Explore Bears, Trains & Icebergs from Downtown Anchorage

Summary: My wife and I both come from tourism backgrounds from our college days, so we tend to notice the small details that make or break a guest experience — and this company truly exceeded expectations. The entire experience was seamless from start to finish, beginning with the scenic train ride into the Placer River area. It was such a unique and memorable way to reach the starting point — the views alone were worth the trip! Once on the river, our guide struck the perfect balance between entertaining and informative, sharing great local knowledge and stories while maintaining a constant focus on safety and comfort. Even though our section of water was a calm, scenic float, it was clear our guide was highly skilled and had excellent situational awareness — consistently choosing the best lines and adjusting to river conditions with ease. My wife especially appreciated how safe she felt throughout the entire experience, while also being fully engaged and entertained. We were also impressed that every guide we encountered along the way displayed the same high standard of professionalism, friendliness, and safety awareness. It’s obvious this company invests heavily in training and takes great pride in the guest experience. We felt safe, informed, and genuinely enjoyed every minute — from the train ride to the river and all the way through to the end. Whether you’re new to rafting or simply looking for a fun and beautiful way to experience Alaska’s wilderness, this is absolutely the team to go with!

Summary: The train was fun, although the trip was long with many stops. River was cold but amazing! Dress warmly! The coach ride back to our car was a great, quick way to cap off the day.

Summary: An incredible tour with so many spectacular mountain, glacier, iceberg and wildlife viewing opportunities on the journey to the wildlife conservatory and through the glacier waters when weather finally cleared up with the clouds dispersing enough to see across all the top of the glacier.  This trip far exceeded my expectations, from the start of meeting our wonderful guide Alex and the amazing team and riding in your very comfortable van and rafts and smoothly transitioning to the Alaska railroad.   You could not have written a more perfect journey. We loved seeing the abundance of wildlife at the conservatory and hearing Alex share his great insight to each animal's life history and gliding us safely down through the stunning glacier, iceberg, bergie bits onto the smooth rapids!   Your crew were outstanding at making sure everyone was experiencing this trip of a lifetime to the fullest extent possible. The lunch was hearty and delicious, with a fabulous afternoon snack of bars and hot drinks, especially the most popular Swiss Miss hot cocoa!

Summary: We loved this trip. Spencer glacier is off the beaten path only accessible by the train and the lake where you start your float is full of icebergs that they paddle around to get into the river. It was beautiful. The river was equally as beautiful with a few small rapids and great scenery. Alex was our driver thru the wildlife center and was knowledgeable about the animals and he was also our very skilled river guide with a great personality and a lot of local knowledge. Their entire team of guides were great. I would absolutely go again! Thanks Alex for a great day! Kristin and Scott from Montana.

Summary: The Chugach Adventures tour took place on one day of an 8-day "Adventures by Disney" tour, so it was arranged by Disney rather than by my family personally. I don't know if Chugach Adventures customizes anything specifically for Disney groups or if it is the same experience regardless of whether you do it the way we did it or book it yourself. But we definitely had a top-notch experience that was fun, enjoyable, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. We took the Wilderness Express train from Girdwood to the Spencer Whistle Stop, then hiked through the woods, rafted the glacial lake where icebergs of all shapes and sizes were calmly floating in the beautiful valley, and topped it off with a delicious salmon supper cooked on the shore of the lake. Alexander Lange was the guide in our raft and he was phenomenal! He shared his vast knowledge and answered every question so patiently, though he had probably heard many of them dozens of times! Our 13-year old grandson loved the fact that Alex is a self-described "bird nerd" and he asked him numerous bird questions. Alex was tolerant and kind throughout the interrogation. :-) Our grandson declared this the best day of his entire Alaska trip. Why?? Because of Alex! All the staff that we encountered were friendly, professional, competent, and concerned with everyone's safety around the unpredictable glacier and icebergs. Linking the rafts together in the middle of the lake and enjoying hot chocolate while we floated was especially magical! Thank you, Chugach Adventures!

Summary: It was a great excursion. Were a little confused by the 3 tickets the railroad guy gave us. Didn’t really explain anything. Just said that we leave on the train & will return to the same place we started. So thought it was round trip on the train. It was not. We rode the train, and then we were supposed to get off, to ride in a van to see the various penned animals. We missed that but staff was great and made a special stop so we met up with our group. Then on the raft to view the glacier & icebergs. It was awesome! Our guide Noah was excellent! After that we were back on the train, which they announced was going back to Anchorage. So I assumed that was how we should get back to the starting point. Wrong. Again the staff came looking for us to get us on a large bus to take us back to the Anchorage train station. Evidently the bus would get us back faster than the train. Even though there were these few embarrassments, we thoroughly enjoyed the train ride & raft ride.

Summary: This excursion was a perfect day. Our guide, Will, brought to life our experiences and was super enthusiastic about what he was sharing with us. The wild life reserve was extremely interesting! The train ride was fun, and the glacial lake next to the glacier with growlers was amazing the river float was a great experience as well. A must-do day. Our river guide, Jack, was extremely knowledgeable about everything Alaska — and super personable.

Summary: An Unforgettable Alaskan Adventure – A Dream Come True! We came all the way from Vancouver Island to Alaska specifically for this adventure — and it exceeded every expectation! This trip was my son's graduation gift and lifelong dream, and it turned out to be one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences we've ever had. From the moment we boarded the train, we knew we were in for something special. The stunning scenery, the thrill of rafting through glacial waters, and even spotting a bear along the way — every part of the day felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Evan, our guide, was absolutely fantastic. His knowledge, professionalism, and calm demeanor made us feel completely safe and comfortable the entire time. He struck the perfect balance between adventure and reassurance — and truly elevated the whole experience. Spencer Glacier is breathtaking beyond words, and seeing it up close from the water was nothing short of magical. The whole day felt like a dream, and we’re so grateful we chose this excursion to celebrate such an important milestone. Highly, highly recommend — if your looking for a unique and beautiful way to experience the heart of Alaska. Worth every mile traveled and every penny spent!

Summary: It was a great experience! The train ride was enjoyable, and seeing all the animals in one place—even if it felt a bit like a zoo—was still impressive. The glacier is simply breathtaking, and the float trip was a real highlight. The team is highly motivated, knowledgeable, and full of enthusiasm. They also place great emphasis on safety, which is reassuring for participants of all ages. You can’t go wrong booking this trip – you’ll enjoy every minute of it!

Summary: Our guide Noah was great, energetic and knowledgeable. We have a fabulous time, an unforgettable experience. The raft part of the trip was eye opening to the grandeur of Alaska.