Stunning Turnagain Arm Tour: "A Must See Destination"
Badge of Excellence
Anchorage, USA
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Travel the Seward Highway without the hassle of renting a car and driving and experience the thrilling Turnagain Arm. Highlights of this small-group tour include Beluga Point for panoramic views and wildlife sightings, Portage Valley with a glacier stop, Turnagain Art Gallery featuring intricate chainsaw carvings, and Potter Marsh, a haven for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
- A small group means more attention from your guide
- Get out into Alaskan nature without having to drive
- Plenty of stops to make the most of the photo opportunities
- Get insight into the area's natural history from your guide
What's Included
- Round-trip tour with shared transportation
- Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 509 W 3rd Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
Please check in at our new location: 509 W. 3rd Ave, directly across from the Hilton Hotel. Parking is available across the street. Check in at the concierge desk, then wait in our garden or indoor lobby. Please arrive 20 mins before departure. Look for the gray van with a bear!
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.3:00 pm
Itinerary
1
Alaskas Finest Tours & Adventures
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Beluga Point (Pass By)
Portage Glacier (Pass By)
Turnagain Gallery (Pass By)
Potter Marsh (Pass By)
Turnagain Arm Drive (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum age is 6 years
- Weather in Alaska can change rapidly, so please dress accordingly
- Seats on return are on a first come first serve basis. Next vehicle one hour later.
- Not recommended for infants
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Alyssa_E
FANTASTIC! You will not regret booking this tour. Gary was so fun, personable, and informed about every sight and spot. He took photos for us at all the scenic places and was so passionate about the beauty that it felt even more beautiful to us, too. He always had an anecdote to fill the air and we could feel how much he truly loves Alaska and the people he meets doing these tours. The glacial lakes were breathtaking and we learned a lot about the landscape and wildlife. This was the perfect introduction to Alaska for my family — we had a blast and we were so impressed by Gary. Thank you so much!!
Reviews
4.5
based on 73 reviews
Aruzhan_M, Aug 2025
The tour was amazing! Such views and pictures taken. The tour guide Cameron was great. He talked to us as friends and kept the tour upbeat.
sandrawon2, Jul 2025
Our tour was cancelled and we are updated to same tour with wildlife sanctuary. The tour was exactly the same thing you will see on a bus ride from anchorage to Whittier. We actually captured better photos on the coach bus. If you like to see the wildlife of Alaska behind barbed wire then this is the tour for you. Quite boring and a waste of money
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We appreciate all feedback, but it's important to be fair, accurate, and constructive—especially when leaving a public review that impacts small businesses and the people working hard behind them.
Let’s be clear: your tour was not canceled—it was upgraded, at no additional cost to you, to our most popular and highest-value tour. This experience includes a scenic drive along Turnagain Arm, one of the most beautiful highways in North America, plus a visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a nonprofit sanctuary that rehabilitates Alaska’s most iconic animals.
This upgraded tour is regularly priced at $149 per person, and you paid for a $69 tour—meaning you received an $80-per-person upgrade absolutely free. That’s not a downgrade or a substitution. That’s added value that most of our guests truly appreciate.
The Wildlife Center is not some roadside zoo with animals behind barbed wire. These are rescued and orphaned animals—moose, bears, bison, wolves, and more—being cared for in large, natural enclosures designed for their well-being. The organization is dedicated to protecting Alaska’s wildlife and educating the public. Supporting their work is something our guests take pride in.
As for the journey itself, our 14-passenger high-roof vans are designed to stop where large coach buses cannot—pullouts, waterfalls, photo lookouts, and scenic hidden gems. You may have ridden through the same area on a bus, but you didn’t experience it the way our guests do. To compare the two and suggest the bus was somehow better is not only inaccurate—it’s misleading.
And regarding your review title — “Do not waste your time” — that’s not just unfair, it’s flat-out wrong. Guests on this tour enjoy:
A National Geographic-level scenic drive
One-on-one attention in small groups
A visit to one of Alaska’s most beloved wildlife sanctuaries
Multiple stops for world-class photos
An experience that supports education, conservation, and ethical tourism
Calling that a “waste of time” doesn’t reflect the reality of the tour—it reflects your personal frustration, and we believe that’s important to distinguish.
