Top 5 Alaska Helicopter Tours: See Alaska From Above

Alaska, I mean, it is just enormous, and seeing it all from the ground, very honestly, it just isn’t going to cut it, alright? So, what could be the way to really grab how gigantic and unbelievably gorgeous the place actually is? Well, you could peek at it from up high, and that’s where a helicopter swoops in to become the rockstar, too! Getting up there in a chopper basically is a way to flip a light on a landscape, similar to it having hidden, superb beauty that you simply cannot see from anywhere else, right? With this thought comes choosing, that’s just not a simple job. Alaska helicopter tours vary wildly and some just definitely sparkle brighter than others, and to sort of help with this head-spinning decision, that’s what I tried to dig into some killer options out there; tours I’d personally vouch for so you could get going on seeing Alaska from a completely rad viewpoint, very truthfully!

1. Knik Glacier Tour from Anchorage

So, right off the bat, Knik Glacier flights take off, quite literally, from Anchorage and it goes to showcase a monster, you know, just pure ice. You could be gazing upon not just one of the biggest glaciers in Southcentral Alaska but one of the most rapidly receding, and that should almost add a dash of significance, right? Just being there almost feels like watching natural history unfold with each creak and groan the glacier makes. In certain tours, a big treat tends to be when the helicopter dips into some almost impossibly turquoise meltwater pools that get perched right on the glacier, okay? It’s not just a ride; that turns into more like seeing colors and textures so raw you’d hardly think they were real, or so you think! It might be very memorable! This scenic helicopter flight adventure shows off more than ice though – the flight reveals hidden waterfalls and possibly wildlife too.

Why Knik Glacier Stands Out

Its accessibility! You get this wilderness explosion but you still can snooze in your Anchorage digs. Also, guides seem very in the loop concerning glacial activity as they provide pretty rich commentary on what’s happening below; what it once used to be! In some respects, seeing glaciers shrinking just, in a way, highlights why enjoying these vistas right this minute actually means so much, right? The helicopter will most likely feel really smooth too, which will be helpful for some.

2. Denali National Park Helicopter Tour

Denali? Yup, the tippy-top dog, and gawking at it any which way hits a grand slam but circling it? Very different kind of home run. Tours usually lift out of Healy (close-ish to the park entrance) and they’re just there so you can wrap yourself in these insane views of ginormous mountains; the seemingly infinite tundra. Assuming that clouds decide not to show up (they have very real bad reputations in these parts), catching Denali, like, without its usual head-covering is basically worth the tour fee itself, too, it is almost just legendary. Along your flight, you are very much able to potentially peer at some cool glaciers way back in some faraway, difficult to get at location, such as the Ruth Glacier, plus loads of neat rock formations only seen from up high, or so you might discover! As I was saying, Denali park area tours also generally have this landing-on-a-glacier component to hike around some. Seeing Denali from above definitely reshapes your thoughts on vastness; grand landscapes of earth!

What Makes Denali Tours Unforgettable

It just really seems, or at least to me, to be focused on just big honkin’ mountains but add in being plopped on some glacier ice? Boom. Next-level bragging permissions and I could not argue otherwise. Be mindful: Denali acts a bit camera-shy thanks to the clouds hanging all around and, as a matter of fact, that tour gets called off every so often due to iffy sky conditions. Keep your fingers crossed!

3. Juneau Icefield Helicopter Tour

If Juneau sits on your short-list of must-see spots, guess what: an icefield flight could just take the whole adventure and basically blast it up to 11, you know? From Juneau Airport, you shoot up almost straight to a humongous playground full of ice—a total of almost 38 glaciers that spiderweb out, and those are some cool numbers for glaciers, okay? Once you cruise in between all that ice action, there’s very definitely a big possibility of dropping onto a glacier, very legitimately stretching those legs where not many bodies have, as I was saying, stomped. In some of those trips, the dog sled rides can be a pretty rad bolt-on; dogs love racing over that slick stuff and it will also seem fun being dragged around by a team full of fluffy energy, or at least I’d think so! If that may be the case. Anyhow. Don’t discount looking out the windows down below; it’s so super often to peep the local beasties such as mountain goats picking on rocks or maybe even bears chilling around watering holes. To repeat, this all depends upon mother nature and if it seems safe to land too. Overall this sounds amazing. Taking to Juneau’s skies shows mountains; blue ice that photos basically don’t come close to doing justice too. The color shows! And then so do the mountains, or at least to some extent. Either one is fun.

