Glacier & Wildlife Discovery Tour
Offered by Planet Earth Adventures, LLC In Anchorage, Alaska
: $
About us
“Planet Earth Adventures is the result of a simple dream . . . Show people the best of Alaska and have fun doing it. Plain and Simple”
We understand that our guests have a choice of tour operators to choose from when arranging their trip to Alaska. We are committed to providing you with high-quality tours. We take care of all of the details so you don't have to. If touring in a large group isn't for you and the idea of driving yourself doesn't appeal, a small group tour might be just the answer. As part of a smaller group, you'll experience a totally new style of travel, a different kind of attitude. It’s like being on vacation with a group of friends, like-minded travelers that you can share your day-to-day travel experiences. We'll go the extra mile to make sure you have the ultimate Alaskan experience. That's because our passionate and dedicated staff will quickly get to know your preferences and special interests, then spoil you with special detours off the beaten track to incorporate memorable little treats.
Explore the “must-see” areas of Alaska as well as some of the special, lesser-known areas. Embark on an extraordinary journey through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. At the end of your journey, you’ll leave Alaska with new friendships and treasured memories that will last a lifetime!
We understand that our guests have a choice of tour operators to choose from when arranging their trip to Alaska. We are committed to providing you with high-quality tours. We take care of all of the details so you don't have to. If touring in a large group isn't for you and the idea of driving yourself doesn't appeal, a small group tour might be just the answer. As part of a smaller group, you'll experience a totally new style of travel, a different kind of attitude. It’s like being on vacation with a group of friends, like-minded travelers that you can share your day-to-day travel experiences. We'll go the extra mile to make sure you have the ultimate Alaskan experience. That's because our passionate and dedicated staff will quickly get to know your preferences and special interests, then spoil you with special detours off the beaten track to incorporate memorable little treats.
Explore the “must-see” areas of Alaska as well as some of the special, lesser-known areas. Embark on an extraordinary journey through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. At the end of your journey, you’ll leave Alaska with new friendships and treasured memories that will last a lifetime!
What we'll do
Experience the highlights of the Turnagain Arm! This day tour departs Anchorage for the scenic drive south along the edge of the Turnagain Arm on the Seward Parkway. This road is considered to be America’s most beautiful and scenic road, crossing mountain passes and majestic valleys. Along the way, we will try to spot moose, caribou, eagles, and other wildlife. On our way towards Portage Glacier, we will make a couple of stops for photo opportunities along the Turnagain Arm. We will stop at Portage Glacier see as living glaciers continue to carve the landscape and shape life on the Chugach National Forest.
Although Portage Glacier is no longer visible from the Visitor Center, due to its retreat, the face of the glacier is still partially in Portage Lake. Find out why Portage Glacier is one of Alaska's most popular attractions. Visit the sheer, awesome face of a mighty Alaska glacier located just an hour from Anchorage. Cruising across Portage Lake on the MV Ptarmigan, you'll stand just 300 yards from a relic of the Ice Age and watch for fractures of ice break off the glacier and crash into the water below
Afterward, we will travel to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center opened to the public in 1993. It is located on 200 acres at the southern edge of Turnagain Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley. The center’s mission is to provide care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife and to provide wildlife education and awareness. Animals that are unable to be released or survive in the wild are given refuge in the center's spacious habitats. Here people can safely get close, observe and photograph some of Alaska's largest land animals, including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears muskox, wolves, small mammals, and birds of prey. During spring and summer, visitors can often witness the rehabilitation of orphaned baby animals of various species.
After an informative visit through the Conservation Center with the largest of Alaska's wild animals, your tour will continue on towards Anchorage. Lunch* can be purchased from one of the food vendors at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Later, we will ascend the Chugach Mountains for amazing and panoramic views of the Turnagain Arm and beyond!
Along the way, stop at the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, Beluga Point, and Bird Point for photo ops of the Turnagain Arm, a narrow waterway that is part of the Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska. Keep an eye out for native wildlife such as caribou, moose, and eagles that live in the Chugach National Forest.
Continue to the US Forest Service visitor center near Portage Glacier. The glacier is no longer visible from the visitor center due to its retreat, however, your cruise across Portage Lake takes you within 300 yards (100 meters) of the glacier, where you can snap photos and watch for chunks of ice crashing into the water.
