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Beyond Juneau

Mendenhall Glacier Express

Badge of Excellence
Juneau, USA
Trending
Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6
·
· Polly_D ·
Aug 2026
Nice narrated bus ride to and from the glacier. Convenient pick up and drop off in town. We walked to Nugget Falls and also did the photo loop. The visitor center is very informative with a small gift shop. Definitely worth the trip. Our guide, Alicia, was very friendly and knowledgeable.
· Noorbahiyah_P ·
Jul 2026
Our cruise excursion for that day in Juneau sold out, but we were glad to have found M&M tour instead. They were timely and efficient; good narrative and highlights by the driver during the ride from pickup to return. Mendenhall Glacier and Nuggets Fall were beautiful. Easy flat hike. Lots of people but plenty of chances to take good photos.

Overview

    What's Included

    • Air-conditioned vehicle
    • Narrated Roundtrip Transportation
    • Driver/Guide during the Bus Tour
    • Park Entrance Fees
    • A tour guide while at the Glacier is not allowed per USFS Permit.

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • 7HWX+CJ6, Juneau, AK, USA

      You will meet the team on the water side of the Gold Belt Tram building underneath the green canopy tent. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled departure time. Your Alaska Tales Tour Representative will be holding a sign that reads, M&M Tours.

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Itinerary

    1

    Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

    2

    Mendenhall Glacier

    30 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

    3

    Nugget Falls

    1 hour Admission Ticket Included

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Infants must sit on laps
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Your time at the Glacier is for you to explore on your own and is self-guided for 2 hours.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.6
    based on 675 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    Sort by: Most recent

    Fun times

    Nancy_L, Aug 2026
    It’s easy for people with mobility issues. There are many options to view the Glacier. You can go all the way out to view it or even view it from the visitor center

    Majestic. Very nice...

    Susan_S, Aug 2026
    Majestic. Very nice driver. The glacier is just beautiful, an easy trip for any traveler. Highly recommend for the value

    An Excellent Shore Excursion

    Diane_W, Aug 2026
    Our bus driver/guide Archie was wonderful. He made this excursion a never forgettable experience. A First Nations person himself, he narrated our trip in a humorous and informative manner. He described the scenery, helped us locate eagles and other indigenous animals and plants, and provided a historical background. I recommend this excursion highly.

    Juneau

    Lori_J, Aug 2026
    Kenny, our tour guide had lots of stories. The Glacier and waterfalls were pretty and we had a nice sunny day. The 2hrs in the park was sufficient.

    Comfortable ride but self paced at glacier

    Barbara_B, Aug 2026
    This is really just transportation to the glacier and there are other less expensive ways to get there. Depends on your comfort level with other modes of transportation. The bus was relatively new so comfortable. The bus driver provides some commentary about Juneau. It is all self paced at the glacier.

    Response from Host, Aug 2026

    We aim to provide a comfortable, scheduled experience that allows guests to enjoy the glacier without having to worry about arranging transportation back to the cruise ship area. There may be other transportation options available in Juneau, but none are more reliable. We appreciate you riding with us and hope you enjoyed your time at Mendenhall Glacier!

    Great glacier experience in a short time frame.

    Ann_J, Aug 2026
    The Mendenhall Glacier Express tour was just as advertised. A bus, with a fabulous driver/guide, took us to the Mendenhall Glacier, allowed up time to visit the area, and brought us back to our ship. It was exactly what we were looking for.

    We were looking for a...

    Kathleen_F, Aug 2026
    We were looking for a short excursion while in Juneau and this was perfect. It was just under a 30 minute drive from the pickup point a short walk from where our cruise ship docked. We had two hours on our own to walk around the visitor center and walk some of the trails. Our driver was a native Alaskan, raised not too far from Juneau. He shared a lot of fun information with us.