Finally, let’s be honest about why reviews exist: to help businesses improve and help future travelers make informed choices. Reviews should offer specific, constructive feedback, not just complaints. If there was something we could’ve done better, tell us. But don’t misrepresent the tour, the value, or the purpose behind what we do—especially when we went out of our way to give you more than what you paid for.
We stand behind our product, our team, and the unforgettable experiences we provide every day. Most of our guests leave this tour with lifelong memories and stunning photos—not just of scenery, but of animals they never expected to see up close. That’s something we’re proud of.
We wish you well in your future travels, and we hope you consider the impact of your words before making claims that don’t match the reality of the experience you were given.
Jill_B, Jul 2025
It was a beautiful sunny day. Abe had a lot of information to share.
This was not our original tour we booked but it was nice. We had already gone on a similar tour the day before.
We learned several interesting facts about the area
Mary_K, Jul 2025
It was mostly ride and look. The guide had a lot of knowledge, and his presentation was very informative about everything we saw in the way down the wildlife, and Turnagain Arm itself. The best part was Portage Glacier Valley, but it takes a while to drive down there. We were able to get out and take some pictures there. It's beautiful.
Lily_Y, Jun 2025
IT WAS AMAZING! Got to travel with Matt and he really knew his stuff! He was a great driver; so accommodating for accessibility needs — both for language and mobility! Absolute gem of a trip and it’s the best to get both all the knowledge and all the laughs! Thank you!
Alyssa_E, Jun 2025
FANTASTIC! You will not regret booking this tour. Gary was so fun, personable, and informed about every sight and spot. He took photos for us at all the scenic places and was so passionate about the beauty that it felt even more beautiful to us, too. He always had an anecdote to fill the air and we could feel how much he truly loves Alaska and the people he meets doing these tours. The glacial lakes were breathtaking and we learned a lot about the landscape and wildlife. This was the perfect introduction to Alaska for my family — we had a blast and we were so impressed by Gary. Thank you so much!!
Sonia_S, Jun 2025
My Tour time was changed due to not enough people on my group. So they crammed us all on a Van me and my Husband was the last to get on so we were not even sitting together. The tour was a 4-5 hour tour so I asked for a refund and was going to go about my way. They refused and tried to make me reschedule but I couldn't but still no refund. They were very Unprofessional and very Rude.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Response from Alaska’s Finest Tours & Cruises:
Thank you for your review. We’d like to provide clarity and context, as your feedback does not accurately reflect the situation.
You were checked in on time, but instead of boarding when the tour was called, you chose to stay inside the coffee shop while the other guests boarded. By the time you approached the vehicle, the remaining two seats—one in the front with 360-degree panoramic views and one directly behind it with full ocean-facing windows—were still available to you and your husband. These are considered premium seats by many of our guests.
Not only were you offered excellent seating, but you were also upgraded at no extra cost to a higher-value tour that normally costs more than what you paid. Because we didn’t have enough guests to operate the lower-cost tour you originally booked, we moved you to a more expensive experience—saving you and your husband $120.00. Most customers are thrilled when this happens.
Despite this, you refused to board, declined the option to reschedule (even though you had additional days in Alaska), and demanded a refund. As explained during booking and check-in, our no-refund policy is clearly stated and consistently upheld.
Our team maintained professionalism and worked to offer reasonable solutions. We stand by our service, the fairness of our policies, and the quality of our tours—reflected in the overwhelmingly positive feedback we receive.
We wish you well in your future travels.
— Alaska’s Finest Tours & Cruises
"Alaska, Guided by Heritage"
Lisa_D, Jun 2025
Very informative, educational and fun! Such a beautiful drive on a beautiful day! Matthew the tour guide was fabulous!!
Christina_P, Jun 2025
Highly Recommend! Matthew was absolutely fantastic, he was funny and educational. Simply getting a ride to each of these breathtaking stops would have been worth the price of admission, but Matt taught us how to see Alaska through a different lens. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to fully appreciate such wonders.