Once you have seen the glacier, drive to the nearby Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a large nature reserve situated at the entrance to Portage Valley. The center rehabilitates injured and orphaned wild animals, including some of Alaska's largest land animals such as elk, moose, deer, caribou, bison, bears, musk ox, and birds of prey. Learn about these amazing creatures.
*Trip Highlights:
- Experience the Highlights of the Turnagain Arm.
- See stunning scenery along the scenic Seward Highway.
- Photo Opportunities along the way with stops at Beluga Point and Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge.
- Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
- Enjoy a 1 hour Cruise on Portage Lake.
- Enjoy Wide-Open Panoramic vistas high above the Chugach Mountains
Although Portage Glacier is no longer visible from the Visitor Center, due to its retreat, the face of the glacier is still partially in Portage Lake. Find out why Portage Glacier is one of Alaska's most popular attractions. Visit the sheer, awesome face of a mighty Alaska glacier located just an hour from Anchorage. Cruising across Portage Lake on the MV Ptarmigan, you'll stand just 300 yards from a relic of the Ice Age and watch for fractures of ice break off the glacier and crash into the water below
Afterward, we will travel to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center opened to the public in 1993. It is located on 200 acres at the southern edge of Turnagain Arm and the entrance to Portage Valley. The center’s mission is to provide care and rehabilitation for injured and orphaned wildlife and to provide wildlife education and awareness. Animals that are unable to be released or survive in the wild are given refuge in the center's spacious habitats. Here people can safely get close, observe and photograph some of Alaska's largest land animals, including moose, bison, elk, deer, caribou, bears muskox, wolves, small mammals, and birds of prey. During spring and summer, visitors can often witness the rehabilitation of orphaned baby animals of various species.
After an informative visit through the Conservation Center with the largest of Alaska's wild animals, your tour will continue on towards Anchorage. Lunch* can be purchased from one of the food vendors at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Later, we will ascend the Chugach Mountains for amazing and panoramic views of the Turnagain Arm and beyond!
Along the way, stop at the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, Beluga Point, and Bird Point for photo ops of the Turnagain Arm, a narrow waterway that is part of the Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska. Keep an eye out for native wildlife such as caribou, moose, and eagles that live in the Chugach National Forest.
Continue to the US Forest Service visitor center near Portage Glacier. The glacier is no longer visible from the visitor center due to its retreat, however, your cruise across Portage Lake takes you within 300 yards (100 meters) of the glacier, where you can snap photos and watch for chunks of ice crashing into the water.
Once you have seen the glacier, drive to the nearby Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a large nature reserve situated at the entrance to Portage Valley. The center rehabilitates injured and orphaned wild animals, including some of Alaska's largest land animals such as elk, moose, deer, caribou, bison, bears, musk ox, and birds of prey. Learn about these amazing creatures.
*Trip Highlights:
- Experience the Highlights of the Turnagain Arm.
- See stunning scenery along the scenic Seward Highway.
- Photo Opportunities along the way with stops at Beluga Point and Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge.
- Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
- Enjoy a 1 hour Cruise on Portage Lake.
- Enjoy Wide-Open Panoramic vistas high above the Chugach Mountains
What to expect / what's provided
*Duration: 6-7 Hours (Approximately. Accidents and road construction can affect total tour time)
*What's Included:
- Small Group Guided Tour
- Local Alaskan Guide (English Speaking)
- Spanish Speaking Guide (when available)
- Admission to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
- 1-hour Cruise on Portage Lake to see Portage Glacier
- Chugach National Forest Ranger/Narrator onboard the cruise (English Speaking)
- Optional Lunch Stop
- Photo stops along the way
- Stop at the Glenn Alps Scenic Overlook (Flat Top Mountain)
- Complimentary snacks and water are available throughout the tour
- Local Anchorage Area Hotel Pick Up & Drop Off (3 Hotels Per Tour*)
*About Local Area Hotel Pick-Ups:
Hotel pick-ups for this tour start between 8:45 - 9 am. Tour will begin after hotel pick-ups are complete. Please allow up to up to 6 hours round trip from Anchorage for this tour. Tour times are approximate and can be affected by accidents on the road and/or road construction. Hotel pick-ups are limited to three (3) hotels per tour. These pick-ups are based on a first-come-first-serve basis so book early to confirm your pick-up. We do not pick up at private homes, businesses, apartments, or B&B's, if this is your case, please call about an alternate pick up location. Drop off at Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport may be available upon request.
