Frequently Asked Questions
from Our Alaskan Adventurers

Seven hours, typically 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. That's enough time to enjoy each stop without watching the clock. On a private tour, you set the start and end times.

At the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, yes - the animals live there, and close-up viewing is part of every tour. Along Turnagain Arm, wildlife is up to Alaska. Guests often spot Dall sheep, mountain goats, bald eagles and moose, plus beluga whales in late summer. We can't promise what the wild will do. We can promise a guide who knows where to look and a group small enough to stop when something appears.

Most stops involve light walking at your own pace, and you can stay with the van at any of them. The longest stretch on foot is the Byron Glacier self-guided walk in Portage Valley - flat, and about 0.8 miles each way, so under 2 miles round trip. It is entirely optional and plenty of guests skip it.

Tell us about any mobility limitations when you book, or reply to your confirmation text. With eleven guests or fewer, we set the pace to the person rather than the average.

No. We stop in Girdwood, which has excellent local restaurants and cafés, and you choose what suits you. Your guide will point you to the local favorites. Everything else - entrance fees, snacks, water - is covered.

Yes. All entrance fees and permits are covered, including the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage Valley.

Yes - restrooms at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and in Girdwood, plus stops along the way. Just ask your guide.

Yes. Let us know in advance and we'll make room for your bags - the vans have space to store them securely. We can also arrange custom pickups or drop-offs at hotels and transportation hubs around Anchorage. If your timing is tight, tell us and we'll build in the buffer.

Yes - there's no minimum age, and children receive a slight discount. Alaska law requires a car seat for children under 8; you're welcome to bring your own, or use one of ours for $25. Just let us know when you book so we have it ready.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Two. If you're booking as a couple, a pair of friends, or a family, you're set.

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.

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.

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.

Plan on roughly 1.5 hours walking on the ice in cleats, with your guide setting the pace.

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.

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.

Yes - all glacier access fees are covered.

Approximately 7 hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For other times, call 907-917-8687 to arrange a private tour.

Small-group tours are $177 per person. Private tours are $1,347 for up to 4 guests, and each additional guest is $100.

We run this tour May through September. The upper pass road opens as the snow clears, usually by late June; before that we work the lower valley, the Reindeer Farm and Iditarod Headquarters, which are open the whole season. When snow returns around October, parts of the pass close and full access isn't available.

You'll travel in a clean, comfortable van with up to 11 guests, enjoying great views through large windows and a smooth, well-maintained ride from start to finish.

Yes. Pickup at your Anchorage hotel or lodging is free - a $25-30 value.

Yes. The personal Reindeer Farm tour lets you meet, feed and walk among the herd, up close.

Yes. At Iditarod Headquarters you ride with an award-winning Iditarod musher and meet his dogs.

Lunch is optional. We stop for local food and a visit to the Gateway Visitors Center, and you choose what suits you.

Approximately 7 hours including transfer time, from 9 a.m. to 4-4:30 p.m. For other times, call 907-917-8687 to arrange a private tour.

Small-group tours are $297 per person. Private tours are $1,347 for up to 4 guests, and each additional guest is $197.

Small-group tours run October to April. Private tours run year round.

Snow cover varies through the fall. Until the trails have enough snow - usually by November - the dogs run on wheels with the same rigs they train on all summer, so the kennel visit and the ride go ahead either way.

About two hours at the kennel, including roughly 30 minutes on the sled. Ride in the basket or take the reins yourself.

Most days it's Matthew Failor's kennel in Willow. When his team is full we work with Snowhook instead, and we'll tell you which kennel you'll visit when you book.

No. Winter gear and safety equipment are included for your time outside. Dress in warm layers underneath.

Yes. We pick you up at your Anchorage hotel or lodging.

New, clean, comfortable vans with up to 11 guests. Enjoy great views through large windows and a smooth, well-maintained ride from start to finish.

No, we offer a full tour with scenic photo stops on the way to the ATV adventure.

On the ATVs - both.

The UTVs which are used in the winter are heated and warm.

Yes. Passengers must be 42 inches and taller. Drivers must be 21 with a valid driver's license.

The whole day, including transportation from Anchorage, is 7 hours.

$398 per person. About 7 hours door to door, including 2.5 hours on the trail. Available year round.

Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna Mountains.

This tour runs in daylight. If the aurora is the main reason you're coming, call us before you book and we'll tell you honestly what your odds are that week and what we can arrange.

Not very. You're seated in a heated cab and you're driving, not working. The only walking is at the photo stops, in snow, so bring boots you can move around in. Drivers need to be 21 with a valid license; everyone else rides.

