Whittier to Anchorage private tour: cruise transfer included

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (14 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/8

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Travel from ship to city while your guide shows you what makes the route matter

A private full-day tour from Whittier to Anchorage that combines your cruise ship transfer with guided sightseeing through Portage Valley, Turnagain Arm, and the city itself. Your guide picks you up at the port or hotel and drives a group of up to 12 guests through the region's key stops—the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (the longest highway tunnel in North America), the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Beluga Point, and Potter Marsh—with live commentary throughout the 7 to 8 hours. The price is per tour, not per person, so it scales with your group size.

Step-by-step itinerary

Whittier to Anchorage full-day tour

Travel through Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel
View Portage Lake
Visit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Explore Girdwood resort town
Stop at Potter Marsh for wildlife viewing
Visit Beluga Point archaeological site
Tour Whittier, Anchorage, and Turnagain Arm highlights

The Experience

The day starts at your cruise ship or hotel in Whittier, where your guide meets you and begins the drive toward Anchorage. The first major stop is the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a 2.5-mile engineering landmark built to withstand -40 Fahrenheit temperatures and 150 mph winds—the only one-lane tunnel in North America that shares space between cars and trains traveling in both directions. Your guide explains how the tunnel's unique design saved tens of millions in construction costs while connecting Whittier to the rest of the state. From there, you pass through scenic views of Portage Lake and enter Portage Valley, where the landscape opens up.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits on 200 acres at the head of Turnagain Arm and is the centerpiece of the tour's middle section. This non-profit facility focuses on conservation, research, and animal care, and your guide will walk you through what the center does and what animals you encounter there. Afterward, the route follows Turnagain Arm itself, one of Alaska's most distinctive coastal features. Stops include Beluga Point, an archaeological site where artifacts dating back 8,000 to 10,000 years mark some of the oldest human habitation in the Anchorage area—and a seasonal wildlife viewing spot where beluga whales feed on salmon runs from July through August. You'll also see Girdwood, a resort town nestled in a valley surrounded by seven glaciers, and Potter Marsh, where a 1,550-foot boardwalk winds through wetland habitat rich with migratory birds like Canada geese, northern pintails, and eagles.

The tour ends in Anchorage, where your guide drops you at your hotel or designated location. Because pricing is per tour rather than per guest, groups of any size up to 12 people share the same cost, making it economical for families or small groups traveling together. If your flight departs late and you need extra time in the city, the operator offers additional hours at $80 per hour. Note that entrance fees to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and any other paid attractions are separate from the tour price, as are food and drinks.

What’s included

Local guide providing live commentary throughout the day.
private vehicle transport from Whittier through Portage Valley and Turnagain Arm to Anchorage.
hotel or cruise ship pickup and drop-off.
stops at the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center grounds, Beluga Point, Girdwood, and Potter Marsh.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Greatland Adventures

Is this one for you?At 7 to 8 hours, this tour fills most of a day but leaves room for an early dinner or evening in Anchorage if your flight departs late—or you can add paid hours if you want to explore the city further. The fixed schedule and included transport mean you don't arrange a separate transfer from the port, so the logistics of getting from ship to hotel or onward destination are already solved.