Anchorage to Whittier Wildlife Tour with Cruise Transfer

Whittier drive through Portage Pass and Turnagain Arm, site of gold discovery

This 3-hour guided tour departs Anchorage and travels the scenic Seward Highway to the Whittier Cruise Terminal, with a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see resident wildlife in open habitats. The driver narrates the history of Turnagain Arm, Portage Pass, and Whittier, from Indigenous settlement through English exploration to the gold rush and the town's unusual origins. Pickup is available from Downtown Anchorage or Anchorage Airport, and the tour ends at the cruise terminal so you board directly.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tour from Anchorage to Whittier

• Depart from Downtown Anchorage
• Travel scenic Seward Highway
• Pass through Portage Pass
• Stop at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Explore wildlife habitats and learn
• Continue to Whittier Cruise Terminal
• End tour at Whittier Cruise Terminal

The experience

The drive from Anchorage to Whittier takes three hours and covers ground most cruise passengers never see on their own. You travel the Seward Highway south, pass through Portage Pass, and follow Turnagain Arm: a waterway named by English explorers who thought it led inland and had to turn back. Your driver provides context for what you're seeing: how Indigenous peoples first inhabited the region, where gold was discovered, and how Whittier became the isolated town it is today, accessible only by a single road and rail line.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits roughly halfway through the journey. You spend time walking or biking a 1.5-mile loop through over 200 acres of open habitats where the center keeps injured and orphaned animals. Brown bears swim in their enclosures, moose roam, wolves pose, wood bison and muskox graze, and porcupines climb. The center is a nonprofit focused on rehabilitation and education, and the animals live in spacious enough conditions that they display natural behavior. Interpretive signs at each habitat explain what you're watching.

The tour ends at the Whittier Cruise Terminal, timed so you can board your ship without a separate transfer. Pickup happens at 11:30 from the Hotel Captain Cook downtown or at 12:00 from Anchorage Airport baggage claim. Onboard restrooms are available, and infants can travel in a carrier or on an adult's lap. The bus has seatbelts at each seat.

What’s included

• Pickup from Downtown Anchorage or Anchorage Airport.
• guided narration of Turnagain Arm, Portage Pass, and Whittier history.
• entry and access to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center with its 1.5-mile loop through animal habitats.
• onboard restroom.

Options for this experience

2 options

Hotel Captain CookGuide in English · Available from 15 May 2027We start pickups downtown at 11:00 am, then go to the airport at 11:30 am, so the tour can begin at noon. Starting point: 939 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA

Ted Stevens Anchorage AirportGuide in English · Available from 15 May 2027We start pickups downtown at 11:00 am, then go to the airport at 11:30 am, so the tour can begin at noon. Starting point: 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

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 15 May 2027

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

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

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?Book this tour if you're flying into Anchorage and need to reach the Whittier Cruise Terminal. It combines the transfer with a stop at the wildlife center so you see resident animals and learn the region's history instead of sitting in a car for three hours with nothing to do.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

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

The center keeps brown bears, moose, wolves, wood bison, muskox, and porcupines in open habitats across its 200 acres. You walk or bike a 1.5-mile loop with interpretive signs at each animal area, and it's common to see the bears swimming and the moose and bison roaming their enclosures.

Can I pick up from Anchorage Airport instead of downtown?

Yes. Airport pickup is at 12:00 from baggage claim outside door #1 in the courtyard by the large red semicircles. Downtown pickup from the Hotel Captain Cook is at 11:30.

What is Turnagain Arm and why is it called that?

Turnagain Arm is a waterway along the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Whittier. English explorers named it because they thought it led inland, but had to turn back when they realized it was a dead end. Your driver explains this history along with the Indigenous settlement and gold discovery in the region.

Does the tour end at the cruise terminal so I can board right away?

Yes. The tour is timed to arrive at the Whittier Cruise Terminal at the end, so you can go directly to your ship without arranging another transfer.

How much time do I spend at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center?

The center is a stop on the route, and you have time to walk or bike the 1.5-mile loop and see the animals. The exact duration depends on your pace and how long you spend at each habitat, but it is built into the 3-hour tour schedule.

Is there a restroom on the bus?

Yes, there is a restroom onboard during the drive.