*Not Included:
Guide Gratuity (not expected but appreciated)
*Activity Level: Easy
Guests should be able to walk short distances on uneven ground. Trails surfaces vary from paved to the uneven natural terrain. Tour participants must be able to walk a short distance and be able to get in/out of the tour vehicle with minimal assistance. We strongly recommend that guests requiring assistance be accompanied by a companion who is capable of, and totally responsible for, providing assistance. Neither Planet Earth Adventures nor our suppliers may physically lift or assist Guests onto transportation vehicles or otherwise.
*What's Included:
- Small Group Guided Tour
- Local Alaskan Guide (English Speaking)
- Spanish Speaking Guide (when available)
- Admission to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
- 1-hour Cruise on Portage Lake to see Portage Glacier
- Chugach National Forest Ranger/Narrator onboard the cruise (English Speaking)
- Optional Lunch Stop
- Photo stops along the way
- Stop at the Glenn Alps Scenic Overlook (Flat Top Mountain)
- Complimentary snacks and water are available throughout the tour
- Local Anchorage Area Hotel Pick Up & Drop Off (3 Hotels Per Tour*)
*About Local Area Hotel Pick-Ups:
Hotel pick-ups for this tour start between 8:45 - 9 am. Tour will begin after hotel pick-ups are complete. Please allow up to up to 6 hours round trip from Anchorage for this tour. Tour times are approximate and can be affected by accidents on the road and/or road construction. Hotel pick-ups are limited to three (3) hotels per tour. These pick-ups are based on a first-come-first-serve basis so book early to confirm your pick-up. We do not pick up at private homes, businesses, apartments, or B&B's, if this is your case, please call about an alternate pick up location. Drop off at Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport may be available upon request.
*Not Included:
Guide Gratuity (not expected but appreciated)
*Activity Level: Easy
Guests should be able to walk short distances on uneven ground. Trails surfaces vary from paved to the uneven natural terrain. Tour participants must be able to walk a short distance and be able to get in/out of the tour vehicle with minimal assistance. We strongly recommend that guests requiring assistance be accompanied by a companion who is capable of, and totally responsible for, providing assistance. Neither Planet Earth Adventures nor our suppliers may physically lift or assist Guests onto transportation vehicles or otherwise.
Cancellation Policy
<p>In the unlikely event that we cancel a trip: you will receive a full refund.<br><br></p><p>CANCELLATIONS DUE TO WEATHER:<br>Our trips run rain or shine unless dangerous conditions exist. If you decide not to partake in your scheduled trip with us due to the weather forecast or because it is raining where ever you may be, the refund policies below will apply. If you are at our location, on time for your trip and it is steadily raining more heavily than a drizzle we will happily refund your trip if you do not want to go. You must be at our location at the time of your trip. Our weather is often completely different from even just 10 miles away.<br><br></p><p>A WORD ABOUT REFUND REQUESTS:<br>We are a small company in remote Alaska with only 100 days in the year to make our living. We have one of the most generous Cancellation Policies around; however, we do not issue refunds for last minute cancellations, changes or late arrivals. It will simply be too late for us to fill the spaces that we have set aside for you. Thus, we do not issue refunds for no-shows, changes or cancellations within 72 hours of the trip start time. This applies to, but is not limited to unforeseen circumstances such as unexpected illness, road construction, getting lost or any number of events that could happen.<br>We cannot wait for late arrivals as this is unfair to our guests that are on time for their tour. If you arrive late you may miss your trip even if that group has not departed yet. This is because even though you are there, your checking in and getting ready will delay the rest of the group. Late arrivals who miss their trips will be considered a no-show and will not get a refund for any reason. Late arrivals will also not be rescheduled to another trip without booking and paying for another tour. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, excellent customer service, and the best tours on the Matanuska Glacier. All we ask is that you show up on time for your tour. We strongly recommend travel insurance to cover you in the event of an unexpected delay.</p>
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