Review # 12 for 2026 and my 1000th review!…read more We booked the 2 hour summer Matanuska Glacier hike during our trip to Alaska and we loved it from start to finish! We had a group of 4 adults plus a 14 month old. Booking was super easy, you just texted the phone number and pay on site. I see now that they have an online book system. I think when we did the tour last year it was $150/adult and $30/child. Make sure you program your GPS properly as the signal out there is not reliable. You drive down a drink road and check in at one building, then continue to drive to another building for the hike. There are bathrooms at both building for you to use. Our guide was super chill and easy to talk to. Just dress properly and they provide the gear needed. You are given helmets and crampons to walk in the snow/ice. Also, if you have a baby, they are SUPER child friendly!! We were a bit concerned as we did not bring our hiking backpack for our little guy as we already brought so much for the trip. We decided to just gamble with this hike. They had hiking backpacks galore for the little ones!!! There were so many!! And they were completely free to use during the hike also!! There were different sizes, different colors, different weights!! It would be our little guys first time in one so we did not know how he would like it. He started off hating being put in it... then when my husband stood up with him in it and started walking, he loved it!! It was a lifesaver for this hike!! At 14 months old, our little guy didn't understand how to walk in the ice and all, although they did have kids crampons, he was just too small to fit them at that time, but our guide tried to help us fit it on his show as much as he could. The hike was gorgeous!! Hiking on a glacier was definitely on my bucket list! Some people complain about having a guide and paying them and all, but me personally as someone not used to that type of environment; I felt much more safe on the hike with a guide. I do not know anything about this type of environment and the hidden dangers in the ice and snow! There were many highlights on our trip and this was definitely one of them. Would I do this again? I definitely would!! This activity was pretty affordable as far as Alaska activities are concerned. The hike was so beautiful!! The water is soooo blue. Also, now that my boy is getting older and with how much he loves the outdoors, this is something my husband and I will have to do again if we find ourselves out back in Alaska. Hopefully we will be back again soon! I recommend everyone going to Alaska to book a Matanuska Glacier hike with them!!

I used to go camping with my family in front of the glacier, but now this company is extorting…read moreeveryone by blocking the only entrance. It's disgusting to make people pay an exorbitant amount to see a natural phenomenon, which is on PUBLIC land.

Highly recommend MICA's Advanced Trek to someone who wants to hike on the glacier for a closer look…read moreand experience some ice climbing. Our guide Quinn is passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. We really like him and it was fun and exciting going on the tour following his lead! My friend and I (both female in our late 30s) went on the Advanced Trek in late-June. It was a sunny day, around low to mid-60 degree Fahrenheit on the glacier. The entire tour including the gear-up time was about 6.5 hours. We arrived 30 minutes prior to the start time to check in (sign the waivers and pay the glacier access fee). The participants to guide ratio was 3:1 in our group, allowing us to move efficiently and have all our questions and needs taken care of throughout the tour. Before heading to the field, Quinn brought us to the gear room and thoroughly walked us through the gears: microspikes, crampons, harness, and helmet... etc. Next we took a 10-minute car ride to the glacier trailhead. We first hiked for about 2 miles on the moraine which didn't feel like a long walk probably due to our quick pace. During the time on the ice we saw a beautiful blue glacier lake, walked on a shallow glacier stream, climbed an ice slope about 3 or 4-story high, and hung on a slope to see a moulin (vertical well-like shaft) from above. It was incredibly fun to get the close look and feel of the glacier! There were also snack breaks when Quinn was building the rope system and stairs. Kudos to him for working so hard while we were on breaks. During our time in Alaska, we had seen glaciers from an overlook on a trail and from a cruise in Seward, and they were both really great experience. However, going out and actually stepping on the glacier is another level and a very unique, memorable experience. I recommend doing it if you feel adventurous and have the energy to explore in the wild!

We had a fantastic time camping on the glacier (the only place in the world where one can do that)…read more Everyone we encountered at Mica Guides was friendly, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to make our experience great. I was fearful about the ride on the tiny helicopter, but it was smooth and quick. The pilot is obviously very good at his vocation and was patient with us. Our guides spoiled us with cocktails, dinner and breakfast in the morning, and gave us fuzzy blankets to wander around in when it got very chilly. The tent is still a tent, but they did put a nice bed with a real mattress in there. We made s'mores and had great conversations during the evening time. The glacier itself is magical. We loved exploring on it and learning more about its history and its geology. I highly recommend glacier camping with MICA.

