Can only do one flight tour...which one?

[ANNIEPG]

Hi all. Taking a Princess Wittier to Vancouver cruise with a 3 day pre-cruise land tour (Fairbanks, Danali, McKinley.)

 

Here is the dilemma. We have budgeted for one flight tour, if any. First timer to Alaska. Interested in wildlife and scenery. Will skip whale watching as have done this several times elsewhere.

 

Since we are doing the inside passage cruise, and visiting Mendenhall glacier on a port visit...will we be "glaciered out?" Is there a need to do one of those helicopter or plane glacier landings? Is a glacier landing more interesting than a sight seeing kind of flight? What about the float plane tour over Misty Fjords? Has anyone done that?

 

Finally, is there any reason to prefer a flight tour out of the Denali area over one out of the Inside Passage ports?

 

Thanks so much for any opinions.

[StillLooking4Adventure]

You don't say much about your group, age, etc... I ask this because we took three flights on our first trip to Alaska. We flew around McKinnley out of Talkeetna and landed on a glacier. It was spectacular to fly over that mountain range. Some trips even fly over the top of McKinley. We also did the Misty Fjords flight and landed on a lake. We went with Michelle of Island wings. It was beautiful, but I ranked it 3rd of the three flights we took. Our favorite was the Helicopter flight in Juneau to a dog mushing camp. We then took a dog sled trip across the glacier. What a thrill. For sightseeing, you can't beat the flight around or over McKinley. However, those flights leave from Talkeetna. I don't know if that is an option for you.

[Budget Queen]

With a Princess cruise, you do get some excellent glacier sailing of College Fjords and Glacier Bay. Mendenhall is WAY down the list of "thrilling" glaciers in my experience. :)

 

But a glaicer helicopter landing is just excellent and gives a great close up view of ice. I also greatly like McKinley summit flights, and floatplanes to Misty fjords. :) :) Have done them all. So a tough question. I suggest you go where you have the most time??

 

However with your wildlife priority, be certain to have distance into Denali Park, if you are on the Natural History tour- this isn't going to cut it with your listed priorities of scenery and wildlife. There have been posted alternatives to this if of interest.