the way, where the valley opens up and the Chugach range stacks up behind it.
Past Palmer the road climbs along the Matanuska River, with the Chugach Mountains on one side and the Talkeetna Mountains on the other.
- 03
Onto the Matanuska Glacier
At the glacier a certified glacier guide meets you and fits your cleats and helmet.
About 27 miles long and 4 miles wide, the Matanuska is the largest glacier in the United States you can reach by car.
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Then you walk out onto it: two to three miles across the ice, at a pace your guide sets for the group.
Glacier ice is not flat and it is not a sidewalk. That's the point of it. Your guide picks the route by what the ice is doing that day.
Up close, the ice is not white. Expect deep blue cracks, meltwater streams, and ridges shaped by the weather that week.
Honest note: the glacier changes daily, so no two walks follow exactly the same route. Your guide picks the safest path on the day.
- 04
Lunch with a view
After the ice, there's an optional stop at a glacier-view restaurant - a warm room, a hot meal, and the glacier still in the window.
Lunch with the glacier in front of you, after earning it on the ice.
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Lunch isn't included; you order what you like.
- 05
Back down the Glenn
We take the highway back with time to pull over at the viewpoints worth pulling over for, then drop you at your Anchorage lodging.
Sit back on the drive home. Your guide shares dinner recommendations and what else to see in Anchorage.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Anchorage, and all the driving
- A local Alaskan guide for the day, plus a certified glacier guide on the ice
- All glacier access and entrance fees
- Ice cleats and helmet
- Snacks and bottled water
- Clean Sprinter-style van with heat and air conditioning, large windows, up to 11 guests
What's not included
- Boots and footwear - guests bring their own, see below
- Lunch - optional, at the glacier-view restaurant, ordered and paid individually
- Guide gratuity - never expected, always appreciated
What to wear
Bring your own footwear
Winter: warm, waterproof, sturdy boots. Summer: tennis shoes, hiking shoes, or any sturdy closed-toe shoe you can walk a few miles in.
Cleats strap over whatever you're wearing, but they need something solid to strap onto. Guests without sturdy closed-toe footwear can't go on the ice - we'd rather tell you now than at the glacier.
It can be cold on the ice, even on a warm day in Anchorage. Dress in warm layers you can add or take off, and bring a hat and gloves. If you're short one, ask your guide - we carry spares you're welcome to borrow.
What guests say
This tour was by far one of the best that I was in Alaska… we were able to see bears and glaciers; the views are stunning, it had it all!
We enjoyed every stop on this adventure tour. We saw sheep in the mountains, beluga whale pods, beautiful bears, moose and other animals at the conservation area. The views were stunning. We saw all the Glaciers and had an opportunity to hike closer to one. A stunning waterfall, a great lunch and even salmon swimming up a stream. Our guide was fantastic. Very informative.
Stephanie was our guide and she was fantastic! Even though it was a rainy/misty day she made the Best of it. The scenery was fabulous. The Wildlife Refuge was a wonderful place and one of the bears appeared for a bit. Overall the tour was informative and well laid out. We would recommend this tour to anyone going to Anchorage.
Questions people ask
What do I need to bring, and what do you provide?
We provide ice cleats and a helmet, plus snacks and water. You bring your own footwear - warm waterproof boots in winter, tennis shoes or hiking shoes in summer. They have to be sturdy and closed-toe; cleats strap over your shoes, so they need something solid underneath. Guests without proper footwear can't go on the ice. Dress in layers, and if you're short a hat or gloves, ask your guide - we carry spares to borrow.
How far is the glacier from Anchorage, and do I have to drive?
About two hours northeast, up the Glenn Highway, and no - we drive. That's a big part of what you're booking. Four hours of Alaska highway round trip is a lot of driving on roads you don't know, and plenty of guests would rather not. Your guide drives that road all year.
What are the roads like in winter?
Snow and ice are normal on the Glenn from October through March, and conditions change fast. It's a more serious drive than most visitors expect, which is exactly why we'd rather you were in the passenger seat. Our guides drive it year-round and we run vans built for it.
How hard is the hike, honestly?
It's rated Moderate, and that rating is real. You'll cover two to three miles on uneven glacier ice wearing cleats, over roughly 1.5 hours on the glacier. Most reasonably active people manage it comfortably. Guests who find long walks on uneven ground difficult tend to have a better day on our Glacier & Wildlife Adventure, which is rated Easy.
How many people does it take for the tour to run?
Two. If you're booking as a couple, a pair of friends, or a family, you're set.
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I'm traveling alone - can I book?
Not on a shared departure - this tour runs with a minimum of two guests. But you're not out of luck: a private tour will run for one, at the two-person rate. Call or text us at 907-917-8687 and we'll tell you which dates already have someone booked, or set up a private day just for you.
Is lunch included?
No. There's an optional stop at a glacier-view restaurant after the ice, and you order what you like. Everything else - cleats, helmet, glacier access fees, snacks, water - is covered.
Can my 8-year-old do this?
Eight is our minimum age, and plenty of kids that age do fine. The question isn't really age - it's whether they can walk a couple of miles on uneven ice without getting miserable, and whether they have boots or sturdy shoes that fit cleats. You know your kid. If you're unsure, call us and we'll talk it through.
How long are we actually on the glacier?
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours walking on the ice in cleats, with your guide setting the pace.
What if the weather is bad?
Tours run in most conditions; the van is warm and dry. If conditions make the ice or the highway unsafe, we'll say so - that call belongs to the guide and the mountain, not the schedule. If we can't run, we'll contact you about options.
How is this different from the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure?
The Glacier & Wildlife Adventure is a seven-hour day rated Easy: hanging glaciers seen from the valley floor, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and Turnagain Arm, with mostly optional light walking. Matanuska is eight hours door to door - drive time included - rated Moderate, and the glacier is the whole day - you walk out onto the ice. Different days, different people. If you want wildlife, book the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure. If you want to stand on a glacier, book this one.
Are entrance fees included?
Yes - all glacier access fees are covered.
How do I book directly?
Right here on this page, or by calling or texting 907-917-8687. Booking direct gets you our best price guarantee.
Our promise
We promise to always deliver, to the best of our ability, excellent service, memorable experiences, and to put people first over profit.
We're a local, Alaskan-owned family business. We're in this work because we love Alaska and we love hospitality, and we want to share the joy of this place whenever we can.
- James and Jen
Ready to get on the ice?
From $297 per person. Eight hours door to door, drive time included, cleats and helmet provided, never more than 11 guests - and you don't drive a mile of it.
Not sure it's your speed? Text us. We'll tell you straight, and we'll point you at the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure if that's the better day for you.
