Matanuska Glacier Tour from Anchorage

Departing from downtown Anchorage (meeting point: 509 W 3rd Ave) at around 8:30 AM, this full-day Matanuska Glacier Tour transports you east along the scenic Glenn Highway with commentary on Alaska’s land, rivers, and mountain corridors. Before you reach the glacier, the van may pause at roadside overlooks or small local stops where you can stretch, photograph the landscape, or grab refreshments.

Once at the glacier, guides supply you with crampons (or microspikes/ice cleats) and safety gear to explore the icy terrain. You’ll walk mapped glacier paths - through canyons, over ridges, between ice walls, and into glacier caves (conditions permitting) - while your guide shares insights into glacial dynamics, local geology, and climate context.

After a glacier hike segment of around 2 hours, the group often pauses for lunch (on one of the stops or near the glacier, depending on the tour variant) before retracing the drive back to Anchorage, stopping again for scenic views or to absorb the silence of the land.

This tour is ideal for travelers who want a balanced combination of motion, ice immersion, and narrative context within a single day.