Hi there!
The 5-glacier seaplane exploration tour was part of the first epic excursion I did during my first Alaska cruise.
You can do the 5-glacier seaplane tour as a standalone excursion, or you can do it as a part of a food + flightseeing combo tour which comes with a landing in a remote part of Alaska.
I personally think you should always do a flightseeing tour with a landing if you have the chance!
And in the case of the 5-glacier seaplane tour, you have the chance to do a wilderness landing as a part of your flightseeing tour! Instead of booking the 5-glacier seaplane exploration, you will book the Taku Lodge Feast and Five Glacier Discovery!
But whether you do the flightseeing only or you do the landing at the wilderness lodge too, you will get epic views of Alaska!
You’ll fly over Tongass National Forest (the largest national forest in the United States!) and then you’ll fly across the Juneau Icefield (5th largest icefield in North America).
As you’re flying across the Juneau Icefield you’ll see glaciers… yes 5 of them!
The seaplane flight route includes flying to see the Norris Glacier, Taku Glacier, Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier, West Twin Glacier, and East Twin Glacier.
According to NASA, the Taku Glacier is not only the largest glacier of the Juneau Icefield, it’s one of the thickest known alpine glaciers in the world!
And so, by doing this epic seaplane tour in Juneau, you will be seeing the top natural ice wonders not only of the United States and North America, but the world!
Small aircraft are a way of life in Alaska. It’s how many everyday people get around in Alaska, so by flying by seaplane (also called a float plane) you will be experiencing a bit of the Alaskan lifestyle too!
The 5-glacier seaplane exploration is done through Wings Airways as the 5-Glacier Exploration Seaplane Tour, and you can also look for this excursion offered through your cruise line.
If you are looking to book through Princess, it has the name of Five Glacier Seaplane Exploration. I recommend you read the reviews there even if you are not on a Princess cruise ship.
I did the food + flightseeing combo tour, but below I’ll take you through what the 5-glacier flightseeing of my excursion was like! I did this on May 4, and you can see more of my pictures from my Alaska cruise in early May.
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The seaplane is docked in downtown Juneau. You’ll get a shuttle that will take you from the cruise ship to the seaplane.
Side note!
Things to buy on Amazon that you'll thank yourself for having for your Alaska cruise!
I am an Amazon Associate. I may earn a commission.
- Travel-friendly rain gear in case it rains (much of your cruise is in Southeast Alaska where it rains a lot)
- Water resistant pants for walking in Alaska (lightweight comfortable pants that are good for movement and quick to dry!)
- for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
- A popular travel essential nowadays if you have an iphone: An airtag tracker for your luggage so you can keep track of it! Buy just one, or buy a pack of 4. (Buy one for yourself, and as a travel gift!) Read the reviews!
- Lightweight waterproof binoculars (so you can see wildlife better on those scenic cruising days!)
- Merrell waterproof hiking shoes if you'll be doing rainforest hikes or if you'll be doing a lot of walking:
- Merrell is one of the best outdoor shoe brands
- Women's Merrell Moab 3 shoes
- Men's Merrell Moab 3 shoes
- Packing cubes travel set (better organize your suitcase and with clothing cubes, a shoe bag, and toiletry bag! This also makes it easier to unpack and organize your cruise cabin quicker.)
/end side note
The flight route will take you to see Tongass National Forest, the Juneau Icefield, and 5 glaciers.
Side note!
Top Alaska activities you must consider!
- Easy-going day with a must-see: Mendenhall Glacier trolley tour
- The epic dog sledding is a visit to a sled dog camp on a glacier, and the cheaper version can be a fun remote yukon sled dog camp
- You'll spend most of your time during your cruise in Southeast Alaska, and this is the location of the "largest intact temperate rainforest in the world," according to the US Forest Service. And so... you need to consider a e-bike and rainforest hike ecotour that includes a visit to Tongass National Forest!
- More fun e-biking in Alaska: e-biking and gold panning tour
- Classic must-do in Alaska: Premier whale watching
- A better way to see the most popular glacier to see during an Alaska cruise: glacier ice adventure (the glacier is getting further and further back - see it while you still can!)
- Post cruise: Downtown Vancouver luggage storage (near the cruise port)
/end side note
👆 You’ll fly past the Norris Glacier, Taku Glacier, Hole-in-Wall Glacier, West Twin Glacier, and East Twin Glacier.
Everyone has a window seat on the seaplane.
Since the flight route is out-and-back, what you don’t see on the way out, you will see on the way back!
So don’t worry about picking the correct side of the plane and choosing the perfect seat!
Now here are some pictures of views of the Tongass National Forest and the Juneau Icefield from the seaplane!
And that’s a bit about one of the best seaplane tours to do in Juneau!
The actual best Juneau seaplane tour is the combo tour that includes the flightseeing and food: Taku Lodge excursion. 😉
For another Tongass National Forest seaplane tour during your Alaska cruise, see things to do in Ketchikan!
HAPPY DOING A GLACIER SEAPLANE TOUR IN JUNEAU!
Plan more of your Alaska cruise
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Seattle | Vancouver
More Alaska travel planning tips you need to know!
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Seattle | Vancouver
Things you might need for a day in Alaska on land or at sea!
Read the reviews on Amazon! I'm an Amazon Associate.*
- Rain poncho for a day out and about
- Review from cruise ship passenger: "Absolutely loved having these for our Alaska excursions from the cruise ship! Nice, lightweight, easily packable... easy to put on over our backpacks... Also, highly breathable vs the disposable plastic ones. Ours held up to the windy conditions too!..."
- Read the full review.
- Or... cheap ponchos just in case
- merrell waterproof shoes for women (one of the best shoe brands for the outdoors)
- merrell shoes for men
- travel binoculars that come with a phone adapter designed to allow you to take pictures through the binoculars with your phone. (Test out the binoculars and phone adapter at home before your cruise so you won't be wasting time figuring out when you want to be actually looking for wildlife!)
- for higher quality ones, as recommended in cruise facebook groups by people in-the-know, look at vortex diamondback binoculars
- Packable lightweight puffer jacket (aka travel-friendly)
- For women: puffer jacket | for men: puffer jacket
- Water resistant hiking clothes for Alaska
- for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
For more ideas, do a search for Alaska cruise clothes!
*I may earn a commission.
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Pinterest tip: Share the travel ideas you find on pinterest with your travel partners! Go to your Alaska cruise travel board, and look for the little + person icon! Or, you can go to "edit board" and "invite" your travel partners as a "collaborator"! This way you can all add pins to one shared board and you can all easily see what ideas others have found!