I had a fantastic rafting experience with the NOVA guides…read more Prior to driving by the sign on the road that says "NOVA rafting," I was lamenting about how I didn't think I was going to be able to raft due to my tight schedule while visiting Alaska. I drove by the sign and thought "I will just pop down there and see if they have any space." Lo and behold, that had some space on the trip that was starting ten minutes after I got there. They got me signed up and off we went! Adam did a great job driving our bus and photographing us along the way, Gavin kept us well entertained and got us excited on the bus, Coffee (manager) gave us a very informative safety speech, and my rafts personal guide, Maria (from Louisiana), was awesome. I felt safe and had a wonderful time with her guiding our raft. Getting a gla-cial (facial from the glacier water) was a top experience of my trip. I also thought the tour and photos were appropriately priced. Overall, a great experience and worth the money and I'm so happy I did it.

Amazing! That's the one word I would use to describe this company. The quality of guides this…read morecompany has sets the bar very high. Shoutout to David (for glacier trekking) and Jon (for whitewater rafting) for making the respective excursions memorable! Let me start with the glacier trekking. My buddy and I did the adventure trek.This was perhaps one of the most unique excisions over ever been on. The fact that you're exploring a glacier (the matanuska glacier) by walking on it and through it leaves you with a sense of wonder. It seriously feels like a whole new world that's not in earth. Our guide , David, took us to see a lot of features of the glacier and we got to see glacier crevasses and glacial pools. So beautiful and majestic. This left an imprint of Alaskan glacial beauty and I'll be sure to never forget. He even created a spout on the glacier so we can taste the freshness of glacier water! We felt completely safe with his knowledge of the glacier and he made sure to answer any questions we may have had. Thanks David! The next excursion was to whitewater rafting down the Matanuska River. For the second excursion, we did the lions head rafting tour. Let me start out by saying that it was utterly fun and unforgettable. Going through class 3 and 4 rapids is sure to excite any thrill seeker. The guide definitely makes this trip exciting especially since they are integral to your safety as well as fun. Jon made sure that we were all engaged and having a great time! Thanks Jon! I cannot recommend this company enough. Definitely do multiple activities (you'll get a discount for booking more than one)! This was the end cap for my Alaskan adventure as it was drawing to a close. I couldn't have chosen better adventures to end on! Keep it up Nova!

I booked a winter tour with Salmon Berry that started in Anchorage and traveled to Fairbanks. This…read moretour was amazing. We packed so much in to our week but nothing ever felt rushed and we were able to genuinely enjoy each experience. Our tour guide Laura was so knowledgeable and professional and a joy to spend the week with. I have already recommended this tour to 4 friends and cannot say enough great things about this company, the employees, and the adventures.

Great time! They were able to help us out when we asked for a same-day tour. Got to go to the top…read moreof Alyeska resort with the tram. Also went to the wildlife conservation center and saw the moose, bears, musk oxen, elk, etc. the tour included lunch at our choice of two food trucks. I got the pork belly rice bowl at the Girdwood izakaya. A bit heavy on the salt, but overall an enjoyable meal. Love the blueberry kombucha at the brewery! V, our guide, was informative and helped take pictures of my family! They pick up and drop off at your hotel. Not too sure about the water bottles though. After you are done drinking the tap water, you have to return the bottles for them to recycle. Although they use a dishwasher, it seems a bit strange for me to share bottles with other people.

This is our second year!!! This is such a unique tour!!! Take a truck in the back roads, through…read morethe River. Get on a boat and go up the River get very close to the glacier! Then to land to spend an hour exploring the land with incredible up front views of the Knock Glacier. Tom has been there for 33 years! So knowledgeable!!! Great people. 100% recommend this tour!!! We will do it again next year!!!