Gretchen_H, Sep 2024
Ina was fabulous. She knew a lot and gave us scenic stops for pictures. She also is great at taking pics and snapped images for a lot of us on the trip. It was definitely worth what we paid for the tour.
Cheryl_S, Aug 2024
Our guide Matthew was incredibly knowledgeable and very accommodating...Thoroughly enjoyed this tour and the beautiful scenery. The conservation centre was well worth visiting.
Steven_T, Aug 2024
Matt was very knowledgeable, friendly and took the time to make sure he answered all of our questions and shared his stories as well . Highly recommend a day with Matt
WILLIAM_L, Jul 2024
We were going on this tour but because we were the only 2 people, they suggested an alternate trip. It was great, Melissa our driver guide and made the tour very informative and enjoyable. As a native , she had a lot of information that had us aware of her life growing up in Nome and the many challenges they experience during the winter months. Would suggest this tour with the Conservation center for animals.
Debra_B, Jul 2024
Allison provided us with lots of info about the amazing Turnagain Arm phenomenon. It was all new to us. She also showed us and told us much about the vegetation in the area and how they live off the land. Also saw a moose along the stream. She made it an excellent excursion!
Julie_R, Jul 2024
The tour was wonderful!! Melissa our tour guide was very personable and kept us engaged. All the stops provided beautiful scenery.
Corinne_G, Jul 2024
The weather was less than perfect BUT the trip was amazing! The sights were amazing and our guide, Melissa was excellent! Bonus we saw the bore tide and surfers!!!
A must do tour!!!!
Kathy_W, Jul 2024
Small group of 12. Guide, Ina, was great and knew a lot about the area and how to spot wildlife. She engaged with our group and built a friendly report quickly.
Roxana_D, Jun 2024
Guide was wonderful. Lots of interesting information about geology of the area. Pointed out eagles and nests. Very enjoyable.
Manuel_M, Jun 2024
Our driver Inna was so polite. The tour have us some great ideas for the rest of our trip! We would definitely recommend this!!
Lori_W, Jun 2024
Matt was super knowledgeable about Alaska- it’s history, fun facts and so much more.
Seeing the glaciers and breathtaking scenic points were the highlight of the trip.
Thank you for a fun filled afternoon.
Michael_R, Jun 2024
The driver & guide was great . Very informative and a great guy. He stopped at multiple photo spots and was very knowledgeable.
603tgc, Jun 2024
Saw wildlife, the sunshine, all the eagles flying around. But the best part was the wildlife conservatory where the animals were all out and very engaged.
Kenna_A, Jun 2024
This was the most accommodating tour company I’ve ever used! Communication was fantastic! They went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience! And we sure did!!
JudyAnn_F, Aug 2023
Visiting the area I traveled many years ago. Was very comfortable vehicle and great driver
Thank you.
Kalyani_S, Jul 2023
Great experience and loved the guide. Paced out very well and on time performance. Loved the ambience of the vehicle and the gadgets
Thomas_W, Jul 2023
Chris was very informative. Very good excursion. Added on the wildlife conservatory. Wish I had brought my 200 mm lens.
Erin_P, Jul 2023
Chris was an awesome tour guide and our family had a blast seeing the beautiful scenery of Turnagain Arm! Wonderful little stops along the way for beautiful scenery, and a relaxing way to still get to see a bunch of the sights! Thank you!
Bela_S, Jun 2023
Never been here , first time and this tour was amazing. The drive and the Mountain View’s were spectacular. The stops along the way for photos was were appreciated and the views even better. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone.
Gargi_M, Jun 2023
The drive is scenic and the stops are well thought of.. due to the fog we were unable to see the Portage glacier so our driver Dana took us further up and showed us the Explorer glacier …very thoughtful …
Satish_S, Jun 2023
It was a wonderful experience. We had plenty of time to watch the Nature and emjoy and the icing on cake was spotting almost everything Bear, Caribow, Moose . It was a wonderful experience .
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Stunning Turnagain Arm Tour: "A Must See Destination"
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