Juneau Tracy Arm Glacier Tour: Dawes Glacier & Fjord Explorer

Deep into a glacier-carved fjord most cruise passengers never see

This is an eight-and-a-half-hour glacier tour from Juneau that takes you into the Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness Area, traveling aboard an 85-passenger expedition vessel built to navigate tight fjord passages and deliver close views of Dawes Glacier, Endicott Arm's sheer cliffs and Nugget Falls. The tour includes a picnic lunch, snacks, coffee and tea, with narration in English and Spanish. Dietary requests are accommodated with 24 hours' notice. Booking directly with the operator cuts out cruise-line markups and reserves premium seating on the boat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Tracy Arm Wilderness Area

• Depart downtown Juneau
• Board expedition vessel
• Navigate Endicott Arm Fjord
• View towering cliffs and waterfalls
• See Dawes Glacier up close
• Enjoy narrated tour in English and Spanish

The experience

The boat departs downtown Juneau and heads into Endicott Arm Fjord, a glacier-carved sanctuary within the Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness Area that sits apart from the crowded Glacier Bay routes. The 85-passenger vessel is sized to slip into narrow fjord passages and hold station close to the Dawes Glacier terminus, where you watch the ice face and listen to calving echoes off the canyon walls. Towering cliffs and roaring waterfalls line both sides of the passage as you move deeper into the wilderness.

Lunch is a picnic-style box served aboard, with coffee and tea available throughout the day. The crew accommodates food allergies and dietary requests if you notify them at least 24 hours before departure. The narration runs in both English and Spanish, so language is not a barrier. The crew is known for a lighthearted approach to the day (the bar staff includes a legendary Elvis-lookalike bartender), which sets the tone for the whole expedition.

The return to downtown Juneau takes you back past Nugget Falls as the day closes. This is a full-day commitment, so plan to be on the water from early morning through early afternoon. Public transportation options are available near the departure point if you need to arrange getting downtown.

What’s included

• Picnic-style lunch box.
• sweet and savory snacks.
• coffee and tea.
• bilingual narration in English and Spanish.
• all-day access to the expedition vessel.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 18 May 2027

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 85

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by True Alaskan Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see a glacier and fjord landscape without the crowds that follow cruise-ship itineraries, and if an eight-and-a-half-hour day on the water fits your Juneau schedule. The small vessel size is what makes close fjord navigation and glacier viewing possible, so you trade a larger ship's amenities for proximity to the ice and canyon walls.

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Dawes Glacier like when you get close to it?

Dawes Glacier is the fjord's signature ice face, and the expedition vessel positions you near the terminus so you can watch the glacier and hear calving sounds echo off the canyon walls. The boat holds station close enough to see the scale and detail of the ice, but the exact distance depends on ice conditions and water on the day you sail.

Does the tour include food, and can you request dietary accommodations?

Yes, lunch is a picnic-style box served aboard, and coffee and tea are available throughout the day. Dietary requests and food allergies are accommodated if you notify the operator at least 24 hours before your departure.

How long is the full tour from start to finish?

The tour runs eight and a half hours total, from departure in downtown Juneau through the return. Plan for an early start and an early-afternoon finish.

Is the narration only in English, or do they offer other languages?

The tour is fully narrated in both English and Spanish, so both languages are covered throughout the day.

What makes this tour different from the Glacier Bay tours that cruise ships offer?

This expedition sails into the Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness Area and Endicott Arm Fjord, which is a less-crowded alternative to Glacier Bay. Booking directly with the operator also bypasses cruise-line markups, so you get premium seating on the vessel at a lower price than you'd pay through a cruise line.