    Disappointed

    Alistair_G, Aug 2026
    It is only a coach transfer to the glacier which after being dropped off you get 2 hours to wander yourself before returning to coach to get returned to pick up spot

    Response from Host, Aug 2026

    Thank you for your feedback. Our Mendenhall Glacier Express is designed to provide comfortable, reliable transportation to and from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Area, including approximately two hours to explore the area at your own pace. This gives guests time to visit Nugget Falls, walk the trails, explore the visitor area, and enjoy the views without being tied to a guided group, but still being able to have a reliable pick up return, and a wonderfully narrated tour while transporting to and from. We appreciate you joining us and hope you enjoyed your time at the glacier.

    Beautiful views and great picture spot

    Laura_R, Aug 2026
    We had Kenny as our bus tour guide. Very entertaining, knowledgeable and friendly. The waterfall of Nugget Falls was spectacular. You could get right up to it. The glacier was understandably farther. You can only get to it via helicopter from what we were told. But if it is a clear non-foggy day you can see it clearly.

    Mendenhall Express

    Polly_D, Aug 2026
    Nice narrated bus ride to and from the glacier. Convenient pick up and drop off in town. We walked to Nugget Falls and also did the photo loop. The visitor center is very informative with a small gift shop. Definitely worth the trip. Our guide, Alicia, was very friendly and knowledgeable.

    Amazing and very professional

    Kimberly_F, Aug 2026
    They were very prompt on the times to pick up and drop off. We booked it off the cruise ship excursion and was extremely impressed. Aiden was amazing informing us the fun facts about Juneau as we went to Mendenhall Falls!

    Mendenhall and Nugget falls exp

    Joe_C, Aug 2026
    Another great Viator experience. Easy pickup/dropoff to site. So beautiful even on a foggy misty day.

    Recommend! Do not miss Mendenhall Glacier!

    Mary_W, Aug 2026
    Affordable with adequate time at the glacier. Only difficulty was that the location on where to meet was not clear, even using a phone app, you were not sure where to go. The driver/tour guide was really great!

    Archie is the BEST guide...

    Elizabeth_S, Aug 2026
    Archie is the BEST guide - informative and funny. The bus brought us right to the parking lot and it was a short walk to the visitor center. The bus was extremely clean and quite comfortable

    Mendenhall views

    BJ_B, Aug 2026
    Be ready to walk a lot! Options to get to Visitor Center are stairs, ramp, or elevator so very helpful.

    Less then Glacial!

    Don_F, Aug 2026
    It’s a hard sell for the price as you really can’t see the Glacier now that’s it’s recessed so far. Great waterfall up close though. Expensive for to and from bus ride. Suggest Lyft/uber if cheaper then $160. Highlight was great tour guide Archie?

    Response from Host, Aug 2026

    Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad to hear Archie was a highlight of your experience and that you enjoyed Nugget Falls. The Mendenhall Glacier has certainly changed over the years as it continues to recede, but the recreation area remains an incredible place to explore. Our service includes round-trip transportation on our modern buses, local narration along the way, scheduled and reliable return transportation, and the required commercial visitor fees associated with accessing the area. We understand that the price can feel high for guests primarily looking for transportation, and we appreciate you sharing your perspective. Thank you for choosing to visit Mendenhall Glacier with us!

    Glacier Express - Worth it!!

    Brett_R, Aug 2026
    The experience was fantastic. Archie, our bus driver was hilarious and informative. Once you get to the visitor center, there are salmon stream boardwalks, highly recommend the trail to the waterfall, and of course, breathtaking views of the glacier. It’s a quick trip, leaving you plenty of time to visit downtown Juneau.

    Fun Info. & Glacial (lake, falls) views!

    Nathaniel_R, Aug 2026
    Enjoyed the insights, local information and humor of our Native Alaskan driver. Saw eagles, a 'breaching whale' and where they sell the filling McKinley Mac. The Nugget Falls trail was beautiful and paid off BIG! Do checkout the visitor's center, too.

    It is very worthwhile. If...

    Julia_R, Aug 2026
    It is very worthwhile. If you want to hike to Nugget Falls, do it first. Otherwise you might not have enough time.

