Fancy a trip of a lifetime tour? Landing on a glacier by helicopter in Juneau, Alaska was a tour of a lifetime.
Just going in a helicopter is fun! Let alone landing on a glacier and then talking a guided walk. I still cannot believe I did it!
The last time I was in a helicopter I was being airlifted to hospital when I broke my femur bone skiing a few years ago. So, this was exciting yet daunting for me!
I enjoyed everything minute of it and just walked very slowly on top of the glacier. As the guide said if you fall over you will cut yourself, if your gloves are off as the ice is very sharp, so no walking when your gloves are off for taking photos!
Helicopter Glacier Tour
I did this tour in Juneau, Alaska and the helicopters were at the airport. Before we were taken to the helicopters we were asked for our weight and shoe size.
When we arrived we, got our kit of a rainproof and windproof trousers and jacket, boots (in the correct shoe size), gloves and a waist bag containing tissues, a bottle of water and granola bar.
I recommend you wrap up warm as the trousers and jacket are very thin, so you still need warm clothes underneath. Bring a hat as that is not provided, just the gloves. The waist bag also has space for a phone and wallet.
You are told not to bring bags on this tour as there no space in the helicopter for them. If you have a camera bag or any other belongings you must leave it at the tour building.
We were given a safety induction then told which helicopter we would be in. We had to give our weight so the helicopter is balanced. The helicopter held six passengers and one pilot.
Taking off
Our pilot was a woman and led the route of three other helicopters. The journey took 25 minutes and we had a great tour of the mountains and spotting bears and goats. Then a tour of the glacier from the sky. The glacier has so many textures. See the photos below.
Landing and Walking on the Glacier
When we landed on the glacier we were given a trekking pole and crampons were put on our boots to be sturdy walking on the ice.
We walked around the glacier for an hour. It is completely different from walking on snow, the ice is hard and sharp and in other parts soft and slushy.
After the guided walk, it was time to take off the crampons and give back the trekking pole and get back onboard the helicopter for our ride back. The journey back only took ten minutes. The tour was a total of three hours.
It was an amazing experience and I recommend this tour to anyone that has a sense of adventure and likes to do a tour that is a bit different.
Essential Info
- Weather: It is cold as you are on top of a glacier! 0*C – 5*C
- Currency: US Dollar (for the gift shop)
- Language: American English
- Recommendations: Bring just what you need as there is no space in the helicopter. I just brought my small wallet and my iPhone.
What Did I Wear?
- Jeans
- Jacket
- Thermal Long Sleeve Top
- The North Face Fleece
- Thick socks
- Hat
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I hope you enjoyed reading Tour of a Lifetime Landing on a Glacier by Helicopter in Juneau Alaska. Please share on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest so your friends and family can read too. Sharing is caring!
Happy Cruising!
Love Lucy x
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I am fascinated by the deep blue tones of the ice… what a crazy experience to have! I dream of Alaska.
Author
It was not what I was expecting, but beautiful 💙
What a unique experience! I have a strange fear of helicopters, so I am not sure I would dare doing this. But the reward to walk on a glacier after is definitely worth the fear of the helicopter ride!
Author
We were in the air for not very long, so maybe you would be ok!
That must have been one hell of an experience.. And thanks for sharing it with us.. Also, It’s so important the clothing for this kind of weather & I’m glad you’ve mentioned it.. Also the pilot was a lady makes me even more proud 🙂
Author
It was amazing! Still can’t believe I did it! You need to wrap up warm as it’s cold on the glacier ❄️❄️❄️
We are saving Alaska and Hawaii for last on our adventure to every state in America. I hope we could take a helicopter to visit a glacier when we go because it sounds amazing!
Author
I recommend it! It was fantastic! I’m in Hawaii now 🌺
Ohhhh my God – Alaska is my absolute dream destination!! I would love to go there one day and the helicopter tour sounds amazing. I have neither done a helicopter tour nor have I seen a glacier 😀 But I hope all of your tips will come in handy one day when I finally make it to Alaska!! <3
Author
I highly recommend it 💙
Wow, your pilot was a woman! Cool! it looks super cold there so I was surprised to see that you only indicated the temperature to be 0˚-5˚C. How was your iPhone while you were there? I took my iPhone to the Fairy Pools in Scotland and the battery got drained away by the cold!
Author
My iPhone battery did not last long, the cold drained it! ❄️
Wow you were ticking off two of my bucket list items there! I’ve never been in a helicopter, I’d much rather do it for something like this and not airlifted in an emergency like your first time! This sounds like an incredible tour, I hope I can take it one day!
Author
Highly recommend it! Much better than being airlifted to hospital!
This sounds like an incredible experience. I’d love to be able to walk on a glacier. Good tip about not walking without gloves on. I had no idea glacier ice is sharp enough to cut you.
Author
It was! I was very careful up there!
These days people call anything offbeat, trust me this is real offbeat. I wasn’t aware that helicopters tours are available. Good to know a lady was reading the tour. I specially love that photograph which with only a tent on the icebed. You have given a very good detail of all essential.
Author
Thank you very much 💙
Wow I had no idea that there were tours that landed on the Glaciers. This looks like it was a really unique experience and much better than being airlifted for a broken Femur! Good tips to still dress warm under the items they give you! The last thing I would want would to be freezing on a Glacier!
Author
It was a great experience 💙 but quite cold! ❄️
What an amazing experience! I love glaciers and landing on one in a helicopter would be so fun!! Seeing mountains, goats and bears on the ride to the glacier sounds like it would be a wonderful experience in and of itself and then having the chance to get out and explore on foot takes it to another level! I love how it looks like you had the area to yourself too. Great photos!
Author
It was fantastic! We were the only tour up there so it was really nice.
This looks like a fun way to see a glacier. I did some glacier hiking in Iceland but we could walk to that glacier and didn’t have to take a helicopter. You really got the blues out of the glacier in the photos.
Author
Thank you! I wish I had seen a glacier when I was in Iceland, next time!
I would absolutely love to take this tour! It looks so beautiful there!!! And I’ve actually never had a chance to ride in an elevator. I only wish I could walk on the glacier for more than an hour. A whole day wouldn’t be long enough.
Author
I highly recommend the tour, you can do longer tours and hike for longer, but its freezing!
Hi Lucy!
It’s absolutely beautiful! I’m thinking of bringing my parents since its not a long hike, which is what my parents need! May I know the company for the tour you went?
Thanks in advance:)
Cheers
Author
Hi Tiffany, thank you! I booked the tour through the cruise line, but the tour company was North Star Trekking and the tour was called the Helicopter Glacier Walk About, here is the website: http://www.northstartrekking.com
Hope you have a great time when you go to Alaska!
What a fantastic memorable experience! I have done some helicopter rides over glaciers in north of India and I enjoyed them. You got mesmerizing captures. I would love to walk on them, which is something I couldn’t do.