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Guide · Combo tours
Juneau whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier tour
One booking, two sights: how a Juneau whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier tour splits your day between the ice and the water, and how the three combos on offer differ.
Check availabilityfrom $108 · free to cancel
Editorial team, juneauwhalewatchingtours.comUpdated October 16, 20267 minutes to read4 sources
In short
- 01Shortest combo
- 4 hours with a self-guided glacier stop, from $152.
- 02Waterfall version
- 5 hours, with a full refund if you see no whale, from $199.
- 03Day trip
- 4.5 hours with guides rated 4.9, from $230.
- 04Whale-only option
- 3 hours from $108 if the glacier can wait.
- 05Getting there
- Every combo starts in downtown Juneau and runs the transfers.
Why pair the whales with the glacier
Most people who spend a day in Juneau want two things: a look at the humpback whales in the channels north of town and a close view of the Mendenhall Glacier. Doing both separately means two bookings, two meeting points and two sets of transfers, which is a lot to fit into a cruise call. A combo tour bundles them: one meeting point downtown, one bus loop that takes in the glacier and the harbor, and one booking to manage.
The format is simple. A bus takes you from town to the glacier area, you spend time on the trails and at the viewpoints, and the same bus then carries you on to Auke Bay, where the boat leaves. On the shortest combo the order is town, glacier, harbor, whales and back. You do not need to know the roads or watch the clock between stops, because the crew keeps the day moving.
The catch is time. Splitting a few hours between land and sea means each part is shorter than on a dedicated trip. If whales are the reason you booked your cruise, a whale-only tour gives you more of them. If you want a well-rounded day that touches both of Juneau's headline sights, the combo is the efficient answer.
A combo day
How the 4-hour combo runs
-
Start
Downtown Juneau
Meet at the chosen starting point and board the bus.
-
First stop
Mendenhall Glacier
Time at the recreation area, viewpoints and visitor center.
-
Transfer
On to Auke Bay
A short bus ride takes you to the harbor.
-
On the water
Whale watching
A boat cruise in search of humpbacks with a naturalist guide.
-
Return
Back to town
The bus brings you back to one of the drop-off points.
The three combos side by side
The shortest combo runs 4 hours, starts from $152 and is rated 4.71 from 155 reviews. Its glacier visit is a self-guided stop at the recreation area, with coffee, hot chocolate and a snack on the boat afterwards. The operator notes that this version does not leave enough time to hike out to Nugget Falls, so it suits people who want the view and a short walk rather than a trail.
The waterfall version runs 5 hours, starts from $199 and is rated 4.72 from 276 reviews. It gives you free time at the glacier recreation area, long enough for the gravel path to Nugget Falls, and it comes with a full refund if you do not see a whale. That promise is unusual and makes it the low-risk choice for anyone worried about a quiet day on the water.
The day trip runs 4.5 hours and starts from $230, with an overall rating of 4.76 from 135 reviews. Its guides score 4.9 and transportation 4.6. It is run by a different company from the other two, which gives you a genuine alternative if the first operator is sold out on your date.
Comparison
Whale and glacier combos compared
| Combo | Duration | Glacier time | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whales and glacier | 4 hrs | Self-guided stop | 4.71 | from $152 |
| Glacier, waterfall and whales | 5 hrs | Time for Nugget Falls | 4.72 | from $199 |
| Whales and glacier day trip | 4.5 hrs | Self-guided stop | 4.76 | from $230 |
| Whales only (this site's tour) | 3 hrs | None | 4.79 | from $108 |
From-prices and ratings as listed on GetYourGuide; check each listing for the current order of stops.
Three combos
Pick your whale and glacier day
Best price
Refund promise
Top guidesDecision helper
Combo or whales only?
Tap the plan that sounds like you
Whales and glacier
From $152 for 4 hours.
Waterfall and whales
5 hours with free time at the glacier.
Waterfall and whales
A full refund is offered if no whale is seen.
Whales only
3 hours from $108, glacier on another day.
Glacier day trip
Another operator, 4.5 hours, guides rated 4.9.
How long you really get on the water
On a whale-only trip such as the tour on this site, the boat part lasts about 2 hours inside a 3-hour day. On a combo, the boat time is similar on paper, but the glacier visit and the extra driving push the total up. The 4-hour combo, for example, spends its first stretch at the glacier and its second on the water. That is a fair balance for a first visit to Juneau.
If you want the longest stretch at sea, book the whales on their own and see the glacier another way. If you want the most complete half day, the 5-hour waterfall combo gives the most time on land without cutting the cruise short. Read the listing for each, because the order of the stops and the time at the glacier differ.
One practical point: combo days are long, and both halves can be wet. Plan to carry rain gear and a warm layer all day, not only for the boat. The glacier area is open and exposed, and the boat can be cool even on a bright afternoon, so the same jacket earns its place twice.
