Glacier Hike on Matanuska Glacier - Best Vacation Value

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Anchorage, USA

High interest

Booked 3 times today.

7 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Anonymous ·

Mar 2026

Definitely take a tour with Patrick! Really nice and unforgettable experience! We learned a lot about Anchorage and Matanuska during the journey. Our tour guide Nick is also very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the hike a lot.

· Jessica_S ·

Mar 2026

I had an amazing day on the Matanuska Glacier hike! Our guide Patrick was friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating to the group’s needs. He also shared photography tips and stopped at key locations so we could get the best views and pics along the way. I highly recommend this tour!

· Saurabh_B ·

Mar 2026

Patrick made the Matanuska Glacier hike a fantastic experience. He was funny, engaging, and kept us entertained with interesting trivia throughout the trip. He also went the extra mile to explain the glacier and even shared helpful photography tips so we could capture great pictures. His enthusiasm and knowledge really made the tour memorable. Highly recommend going with him!

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Overview

Explore the wilderness outside Anchorage with a local guide who knows where to spot wildlife and gain the best views throughout the year. Enter the Chugach National Forest to search for moose, bear, and other native wildlife. You’ll also visit Glacier Valley, home to several “hanging” glaciers and a lake of pure glacier water.

Evening tour of Anchorage wilderness
Senior and family friendly
Local guide
Small groups—maximum of 12 people

What's Included

Bottled water

Bottled Alaska Pure Glacier water
Free Photography Lessons
You'll be outfitted with proper spiked footwear, helmet, a safety orientation

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
WE CAN NOT OFFER HOTEL PICK UP - Anchorage has Yellow Cab & Uber service available in Anchorage. NOTE: We Meet 10 min before departure at 7:35am, 600 W 7th Ave WINTER SEASON -- BEGIN OCT - HOTEL PICK UP AVAILABLE- as early as 7:20 am. Be In Lobby as others are waiting Major downtown hotels.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:00 am

What To Expect

Matanuska Glacier State Recreational Site

Palmer

Eagle River

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
Participant Waiver & Release of Liability and Terms & Conditions. By purchasing ticket(s) and/or by participating on a tour, by PicTours Alaska, Inc. you affirm that you and tour attendees accompanying you fully understand and agree to the following Participant Waiver & Release of Liability and Terms & Conditions. I acknowledge, attest, agree and represent that I, and those accompanying me, fully understand and accept, without limitation, sole responsibility for all of the risks associated with my participation while on the tour, including injury and death whether through my own actions or those of other participants, tour guides, pedestrians, automobiles, public transportation, acts of nature or any other external parties. This further includes approval for complimentary photography for your use and possible demonstration of excursion experience in promotions or presentations.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers

Supplied by

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)

Featured review

Jeanette_S

Patrick was a very nice driver. He did a good job driving the highway and celebrated our Anniversary! Nick our guide on the glacier was incredible!!! So knowledgeable and chopped a piece of ice and carved it right in front of us in the shape of a heart and gave to us to celebrate our 35 th anniversary! I did feel bad for Nick with all the idiots assigned to our group at the lodge that kept wanting to do stupid and dangerous things on the ice… so sad people cannot listen and follow rules for their own safety! I would highly recommend this tour… so educational as well…

Reviews

4.9

based on 475 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Awesome glacier tour!

Karen_H, Mar 2026

Had a FANTASTIC tour of the glacier. Hunter was highly professional and full of facts about all things Alaska.

It wasn’t exactly what we...

Taylor_F, Mar 2026

It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting but it was really fun still! Our guide that drove us was really knowledgeable and great! Made sure we had everything we needed.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

We thank you for sharing your thoughts about this excursion. At times we have found visitors to be less than satisfied due to our far North West Pacific weather. Our area is surrounded by wilderness and possess an abundance of wildlife and geological wonders such as glaciers. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee all sightings will be viewed since conditions varies by season, ocean tides, safety, third party groups and powerful Alaska weather conditions that can be mild-to-harsh year round. Again, thank you for sharing your experience. Please consider the writers bias when reading this review. We read all reviews and strive towards adjusting to meet our world-class ranking.

