Base Camp Girdwood - Tour 820

Enjoy Girdwood, it’s a local’s favorite destination, too.

Bridge along the Winner Creek hiking trail.

Base Camp Girdwood - Tour 820

Enjoy Girdwood, it’s a local’s favorite destination, too.

Base Camp Girdwood - Tour 820

Enjoy Girdwood, it’s a local’s favorite destination, too.

Taking off from a glacier high above Girdwood, Alaska.

Base Camp Girdwood - Tour 820

Enjoy Girdwood, it’s a local’s favorite destination, too.

Overview
What's Included
Itinerary
Map
Rates & Dates
Options & Upgrades
Photos
Add to My Trip

Trip Overview

They call Girdwood "Glacier City" for good reason. The small ski town has views of numerous glaciers that cling to nearby mountainsides and steep cirques. As a base camp Girdwood is both exceptional in its own right and surrounded by opportunities for real Alaska experiences. On this base camp package experience glaciers four ways (hiking, rafting, flightseeing, day cruise), plus plenty of wildlife, local culture, history, and scenery. The full package includes five nights at the Alyeska Resort and daily activities. The trip starts and ends in Anchorage.

Trip Highlights

Spend five nights at the Alyeska Resort, Alaska's only four-diamond property.
Take a helicopter tour into the mountains surrounding Girdwood.
See wildlife, ride the train, and raft among icebergs.
Hike with a guide in the high alpine above Girdwood.

Why Pick This Trip

As travel resumes in late summer of 2020, base camp itineraries provide visitors an opportunity to experience Alaska with care. You'll stay in fewer separate hotels and limit the amount of time spent traveling between destinations without sacrificing the big landscapes, big wildlife, and big adventure of Alaska. In this itinerary center your experience in Girdwood, a ski town with abundant summertime activities just 45 minutes from Anchorage.

What's Included

Here is everything that is included. Remember, we can easily add or remove services so this vacation package is the perfect fit for your party.

Anchorage | 5 Days

When flexibility and freedom is a must, opt to travel by rental car. Rates available for compact, midsize, full size, and minivans. Learn More >

Girdwood | 5 Nights

Offering well-appointed accommodations and luxurious amenities, the Alyeska Resort is Alaska's only four-diamond property. The hotel is located just 40 miles southeast of Anchorage in the ski town of Girdwood. Learn More >

Girdwood | Depart 9:00 AM | 3 Hours

Hike with an experienced wilderness guide on this exhilarating three-hour trip along alpine ridgelines high above Girdwood, Alaska's "Glacier City." Learn More >

Girdwood | Depart 11:00 AM | 7 Hours

Do it all in a day (ride the train, see Alaskan wildlife, raft alongside icebergs) on this roundtrip tour out of Anchorage. Learn More >

Girdwood | Depart 10:15 AM | 2 Hours

Fly in an R44 helicopter, land on a snow-covered cirque glacier, and take a ride with sled dogs training for the Iditarod on this two-hour adventure out of Girdwood. Learn More >

Whittier | Depart 12:30 PM | 5 Hours

Glassy waters treat passengers onboard the Klondike Express to the smoothest of rides on this family-friendly day cruise through the fjords of Prince William Sound. Learn More >

Itinerary

Read on for a day-by-day breakdown of this tour package. Click on an item to get started, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.

Arrive into Anchorage and pick up your car. On the short 45-minute drive to Girdwood be sure to stop at a few pullouts to take pictures of the scenic Turnagain Arm. When you arrive, settle into your room at the Alyeska Resort.

Start the day taking in sweeping views of the Girdwood valley and surrounding mountains on a guided hike. You'll take the Alyeska Tram above treeline and then continue by foot up a nearby ridgeline. The pace is leisurely and the views worth the incline.

Once you've returned, head out to take in some of Girdwood's charms. Make time to visit the Crow Creek Mine, local art galleries, and the Girdwood Brewing Company.

No doubt you'll end up calling this a bucket list Alaska day. It starts by boarding the Alaska Railroad's Glacier Discovery train at the Girdwood Depot. It's a quick ride to the Portage stop where you'll take a side trip with your guide for tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The center is home to many Alaskan animals, including moose, lynx, foxes, and bears.

Back on the train, it's on to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop. From here the tour continues by raft into an iceberg filled lake and eventually down the mellow Placer River. After about two hours on the water, it's back on the train to Girdwood.

This morning fly by helicopter high into the mountains surrounding Girdwood. You'll land on Punchbowl Glacier at a sled dog camp. Meet the resident pups, learn about mushing, and go for a dog sled ride on the glacier before hopping back on the helicopter for a scenic flight back.

In the afternoon take a drive to explore the funny little town of Hope on the opposite side of the Turnagain Arm.

You're off to Whittier today for a half-day glacier cruise in Prince William Sound. Leave time to take in the sites on the 30-minute drive along the Turnagain and into Portage Valley. Stop at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, just be sure to get through the two-mile tunnel that takes you to Whittier in time to catch the cruise.

Say bye-bye to Girdwood. Your trip concludes with a drive back to Anchorage.

Map

Here is our general tour map showing all the destinations we offer. You can see a larger version here.

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Rates and Dates

The prices below will give you an idea of approximately how much this trip will cost. Keep in mind your actual price will likely vary based on your departure date, availability, and any modifications you make. You can use one of the links below to request an exact quote for your party, or price the trip yourself if you prefer using our My Trip feature.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $3,589	Double: $2,379	Triple: $2,026	Quad: $1,849	Child: $919
Taxes & Fees	Single: $407	Double: $219	Triple: $162	Quad: $134	Child: $31
Total	Single: $3,996	Double: $2,598	Triple: $2,188	Quad: $1,983	Child: $950
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

	Single	Double	Triple	Quad	Child
Tour Price	Single: $3,088	Double: $2,129	Triple: $1,859	Quad: $1,724	Child: $919
Taxes & Fees	Single: $344	Double: $188	Triple: $141	Quad: $118	Child: $31
Total	Single: $3,432	Double: $2,317	Triple: $2,000	Quad: $1,842	Child: $950
The columns above represent room occupancy. For example, "Double" means two adults sharing one room. The "Child" rate shown is based on an 11 year old sharing a room with two adults.

Options & Upgrades

As a base camp package, this itinerary really is just the start! If you'd prefer to spend more time in the backcountry at Spencer Glacier, switch to an iceberg kayak tour. Looking for a mellower start to the vacation? Skip the guided hike and ride the tram on your own. You can also add a night or two in Anchorage to make travel days easier.

Your final package price will be updated to reflect just the services you choose. Give us a call or request a quote for more specifics.

Anchorage

Just minutes from the Anchorage airport and lively Lake Hood Seaplane Base, this comfortable hotel offers recently renovated rooms, three restaurants, and a spacious waterfront deck. Learn More >

Anchorage | Depart 9:45 AM | 13 Hours

Spend one full day living two of Alaska’s best experiences on this bucket-list trip: Take a ride on the Alaska Railroad and kayak among icebergs in a remote mountain lake. Learn More >