Description
A helicopter ride over jaw-dropping landscapes, huskies by the dozen, and a thrilling ride across the icy surface of the Mendenhall Glacier – helicopter dogsledding tours have to be the ultimate Alaskan adventure! Dogsledding in Juneau is the highlight of many an Alaskan adventure, and the unique Helicopter and Dogsled Glacier Excursion includes a thrilling helicopter ride over the spectacular Juneau Icefield, as well as a landing right on the Mendenhall Glacier, where your team of huskies is waiting excitedly to take you on a mushing adventure across the icy landscape. Dogsledding in Juneau is an indelible part of local culture and history that lives on today, and with this excursion you’ll have the opportunity to spend time with professional mushers and learn more about their amazing huskies and the mushing life. Each dogsled is pulled by a team of 12-14 huskies, and you have the choice of riding on the runners or being comfortably seated inside the sled itself. At the signal from their musher, the dogs are off and loping across the icy snowfields at a pace you won’t believe! Then, back at the dog camp, it’s time to thank your tail-wagging team and have your photograph taken with them, dressed in traditional Iditarod Trail dogsled gear if you so wish!
The heli-base is located just a short ride from the cruise docks in Juneau, and your tour lasts for 1.5 hours from take-off to your return to the helicopter base. As with all other helicopter dogsledding tours, you’ll meet your pilot and receive a brief safety orientation before boarding your helicopter. Any initial nerves will be quickly quelled by your total absorption in the bird’s-eye view of spellbinding icefields and endless snow-capped mountains. On landing at Mendenhall Glacier, you’ll meet your dog team and their mushers and be readied for your exhilarating dash across the snowfields! And besides being great fun, dogsledding in Juneau will take you below beautiful mountains you’ll have to see to believe. On your helicopter ride back to base, you will have a real appreciation of the important role that huskies and their mushers played in opening up the vast Alaskan wilderness. Helicopter dogsledding tours are in high demand during the summer season in Juneau, so be sure to book early for this amazing experience!
Note: For a slightly longer experience and an extra glacier landing, you might consider the Helicopter & Dogsled Glacier Excursion with Extra Landing for the ultimate experience.
What's Included
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I need extra help on the tour?
Moderate guest activity is required for this tour. Guests must navigate sizeable steps — approximately 18 inches in height — while getting in and out of the aircraft. Staff will be there to lend a helping hand, but for liability reasons, guests must be able to manage these steps on their own.
What happens if the weather is too bad to fly?
How many passengers per helicopter?
How many people per dogsled?
Will I get to stand and mush the dog team?
What happens if the weather is unsafe to fly?
If the weather is not cooperating and the pilots determine that it's unsafe to fly, we'll do our best to reschedule you to a later time of day that works for you. If you choose not to reschedule and we can't find a time that works for you, we will refund you.
Can children come on the tour?
Absolutely! We are more than happy to accommodate children of all ages. Children 2 years or older must purchase a seat.
How late in the season do the glacier dogsled tours run?
Glacier dogsled tours are highly seasonal and depend on safe snow and weather conditions at the dog camp. Most glacier dog camps operate from May through late August, but the final operating date can change each year. Cooler summers may allow tours to run later, while warmer temperatures can cause glacier snow conditions to deteriorate sooner, making sledding unsafe for both guests and dogs.
Dog camps most often close by late August. If you’re visiting in late August or September, please check the online availability calendar for your travel date. Our live inventory is the most accurate and up-to-date source; if no departures are listed, the dog camp is likely closed for the season.
For a late-season helicopter glacier experience, consider the Icefield Helicopter Excursion or Private Icefield Helicopter Excursion. These tours do not include dogsledding, but they typically offer departures later in the season and still include scenic flightseeing over the Juneau Icefield with a glacier landing.
Why don't I see any tours available for my travel dates?
If you’ve entered your travel date and group size and do not see any tours available, the tours are most likely sold out, not operating that day, or the schedule has not yet been released for booking. If the specific helicopter tour you wanted is missing from the results, that usually means it is not available for your selected date, time, or group size.
Helicopter tours are among the most popular Alaska shore excursions and can sell out months in advance, especially during peak cruise season. If you’re visiting by cruise ship, many tours also require a 45–60 minute buffer to ensure you make it to and from your ship on time, so departures too close to your arrival or all-aboard time won’t appear. For the best chance of securing your preferred tour, date, and departure time, we recommend booking as soon as your travel itinerary is confirmed.
Our live availability calendar is the most accurate and up-to-date source for open departures. If no helicopter options appear after you enter your details, we recommend checking other available tour types for your port or adjusting your group size if your party can split across separate departures or activities.
For future-season travel, schedules are released gradually, most often in the fall as cruise schedules are finalized. If you’re searching for next season and do not see availability yet, that usually means those departures have not been released, not that they are already sold out. We recommend checking back later as more schedules become available.