    Awesome trip. Alicia was an awesome tour guide.

    Rickey_M, Aug 2026
    This trip was awesome. A good bit of walking but it was worth it. Beautiful views. The weather was great

    Nice drive

    Christie_G, Aug 2026
    Nathan, our guide, was fantastic. Funny with a lot of knowledge about the area. The suspension bridge was crowded, but nice. Beautiful day with great views. Salmon bake was not great. Dirty area (I know they were going for rustic/historical). The bathrooms were gross and the flies were all over the place, the salmon was good, but that’s about it, I would have been happy with just the bus tour and bridge.

    You are basically getting...

    Boriana_I, Aug 2026
    You are basically getting transportation for a very high price. The tour doe not give you anything or add to the experience. You can find your own transportation and is much cheaper to go see the park

    Response from Host, Aug 2026

    Thank you for your feedback. Our Mendenhall Glacier Express is intentionally a transportation based excursion, allowing guests to explore the glacier area independently rather than following a guided tour. The price includes comfortable round trip transportation, a narrated drive with a local driver, required commercial access and passenger fees, and a scheduled and reliable return to downtown. Transportation to Mendenhall Glacier is subject to commercial access requirements, so our service is designed to give cruise visitors a dependable and properly permitted option without having to arrange separate transportation or worry about availability for their return trip. We understand that this style of excursion may not be the best fit for every traveler, and we appreciate you sharing your experience.

    Gorgeous View!

    Michele_J, Aug 2026
    The glacier was beautiful to see, but we really went to see Nugget Falls. We were able to get right at the base of the Falls! Was a breathtaking experience.

    Easy to use and definitely worth it!

    Maria_A, Aug 2026
    Easy to find pick up location and check in. Service was casual but prompt and organized. Guide was professional and service was great. Took the stress out of trying to see the glacier on my own and figuring out my own transpo.

    Fun adventure

    Kristin_C, Aug 2026
    Aiden was a great bus driver, giving fun anecdotes while we drove to and from the glacier. The hike to both the glacier picture area and falls were very easy. Both were great sights to see!

    Mendenhall Glacier transport

    Kathy_R, Aug 2026
    This was basically just transport to the mendenhall glacier, which gave us the time we needed to hike up to the waterfall and get a good view of the glacier. Our driver was very cute but talked way too fast, I missed most of what she said.

    Mendenhall Glacier tour.

    Katharine_B, Aug 2026
    Save yourself a ton of money and get a cab or uber to see this glacier. You can walk to the falls near the glacier, get some pictures and head back.

    Response from Host, Aug 2026

    Thank you for your feedback. Although there are different ways to visit the glacier its doesn't mean they are the correct ways. Reliability, compliance, and assurance are all things you wont be able to find elsewhere. Commercial transportation to the Mendenhall Glacier requires permits and passenger fees that are included in the cost of our tour. Our service includes transportation aboard our new luxury buses with local narration along the way, no hassle pre-paid permit fees, and a guaranteed on time return. We appreciate you choosing to travel with us.

    Perfectly Timed Excursion

    Lindsey_F, Aug 2026
    Excellent excursion for cruisers. Meeting point is located right at the docks and very easy to find. Bus was comfortable and our guide, Archie, was knowledgeable and entertaining! The timing of the excursion was perfect leaving us plenty of time to explore the park and get back to the downtown to before having to get back on our ship.

    Don't miss this opportunity!

    Vickie_W, Aug 2026
    It's a beautiful place to visit. It takes your breath away. Seeing the glacier and waterfalls was a sightseeing treasure.

    Wonderful Experience!

    Brian_J, Aug 2026
    My husband and I enjoyed the bus ride to and from Mendenhall glacier and nugget falls. The driver was very informative and pleasant to listen to. He pointed out a bear on the side of the road as well. The glacier and falls speak for themselves, very beautiful. The visitor center there was also very informative about the glacier and surrounding areas!

    From $83.00

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 48 days in advance.

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