Alaska: Looking for Best Locoation for Glacier Helicopter Tour

We would like input into the best locoation for a glacier/helicopter tour. We are doing the Land tour staying at Mt.McKinley & Denali and cruise mid-June 2011. Any information would be helpful. Also want to do a whale watching tour which port would be the best?

Thanks!

I think many do the Mendenhall glacier when in Juneau. EM

Did the Juneau helicoptor, land on glacier, dogsled excursion.

One of the most memorable things I have done in my life!!!

Expensive, yes. Worth it, absolutely.

You might want to post this in the Ports of Call. That said, we did the Helicopter Walkabout out of Juneau and it was excellent. Super props to the Helicopter company, when they realized they had a less mobile person in the group they sent along an extra guide for just that lady and her daughter so as not to limit the rest of the group or deny her the best possible experience. We booked via princess, you can book the same tour independently I believe the company was northstar aviation.

Time for another photos link...

http://loonbeam.smugmug.com/Travel/Alaska-2009/13372271_S5ZH3#972447851_w4MsP

Glacier tour photos start at the bottom of page 7...

We would like input into the best locoation for a glacier/helicopter tour. We are doing the Land tour staying at Mt.McKinley & Denali and cruise mid-June 2011. Any information would be helpful. Also want to do a whale watching tour which port would be the best?

 

Thanks!

Hands down, JUNEAU for both types of tours, helicopter and wildlife sightseeing. The massive Juneau Icefield is nothing short of breathtaking from the air and nothing else can compare. I can't stress enough to folks to pick an itinerary that spends the most time in Juneau to be able to do two tours. I have cruised Alaksa five times and from experience Juneau rates best, next to Ketchikan, for ports to schedule tours away from town and out into the surrounding countryside.

We've been whale watching with Harv and Marvs in Juneau twice and it was spectacular! Small 6 passenger boats with local captains, born and raised, wonderful personalized service and oh, those whales!:D check 'em out at harvandmarvs.com

our best whale watching and helicopter tours were in juneau

but i do have to admit that one year we had an excellent whale watching tour in sitka

We would like input into the best locoation for a glacier/helicopter tour. We are doing the Land tour staying at Mt.McKinley & Denali and cruise mid-June 2011. Any information would be helpful. Also want to do a whale watching tour which port would be the best?

 

Thanks!

Whale watching tours are only out of Hoonah and Juneau on the inside passage. Sitka tours are varied wildlife with humpbacks seen, but no in the time viewing compared to the others.

I am assuming you are on Princess and at the McKinley Princess?? There aren't any "wildlife" or helicopter tours.

Denali does have glacier helicopter tours, and so does Skagway and Juneau. Any of them would offer you your excellent adventure. I always, suggest, fit your touring which it uses your limited time best, and base it also on your overall itinerary.

I think many do the Mendenhall glacier when in Juneau. EM

No not true. It's the Juneau ice field, they "all" use. There is only one vendor who has permits to land on Mendenhall. But, it is no better/worse then any other landing area, just more known.

Hands down, JUNEAU for both types of tours, helicopter and wildlife sightseeing. The massive Juneau Icefield is nothing short of breathtaking from the air and nothing else can compare. I can't stress enough to folks to pick an itinerary that spends the most time in Juneau to be able to do two tours. I have cruised Alaksa five times and from experience Juneau rates best, next to Ketchikan, for ports to schedule tours away from town and out into the surrounding countryside.

Have you done glacier helicopter tours out of Skagway??? In my experience, it is equally as good as Juneau. (7 glacier helicopter landing trips)

Have you done glacier helicopter tours out of Skagway??? In my experience, it is equally as good as Juneau. (7 glacier helicopter landing trips)

I have. About the only tour I haven't taken in 5 cruises to Alaska (2 on Princess, 1 each on Cruise West, Holland-America, and Celebrity Cruises) are the dog-sled tours. Done float-plane over the glaciers, helos over the glaciers, helo touchdown on the glaciers, hiking and repelling down parts of a glacier, Taku glacier and salmon bake, salmon bakes in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Mendenhall Glacier, glaciers in Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Portage Glacier, College Fjord, Tracy Arm, Yakutat Bay, and Baird Glacier. Along with those I've done several other different tours to totem parks, totem villages, kayak trips, canoe trips, rail excursion, bald eagle preserves, fishing, tramways, Misty Fjords trips, zodiak trips, wildlife cruises in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka and docked in several places most Alaska cruisers never have been to like Metlakatla, Petersburg, and Prince Rupert.