The Edge Juneau Icefield Offers

Dog sled rides? They are definitely cool. Seeing them next to some massive glacial thing feels super Alaskan but it has been something people do in Alaska for very many decades; in fact! Guides know this zone down cold plus you get so, too it’s almost educational! Keep posted that glacier landings definitely hinge upon the weather deciding it wishes to be chill that minute so it’s like you have to go with what shakes out. Landings may or may not happen as they want!

4. Misty Fjords National Monument Helicopter Tour from Ketchikan

If you will probably find yourself poking around Ketchikan, oh man: booking this is one super-smart idea. Instead of being mostly ice everywhere, you’re up there eyeballing these very, very immense, long, freaky-deep canyons that had water flowing through as the defining characteristic, and some slick granite bluffs that appear to pop completely vertically starting right out of saltwater; simply super cool stuff! Some helicopter companies get this thing where the chopper stops somewhere like a faraway lake spot; picture this: sitting silently as the whole area completely wraps around. Tours typically include stuff, say like waterfall gazing ( tons within Misty Fjords!) plus eyeing ancient rainforest lands stretching as far as eyesight gets. Sometimes. Check. Looked around? That sort of area also features chances for scoping at all manner of beasties down in inlets there and along alpine sides of hills. Maybe an eagle or two. I do agree with their marketing though; these views just do deliver this powerful; emotional wallop concerning simply realizing wild Earth power in that kind of nature. All that pure and clean geography simply shouts something very hard to forget quickly. Ketchikan really stands for getting out in places like Misty Fjords. To be sure. Ketchikan features Alaska to the max!

Why Misty Fjords Wins Points

Being different from ice/snow zones sets this flight on some slightly cooler playing field while also it still throws the crazy views that always comes to peoples’ mind when daydreaming Alaska vistas, basically. Be prepared as places get soaked super often since rainforest weather, or some type, lives there. Anyway; a helicopter seems like very cozy ways around all it all so weather will rarely spoil it anyway!

5. Spencer Glacier Helicopter Adventure from Anchorage (with Rafting)

For an excursion shot full adrenaline kicks? Anchorage has the recipe. Lift from Anchorage but then go aim straight towards the Chugach Mountains while checking out massive Spencer Glacier while spinning way beneath. Some flight vendors may include this sweet spot about a touch distant yet after you land next to Spencer Lake guess what appears – river guides set to basically usher anyone down some pretty spirited glacial outwash area. As it will be very apparent though; this is going to be something fairly active: anyone on that trip will usually wear those fancy waterproof dry suits plus, or very, very definitely hold tight during stretches from these pretty rocky areas while cruising class I and II style rapids so you actually have this level out here, I really cannot understate the intensity and you’re really holding on in many instances so this definitely should stand out. Spencer Glacier tour will basically be one part peaceful skies viewing and maybe even just some plain frantic drenching…pretty exciting combination. The rafting part goes in tandem by getting the perspective that only folks floating ice melt runoff area basically can know that kind of pure experience level.

Why You’ll Dig Spencer Glacier

Going somewhere beautiful then dropping yourself right square smack deep on some raging white river action sounds very fun indeed if that will not pose a safety concern somehow, as the glaciers, you see, all make all the running around that more thrilling. Keep aware about those requirements involving stuff to carry with also a few basic safety things the river pros talk with their guests there – knowing all what to plan should make that day way sweeter and of less surprise from scary stuff!