It was so good. Our...

Jiaxin_Y, Mar 2026

It was so good. Our guide, Hunter was absolutely wonderful and thoughtful—preparing hand warmers, water, and crampons for everyone. They shared fascinating insights along the way and were incredibly enthusiastic throughout the tour.

Incredible anniversary celebration on a glacier

Jeanette_S, Mar 2026

I had an amazing day on...

Jessica_S, Mar 2026

A very good trip.

Jingbo_Z, Mar 2026

An Enthusiastic Driver, an Outstanding Trip I had a wonderful glacier tour in Alaska and it was truly an unforgettable experience. The guide company was professional, well organized, and very friendly throughout the entire trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and explained the glacier, local wildlife, and environment in a very interesting way. The safety arrangements were excellent, which made me feel comfortable during the whole journey. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and the guide made sure everyone had enough time to enjoy the views and take photos. I really appreciate the effort the team put into making the trip enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour company to anyone visiting Alaska.

Definitely take a tour...

Anonymous, Mar 2026

Great fun!

Saurabh_B, Mar 2026

Mattanuska glacier hike

susie_c, Mar 2026

Had a wonderful trip with Hunter! So much history that was shared. Hunter was professional and so polite! Absolutely loved our experience

Hunter was amazing,...

Daniel_K, Feb 2026

Hunter was amazing, friendly, knowledgeable, and very accomodating...The glacier was beautiful and we loved it... Thank you!

Extremely well organized....

Zoe_F, Jan 2026

Extremely well organized. It’s a day trip but doesn’t feel like it and is a great and safe way to see Matanuska Glacier. Experience of a lifetime! Holly was an exceptional guide!

Must do!

Mariela_E, Jan 2026

Everything from start to finish was simply SPECTACULAR! The staff was funny, attentive, and full of great information. They were especially helpful with our not as fit members. Would recommend to anyone. Do the ice slide! Its fantastic

Amazing Tour

Mei_J, Jan 2026

A great experience with Hunter today, we are so lucky to have him, this is the best tour that we had here in Alaska , I highly recommend this tour to everyone to experience this amazing once in a lifetime tour

Fantastic tour! Favorite in Alaska!

Eudora_E, Dec 2025

We met up with the group at 7:35 and drove 2 hrs to the glacier. There was a stop halfway at Fred Meyer to pick up lunch. The glacier tour was about 2 hours total - there is a trailer to stay warm and put on spikes (which are provided). I was nervous about temps since with windchill it was -20 F! But honestly it was not that cold once you’re in the glacier since it’s shielded from the wind. Absolutely incredible tour that’s nothing like we’ve ever done! It is not strenuous and the hike is only about 1.5 miles but it’s cold! I wore hand warmers and foot warmers both and was sufficient with many layers. Patrick was our PicTours guide and he was one of the best guides we’ve ever had! He shared many amazing tid bits about Alaska during our bus ride - and he has the best most positive attitude of all time. You can tell how much he loves the tour and it makes the experience so much better! Thank you Patrick for an amazing experience and a once in a lifetime memory!

Our #1 Favorite Alaskan Activity

Jennifer_K, Dec 2025

Highly recommend this unique experience that’s unlike any other glacier or ice cave trips we’ve taken in the past. Philip, our guide to the glacier and back, was friendly and personable, and gave us a lot of great insight on Alaska. Once on the glacier, the guides gave us a lot of interesting detail on the glacier itself, the sediment, etc. and took us hiking through narrow passage ways and unbelievable formations. Highly recommend!

