Wildlife tour from Anchorage: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

See injured and orphaned Alaska animals in their sanctuary, with time to explore on your own.

A 4-hour guided tour from Anchorage that drives the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a nonprofit sanctuary for rehabilitated wild animals. The route includes photo stops at Beluga Point and a famous fishing creek, with roughly half your time at the center guided and half free to walk the grounds on your own. Water and snacks are provided. The morning departure is 9am from mid-September through September 30.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Chugach State Parkpass by
2. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center1h · entry included

Scenic drive and wildlife center visit

• Drive along Turnagain Arm
• Photo stop at Seward Highway
• Pass Beluga Point and look for whales
• Drive over fishing creek
• Spot hanging valley glaciers
• Visit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Guided tour at wildlife center
• Free time to explore center

The experience

The drive itself is half the tour. You'll travel the Seward Highway alongside Turnagain Arm, with stops at Beluga Point to watch for beluga whales and Dall sheep, and at a fishing creek where silver salmon runs bring anglers to the banks if the season is right. Weather permitting, you might spot hanging valley glaciers in the mountaintops as the road curves along the Cook Inlet. A commercially licensed guide shares the landscape and wildlife as you go, and the air-conditioned van means you stay comfortable the full hour each way.

At the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center itself, you'll spend roughly 1.5 to 2 hours total. The first half is guided: the staff walks you through the sanctuary and explains the work they do rehabilitating injured and orphaned wild Alaska animals. The second half is yours to spend however you want, moving at your own pace through the grounds. This split means you get the context and the freedom both.

The tour runs year-round, though the morning start time shifts to 9am from mid-September through the end of the month when the center moves to winter hours. Bottled water and snacks travel with you in the van, and entry to the center is included in the price.

What’s included

• Bottled water and snacks onboard.
• air-conditioned vehicle with a commercially licensed driver guide.
• admission to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
• approximately one hour of guided time at the center and approximately one hour of free exploration time.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 25 May 2027

Book up to2h before

GroupUp to 12

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 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Frontier Tours

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a guide, so you travel with other visitors and follow the group's pace on the drive and during the guided portion at the center. The free-time component means you're not locked to the group for the full visit. You can linger at exhibits or move through faster depending on what interests you. Book this if you want the scenic drive explained and the sanctuary's conservation work put in context, but also want some independence once you arrive.

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Top questions

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 animals will I see at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center?

The center rehabilitates injured and orphaned wild Alaska animals and provides them a permanent home. The guide will explain the animals in their care during the guided portion of your visit, and you'll have free time to see them on your own as well.

How much time do I actually spend at the wildlife center?

You'll have approximately 1.5 to 2 hours at the center total. About half that time is a guided walk with staff explaining the sanctuary's work, and the other half is free time for you to explore the grounds at your own pace.

What happens during the drive from Anchorage?

The drive takes roughly one hour each way along the Seward Highway, following Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet. You'll stop for photos at scenic points, visit Beluga Point to look for whales and sheep, and pass a famous fishing creek where you might see anglers during salmon season. Weather permitting, you may spot glaciers in the mountains.

Is the morning departure time always 9am?

From September 16 through September 30, the tour starts at 9am due to winter hours at the conservation center. Outside that window, confirm the departure time when you book.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes bottled water and snacks in the van, transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed guide, and admission to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.