Valdez Helicopter Flight with Glacier Landing: land on a remote glacier

Land on a glacier and walk across blue ice few travelers ever reach.

This one-hour helicopter tour from Valdez takes you over the Chugach Mountains and lands on a remote glacier where you explore on foot for 30 minutes. The flight includes a safety briefing at Valdez Airport, narration from your pilot about the glacier region, and round-trip shuttle service from any Valdez location. Weather can affect the flight; if conditions cancel the tour, you'll get an alternative date or full refund.

Step-by-step itinerary

Helicopter flight and glacier landing

• Arrive at Valdez Airport hangar
• Receive safety briefing
• Board helicopter
• Fly over Chugach Mountains
• Spot wildlife and glaciers
• Land on glacier
• Explore glacier on foot

The Experience

The tour starts with a 15-minute arrival window at the Valdez Airport hangar, where you'll get a safety briefing before boarding. Your pilot navigates the helicopter over the peaks and valleys of the Chugach Mountains, pointing out the features of one of North America's most glacier-rich regions as you go. Watch for moose, Dall sheep, mountain goats, and both black and brown bear moving across the terrain below.

You'll touch down on an actual glacier with 30 minutes to explore on foot. The ice itself is the draw here—you can walk across it, sip fresh glacier water straight from the source, and photograph the surreal blue pools that form in summer. This is the part most people never get to do: stand on ancient ice and feel the scale of it around you.

Round-trip shuttle service from any location in Valdez is included, so you don't arrange your own transport to the airport. The entire experience—flight, landing, exploration and return—fits into one hour. Weather is the only variable; the tour runs subject to favorable conditions, and if the day doesn't cooperate, you can reschedule or take a full refund.

What’s included

• Helicopter flight over the Chugach Mountains.
• landing on a remote glacier with 30 minutes to explore on foot.
• wildlife spotting opportunities.
• round-trip shared shuttle from any Valdez location.
• all taxes and fees.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Alpine Air Alaska

Is this one for you?One hour total means you can fit this into a morning or afternoon without reshaping your whole day, and the shuttle from Valdez saves you the logistics of getting to the airport yourself. The 30-minute glacier landing is what separates this from a flightseeing-only tour—you're not just watching from above, you're walking on the ice.

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Top questions

Can I bring my young child on the helicopter?

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Infants under walking age can sit on an adult's lap and fly free, so small children don't need their own seat.

What will I actually see on the glacier?

The glacier itself is the main attraction—you walk across the ice, see blue glacier pools (visible in summer), and can collect fresh glacier water. Your 30 minutes on the ground gives you time to explore and photograph without rushing.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour is subject to favorable weather conditions. If poor weather cancels your flight, you'll be offered an alternative date or a full refund.

Is the shuttle from my hotel included?

Round-trip shared shuttle service from any location in Valdez is included, so you don't need to arrange separate transport to the airport.

Are there weight or fitness requirements?

The weight limit is 290 pounds per guest. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels; you walk on the glacier during your 30 minutes on the ground, but there's no strenuous climbing or technical skill required.