This Knik Glacier Tour was cool. It was fun. But...3 days ago I toured Matanuska Glacier and the…read moretwo experiences weren't close. The biggest reason why I much, much, more admired Matanuska Glacier is that I was able to hike onto the glacier and get up close and intimate moments among wonderful surroundings. Meanwhile, here at Knik Glacier, you're just transported just to the edge of the Knik River where the Knik Icefield is set in the backdrop. So...I wasn't fully able to capture this Knik Glacier in all its glory in comparison to Matanuska Glacier. I will say...when I zoomed in on my phone to take photos of the Knik Glacier Icefield area...the pics came out very well. But...when I wanted to put myself into the camera's lens...the moments weren't so fulfilling, and especially since I was coming off such a high at Matanuska Glacier. I'd say, ultimately, Knik Glacier had a lot to live up to from what I had experienced just a few short days ago. Still, no problem, I very much liked my time here. I enjoyed the 3-hour tour I took. Only thing, upon now reflecting... Knik Glacier was very good...just not epically great. And the reason I compare Matanuska Glacier to this Knik Glacier is because they're located so close to each other...within miles of each other in the Palmer/Sutton-Alpine area of Southern Alaska. Let me relay the details about my 3-hour daytrip I took with Knik Glacier Tours... (btw, I believe there are helicopter tours offered where you land on Knik Glacier, but I was okay with navigating without the luxury flight option.) - It was $125 plus tax for the tour = $132. I also tipped $10 each to 2 of the tour guides at the end. - For the 3 hour tour, it broke down like this... * The first 35 minutes are navigated along on the back of an old army jeep vehicle. You'll pass over a bumpy road and through a few rivers. * From the end of the land portion of the tour...you then hop on a waterskiing boat where you'll be transported for about 20 minutes to the edge or "toe" of Knik Glacier. * Then you're afforded 1 full hour to explore along the edge of the land at your own accord, capturing pictures and venturing around...looking out upon Knik's many icebergs and the large icefield in the distance. * While on this 1-hour walk around (at your own pace)...the tour sets up a little picnic/tent area where they offer free hot chocolate and small snack items. For myself, I was so enamored with trying to snap the best and most efficient photos of Knik Glacier, I barely spent any time over at the tent area. * After the 1-hour walk along the river's edge...we then hopped back onto the waterskiing boat where the tour guide drove us straight up to some of the massive icebergs where we were afforded up-close perspectives of nature's natural wonders. We used about 15 minutes guiding through the glacial icebergs before being transported back towards the jeep land excursion and then finally to home base. - I visited and did this Knik Glacier Tour today, July 12th, 2002...and although it was pleasant outside wearing pants and long sleeves, the jeep driver recommended that I bring along a jacket because he mentioned how chilly it got out on the Knik River boat ride. And he was correct. The cold air rushing at me while heading towards the glacier was quite cold. The jacket certainly came in handy! - Although I'll post a photo of my confirmation email about the trip and where the tour begins...tours depart from this address... * 26326 E Buckshot Drive Palmer, AK 99645 - There were 7 people on my 10am tour including myself. This was a nice, personal experience. Not many people with me at all. At the Knik River's edge...we were all able to spread out and go our own ways. Overall, I appreciated my time exploring Knik Glacier. But...if you gave me the choice of doing only 1 glacial tour in this area situated about 50 - 100 miles east of Anchorage...I'd definitely choose Matanuska Glacier over this Knik Glacier. For those folks who have the time to check out both tours...then I found them each worthwhile and good in their own elements, sights and landscapes. And it's because of these glaciers and being immersed among incredible settings that I find Alaska to be one of the prettiest states in the USA.

- 10 star experience for northern lights tour - Dana is…read morefabulous - she knows! - she is dedicated to her craft - they were on time for pickup - snacks are good (chips, nuts, granola bars, water) - eat a hearty dinner before - the field is your pee break if you have to number 2, sorry for ya - our lights started at 11pm they were predicted to be highest between 1230/1 we waited until after 2, and they were still dim all the other people in the area had left - the lights REALLY started at 230, we stayed until 530 Dana had faith we believed in her it paid off - we got home at 6 - great photos by Dana - heated van all night

Mike and Shannon were the best guides for our one and only experience. Josh picked us up and we…read morewere off to their cabin where by 11 pm we're seeing auroras across the sky! The lights were so beautiful and the entire group got to experience VIP photo shoots! The skies were clear on our night and we enjoyed hot cocoa, snacks and even a small walking trail! Once clouds came along we picked up and drove to a few other locations in the area in our heated van! Nice and comfy with a great group of folks until 2 ish. I think my group would even say I got some zzz's in too Lol! We loved it!

My dog sledding experience with Alaskan Husky Adventures was without a doubt, one of the most…read moreunforgettable experiences of my life. From the moment we arrived, it was clear we were in the hands of true professionals. Our mushers, Jaren and Dane, were incredibly experienced, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about what they do. They didn't just guide us - they educated us, patiently answering every single one of my (many!) questions with enthusiasm and depth. You can tell they truly love sharing this world with others. What stood out just as much as the scenery was the care and devotion shown to the dogs. Every single Alaskan Husky is clearly loved, respected, and exceptionally well cared for. It's obvious the entire team is deeply invested in the health, happiness, and wellbeing of these amazing animals, which made the experience feel even more special and authentic. And then there's the ride itself - absolutely breathtaking. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and the trail felt like something out of a dream. We glided through endless stretches of pristine white snow, surrounded by pines trees, with the crisp Alaskan air filling our lungs. At one point, we were even treated to a clear view of Denali in the distance. This wasn't just a tour, it was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that completely exceeded my expectations. I would recommend Alaskan Husky Adventures to anyone looking for something truly extraordinary.