A must see from anchorage!

sara_M, Nov 2025

Holly was wonderful! Gave us interesting information on the way to the glacier and made the time go by pretty quickly. The quick snow machine ride and glacial hike were a once in a lifetime experience.

once in a lifetime, 100% recommend

Sarah_P, Nov 2025

This was an amazing experience! Holly was our main guide and Chris was our glacier certified guide. Both were super knowledgeable, and Holly took pictures of us throughout so we could enjoy the experience and not to have to worry about always getting a great pic. Our group ended up being small (8) which worked out well. We had a variety of physical fitness levels but everyone made it through. It was mostly pretty easy with a few moderately strenuous parts. Per the guides, the trail changes depending on what time of year you go so some may be easier and some may be harder than what I experienced. You get to go through some of the crevices which is super cool but it is a tight squeeze in a few places. Make sure you bring hat, gloves, and wear boots. They give you slip-on cleats to go over your shoes so you have tractions on the ice. We stopped at a local grocery store on the way with a deli area to pick up what we wanted for lunch after the hike so you have some choice in what you get to eat. Overall, this was definitely worth the money and incredible to think that you are hiking through ice that is hundreds of feet deep and that has been around for hundreds of years. The ride to/from the glacier is about 2 hours each way but is absolutely gorgeous and we saw like 8 bald eagles. Highly recommend this trip and this company. If I had been able to stay in Alaska a few more days, I would have 100% chosen to go on another PicTours trip.

An Unforgettable Glacier Experience

Melchor_B, Oct 2025

The Matanuska Glacier Hike was truly unforgettable—especially for us coming from the Philippines, where glaciers are unheard of. Being up close to the ice was surreal. Our guide, Hunter, was incredibly knowledgeable and made sure everyone felt safe while sharing fascinating insights about Alaska’s history and geography. We left with hearts full of awe and memories that will last forever. Truly, a must-do adventure!

Great tour

Marco_G, Oct 2025

Absolutely brilliant tour! I highly recommend it, particularly for solo travellers. Really good fun with very friendly and knowledgable guides.

The glacier hiking trip...

YICHUAN_L, Oct 2025

The glacier hiking trip was absolutely breathtaking! The scenery was spectacular, and although the trail had some ups and downs, it was not too demanding and felt quite manageable. Our driver and guide, Hunter, was incredibly knowledgeable about Alaska—he shared so much about the local culture, geography, and wildlife along the way. He was also very attentive to every member of the group, always making sure we were comfortable. On top of that, he kindly helped us take photos and even gave us lots of great travel tips. Overall, it was a wonderful and memorable experience!

Great experience

RONIT_K, Oct 2025

Really special and unique experience. Beautiful views of the glacier. Not to hard physically but might be a little challenging for people who are not fit or have any kind of walking difficulty. Hunter, our driver and tour guide was very knowledgeable and explained many things along the way about Alaska in general, the geography, wildlife etc and glaciers in particular. He was really nice and we really enjoyed the day with him.

Great experience

Ilhui_H, Sep 2025

Had a wonderful time with the group. I learned so much during the tour from photography to the science behind this magnificent glacier. Our guide, Patrick was prepared and knowledgeable. Couldn’t be more grateful with his company, attention, service and knowledge.

Bucket list adventure achieved!

Tbasis_F, Sep 2025

Great day for a very interesting experience. Not difficult at all. The guides were very professional and helpful. At no time did I feel unsafe. Jason and Aaron were the best!

Glacier, Golden Forests, and a Guide Who Made It All Shine

Wayne_W, Sep 2025

This glacier hike🧊 was truly an unforgettable experience — it felt as if I had stepped straight into the outer space landscapes of Interstellar. The vast ice fields, deep crevasses, and surreal blue tones made the journey both thrilling and dreamlike. Special thanks to our amazing guide, driver, photographer, and ultimate morale booster — Cerisa. Her energy, knowledge, and warmth lit up the entire trip. From sharing stories and scientific insights along the way, to encouraging us through the hike, to capturing the moments on camera, she truly made this adventure so much more meaningful. Beyond the glacier itself, Cerisa also took us to enjoy the stunning autumn scenery of Alaska — golden forests🍂, winding rivers, and endless mountains that will stay in my memory forever. Absolutely one of the best trips I’ve ever joined!

Wow! This tour is a must!...

Joni_B, Sep 2025

Wow! This tour is a must! Hunter was absolutely incredible. He is beyond knowledgeable, fun, kind, and an all out great tour guide!

Great time, better views.

Tom8058, Aug 2025

Grace was informative, charismatic and filled with recommendations. The hike was relatively easy and we had a local guide. The views are stunning. Not to be missed.