Dog Sledding - Juneau Summer Dog Camp vs the Heli flight and Dog Sledding

[nolatravelgirl]

Looking for opinions of these two excursions. Silversea offer the summer dog camp as an included excursion but the heli flight and dog sledding is $679. Is the latter worth $679? 

 

IDITAROD DOGS’ SUMMER CAMP (JNU-C)
Juneau (Alaska), United States of America
Relive the spirit of the Gold Rush during this fascinating visit with an Iditarod dog musher and his team of Alaskan huskies. Your scenic excursion passes the Gastineau Channel and Sheep Creek Valley en route to the Sled Dog Summer Camp. Tour the camp, learn about dog-sledding and take an exciting dog-sled ride. Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Juneau, Gastineau Channel, Sheep Creek Valley, Mountains, Southeast Alaskan Rainforest, Sled Dog Summer

 

HELI-FLIGHT & MENDENHALL GLACIER DOG-SLEDDING (JNU-OA)
Juneau (Alaska), United States of America
Experience Alaska's glacial beauty in a unique new way during this combination helicopter flight-seeing and dog-sled tour. Your half-day excursion features a narrated flight over lush rainforests, deep blue crevasses and glacier-carved peaks en route to a dog-sledding camp for a panoramic dog-sled ride on the Mendenhall Glacier. Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Helicopter Ride, Rainforests, Deep Blue Crevasses, Glacier-Carved Peaks, Mendenhall Glacier, Dog-Sledding Camp, Dog-sled Ride, Musher, Alaskan Huskies

[portiemom]

You do know that the summer camp is not a sledding experience. The dogs pull a cart on wheels. I'm sure it's a fun excursion and you will get to be around the dogs, but I wanted the dog sled on snow experience so I chose the helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier. It was worth it. Plus I was ON A Glacier!! Plus I was never in a helicopter before. I did this on my 50th birthday so I splurged! That said, I understand that the helicopter excursion is often cancelled if the weather doesn't allow the flight. So there is an element of luck to get to do it. Hope that helps.

[KimCHouston]

I’ve done both.  The glacier sled dog is in the top 3 excursions I’ve ever taken.  The summer camp was cute, but it’s not really a substitute.  The price of the glacier tour is probably twice what I paid when I did it, though, so I’m glad I don’t have to decide. If you can convince yourself to spend that much, then it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  

[Sail away MK]

My 8 year old loved the dog cart through the woods for about 20 minutes and playing with puppies. That is NOTHING like flying in a helicopter to a glacier and riding a real dog sled.  If you can afford it do the helicopter.