If you're a solo female traveler, you may want to read this…read more I booked this tour after a warm phone call with Liz and drove over an hour to get there on February 15, 2026. The dogs were great and the trail was scenic, but my interaction with owner Matthew Failor detracted from the experience. At check-in, the waiver asked for my full address. When I hesitated and asked why, his response was essentially that I needed to fill it out or I wouldn't be allowed to go out on the sled. Only afterward did he vaguely mention insurance. Being given that kind of ultimatum in front of other guests felt coercive rather than respectful. After the run, he asked if I had fun and stayed warm. I answered simply and briefly. He then commented that I was "a woman of very few words," which came across as dismissive. He then asked where I live, despite my earlier hesitation about sharing personal information. As a woman traveling alone who had already shown discomfort about privacy, that felt intrusive and tone-deaf. The actual sled run was also noticeably shorter than expected, which made the overall experience feel less worth the cost. Liz later called, listened to my concerns, and processed a refund, which I appreciated. I'm sharing this so other women traveling alone can make an informed decision. While the dogs and trail were enjoyable, my interaction with Matthew made the overall experience uncomfortable and not worth repeating.

I can't even describe how awesome our full day ATV tour was to Knik Glacier! It is probably my…read morefavorite tour I've ever been on. Our guide Jack was particularly amazing but everyone we met at Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours were experts in their field, extremely friendly and accommodating. The Brand new ATV's were so much fun to drive in the Alaska Countryside! The guides do a great job of stopping and sharing knowledge about everything you see along the way! Everything is Included! Not only do they include lunch, snacks and water for the entire journey, they also outfit you with all the necessary outerwear you might need. As a larger guy I was a little nervous as most places don't carry my sizes. Not only could they accommodate me easily they even had sizes up to 5x. If you are on the fence about this tour definitely pull the trigger. They will take great care of you and this tour will be the highlight of your trip!

We really had an amazing day. Everything was top notch and overall perfect experience. Our tour…read moreguides Ian and Brady were the best. Where to begin. First we have done ATV in Mexico and in Hawaii on some amazing backdrops. This by far was the best. The machines were perfect and so was the equipment. They had great gear that kept a lot of the mud, dust and water out. It can't be avoided completely but they do everything in their power. I was hesitant about having to wear a helmet but have to say it is a must. As you fly through the trails at catch an errant tree limb this takes it like a champ. We loved getting to the glacier and then getting the option to polar plunge in the glacier. They made it easy and encouraged it. The food and snacks exceeded our expectations and we had the perfect amounts of stops. We saw 3 moose and two of the three were a mother/baby pair. So cute for sure. We saw eagles fly over head too. This was just amazing and the staff made us feel a part of their family. The sand dunes were a blast in these machines. So many good things to say.

I'm not sure I can adequately describe this experience. We may not have done it because it cost…read more about the same as our r/t airline tickets from Florida but one in our party said....."we have to do this"...ok. I can say I am VERY glad we did, it is well run-safety always an issue with helicopters and winds, white outs and such. Once in the air and feeling the winds move us around between tight snow capped cliffs; I felt some anxiety. Where we left from (headquarters) was chilly but no snow, where we landed in 18" of new snow from over night...hello. It was like a different world, kind of in a basin with snow capped mountains all around..beautiful! The dogs are leashed to their dog houses and were very excited we had come to allow them to run! Our driver was Dallas Seadey the winner of this years Iditarod as well as 5 other times! How cool is that? He granddad was in the first race ever so it's in his blood. Dallas was so friendly, down to earth and a treasure of information. He and the dogs are in sync. It was cold, believe me, but I wouldn't have missed this for anything!

Fantastic. Bucket-list kind of thing. Took my two adult sons out for a 4 hour trip, and wish it…read morecould have been longer. I will admit to some trepidation as I am not in the best of shape (think too "round" and too used to sitting), but it worked out great! A perfect mixture of the fun of driving ATVs in the wilderness with stops to explore nature and learn the natural history of this special place. Started with Oliver picking is up at the hotel in Anchorage. In a brand new and spacious van. He is prompt, smart, and very engaging. A delightful conversationalist for the 40 min drive to the launch point. We were then provided excellent, new, or seemingly new equipment (gloves, gators, helmets, and ATVs) and then given a safety briefing, and operations review of the equipment. And we were off... A wonderful morning of trails through woods, through stream beds, up to glacial lakes. We saw bald eagles, 1 moose, some sheep, and felt like we were in a truly special place. The guides were careful to make sure we had a fabulous (and safe) time. On the way back, we came to the aid of a stranded Alaskan who had lost a belt on their ATV, and we brought him back out. It's difficult to imagine a better morning introduction to Alaska. Would recommend it to anyone...no, no everyone!

So beautiful and friendly workers. Made me welcomed and the weather was perfect. The animals are…read morewell taken care of and the Reindeers were the highlight of my trip! The staff were very educational as well.

This was an amazing experience! Seems like such a small operation but what they have to offer is…read moreamazing. Aside from the reindeer, the bison, cows, and other unique animals were just so cool. Taking a pic with the baby reindeer at the end was the icing on the cake. Would definitely want to come here again!