Juneau: Helicopter & Glacier Walk Shore Excursion

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Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/7

Duration2h 30m

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Thirty minutes in the air, twenty on the ice—a two-part glimpse of Alaska's scale

You board a helicopter at Juneau airport, fly 25–30 minutes over the Juneau Icefield with a pilot-guide, land on Herbert Glacier for a 20–25 minute walk on the ice, drink fresh glacier melt, and return by air. Transport from your hotel or airport area is included, as are boots and raincoats. The whole excursion fits the ship's port window, and weather cancellations come with a full refund.

2h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter tour and glacier walk

Depart airport for Herbert Glacier
Explore glacier and drink fresh water
Helicopter tour back to heliport

The Experience

The helicopter lifts off the tarmac and the town drops away. Below, the Juneau Icefield spreads out in white and shadow, crevasses cutting through the surface like a map nobody drew. You're airborne for 25 to 30 minutes, and the pilot narrates as you go—pointing out ridges, telling you what you're seeing, making the vastness legible. Then the skids touch down on Herbert Glacier itself, and the sound changes. Wind, ice, the crunch of your boots on ground that's been frozen for centuries.

The walk on the glacier lasts 20 to 25 minutes, and it's not a hike—it's a slow wander with the pilot still acting as your guide. You can drink fresh glacier water straight from the melt, touch the ice, stand in a place where the horizon is just white and sky. Nugget Falls is visible from here, a ribbon of water falling from the ridge above. The air is cold enough that you notice it in your lungs. The company provides boots and raincoats if you need them, and most people do. You're not climbing; you're standing still and taking it in.

The return flight retraces the route over the icefield, and by then you've seen it twice—once from above, once from the middle of it. The whole thing, from pickup at your hotel or the airport area to landing back at the heliport, is built around the ship's schedule. You're back in port with time to spare. The no-bag policy means you leave everything at the office—just you, a camera if you brought one, and whatever layers you wore. Weight gets checked at the facility; the company takes that seriously because the helicopter's balance depends on it, and they'll ask you to confirm your actual weight when you book.

Book through your cruise line's shore excursion desk or directly with the operator. Weather can cancel the flight, but if it does, you get a full refund or a reschedule. Dress in layers, wear hiking boots or athletic shoes with rubber soles, and bring binoculars if you have them. The helicopter holds a small group, and families usually fly together, though the company can't guarantee it until everyone's weighed in at check-in.

What’s included

Your tour includes a round-trip helicopter flight over the Juneau Icefield, a guided walk on Herbert Glacier with your pilot as guide, boots and raincoats provided as needed, and transport to and from the heliport or airport area hotels. The pilot narrates both the flight and the glacier stop, and you have time to drink fresh glacier water and explore the ice on foot.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Coastal Helicopters

Is this one for you?Right for cruise passengers with a few hours in Juneau who want to see the Icefield without arranging their own transport or timing. The 25–30 minute flight plus 20–25 minute glacier walk fits the ship's port window, and weather cancellations come with a full refund, so the risk is on the operator, not you.