Anchorage to Seward: Wildlife & Turnagain Pass

Brown bears, moose and wolves on a 1.5-mile walk through 200 acres

A 4-hour guided tour from Anchorage to the Seward Cruise Terminal via the Seward Highway and Turnagain Pass, with a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. You walk a scenic 1.5-mile loop through the center's 200-acre sanctuary, where resident animals including brown bears, moose, wolves, wood bison and muskox roam their natural habitats. Your driver shares the Kenai Peninsula's history from Indigenous settlement through Russian fur trading to the gold and oil discoveries that shaped the region.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wildlife tour from Anchorage to Seward

• Depart from Downtown Anchorage
• Travel scenic Seward Highway
• Pass through Turnagain Pass
• Learn Kenai Peninsula history
• Stop at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Explore wildlife via 1.5-mile loop
• Observe animals and habitats
• Continue to Seward Cruise Terminal

The experience

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is the heart of this tour. The nonprofit sanctuary spans over 200 acres and houses injured and orphaned animals that have been rehabilitated and given permanent homes. You walk or bike the 1.5-mile loop at your own pace, reading interpretive signs at each habitat. Brown bears often swim in their enclosure, moose strut across open ground, wood bison roam in herds, and wolves pose for photographs. The center encourages you to bring walking shoes and a camera. Most visitors see multiple species in their natural behavior during a single visit.

The drive itself is the second half of the experience. You travel the Seward Highway south from Anchorage, passing through Turnagain Pass, where your driver narrates the Kenai Peninsula's layered history. The Indigenous peoples who first inhabited the region, the Russian fur traders who arrived centuries later, and the prospectors who discovered gold, coal and oil all shaped the landscape you're moving through. The route is scenic enough that the drive is not filler between stops. It is part of what you came for.

Pickups run from two Anchorage locations: Hotel Captain Cook downtown at 11:30 a.m., or Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport at 12:00 p.m. from the baggage claim level outside door #1 in the courtyard. The tour ends at the Seward Cruise Terminal, so if you're boarding a ship that afternoon, this timing gets you there with the wildlife stop built in. An onboard restroom is available during the drive.

What’s included

• Guided tour with a live English-speaking driver.
• entry to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
• access to the 1.5-mile scenic loop through 200 acres of animal habitats.
• onboard restroom during the drive to Seward Cruise Terminal.

Options for this experience

2 options

Hotel Captain CookGuide in English · Available from 14 May 2027The meeting point is at 939 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA

Ted Stevens Anchorage AirportGuide in English · Available from 14 May 2027The departure point is Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, 5000 W International Airport Rd, Anchorage, AK 99502, USA

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 4h, from US$ 110 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 14 May 20278 departing soon ›

GroupUp to 501 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.5 with pickup ›

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Pacific Alaska Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the Hotel Captain Cook pickup at 11:30 a.m. if you're staying downtown and want an earlier start. Pick the airport location at 12:00 p.m. if you're arriving that morning and need time to collect your bags. Either way, the tour ends at Seward Cruise Terminal, so it slots directly into a cruise departure without extra logistics.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What animals will I actually see at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center?

Brown bears, moose, wolves, wood bison, muskox and porcupines live in the center's habitats and display their natural behavior. Brown bears commonly swim, moose strut across open ground, and wolves often pose for visitors. The center maintains over 200 acres of spacious habitats, so animals move freely and sightings vary by visit, but most guests see multiple species during the 1.5-mile loop walk.

Can I bring a stroller or infant carrier on this tour?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and you can carry your own infant carrier since seatbelts are installed on each seat. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during the drive between Anchorage and Seward.

What happens during the drive from Anchorage to Seward?

Your driver guides you through the history of the Kenai Peninsula and Turnagain Pass, covering the Indigenous peoples who first lived there, Russian fur traders, and the discovery of gold, coal and oil. The Seward Highway itself is scenic, and the route passes through Turnagain Pass. The full drive is part of the tour experience, not just transit time.

Which pickup location works better if I'm flying into Anchorage?

Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport pickup happens at 12:00 p.m. from the baggage claim level outside door #1 in the courtyard by the large red semicircles. Hotel Captain Cook downtown picks up at 11:30 a.m. If you're arriving that morning, the airport pickup gives you time to collect your bags and meet the driver without rushing.