Checklist
For a whale and glacier day
01
Bring for both halves
- Rain gear for the glacier and the boat
- A warm layer
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Camera with zoom
02
Check before you book
- Total length against your all-aboard time
- The exact meeting point downtown
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
Cost calculator
What a combo costs your group
Select a combo, enter how many are travelling, and the combined from-price appears below.
People
Total from$303
per participant from $152
Check availabilityfree cancellationThe calculator multiplies each listing's lowest GetYourGuide price by your party size, converting with the ECB rate where needed; the booking step has the binding figure.
Video
Juneau Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier Tour | Juneau Excursion | Carnival Miracle Day 5
The video loads only when you tap play.
What the glacier stop includes
The glacier part of each combo is a stop at the Mendenhall Glacier recreation area, not a guided hike onto the ice. You get time at the viewpoints, the visitor area and the short trails near the lake. The waterfall combo leaves room to walk to Nugget Falls, which sits close to the face of the glacier and makes a striking photo with the ice behind it.
In late summer, both of the longer combos mention the chance to look for spawning salmon and black bears from the boardwalk over Steep Creek. Those are wild animals on their own schedule, so treat them as a bonus rather than a plan. The glacier itself, by contrast, is always there, and on a clear day the view across the lake is the image most visitors carry home from Juneau.
For everything about the glacier on its own, such as how to get there without a tour, entrance details and how much time to allow, see the sister guide to the Mendenhall Glacier trolley tour. This page keeps to the combos: what they bundle, how they compare and which one makes sense for your day.
Whales you can expect on the boat
The boat half of a combo goes after the same whales as any other tour from Auke Bay. Humpbacks are the main attraction, and Travel Juneau notes that visitors may also spot orcas, sea lions and porpoises.1 What you see on a given afternoon depends on where the whales are feeding, and good crews share information with each other to find them.
Humpbacks come to these waters to feed. They feed almost exclusively in the summer months and live off their fat reserves while breeding in warmer waters.2 A feeding whale can eat up to 1.5 tons of food a day, mainly krill and small schooling fish.3 That appetite is why summer channels near Juneau can hold so many of them at once.
Every boat follows the federal rule that keeps vessels at least 100 yards (91.4 m) from a humpback, with some exceptions.4 The view is still close enough to hear the blow on a calm day and to watch the tail rise before a dive. Bring binoculars if your combo does not provide them; the shortest combo includes them on the boat.
Booking, refunds and timing on a cruise day
Each of the three combos can be held without paying upfront, and each can be dropped at no cost until 24 hours before it starts. On a cruise day that flexibility is useful: you can hold a seat as soon as your port times are confirmed and change plans if the ship's schedule moves. The live guide on each is in English.
Check the total length against your all-aboard time and leave a margin. A 5-hour combo that starts an hour after your ship docks will usually work, but a late start can make the return tight. If your call is short, the 4-hour version or a whale-only trip is the safer bet, and you can take the bus or a shuttle to the glacier on your own if time remains.
Meeting points are downtown, near the cruise docks. The waterfall combo meets outside the Mt. Roberts Tramway building, where a representative waits with a sign, and the day trip meets beside the tram building at the main cruise terminal. The listing for each tells you exactly where to stand, so read it the evening before.
Which combo should you choose?
Pick the 4-hour combo if you want a balanced first taste of both sights at the lowest combo price, from $152. Pick the 5-hour waterfall version if you want time for Nugget Falls and the comfort of a full refund if no whale appears. Pick the day trip if the first two are full or if you like the look of its guide ratings.
If you are not sure, ask yourself which sight matters more. If the honest answer is the whales, book a whale-only trip and treat the glacier as a separate, flexible outing. If the answer is both equally, a combo saves you organisation and transfers, and it is the simplest way to see Juneau's two highlights in one go.
Whatever you choose, keep the weather and the wildlife in perspective. The glacier is reliable, the whales are wild, and a damp day in Juneau can still be a very good day. Dress for rain, bring a zoom lens and leave a little slack in your schedule.
Book your seat
The humpbacks are feeding off Auke Bay.
Claim a place now, settle up nearer the date, and change your mind at no charge until the day before sailing.
You ask,we answer.
How long is a whale and glacier combo?
4 to 5 hours. The shortest runs 4 hours and the waterfall version 5 hours.
Which combo refunds me if I see no whale?
The waterfall version. It offers a full refund if you do not see a whale.
Do I have time to walk to Nugget Falls?
On the 5-hour combo, yes. The shorter combo does not leave enough time for that hike.
What is the cheapest combo?
The 4-hour combo. It starts from $152 per person.
Is the glacier visit guided?
Mostly self-guided. You get free time at the recreation area, the viewpoints and the trails.
Can I cancel for free?
Yes, up to 24 hours ahead. All three combos allow free cancellation and pay later.
Sources
Evidence for this guide
- 1Travel JuneauDiscover Whale Watching in Juneau, Alaska↩
- 2Alaska Department of Fish and GameHumpback Whale Species Profile↩
- 3Alaska Department of Fish and GameHumpback Whale Species Profile↩
- 4NOAA FisheriesAlaska Humpback Whale Approach Regulations↩
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