Seward to Anchorage tour: Wildlife Center & Turnagain Pass

See brown bears, moose, and wolves on the drive between two cities

A 4-hour guided tour from Seward Cruise Terminal to Anchorage that combines a scenic drive along the Seward Highway and through Turnagain Pass with a stop at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Your driver narrates the Kenai Peninsula's history (from Indigenous settlement through Russian fur trading to the gold, coal, and oil discoveries), while you travel. The tour ends at Anchorage Airport or downtown at Hotel Captain Cook.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wildlife tour from Seward to Anchorage

• Travel Seward Highway to Turnagain Pass
• Learn history of Kenai Peninsula
• Visit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Explore 1.5-mile wildlife loop
• See brown bears, moose, and more
• Continue to Anchorage
• Drop off at Anchorage Airport or Hotel Captain Cook

The experience

The route itself is the draw. The Seward Highway and Turnagain Pass carry you through landscape shaped by the people who lived there first, the Russian traders who came after, and the prospectors who changed everything. Your driver walks you through that history as the road unfolds, so the drive is not just transit. It is the story of how this part of Alaska became what it is.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits in the middle of the journey. You spend time at the nonprofit's 1.5-mile loop, which you can walk, bike, or drive through on your own pace. The center keeps over 200 acres of habitats where injured and orphaned animals live out their lives as education ambassadors for their species. Brown bears swim, moose strut, wood bison roam, wolves pose, and porcupines climb: animals behave as they would in the wild, and interpretive signs at each habitat explain what you are watching. Bring walking shoes and a camera. The center encourages you to move through on foot if you want the closer view.

The tour ends at your choice of drop-off: Anchorage Airport or downtown at Hotel Captain Cook. A restroom is on board for the drive itself.

What’s included

• Guided tour with a live English-speaking driver.
• stop at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center with access to the 1.5-mile loop and interpretive signs.
• restroom on board.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 14 May 2027

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

GroupUp to 56

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 if you want narrated history and wildlife stops on your drive from the cruise terminal to Anchorage, rather than exploring independently or hiring separate transport.

Traveler reviews

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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 actually see at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center?

The center maintains habitats for brown bears, moose, wood bison, muskox, wolves, porcupines, and more. Animals display their natural behavior in the spacious enclosures, so sightings are common but not guaranteed: the animals move freely within their habitats.

How much time do I spend at the wildlife center versus driving?

The tour is 4 hours total from Seward Cruise Terminal to Anchorage. The itinerary includes a stop at the center where you walk or bike the 1.5-mile loop at your own pace, with the rest of the time spent on the Seward Highway and through Turnagain Pass.

Where does the tour drop me off in Anchorage?

You choose between Anchorage Airport or downtown at Hotel Captain Cook. Let the operator know your preference when you book.

What is Turnagain Pass, and why does the driver talk about it?

Turnagain Pass is a mountain pass along the Seward Highway between Seward and Anchorage. The driver narrates its history and the broader story of the Kenai Peninsula (Indigenous settlement, Russian fur trading, and the discovery of gold, coal, and oil) as you travel through it.