From Anchorage, travel by deluxe motor coach on the scenic Seward Highway to Portage Glacier. Board the mv Ptarmigan for an unforgettable one-hour ... See more

From Anchorage, travel by deluxe motor coach on the scenic Seward Highway to Portage Glacier. Board the mv Ptarmigan for an unforgettable one-hour cruise across iceberg-dotted Portage Lake. On the way back to Anchorage, stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to view wildlife up close.

On your one-hour cruise aboard the mv Ptarmigan, you'll stand just 300 yards from a relic of the Ice Age and watch as icebergs break off the glacier and crash into the water below.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Highlights:
Come see the animals display their natural, “wild,” behavior. Coyotes peer out from behind the brush while a bald eagle swoops in on the salmon remains left by a grizzly bear. Wood Bison plod through 65 acres of tidal flat terrain - they are part of a program that will one day restore the species to the Alaska wilderness. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, public education, and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center. Bears, moose, coyote, eagles, elk, musk oxen, and wood bison are just a few of the animals you will see.

mv Ptarmigan Highlights:

• mv Ptarmigan is the only boat operating on Portage Lake
• Narrated by an on-board representative of the U.S. Forest Service
• Fully enclosed, heated cabin
• Expansive windows for enhanced viewing
• Topside view deck offers a great vantage point for watching the glacier “calve,” and for visitors to enjoy the fresh air
• Holds up to 149 passengers
• 80-foot vessel was built on site at Portage Lake to U.S. Coast Guard specifications
• 6.5-foot draft for minimal environmental impact
• Operates on national forest service lands of the Chugach National Forest and is operated under a special-use permit from the USDA Forest Service
• The mv Ptarmigan’s sound system cannot be heard from the shore, ensuring preservation of this naturally peaceful setting for wildlife and for other visitors
• Hull designed for safety in ice-filled waters
• Operates daily from mid-May through mid-September See less