Mendenhall Glacier tour prices

How much does a Mendenhall Glacier tour cost?

Between $83 and $471 per person on Viator, and most glacier days sit between $156 and $330.

The table lists every tour on this site by price. Lengths are approximate. Compare the last column before the price, because it shows what you are actually paying for.

What can you do at Mendenhall Glacier for almost nothing?

Take the $2 public bus, walk the lakeshore and the viewpoints, and pay only if you want to go inside the visitor center.

Capital Transit routes 8, 3 and 4 stop at Dredge Lake Road, $2 for adults and $1 for ages 6 to 18, with children 5 and under at no charge. From there it is a 1.5-mile walk. The Forest Service visitor center page says the grounds are open from 6 am to midnight and the visitor center building asks $5 per person in 2026, with children 15 and under at no charge.

That is the honest floor. If all you want is a look at the ice and a walk to the waterfall, you do not need a tour. The visitor center and trails guide covers what is there.

Is park entry included in the tour price?

On the Express bus, yes. The listing for the Express names park entrance fees, and the glacier and whale combo lists bus transportation and park entrance fees.

Other listings do not spell it out, so read the inclusions list rather than assuming. The visitor center fee is $5 per person for 2026, children 15 and under at no charge. The Forest Service proposed $15 per person with a $20 season pass, and the Juneau Empire reported the public comment period ran from 22 May to 20 July 2026. No effective date was stated, so check the Forest Service page before you go.

What does the $83 Express bus actually give you?

A narrated round trip in an air-conditioned vehicle, park entry, and time on your own at the glacier.

The listing says a guide on the trails is not allowed under the Forest Service permit, so the driver talks on the bus and you walk alone. One guest wrote "Not a tour - just a bus ride drop off to the Glacier area & bus pick up 2 hours later." Another liked it: "Tour guide would have enhanced the experience. Driver was good."

Take it if you want a cheap, simple ride. Skip it if you want someone to explain the glacier on foot.

Why do whale and glacier combos cost $156 to $249?

A boat with a crew and a naturalist, plus transfers between the cruise terminal, the glacier and the harbor.

Price follows four things: the boat or canoe, the gear, the guide and the distance. Whale boats leave from Auke Bay, not from the glacier, so a combo pays for two transfers and two operations in one booking. The Ultimate Juneau Whale Watch at $156 is whales plus a weather-dependent glacier photo stop. The whale watching and glacier tour at $249 adds time on the glacier trails, snacks and port pickup.

The whale and glacier combo guide sets them side by side.

The most reviewed way to do the glacier and the whales in one booking.

★ 4.9 7,689 reviews · 4.5 hours · from $249

Explore the whale watching and glacier tour →

Is a $250 to $330 canoe or hike worth it?

If you want to get close to the ice and be guided, yes. Rain gear, boots, a life vest and snacks are in the price.

The glacier lake canoe tour at $251 is canoeing only. The Ice Adventure at $330 adds a guided hike near the glacier. Both are rated 5.0. One guest called the paddle "mildly challenging but nothing excessive for someone with a good level of upper body fitness".

Gear is the hidden value. You would otherwise pay for waterproof boots and layers you do not own.

When is the $471 helicopter worth it?

When you want to stand on ice. It lands on Herbert Glacier, not Mendenhall, and costs the most of any day here.

The helicopter and icefield walk runs about 2.6 hours with boots and raincoats provided. It needs three days notice to cancel for a full refund, and fog can stop flights. One guest wrote that the weather was bad and the company cancelled.

Book it as an upgrade, not a way to see Mendenhall. Read the helicopter and dog sled guide first.

Which extra costs and cancellation rules should you know?

Tips are not included on any listing, and two tours have stricter rules than the rest.

The sled dog camp is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. The helicopter needs three days to cancel. Every other tour here carries a full refund up to 24 hours before. The whale watching and glacier tour lists a $3 shuttle to the Goldbelt Tram building as not included. The sea kayak tour and the canoe tours list warm layers as your job.

Frequently asked questions