Here is one review I did back in 2001 when I was still a Travel Agent:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=469

We've been whale watching with Harv and Marvs in Juneau twice and it was spectacular! Small 6 passenger boats with local captains, born and raised, wonderful personalized service and oh, those whales!:D check 'em out at harvandmarvs.com

They are now offering a combined whale watching and flight tour- wish I had a bit more time in Juneau!

I have. About the only tour I haven't taken in 5 cruises to Alaska (2 on Princess, 1 each on Cruise West, Holland-America, and Celebrity Cruises) are the dog-sled tours. Done float-plane over the glaciers, helos over the glaciers, helo touchdown on the glaciers, hiking and repelling down parts of a glacier, Taku glacier and salmon bake, salmon bakes in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Mendenhall Glacier, glaciers in Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Portage Glacier, College Fjord, Tracy Arm, Yakutat Bay, and Baird Glacier. Along with those I've done several other different tours to totem parks, totem villages, kayak trips, canoe trips, rail excursion, bald eagle preserves, fishing, tramways, Misty Fjords trips, zodiak trips, wildlife cruises in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka and docked in several places most Alaska cruisers never have been to like Metlakatla, Petersburg, and Prince Rupert.

 

Here is one review I did back in 2001 when I was still a Travel Agent:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=469

WOW :eek: !!! Best posted experience on this subject !!! Anything else on your upcoming "TO DO" list ???

Just wanted to thank everyone for your input! We booked a Mendenhall Glacier Heli-tour. 9:45 start. Hope of do some whale watching in the afternoon. We sail in 58 days! Just trying to get all of the wants to fit into the time. If not we'll just have to go back :)

WOW :eek: !!! Best posted experience on this subject !!! Anything else on your upcoming "TO DO" list ???

Yes! I want to DO Alaska again, for a 6th time. The tours are pretty much covered as far as I am concerned but I never tire of the scenery. And doing the Salmon Bake again in Skagway (or anywhere) is always a treat.

I often tell CC members that the itinerary is just as important (even more so) than the ship you go on. Book a cruise that spends the MOST time in Juneau and lots of time in Ketchikan. The single biggest experiences you will walk away from on an Alaskan cruise will be from the shore tours and excursions. Trust me. If it comes down to skimping on the balcony cabin or the shore excursions, book an oceanview cabin and take more tours. If you can afford both, go for it. But don't skimp 'experiencing' Alaska. The shipboard lectures are wonderful, but can never replace actually flying over the glaciers or watching whales 100' from your tour boat.

I know the original poster already selected their tour but for anyone else reading this post, I'd recommend the glacier hike with North Star Trekking in Juneau--worth every last penny and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I know the original poster already selected their tour but for anyone else reading this post, I'd recommend the glacier hike with North Star Trekking in Juneau--worth every last penny and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Also important with this recommendation, go with the level 3. The shorter tours are just too short, barely getting out on the ice.

Significantly cheaper trekking is available out of interior Alaska which is also superb. One area can do a private tour going out for as long as you wish.

We did the Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sledding tour with TEMSCO out of Juneau that includes a helicopter tour and absolutely loved it! I highly recommend it! You can see photos and review on my blog (click on Juneau):

http://moonprincess.com/travel/category/cruises/alaska-2010/

Hope that helps!

which helicopter tour in skagway is good? anyone? thanks :)

I think we are going to do a seaplane in Jun., and want to do a helicopter somewhere else?

thanks

Also important with this recommendation, go with the level 3. The shorter tours are just too short, barely getting out on the ice.

 

Significantly cheaper trekking is available out of interior Alaska which is also superb. One area can do a private tour going out for as long as you wish.

Recommendations on which location & the tour operators for the interior Alaska?

Recommendations on which location & the tour operators for the interior Alaska?

Matanuska Glacier, I highly recommend MICA guides.

which helicopter tour in skagway is good? anyone? thanks :)

 

I think we are going to do a seaplane in Jun., and want to do a helicopter somewhere else?

 

thanks

Well, overall, longer is better. So an extended pilot's choice with two glacier landings is going to be "better" than a regular single landing. Also add to the mix, would be a glacier dog sledding tour. Two very different tours, with the dog sledding being on snow, and the regular landings on more ice.