$398 per person. About 7 hours door to door, including 2.5 hours on the trail. Available November through April.

Willow.

Drivers must be 21, with a valid driver's license. Passengers must be 14 and older. Two-up riding is available, with a 350 lb combined limit per sled.

More than the ATV, less than people fear. No experience is necessary for this tour - your guide gets you comfortable on flat ground before you go anywhere, and the group moves at the pace of the least confident rider. You're on the trail for about two and a half hours. Dress like you're going skiing: warm gloves, goggles, snow pants, a jacket. We provide the helmet and the rest of the gear.

Sometimes, and we won't promise it. There are a lot of moose in this country, along with wolves, coyotes, lynx and eagles. Some days you see something and it makes the trip. Some days you don't. The scenery is the reason to come; wildlife is the bonus.

Departures are built around 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. trail starts. Willow is about 90 minutes from Anchorage each way, and you're on the trail for two and a half hours with 30 minutes of check-in and gear before that. Plan on about seven hours door to door.

Sometimes no, and we'll say so. If what you want is Turnagain Arm, the wildlife centre and a good guide, our small-group day does that well at $177 a person and you'll have a fine time. A private day earns its price when the flexibility is the point: you want to leave at seven to catch the light, someone in your party needs a slower pace, you'd rather skip a stop nobody cares about, or you want your guide's full attention for the day. For two people that's $697 - more than two seats on a group tour, and less than most operators charge for a private one, because we priced it for the way winter parties actually travel rather than for a van of four.

We carry child seats and walkers, and every guest needs to be able to get into a standard van seat, with help if that's what it takes. Tell us what you're working with when you call and we'll give you a straight answer about whether the day will work, including if the answer is no.

Your call - a full refund of the day, or we reschedule it. Weather closes things here and we'd rather plan for that out loud than pretend it doesn't happen. If the anchor goes but the day can still run, we'll tell you what's still good and let you decide.

Yes. These three tiers exist because most people want a starting point, not because they're the only shapes a day can take. Tell us what you're hoping for and we'll build it and quote it.

Expect 6 to 8 hours of daylight through the winter months. Days are planned around the light, so you get the bright hours for the scenery - and the dark hours are when the northern lights come out.

Peak winter, November through January, temperatures can dip below zero. Wear proper winter gear - a warm coat, hats, gloves and layered clothing. If you dress for it, the cold becomes part of the experience rather than something to endure.

Yes. We run multiple tours that take guests out to see the northern lights near Anchorage, usually in the Willow area, where the skies open up away from the city lights.

We offer options, including a refund. Alaska winter weather can shift quickly, and we won't run a tour that isn't safe or genuinely worth your day. If we have to change plans, you hear it from us first, with your choices laid out plainly.

Approximately 7 hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For other times, call 907-917-8687 to arrange a private tour.

Small-group tours are $227 per person. Private tours are $1,347 for up to 4 guests, and each additional guest is $100.

We pick you up at the Seward cruise port and drop you at your preferred location in Anchorage.

Lunch is optional, at one of our favorite local restaurants in Girdwood.

All year round.

We monitor all cruise arrivals and adjust pickup times automatically. If your ship is delayed, your tour timing adjusts accordingly at no extra charge.

Yes. On single and multi-day tours we move your luggage between your Anchorage hotel and your cruise ship cabin, in either direction. (Our vehicles have luggage trailers available for extra luggage.)

We guarantee you'll arrive at your cruise ship at least 3 hours before your ship's departure time. Most cruise lines recommend 2 hours, so we build in plenty of buffer.

Before your cruise: The 2-day pre-cruise tour is perfect if you have time. Otherwise, our direct day tours are a perfect pre-cruise adventure. For post-cruise, we offer day tours and multi-day adventures of up to 7 days.

Welcome Anchorage Tours runs small-group and private day tours from Anchorage, cruise transfer tours to and from Seward and Whittier, and private VIP airport transfers. Small-group tours never carry more than 11 guests.

Day tours include the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure, the Matanuska Glacier guided hike, the Hatcher Pass, Reindeer and Iditarod Dogs tour, and Dog Sledding & Animal Adventures. Winter adds snowmobile, ATV, and private winter tours.

The Glacier & Wildlife Adventure won a 2025 Viator Experience Award. Viator gave that award to roughly 450 of its 400,000 experiences worldwide. The company has more than 850 five-star reviews across Tripadvisor, Google, and Viator.

Small-group day tours with Welcome Anchorage Tours start at $177 per person. The price includes Anchorage hotel pickup, entrance fees, snacks and water, and a local Alaskan guide. Lunch and guide gratuity are not included.

Starting prices:

Glacier & Wildlife Adventure: from $177 per person

Matanuska Glacier guided hike: from $297 per person

Dog Sledding & Animal Adventures: from $297 per person

Anchorage–Whittier cruise transfer tour: from $197 per person

Anchorage–Seward cruise transfer tour: from $227 per person

Private VIP airport transfer: from $267 per vehicle

Private day tours: from $1,347 for up to 4 guests

Private winter tours: from $697 for two guests

Every price is shown on the tour page before you book, with no fees added at checkout.

Yes. Welcome Anchorage Tours operates year-round. From November through April, the lineup includes dog sledding on snow, snowmobile and ATV tours, a winter version of the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure, and private winter days built around what you want to see.

Winter is the Alaska most visitors never see. The roads are quieter, the glacier ice is at its bluest, and the long dark nights make it northern lights season, though the aurora is never guaranteed.

Welcome Anchorage Tours is a good fit for cruise passengers who want to see Alaska on the way to or from Seward or Whittier, couples and families who want a small-group or private day, multi-generational groups who need the pace set to the slowest walker, and travelers who want door-to-door service with a local guide.

We may not be the right choice if you want the cheapest possible ride, a guaranteed wild animal sighting, or a packed, big-bus style tour. We carry child seats and walkers, but every guest needs to be able to get into a standard van seat, with help if needed. Call us and we'll give you a straight answer, even if the answer is no.

The biggest difference is group size. Welcome Anchorage Tours never carries more than 11 guests. Cruise ship excursions and bus tours usually travel by motorcoach.

With 11 guests or fewer, your guide can stop when a moose steps onto the shoulder, stay longer where your group is enjoying itself, skip stops nobody cares about, and set the walking pace to the person who needs it.

A ship excursion can still be the right call if you want the lowest price or want the cruise line to manage every detail. If you'd rather see Alaska up close, a cruise transfer tour turns the drive to or from your ship into a full day.

Yes, at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, where brown bears, black bears, moose, wolves, musk ox, and wood bison live on 250 acres. Entrance is included on the Glacier & Wildlife Adventure and on every cruise transfer tour.

Wild sightings along the road are likely but never guaranteed. Dall sheep graze the cliffs above Turnagain Arm, moose are common, and beluga whales surface in the Arm in late summer. Our guides know where to look, and a small group means we can stop when something appears.

Yes. Most Welcome Anchorage Tours day tours can be booked privately, and we also build fully custom days. A private tour gives your party its own vehicle and guide. You set the start time, the stops, and the pace.

Tell us what you're hoping to see and we'll build it and send a quote. One recent custom day combined Portage Glacier, the Alyeska tram, and a lunch reservation we booked for the group.

Every Welcome Anchorage Tours guide is an Alaskan. That is company policy, not a coincidence.

The company was founded in 2023 by James Bowers, a tribal citizen who has lived in Alaska for more than 40 years and taught high school for three decades. Our tours are built to teach you something real about this place. Guides have standing permission to change the plan when the day offers something better.

Welcome Anchorage Tours was built on the opposite idea: Anchorage is a destination, not a staging area. Most Alaska tour operators treat the city as a place to land, sleep, and leave as fast as possible.

We include and highlight Anchorage in every tour we run, so you experience its history, its neighborhoods, and its place between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet, not just its airport and hotels. Even our cruise transfers to Seward and Whittier are built as full days in Southcentral Alaska. The glaciers and wildlife are why you came. Anchorage is what you didn't expect to love.

Book online up to 24 hours in advance, or call or text 907-917-8687. Booking directly with Welcome Anchorage Tours gets you our best price guarantee, and only a small deposit is due to reserve your spot.

When you book direct, you're dealing with the family that runs the tours, not a third-party marketplace. Questions or special requests? Email info@welcomeanchorage.com.

Tours run rain or shine, and the vans are warm and dry. Alaska is worth seeing in every kind of weather. If conditions close a stop, your guide will swap in something else worth your time. In genuinely extreme conditions we'll contact you to adjust timing or offer options.

Layers - Alaska weather can change three times before lunch. Comfortable walking shoes, a rain jacket, and your camera or phone.

The small-group tour carries up to 11 guests in a spacious van. A private tour ($1,347 for up to 4 guests) gives your party its own vehicle, a dedicated guide and timing you set - start earlier, linger where you like, skip what you don't.